New Year, New Business? How To Start A Business On A Shoe-String Budget In 2013

1. Your New Business Must Fulfil A Need Not A Want

It's always easier to sell a product or service that cures your customer's pain than just satisfies a want. Thing of what you sell in terms of how it can remove something that they don't want.

2. Utilise Your Best Skills

Imagine you are a recruitment agent recruiting You. What would they consider to be your best skill, the thing you can earn the most at? When was the last moment you really shone at what you did? What do you really love doing? How do you spend your leisure time? Get a pen and paper and before you know it you will be bursting with ideas.

3. Learn How To Run Your New Business For Free

Your local library and the internet have huge amount of free business resources. Business Link has an invaluable website businesslink.gov.uk. Your local Chamber of Commerce requires a subscription fee but has valuable resources such as free business mentoring and networking events. Startup Britain startupbritain.org has a free enterprise calendar listing events for entrepreneurs.

4. Make Your New Business Plan Flexible

It's easy to become disillusioned because you have set your sights too high. Make sure you set yourself realistic targets which will motivate you. Break your marketing plan into bite-sized chunks and 'to do' lists based on ways to get to your targets.

5. If You Have A Job, Keep It

Start your business in your spare time, and work in evenings and weekends. This will help create the discipline you need to keep the business going once it starts expanding, and if the new business doesn't work out you have something to fall back on.

6. Use Free Resources To Set Up And Promote Your Website

Domain names are generally really cheap (£10-£15) and once you have decided on yours, WordPress can be downloaded free from wordpress.org. Use social media to spread the word. No longer is it true to say 'build it, they will come', but you can help yourself by spreading the word using free accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

7. Turn Fixed Costs Into Variable Costs

As a start-up, you can't afford to get saddled with fixed costs, but by out-sourcing, you can enjoy benefits at prices to suit your fluctuating cash flow. Examples are hiring meeting rooms by the hour, staff by the day.

8. Do Everything Yourself

'Meet the Marketing Director, Finance Director, Operations Director and Sales Director' That's You, at least until you can earn enough money to support others. A harsh reality, but the only way to build up cash reserves to grow your business.

9. Use The Resources You Already Have

Do you have a spare corner at home? Welcome to your home office. Does your local café have wireless internet? Your new meeting room? Is your laptop a bit old? Make do for now. What better incentive to generate those first few sales than the thought of up-grading.

10. Don't Be Shy About Getting Customers To Pay

If it is normal in your industry to ask for some money up front make sure you do too, but even more important, don't leave doing your invoices until to the last thing on your list. Happy customers will expect to pay for a good job done.

Claire Georghiades, Director of Accounts Resource Limited

If you have a great idea for a new business, and would like some help from people who have been there AND won 'The Best Start-Up Award' at the Richmond Business Awards 2012, we provide a FREE one hour consultation on Skype to help get you started. Get in touch for more information!

Leasing Tips for New Business Owners

Are you planning to start your business in the next few months? And are you looking for equipment leasing tips and pointers that you can use to ensure that your business will turn out to be very profitable and successful? If your answer to these two questions is yes, then we encourage you to pay close attention to the succeeding paragraphs of this short but very insightful article. In the remainder of this piece, we have listed down and discussed practical suggestions that you can use as you try to look for and eventually sign up for an equipment leasing arrangement to acquire the machines, tools and equipment necessary for starting your own enterprise.

Tips for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

1. Examine which equipment your business needs. Before you approach a leasing company, it is important that you consider first what equipment, machines, tools, furniture, gadgets or components your business really needs. This way, you can easily identify which companies or contractors you can contact to provide you the exact machine or equipment necessary for supporting the day-to-day operations of the business you wish to build.

2. Know the qualifications of a prospective lessor. After identifying the components or apparatus that your business needs, the next thing you should do is look for prospective lessor's. Make sure that you search for accredited or licensed equipment providers and financing institutions. And see to it that you make a short list of companies that have excellent track record when it comes to customer service. This way, you can have the assurance of dealing only with reputable and credible organizations.

After searching for companies, take your time considering the qualifications of each prospective lessor. Contact each shortlisted company and ask its customer service representative regarding the qualifications for leasing business equipment. Aside from this, you also need to inquire about the terms and conditions imposed on the program it offers to business owners like you. In so doing, you can have accurate information that you can use in comparing the features of the leasing programs you intend to apply for. And such information can eventually help ensure that you will be able to obtain a leasing program most suitable to the needs and financial capability of your business.

3. Prepare, prepare, prepare. After finding a credible company and equipment leasing program, what you should do next is prepare the documents and papers that you need to file with your chosen lessor. In most cases, business owners are required to submit finance documents, such as proof of financial capability, business income and bank statements and other related papers. Applicants for leasing business equipment may also be asked to fill out forms and have interview sessions with bank personnel, depending on the requirements of their chosen lease providers. So, business owners are encouraged to prepare not only relevant paper works, but also themselves in case they will be asked to appear for a business appointment with a customer service representative of a prospective financing company.

Hit a Home Run for Your Company With New Business Book

Whether you are a baseball enthusiast, a Little League coach or parent, or a business owner looking to bring your company to the next level, you will find plenty to put new life into your game in Earl Bell's new book "Winning in Baseball and Business."

Earl Bell, businessman and long-time coach to youth baseball teams, reveals the many similarities between baseball and business-including both being games and both needing great coaches-and how Little League principles can be applied to business. Whether or not you have an interest in baseball, you will be surprised to discover how "what it takes to create a winning baseball team" applies so perfectly to creating a successful business.

In each of ten "innings"-Bell's preference for the book's division over the word "chapters"-Bell takes Little League lessons and shows how they can be turned into Major League strategies for your business. Topics include how to define what success means for your team/business, how to create alignment among your team players, how to establish a culture with values, how to develop a strategy and execute a plan, and ways to know what risks to expect and how to manage or insure against them.

While a lot of business books are out there-some even using golf or other sports metaphors-"Winning in Baseball and Business" is the first time I've seen baseball principles applied to business, and using Little League as a starting point really illuminated for me the basic, complex, and even common sense ways to take a business to the next level. More than anything, Bell comes across as a coach-in baseball and business-who cares not only about winning, but about his team-he believes in encouraging his players, in making them all engaged in the game, in enhancing their strengths, and in making sure everyone plays. Not only is he a great coach, but he helped lead his team to a national tournament held in Cooperstown, New York, the birthplace of baseball. For Bell and his team, playing in this tournament was a definite sign of their success.

Just as it's important to Bell that all his youth baseball players feel like they are part of a team with a culture of values, so he believes in developing employees into team players who take pride in and ownership of their work. And he applies the question of what motivates a youth to play baseball versus an adult to coach to understanding how an employee's reasons for working in a business can be different than those of a business owner, and how those differences can be used to lead to alignment within the business' team.

While Bell can't coach every business (although he can be hired as a business coach or consultant), he helps the reader self-coach by providing excellent questions at the end of each inning in a workbook format. These questions allow for thoughtful review of what has been covered in each inning and they ask the reader to consider how what has been learned can be applied to his business. One of the most thought-provoking questions Bell asks is, "What would be the impact to your customers if your company no longer existed?" Finally, Bell offers a scorecard for each inning to help the reader determine how he is doing and what he can do better to lead his business to the Major Leagues.

As an extra bonus, Bell includes profiles of ten entrepreneurs who established their own successful business enterprises before they were eighteen, and he concludes each inning with the profile of a well-known billionaire from the past or present. With each profile, Bell reveals lessons we can learn from the entrepreneur or his or her own personal advice for others who want to achieve business success.

Bell is clearly a great coach for business or baseball; you couldn't do better than to read "Winning in Baseball and Business" and apply its principles to your game. If I had a son in Little League, I'd want Earl Bell to be his coach, and if I were starting up a business, I would want him to be mine.

Tips On Using Facebook To Promote A New Business

While developing a Facebook page for your new firm, you must ensure that you cover all fundamentals.

· Use excellent visuals because a good photograph can attract innumerable likes. The visuals should indicate that your business is reliable and strong.

· Add a graphic on the home page to get more 'likes'.

· Review your competitors' websites to find out what they have done on their pages, and then add the good elements to your page.

· Provide an option on your page for visitors to send invitations to their friends immediately to like your profile.

· If your company plans to sell products online, add a convenient option for customers to connect and make purchases conveniently.

· To increase traffic to your site and to reflect authenticity, connect your Facebook page to your business website through a link.

Once your product or service is ready for sale and your graphic design company have created a logo design for you, your web design company has finished your website and your company's Facebook page has been created, the next step is to find customers. If you already have a personal Facebook account, you would already have a good number of friends and family connected with you as Facebook friends.

Don't hesitate to ask them to visit your page, like it and invite their friends to endorse it too. Ask them to try your new product. This strategy has excellent prospects because these people already trust you. They are your friends and will provide the much needed support and the initial number of fans. If they like what you offer, your new business profile will reach their friends and the social networking process will take off.

When your set of connections has been established, work on building your new identity positively with knowledgeable insights and attractive offers. Don't ever attack your fans with continuous salesmanship practices.

Add well-written content and articles with pertinent information about your products and industry. Your fans will then identify you as a resourceful person who has expert knowledge about his industry.

Interact with your clients regularly by responding to their comments, through offers of discounts or by sharing insights about your industry. You could also initiate discussions about interesting issues or opinions relevant to your product range. If your conversations generate interest, your fans will spread word about your business acumen to their connections.

Good planning and efficient implementation of your Facebook plan will offer you the possibility to interact with unlimited numbers of prospective customers and offer them important insights about your professional character and principles. Make sure that you create a Facebook page for your new business before the launch.

Guidelines to Ensure That Your New Business Prospers

1) Make sure what you decide to do is something close to your heart

Once you have started your business, you will have to work very hard to make sure it grows and prospers. You have to be motivated enough to want your business to succeed and there is no better motivator than yourself. If it is something you enjoy doing, then you will dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly. You will also strive find the best ways on how to increase sales for your new business.

2) The best time to embark on your business is while you are having a regular job

This is very important because you can never be sure how long it will take before your business pick up and starts to earn revenue for you. This is more like cushioning yourself as you wait for your business to grow as you will still be earning from your regular job. In this way, whichever way it goes, you still have your job to fall back on.

3) Do not be a lone-ranger

The first time you are starting a business requires a lot of commitment and dedication. We know that a business can be frustrating, especially if you don't see results you were expecting within the time you were expecting it. This is why you cannot afford to be a lone-ranger. Make sure you involve your family or some trusted friends so that they encourage you during those times when you feel like giving up. They can help you with priceless advice on how to increase sales and thus prosper your business,

4) Do vigorous networking about your business as soon as you decide to set it up

A business is always about customers. They are the lifeline of your business. It is therefore imperative that you try to create a customer bade for your business even before it kicks off let people know what you are planning to do, what you will be selling. It is never too early to engage in promoting yourself.

5) Have a business plan at hand

A business plan is important as it gives you a picture of thee expenses involved and generally what you will need to make the business start operating. Through this, you will be able to determine whether you have enough finances or need to hold up the idea and fill up your capital first.

6) Research! Research! Research!

I can't stress this enough! If you have decided to start a business, then you must have all the details pertaining to that business at your fingertips. You wouldn't want to be caught off-guard when you are asked a question that you can't answer simply because you did not do your research. Doing this will also help you come up with great on how to increase sales.

7) Refer to experts for advise

When you decide to start a business, keep an open mind which is always ready to learn. Seek help when you need it. When in need of advice, refer to the experts. You cannot know everything and there will always come a point when you will need input from someone else. Don't pretend to know everything as that will only hurt your business in the long run.

8) Sort out your capital

The capital you need for your business must be at hand. Come up with ways of getting it, whether it's borrowing from family and friends or using up your savings. You could even sell some of your investments. The bottom line is to have enough capital before embarking o starting the business.

9) Always act like as professional

Let your reputation exude confidence and professionalism in everything you so, from the way you treat your customers to having an official office line as well as business cards for networking.

10) Ensure that you comply with all legal requirements

Avoid falling into problems with the law as you will end up spending more time trying to defend yourself when that time would have been spent making your business prosper. Have all the legal requirements at your fingertips, seek advise from exerts so as to be up to date with such requirements. Also ensure that you have paid your taxes and do not have any amounts owing.

3 Sure Ways to Find New Business Ideas

I have always been asked, "Where do business ideas come from?" My answer is and has always been, "anywhere." On a serious note, that is largely true for the simple reason that ideas are not confined to any particular location or space. They can be found any and everywhere. Many of the best ideas that have changed many people's lives have been found in obscure and strange places like the bathroom, on the side-walk, in a movie theater, in the open country side, in the woods and such like places. Just about everywhere, believe me. What we all need is a habitual keen observation and a high sense of curiosity. With these, you can hardly miss any business opportunities that could come your way as you go about your life daily. These three ways are about the surest ways to find new business ideas.

01. Always be on the lookout for opportunities. I always tell people opportunities are everywhere for those who look well enough. Every problem no matter how mundane it may appear presents its own unique opportunity. If therefore you are able to form the habit of looking for opportunities in every problem, you will surely find such opportunities. Sustained thinking about how to solve such problems usually gives birth to business ideas.

02. Search for ideas in diverse places. People generally find things they are looking for no matter how long it takes. That is because when you are seriously looking for something, all your senses are tuned in to finding that thing. No matter where you may find yourself, if your mind is keyed on to finding new business ideas, you can never be disappointed. New ideas thrive on plenty of creativity and a high sense of novelty and diversity. If you go around daily with an open mind believing that ideas are everywhere, you will surely find very interesting and amazing business ideas from even unexpected places. You must however be intentional with your search. That is about the only way you can find because people generally find what they are looking for if they look well and hard enough.

03. Observe how others are solving their own business problems. When you notice someone else doing something to solve problems for others, you can always challenge yourself to find out if you can do the same thing better and faster. If you manage to find a way to better what someone else is already doing, a new business idea will be born. We are surrounded everywhere with problems which someone else has tried to solve. Many of these problems are opportunities for you to learn and to think of a better way. That way, new business ideas could be born from all the opportunities which these keen observations usually generate.

Identifying a problem people have and finding a way to solve the problem is how business ideas are born worldwide. Anyone who is able to solve problems for the convenience and happiness of others usually gets paid for his efforts. That way, he is in business. It is as simple as that. Anyone who can observe and think can generate a business idea. Human problems have no limits. So are business ideas. These ideas can be found anywhere by those who intentionally search for them.

Sule Yesufu, a Certified Speaking Professional, is a Strategic Partner in S D Y Management Consult, a firm of Investment, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Consultants. He is a Published Author and a Newspaper Columnist. An expert in Small Business and Personal Development, he focuses on communicating his ideas and thoughts mostly through his Training Seminars and popular free blog. He offers useful tips on Self-Improvement, Personal Finance, Entrepreneurship, Current News, Politics and Business in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa.

5 Steps to Overcoming Challenges of Starting a New Business

There are arguably millions of people who would like to start their own business, but they are hesitant because they have no experience, statistics suggest that most new businesses fail within a few years, etc. No matter what those fears are, the following five steps will help readers overcome them and turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Step one: Know how to find a niche.

Prospective entrepreneurs should be able to confidently answer the following questions:

• Is there an untapped market out there for the proposed service and/or product? For example, a person who is known for baking great chocolate chip cookies would do well to start small and focus on selling exceptional chocolate chip cookies. A signature item will establish a brand. Product lines can always be expanded after a business takes off.

• What are some "extras" that will keep customers coming back for more?

• How will the proposed service and/or product be better than what is currently available elsewhere?

Step two: Know how to handle customers.

Simply being passionate about a service/product is important. However, business owners should also be able to interact with their customers in a professional manner at all times. Bad news travels fast. Rants from a few disgruntled customers can kill a business before it gets off the ground. Thankfully, there are several books, webinars and seminars that can help teach readers/participants how to successfully communicate with various personality types before and after they start their business.

Step three: Know how to network.

No matter how passionate and talented a person is, no one is going to take notice of his/her business until the company name starts popping up in conversations. So, the owner will have to act as his/her own publicist in order to generate buzz and revenue. New entrepreneurs will also be better able to grow their business and expand their knowledge base by using social media, attending seminars and studying their competition to find out what clients like and do not like.

Step four: Know the rules and regulations.

Proper business registration is mandatory, no matter if the business will be run online or offline. Therefore, contacting state and local government officials to find out about necessary licenses, permits, zoning requirements, etc., is imperative before starting a business.

Step five: Know that education does not always trump experience.

There is nothing written in stone that says a person must have a college degree in order to run a successful business. For example, Martha Stewart has no formal training as a chef. She simply decided to start a catering business. Today, she is a household name. Those individuals who prefer to hone their business skills via educational programs can, of course, do so online and offline. One of the perks of formal training is that more people will be willing to take a chance on a novice if he/she has impressive credentials.

A New Year - A New Business - Create A Great Success Story

Start off the New Year with a Bang - Start a New Business.

It's time to believe in You! Get out there! Think positive! Be Brave! Achieve your goals and dreams!

The New Year is almost upon us so it's that time of year that we start reflecting on our achievements of this past 12 months. Some of us maybe happy that we have reached our goals and others maybe thinking it's time to take a new approach to reaching these goals or to life in general. Perhaps you are considering a change in career, or decided that it's time to work for yourself. Maybe you have some fears or apprehensions? That's only normal. You will be successful in business if you believe you "Can". As the old familiar saying goes, which has been published one way or another hundreds of times in articles or books over many years; "If you think you can then you are right"; "If you think you can't then you are right". The trick is in believing that you indeed "Can". The word "Can" is a very powerful word which has inspired many successful people in business to achievements beyond their wildest dreams.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to change your life to "A Life Less Ordinary" or "A Life More Exciting" and you've already thought about changing your career, or employment status, then maybe it's time to start a new business. Maybe it's a Home Business, maybe it's an Online Business, maybe it's a business with a store front. Whatever it is, it's time. Whether you've had an idea in your head for a while now of what you want to create, or you are still trying to figure out what you can apply your special skills to, then this is the month to do it so you are ready and raring to go at the Start of the New Year. Don't procrastinate; don't make excuses, Just Do It!

Close your eyes and take a few minutes to imagine yourself running your own business. How does it make you feel about yourself? What can you see, feel, smell, or touch as you envisage yourself in amongst it all. Can you see yourself greeting your clients or customers? Can you feel the satisfaction in helping others? Does it feel good inside? Maybe you see your family and friends around you supporting you. Maybe they are working with you to help you get your new business off the ground. Maybe they have always had faith in you and they are so happy to see you finally achieving your full potential.

It's time to believe in You! Get out there! Think positive! Be Brave! Achieve your goals and dreams!

Why Opting For A Shared Office Space Is Ideal For New Business Start-Ups

As they say, never ever underestimate the power of a small start-up, especially those that are fuelled by strong determination and desire to triumph. You might not expect it, but with sheer willpower and proper attention, a tiny idea can blossom into a strong and formidable business. This is particularly true these days as everything is almost possible with today's high-end technological breakthroughs.

But then, of course, not all business undertakings take off at a very fast speed. More often than not, aspiring entrepreneurs have to go through each step one at a time to establish and strengthen their business foundation.

At first, you may struggle marketing your products as you are just working online through your laptop and a stable internet connection. But once you have devised an excellent and also effective advertising and promotion strategy, it will not be long and you will be able to penetrate the market. The moment you get more orders as well as customers, you might already need to set up a small office at home. Doing so will permit you to handle more transactions with the buyers and suppliers.

After some time, you might start employing assistants to manage the queries of customers as well as make deliveries as you are already busy developing and enhancing your products. Months later and your venture is constantly growing. This might be the perfect time for you to rent a space to serve as your office. However, there is one big problem - you are out of budget.

In situations like this, you don't actually have to resort to converting your garage as your main office. It certainly doesn't build credibility and professionalism. Rather than going for these solutions, consider shared office space.

Most of the time, when businessmen hear the word "shared", they immediately shake their head as a sign of doubt or unwillingness. But little do they know, this remedy is actually fast gaining popularity as it offers a myriad of benefits.

First on the list is a shared office lets you concentrate on your business. To tell the truth, working at home is quite distracting as you have to think about the house chores you have to undertake. Instead of you putting all your energy on the improvement of your product or business, your attention is divided. But if you are in a private space, you have all your attention focused on the activity you need to get done by the end of the day. Furthermore, an atmosphere filled with other folks trying to accomplish their task for the day will motivate you to do the same.

Another reward of sharing an office space with others is you can obtain unbiased or third-party feedbacks regarding your products. With the diverse background of people sharing the space, you can expect to have a varied set of opinions. You can then use this to your advantage as their criticisms can help you learn the good and bad aspects of your products.

Lastly, offices that allow the sharing of spaces can certainly cater your growing demands. As your business expands, you might be asked by a group of people to make a presentation, workshop or perhaps seminar. Of course, you will need to have a space for such activity. Instead of you scouting for possible venues or haggling with hotel managers for them to give you a lower price, you can just hire the available meeting or conference rooms at your shared office building.

How To Give A New Business Instant Credibility

The problem with starting a new business is that it's a lot easier if the business is well established. Of course, that's something of a contradiction... or is it?

Any business wishing to compete for a slice of the market has to be fully up to the task of competing with its rivals, and increasingly these days customers are a savvy lot.

If a business is new, then it is to be treated with a degree of suspicion. This is a world where online reviews, scores, followers, likes and an established reputation are the calling cards of trust and credibility.

The problem is that for most start-up businesses none of that is available, which means that they're setting off for the hundred metre sprint in a sack, carrying a boiled egg on a spoon. The odds are somewhat against them.

But there are ways in which the odds can be pulled back, and new businesses given a distinct head start. If you're in a hundred metre sprint and you're carrying a hardboiled egg on a spoon while standing in a sack it's a good deal easier to win if you're starting off four metres from the finish line.

So how can new business gain this head start in terms of established credibility?

Well, first of all some words of caution. Perhaps you have already looked online for ways in which new businesses can gain increased credibility, and come across scores of websites offering services which sound quite appealing.

You probably know the sort of thing I mean - get 10,000 Facebook 'Likes' in three days, gain 5,000 Twitter followers in a week, 100,000 YouTube hits in a month... the list goes on.

The problem though is that numbers don't really cut it when it comes to credibility. Too many people today know how easy it is to pay someone to unleash an army of bots to bump up the numbers. There's also the risk of course that the search engines or host sites pick up on the skewed traffic and penalise or even blacklist your business. Not good.

Ultimately of course what those numbers mean is - nothing at all. They don't provide your business with any real advantage, because they're not targeted, they're not loyal. They're not even interested. They certainly won't spread the word, or share your content. You definitely won't get any orders from them.

No, what I mean by getting instant credibility is more down to the business premises. Too many new start-up business end up publicising themselves as being based in Flat 2, Dingle Avenue, or The Back Bedroom, 24 Seaview Crescent. A residential address isn't good.

To get over this problem what some businesses do is to rent a virtual business address. This is a much better plan, because a virtual office address allows the business owner to separate home and work, and means that if they move home they won't have all of the problems associated with updating the address details. There are also various tax related reasons why having a business associated with a business address rather than a residential address is preferable.

But this alone isn't a solution, because having a business address that's along the lines of Unit 6, Browning's Industrial Estate isn't terribly inspiring. And don't even think about signing up for a PO Box, because if you ever try to register your business, a PO Box won't be accepted. It also gives the impression to potential customers that you're hiding something.

Credibility today is gained by having a prestigious business address which relates directly to a real bricks and mortar property in a well known, established business district of the town or city.

To associate your business name with a business property which is already established, and well known by those living and working in the area means that your new business immediately inherits an established level of credibility.

Bu renting a virtual office address which is associated with an established, credible and prestigious business property in town you can also sometimes find that you are able to rent meeting rooms when needed (something you can't do if your virtual office is simply a database entry on a computer, or a locker in a warehouse), massively boosting the credibility and public image of your business.

Which is a great way of gluing the egg to the spoon, jumping out of the sack and legging it to the finish line.

Finding Commercial Real Estate for Your New Business

Starting a business is a major decision. It can be a costly one if the wrong choices are made in the process, particularly when it comes to commercial real estate. It is important for you to carefully consider properties before making a choice to go with one. You will need a professional agent to help you look at properties, to compare their good and bad features, and to help you as you make your final choice.

Before beginning your search for commercial real estate, you will need to think seriously about what exactly you need the property for. Depending on the purpose, you might have to meet certain government laws and regulations. You will need to find an agency that commonly deals in this area, and that has an agent who will work well with you.

Before deciding on an agent, you will want to make sure that you choose someone that will not charge too much for their help. He or she should be experienced in commercial real estate specifically so that they will be able to help you make an informed decision.

Your new business will likely be your livelihood. Because of this, you will want to make the wisest decision possible before purchasing property. It is important that every part of it will pass inspections for your purpose for the property. It would be very difficult if you were to purchase a property only to find out that you will have to put a great deal of money into it to make it usable. The right agent should be able to help you to see warning signs before you go forward with a purchase.

It is important for you to compare the costs of various properties while taking into consideration what some have to offer over others. Make sure your budget is large enough so that you will be able to get the property that you need. You could start small and work your way up to a larger piece of commercial real estate, but if you can find one that will allow you to grow some, you will probably not regret it if the price is right.

As you research and plan your new business, include all of your brainstorming, necessities and other ideas together so that you will be able to have a go-to notebook for your plans. This will help you, and it will help your commercial real estate agent to see what you want in a property.

2 Types Of Packing Services When Moving To A New Business Location

When moving your company to a new place, the best way to go is definitely to hire moving services. However, there are many options available and you may feel overwhelmed to pick the right one for you.

The best service is the one that will meet all your moving needs. Before selecting a company, you need to weigh your energy and time against the cost of hiring professionals. The major choice you should make is the kind of packing services you want the moving company to offer. The two main types of packing services are:

Full service packing

This kind of service involves packing everything in your company or business. You will not have to lift a hand to pack even your files. First, the moving company will send one representative to take a survey of your premises. The professional will take in details of your move including equipment, furniture, electronics and foodstuffs.

During the assessment, the professional will also be determining what they will need during the move. He or she will list all the items that will need special care or equipment to transport.

He or she will also discuss with you how to handle valuables such as jewelry, artwork and paperwork. Normally, the moving company will pack and set aside items that can be taken by you as opposed to loading into the tuck so that you can take them with you. The company representative will also give you an estimate of the time it will take to pack and move your load. He or she will give you a correct quote for the move.

Specialty items packing services

If you are low on budget and want to cut back spending, or if your business is small, you can opt for the specialty items packing service. This is the packing of sensitive or special items such as artwork, mirrors, fragile and breakables. A company official will visit your premises and list all the specialty items that need professional and special packing, and give you a quote.

You will then pack the rest of the load on your own. This will save you a significant amount of cash but will take much of your time. If the time you will spend packing will cause you to lose business and bring losses then it is best to leave all the work to the professionals. However, if your business is small and there is not much to pack, go for it.

Best Hair Salon Locations For a New Business

Setting up a new business can be a fun and exciting experience if you are prepared for the challenges that you will almost certainly face. If you have decided that you want to open a new hair salon, then there are a lot of things which need to be considered, including the name of your salon, what additional services you are going to offer, how much you are going to charge and where is the best hair salon location. Choosing the best location for your salon is actually one of the most important things which you need to do, because the cost of your location will probably end up influencing the prices charge.

The first thing you need to work out is roughly how much you will be able to spend on the annual rental costs of your salon. Visiting a commercial letting agent to discuss all of your location needs and your budgetary requirements can be very useful at this stage, as the letting agent will be able to show you what is available. If you visit a letting agent in person, it can actually be a lot better than simply browsing through commercial properties on the internet, because the chances are that they will have some great options available to you which have not been put live on the website yet. Talking to a letting agent in person will also give you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you want and they may even be able to arrange viewings for you that very same day. You may even be able to negotiate prices.

The best hair salon location can actually depend on your intended client base and how you intend to market your products. How big your salon space is will often be dictated by the area in which you choose to set up your business. In city centre locations, larger spaces will usually be prohibitively expensive for first time business owners.

Renting a commercial property in the town or city centre, will be much more expensive than renting a location on the outskirts of the town, or in a more residential area, however, you may be able to attract more upmarket clients. Having a city centre location is not necessarily as important for a hair salon as it is for some other sorts of business, because hair salons do not rely on passing trade and walk-in clientele as much as shops do.

If you choose to have your salon closer to a built up residential area, your rental costs will be much cheaper. Targeting your marketing towards people who live in that housing area can encourage people to believe that your new hair salon will be the best hair salon for them - consider flyering the area with discount vouchers, or offering a discount to people who can prove that they live within that area code because this will help to draw in local people.

Never choose a location right next to a major road, even if it does seem very cheap. A big road will be distracting to your stylists and will not help your clients to relax and enjoy their experience. The vibrations from the passing traffic can also cause damage to your salon equipment.

Starting a New Business Is a Major Project

though starting a successful business can be life expanding, but if we want to create a long-term asset then we must think it out very carefully before we commit time, money and most importantly, reputation to our project.

The market is unkind to ill-conceived business start-ups. Wikipedia suggests that 56% of business start-ups fail. To become a successful entrepreneur takes care and preparation, not to mention hard work and an element of luck.

The questions are simple and they are generic

What are you selling? Whatever your business you are selling something.
Who are you selling it to?
Where are you selling it: shop, warehouse, business office, trade fairs, on-line?
When are you selling it

Then again you need to ask the operational questions

What will be the scale of your business - at least in the first place
Who will you employ?
How much time and money will you have to invest before the revenue starts to flow?

The answers are less so... but never fear, you are on the first loop of the Design Spiral and at this stage answers need be no more than approximate.

Nevertheless some things are clear from the start.

It is foolish to hobble your program by not using the tools available to you

Governments and organisations like Chambers of Commerce around the world offer training, networks and guidance for budding entrepreneurs
Anyone who doesn't use a computer and the internet from the start is making life unnecessarily difficult for him (or her) self
Following on from that, the internet is full of information sources and free software and not accessing such sources is plain contrary

And you?

Are you ready for what your new business will demand?

Every hour that God made, weekends, evenings...
New skills, bookkeeping, salesmanship, negotiation, man (and woman) management
Responsibility for everything that happens - seen and unseen

Now every question ends up on your desk - "the buck stops here".

But look around again. Every small business you see has an owner, and every one of those owners has addressed these issues, and most of them have, or will succeed.

So even before you start on your business plan proper there are issues to address. Take a few days to research your market. There is no 'one size fits all' solution: much will depend on your type of business, your location, your personal circumstances and your ambitions.

Attract New Business While Keeping Existing Customers Happy With CRM

The main idea of having an effective strategy for CRM is to be able to find and attract new customers as well as to retain a good relationship with your current customers to make sure they stay with you. Customer relationship management systems are typically used by businesses who want to centralise their customer information in one place. A CRM software solution enables this by providing a 'single source of the truth' which is invaluable when analysing customer activities such as revenue contribution, cost to service and various other performance metrics.

CRM describes the company's overall strategy towards how to manage all interactions with the customers, measuring how the strategy works. This means that it is important not only to measure but also to constantly question the strategy to make it more efficient.

Microsoft Dynamic CRM business software is designed to provide your people with the right tools to boost their productivity amplify their impact and effectively equip your organisation for success. With over 23,000 customers and more than 1,400,000 worldwide, you know you are in good company when you choose Microsoft Dynamics CRM. There are many reasons for choosing MS Dynamics CRM, one of the most important being the leadership by Microsoft, an organisation with a strong balance sheets, consistent growth, a long-term commitment to innovation and thousands of world-class engineers. Additionally, MS Dynamics CRM has seen impressive momentum in the CRM market and is recognised as a leader in the CRM industry by many third-party experts and analyst firms.

Another reason to go with Microsoft is value. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is regarded by many customers and industry analysts as one of the best values in the industry when examining factors that affect total cost of ownership (TCO), such as licensing, services, training, deployment, administration and maintenance.

With over 500 million Outlook users worldwide, Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a seamless and natural extension of the functionality they are already comfortable with, ensuring a quick uptake by users, with Microsoft Dynamics CRM being accessed from within Microsoft Outlook. As most of the CRM software are sales people, working with selling products or services, it is important that the CRM software is intuitive and easy to use. It is also important to be able to easily follow up the interactions with flexible reports.

Maximise your Microsoft Dynamics CRM investment and increase your productivity through the $9 billion spend annually by Microsoft in developing a wide variety of productivity-focused and powerful solutions.

Business Credit Cards for a New Business

If you are a new company starting out then having a business credit card is a must. Business credit cards for a new business are hard to figure out at times so this article will go over exactly how to choose the right one that is going to work best for your company.

Every business credit card typically comes with some sort of perk, whether it be cash back, lower interest rates, high credit limit, missed payment forgiveness, etc. Before you even start looking for business credit cards for your new business you need to sit down and think about which perk you want more than any other for your business. Always remember that the goal of any business is to maximize profits so whichever perk will help you accomplish this is the one you want to seek.

Once you have decided on which credit card is the best then it's time to start shopping around. I usually recommend starting with smaller banks or credit unions in town. The reasoning behind this is whenever something goes wrong, and in business it will, you will need the support of a bank that can help guide you through any sort of credit issues. The advantage here is if you pick up the phone and call the bank you will typically get someone at that branch office not a call center in the nether regions of the planet.

If you decide to go to a large bank or retail banks you always see advertised, the advantage with these companies is the long standing history. This means that any issue you have more than likely they have seen it a thousand times already. The downfall is when you call for support typically you'll be routed to a call center and most of the times not within your country.

Regardless of which large or small bank you choose always call and setup a discussion about your goals for your business credit cards for a new business. This way the bank and you can start a new relationship and they will be able to help pick out the best business credit card for your new business for your company.

Always make sure you fully understand the terms you and the bank are agreeing to especially the interest rates. With the recent recession banks are willing to issue business credit cards for your new business but sometimes they are attached to a higher interest rate that can hurt you business if you are not careful.

Why Am I Not Generating New Business?

One of the big questions I get from new clients all the time is, "Why am I not generating new business? What am I doing wrong?" You know it is very overwhelming trying to decide what to do and when. I totally understand that because I was there several years ago. I was spinning my wheels and not going anywhere at all. I had to really understand what my market needed from me, and how they needed it.

The thing is, if you choose the wrong marketing tactics you're going to be pouring money down the toilet. Plus, the longer it takes for you to grow your business the greater the chance you won't stay in business.

I wanted to compile a list of reasons that block you from really developing your business or deter potential clients from working with you. Think about whether any of these fit what you are dealing with.

You have to know what is broken before you fix it. That is a must before you can build a thriving business.

Unclear/Wrong target market
Wrong or unclear message
Not stating clear benefits and features
Wrong joint venture relationships
Low believability
Not being authentic
Copying others versus using your own unique stamp on your business
Low credibility
Building your business on the wrong value system
Offering the wrong offers
Focused too much on making a sale versus generating a lasting customer
Promoting in the wrong places
Not enough money, time and effort invested in promoting
Your message is weak & can't break through the marketing clutter your prospects are already exposed to
Weak marketing materials
Poor customer service
No long term strategy in place
Poor quality of product or service
Lack of variety of services and products

Okay, I know that was not pretty nor was it easy. But you have to really look in the mirror and identify what is not working.

So where do you start if you do see some areas that you need to improve upon?

My first suggestion to you is to dive deep into learning your market. I am always amazed about how little someone know who it is that they are marketing to. Make this a priority.

Who are they?
What are they most interested in?
How do they like to receive information?
What type of events do they attend?
What solutions do they generally seek out?
What other like professional service your target market?
What programs or services do they tend to be attracted to?
Are there any potential joint partnerships that you can form? (These JV partners must work with your target market.)

Employment Law Tips for New Business Owners

As an employer employment law is something which you must give due consideration to. If you fail to comply with this area of the law when hiring employees, it could result in costly and time-consuming lawsuits, and could damage your business' reputation. In this article, we discuss the law surrounding payment and salary requirements.

Broadly speaking, employers are free to pay an employee a wage which they believe corresponds with their role in the company. However, the law states that employers have to pay at least the NMW (National Minimum Wage). The same NMW is applicable for almost all employees, but those under a certain age, or those who are working as apprentices, may be paid a slightly lower amount. In addition to this, employers are required to honour their entitlements of their employees to things like adoption, paternity or maternity pay, and statutory sick pay.

Employer employment law also states that you can only make a deduction from a employee's wage when you are legally obliged to (i.e. to make National Insurance and PAYE tax contributions) or when you have agreed to do so in advance (for instance, if a deduction agreement is included in their employment contract). Employers have to provide all of their employees with payslips as well.

In addition to ensuring that your employees are paid a fair wage for the work they do, and that they receive all of the benefits they are entitled to, you may also have to address the issue of employee share schemes. These schemes are designed to align the shareholder and employees' interests, by providing employees with the opportunity to take a direct interest in the company's financial performance.

These types of schemes are useful for start up and small business owners, who cannot afford to pay very high salaries, but still want to attract and reward employees of a high calibre. Many job seekers nowadays actually prefer to participate in share schemes and get a slightly lower salary offer, as in the long run, owning shares is more profitable. Schemes which have been approved by the HMRC can have tax benefits for both employees and employers, but it's important to bear in mind that the do come with a considerable administrative burden. Employer employment law allows business owners to develop their own share schemes too, but if these are not approved by the HMRC, then they won't come with the added tax advantages.

5 Ways of Raising Capital for Your New Business

Creativity reigns when raising capital for your new business. There are many ways to raise capital for your new business. The key is to be resourceful and focused on the right things in the process. Every region in the US has a Small Business Administration as well as an economic development agency. The job of these groups is to provide information and resources to new business owners as to capital availability. They have many relationships and can introduce you to people with capital formation expertise. They are a great place to start networking because lenders and investors usually affiliate with these groups.

Family and friends are a great first stop when raising capital for your new business. It that option is not available; there are many angel investors across the US. Angel groups are formal groups of high net worth individuals who like to invest in entrepreneurial businesses. Some angel groups have monthly or quarterly meetings which invite entrepreneurs for presentations. Though the check size is usually small, angel investment can come together relatively quickly.

There are technology fairs across the US organized by venture capital associations. These regional associations usually put on annual or quarterly events that showcase up and coming companies. A great example of this is the Smart Start Venture Forum help in Upstate New York every year. Venture capital events are a great way to show your product and test your story in front of a large and discriminating crowd. Often, these events are structured so that each company does a formal presentation to a crowd of venture capitalists. They receive feedback on their product and marketing ideas. They events are like beauty pageants and there are best in show as well as cash prizes for the winners. Sometime the cash prizes can be meaningful such as $25,000 or $50,000. Both the experience and the feedback are very valuable for most new business seeking to raise capital.

Asset based lending is a loan against your assets such as accounts receivables. There are many accounts receivable financing companies that will factor your accounts receivable once you have sales from creditworthy customers. This provides you upfront cash though it is often a high fee percentage or interest rate.

Crowd sourcing is a new way of using the power of the internet to raise capital. This is an emerging trend. This is a good way to get going if you are at the seed stage but have a very compelling business opportunity. Typically, crowd sourcing is very difficult to pull off and the capital raises are small dollars - generally under $500,000. Crowd sourcing is a technology savvy way of raising capital for your new business. The downside is that you will likely have many shareholders and the approach is not necessarily ideal for larger size capital raises.

Finally, many entrepreneurs are looking to creative ways of bartering or trading with other companies to expand their resource base. Strategic channel partners can provide valuable sales resources which is functionally equivalent to them making direct cash investment in the business. Many technology development companies are willing to provide free services in exchange for an equity position or exclusive contract to provide more services.