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Ways to Infuse Sustainability into Your Business

Sustainability

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a critical aspect of long-term success. Building sustainable principles into your business not only benefits the environment but also enhances your brand reputation, attracts socially conscious customers, and can lead to cost savings in the long run. Here are six effective ways to integrate sustainability into your business practices:

Implement Green Initiatives: Start by identifying areas where you can reduce your environmental impact. This could include using renewable energy sources, reducing water consumption, implementing recycling programs, and minimizing waste production. Encourage employees to participate in eco-friendly practices both at work and in their personal lives.

Embrace Ethical Sourcing: Ensure that your supply chain aligns with ethical and sustainable practices. Partner with suppliers who prioritize fair labor practices, environmental conservation, and ethical sourcing of materials. This not only improves your business’s sustainability but also contributes to positive social impact globally.

Focus on Energy Efficiency: Invest in energy-efficient technologies and practices to reduce your carbon footprint. This could involve upgrading to LED lighting, optimizing heating and cooling systems, and utilizing energy-saving equipment. Conduct regular energy audits to identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time.

Promote Diversity and Inclusion: Foster a diverse and inclusive workplace culture where employees feel valued and empowered. Embracing diversity not only strengthens your team but also enhances creativity, innovation, and employee satisfaction. Implement policies and initiatives that promote equal opportunities and create a sense of belonging for everyone.

Engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives: Develop and support CSR initiatives that align with your values and contribute positively to society. This could involve donating to charitable organizations, volunteering in the community, or sponsoring environmental conservation projects. Engage customers and employees in these initiatives to create a sense of shared purpose and impact.

Measure and Report Progress: Set clear sustainability goals and regularly monitor your progress towards achieving them. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track metrics such as energy consumption, waste reduction, carbon emissions, and social impact. Transparently communicate your sustainability efforts and achievements through annual reports, website updates, and marketing materials to build trust and credibility with stakeholders.

By incorporating these six strategies into your business operations, you can build a more sustainable and socially responsible enterprise that not only benefits the planet but also strengthens your brand and fosters positive relationships with customers, employees, and the community.

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB accredited over 10+ years. Access our network of Angel Investors, Venture Capital or Lenders. Let us professionally write your Business Plan.

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Implementing Effective Customer Retention Strategies

Retention

In today’s fiercely competitive business landscape, acquiring new customers is a constant challenge. But what’s equally, if not more, important is retaining your existing customers. Customer retention is the lifeblood of any successful business, as it not only ensures a steady stream of revenue but also helps in reducing acquisition costs and fostering brand advocates. In this article, we’ll explore the art and science of implementing effective customer retention strategies that will keep your customers coming back for more.

Understand Your Customers

Effective customer retention starts with knowing your customers inside out. Invest in data analytics and customer segmentation to gain valuable insights into their preferences, behaviors, and pain points. This data-driven approach can help you tailor your products and services to meet their specific needs, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Deliver Outstanding Customer Service

Exceptional customer service is the bedrock of customer retention. Train your customer-facing teams to go above and beyond in addressing customer concerns, resolving issues promptly, and providing personalized experiences. The aim is not just to meet customer expectations but to exceed them consistently.

Create a Seamless Customer Journey

A seamless and enjoyable customer journey is essential for retention. Ensure that your customers have a smooth transition from the awareness stage to purchase and post-purchase support. Use omnichannel strategies to maintain consistency across various touchpoints, such as websites, social media, email, and in-person interactions.

Loyalty Programs and Rewards

Loyalty programs are proven tools for retaining customers. Offer rewards, discounts, or exclusive access to loyal customers to show your appreciation. These programs can encourage repeat purchases and increase customer lifetime value. Make sure the rewards are enticing enough to keep customers engaged.

Solicit Feedback and Act Upon It

Regularly seek feedback from your customers through surveys, reviews, or direct communication. Act on this feedback to improve your products, services, and overall customer experience. Showing customers that you value their opinions and are actively working to meet their needs can build stronger relationships.

Personalization and Customization

Personalization is the key to making customers feel special. Use data and technology to personalize your communication, product recommendations, and marketing efforts. Customers are more likely to stay loyal when they feel that a brand understands and caters to their individual preferences.

Build Trust and Transparency

Trust is the foundation of customer loyalty. Be transparent about your business practices, pricing, and policies. Keep customers informed about any changes or disruptions. When customers trust your brand, they are more likely to remain loyal, even in the face of competition.

Engage through Content Marketing

Content marketing can be a powerful tool for customer retention. Regularly create valuable and informative content that keeps customers engaged with your brand. Blogs, videos, newsletters, and social media posts can help maintain a connection and position your brand as an industry leader.

Monitor and Reward Customer Advocates

Identify your most passionate and loyal customers and turn them into advocates. Encourage them to spread the word about your products or services through referrals, testimonials, or user-generated content. Recognize and reward their efforts to create a sense of community and belonging.

Constantly Innovate

The business landscape is ever evolving. To retain customers, you must stay ahead of the curve by continually innovating and adapting to changing market dynamics. Show customers that you are committed to growth and improvement, and they will be more likely to stick around.

Conclusion

Implementing effective customer retention strategies is a journey, not a destination. It requires a deep understanding of your customers, a commitment to delivering exceptional experiences, and a willingness to adapt to their evolving needs. By following these strategies, you can build strong customer relationships that stand the test of time and help your business thrive in the long run. Remember, it’s not just about acquiring customers; it’s about keeping them happy and loyal.

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB accredited over 10+ years. Access our network of Angel Investors, Venture Capital or Lenders. Let us professionally write your Business Plan.

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Creating a Competitive Advantage for Your Business

Competitive

In today’s fast-paced and dynamic business landscape, achieving success is not merely about survival; it’s about thriving and standing out from the competition. To remain relevant and achieve long-term growth, businesses must develop a competitive advantage that sets them apart in the market. This article explores what a competitive advantage is, why it is essential, and actionable strategies to create and sustain it.

Understanding Competitive Advantage

A competitive advantage refers to the unique set of qualities and attributes that allow a business to outperform its rivals, capture a larger market share, and achieve higher profitability. This advantage can stem from various factors, such as cutting-edge technology, exceptional customer service, cost efficiencies, or proprietary intellectual property. It provides businesses with the edge they need to not only survive but also thrive amidst fierce competition.

Importance of a Competitive Advantage

Market Differentiation: A competitive advantage positions your business as distinct and unique, allowing customers to recognize and appreciate your offerings over competitors.

Sustainable Growth: A well-defined competitive advantage creates barriers to entry, making it harder for new players to challenge your market position, thus ensuring long-term growth and stability.

Customer Loyalty: Providing superior value through your competitive advantage fosters customer loyalty, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Higher Profitability: The ability to deliver unique value often justifies premium pricing, leading to increased profitability and stronger financial performance.

Strategies to Create a Competitive Advantage

Innovation as a Driving Force: Embrace a culture of innovation within your organization. Encourage employees to think creatively, explore new ideas, and identify opportunities for improvement. Disruptive innovations can lead to significant advantages in the market.

Focus on Customer Needs: Understand your target audience’s pain points, preferences, and expectations. Tailor your products or services to meet these needs better than anyone else, creating a customer-centric competitive advantage.

Leverage Technology: Embrace technology to enhance operational efficiency and deliver a seamless customer experience. Embracing automation, data analytics, and artificial intelligence can transform your business processes and customer interactions.

Build Strong Relationships: Cultivate lasting relationships with customers, suppliers, and partners. Strong partnerships can provide access to resources, technology, or markets that might otherwise be out of reach.

Invest in Human Capital: Your employees are your most valuable asset. Foster a supportive and empowering work environment, encourage professional development, and retain top talent. A highly skilled and motivated workforce can drive innovation and excellence.

Cost Leadership: Streamline operations, optimize supply chains, and negotiate favorable agreements with suppliers to reduce costs. Passing these savings on to customers can give your business a competitive edge in pricing.

Brand Identity and Marketing: Develop a compelling brand identity that resonates with your target audience. Effective marketing and branding can create emotional connections, boosting customer loyalty.

Continuous Improvement: Stay vigilant in monitoring market trends and competitors’ moves. Continuously adapt and improve your products, services, and processes to maintain your competitive advantage.

Sustaining the Competitive Advantage

Creating a competitive advantage is just the beginning. To remain relevant and successful, you must continuously innovate, adapt, and stay ahead of the competition. Regularly reassess your strategy, conduct market research, and listen to customer feedback. Be open to change and willing to pivot when necessary.

In conclusion, a competitive advantage is the lifeblood of a thriving business. It allows you to carve a unique identity in the market, attract loyal customers, and achieve sustainable growth. By leveraging innovation, technology, and a customer-centric approach, businesses can not only create but also sustain a competitive advantage that ensures their continued success in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB accredited over 10+ years. Access our network of Angel Investors, Venture Capital or Lenders. Let us professionally write your Business Plan.

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Just Because Your Small Business Is Failing Does not Mean It Has to Shut Down

small

Everyone who starts a business starts it with great passion, strong ambition, and a clear vision. However, things don’t always go the way the founder of a business wants them to. When people see a failing small business, they can wrap up the whole discussion within a second by saying something along the lines of, “Just shut it down.” What they don’t realize is that shutting down a business is a much more difficult decision than starting one. No matter how unadvisable, there is an undying emotional attachment of a business owner with his/her business. So, what can you do if your small business is not performing well?

Pinpoint the Reasons for Failure

What do the doctors do when patients go to them with an illness? They don’t hand over a bunch pills, and tablets straight away do they? The first step, of course, is the diagnosis of the issue. Once the doctor knows the problem, he/she can prescribe the right medicine. This is exactly what you have to do with your business. The first thing you have to do is make efforts to pinpoint the reasons and problems that are causing your business to fail. If you don’t have the expertise, you should hire a professional accountant to look into your profits, losses, incomes, and expenses. Maybe you are doing business perfectly, and it is just your tax calculation that is causing the damage.

Don’t be the Business

Many times it is the owner who causes the failure of a business. When you think you are the business, this is the recipe for a business’ failure. You must learn to delegate responsibilities and become comfortable with the idea of taking help from others. Don’t act like an owner when it comes to using the money that your business making. Keep yourself on a salary, and this salary should be based on the current condition of the business. Make the team and involve some of your best employees in deciding what the solution to the problems should be. You are in the business, and so you will see everything from your perspective. A neutral person will tell you what they find lacking in your business strategy.

You have to be very patient and understanding when you ask others to help you. They might point out factors that you might not like. They might even raise questions about your strategy, and that’s when you have to show real patience.

Use the Funding Options

Sometimes, you just start on the wrong foot. You are so eager to start your own business that you don’t even arrange the proper capital to support it. You might spend too much on arranging your office furniture and be left with nothing to spend on marketing. In this particular situation, you want to arrange funds to meet the needs of your business. Whether it’s marketing, the lack of staff or the wrong location, you can fix any of those issues when you have the money. If you think your business is built on a unique idea and that more people need to know about it, you should look for ways to arrange the funds.

Look around, and you might come across friends or family members who could help you arrange some funds. If you don’t have any contacts that can help you with business funding, you should consider online crowdfunding. You always have options like Funded.com available to arrange the right funds to support your unique business ideas. The thing about online funding is that you can always find people who understand your idea no matter how unique it is.

Set Goals and Measure Their Progress

No matter how hard the times are for your business, there is always going to be a way out. However, the emotional setback and mental stress that come with business failure can eat up your positivity and optimism. Despite such hardships, you have to know how to set realistic goals and achieve them. Set defined realistic and achievable goals and measured the progress. When you are facing hard times, you have to set small goals. It is important at this point that your goals are defined in the form of numbers. The ambiguity of goals makes them less achievable. If you are losing customers and you want to retain them, you must first know the rate at which you are losing them.

Now, the example of a weak goal at this point will be setting something like, “I will not lose customers in the coming month.” That’s an ambiguous goal, and no set point will define how badly you have failed or how tremendously you have succeeded. Instead, you should set the goal by first defining a period during which you will calculate customer retention or attrition. Secondly, you will calculate the customers acquired during that period. Thirdly, you must know how many customers you had at the start of that period. You will now set your goal regarding retention percentage during that period.

Reconsider Your Pricing Strategy

More often than not, businesses fail because the owners don’t set the right price for their product or services. You might be pricing your products too low or too high. What if you have already started charging your customers for the value you haven’t provided them? A business must price its products/services to cover their expenses. Later, the business can start making a profit. The third and last stage is to charge for the business value. You have to be constantly looking into your customer data to know how much value your customers find in your services/products before you charge them for it.

As mentioned earlier, it much more difficult to shut a business down than it is to start it. Furthermore, you cannot let go of the mission and vision that’s associated with your business that easily. For this reason, you have to show tremendous perseverance, patience, and determination, and try all your options before deciding to shut down your business

Who we are:  Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

You can review our featured partners to help your success with your business or project.

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Some Unnecessary Small Business Expenses to Avoid

Business Expenses

When you start a business, you have to be extra careful with how you spend your capital. There are many ways for small business owners to increase their profits. Reducing their costs is one of the simplest and most effective ones. A lot of the times, entrepreneurs would add costs to their budgets that they don’t necessarily have to make. It might appear to them that these are necessary expenses when that’s not the case. They can add many of these expenses once their business has established.

Expenses That Small Businesses Should Avoid

Excessive Advertising

Yes, advertising is quite important for businesses, but excessive advertisement is not. It still makes sense for large businesses to go full-on with advertising because they have the budget to do so. However, when it comes to small businesses, they must do intelligent and selective advertising only. Their first course of action should be to identify the advertising channels that work best for them. Just because you are a restaurant at the corner of a street does not mean you have to use awnings, vinyls, neon signs, and all other types of materials for advertising purposes. Pick the ones that work and skip what doesn’t.

Too Many Work Hours

You don’t necessarily have to follow the trends of your competitors to compete with them. It does not matter how good they are, even the best ones can make mistakes at times. Many business owners choose to keep their premises opened for customers for long hours. They will open the business early in the morning and close it late at night just so they can serve more customers. However, one must do cost calculation before taking such a step? What if you are getting only five customers in the first three hours of the business and five more at the last two hours?

Now imagine the cost of utility, wages of your employees, etc. Are you covering the costs of keeping your business opened for five additional hours with only 10 customers? Even if you want to continue this way, you better test it for a week only. If the response is cold, you should quit this practice as soon as possible.

Pursuing the Best of Everything

The idea sounds great but is not the way to go about doing business when you are in your early stages. You should spend your money on things you need, not the things you want unless you have the budget to do so. If you are renting space for your office, you should look for a place that you can easily afford. Going for the best location in the most commercial area will cost you a lot of money. You can save your money even when it comes to internal equipment. Why buy new couches, seats and brand new computers when you can do with high-quality used equipment?

Why go for a printer with fancy looks and capacity to print hundreds of pages in a minute when you won’t ever need that many printouts at a time? Go with simple and beautiful when it comes to decorating your office. You don’t want to spend your budget on things that are not going to yield any benefits for your business.

Hiring IT Staff

IT is integral to any business today, tech or non-tech. However, it does not mean you have to have an IT team on board. One of the beauties of modern technology is that it allows you to outsource a lot of the business processes. The best thing about outsourcing business processes is that you can save a lot of money by doing so. Managed IT services are a perfect way for you to save IT costs while benefitting from expertise of the best professionals of the industry. Rather than paying thousands of dollars to three or four IT people, it makes more sense for small businesses to outsource their IT processes for a small monthly fee.

The good news is that you can outsource almost anything IT-related. From basic helpdesk to on-demand data officers, IT outsourcing can cover a lot of ground for you.

Unnecessary Debts

Taking loans when starting a business is imperative for your growth and to have enough cash in hand to support your operations. However, there are more ways to fund your business than you might realize. Many small business owners follow venture capitalists and conventional banks when it comes time to fund their businesses. However, crowdfunding has emerged as an amazing funding option for startups and small businesses. The good thing about crowdfunding is that you do not necessarily have to offer equity to the investors in your business. Sometimes, you can just reward them with a sample of your product.

Hiring Only Full-time Employees

If you own a small business, you might want to consider hiring interns. Interns can benefit your business in many ways. First, you do not have to pay them the salary of a full-time employee. Second, you can ask them to do a lot of the mundane tasks that otherwise affect the productivity of your full-time employees negatively. While it might not be the best practice, in some countries of the world they have free internships as well wherein you do not have to pay your interns. However, that’s not the right thing to do, and you should compensate their work to keep them motivated.

Conclusion

You should consider avoiding these expenses if you are a small business owner or about to be one. You can always take advice from those who have their own businesses to figure out what’s necessary and what’s not. Keep yourself up-to-date with new technological advancements. Taking advantage of modern software and hardware solutions can help you save a lot of money. Take the example of a printer with duplex printing option. You could cut your paper costs in half by printing on both sides of the paper. In the end, look into your current setup and operations to see what some expenses are that you can easily live without.

Who we are:  Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

You can review our featured partners to help your success with your business or project.

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How To Attract Top Talent To Your Business Startup?

Talent

Finding and securing top job candidates for your business startup is more important now than ever. You are competing against a variety of companies for the same potential employees, and job seekers have the upper hand in who they choose to work with. Your business startup needs to make an impression on job candidates just as much as they need to make one with you. But, having a plan in place to attract top talent to your business can make the process of hiring new employees more beneficial to your company. Try these tips for making your business startup a place where new job seekers want to work and allow your company to take full advantage of their advanced skills.

Tell your company story

Everyone loves a good story and your company no doubt has one with some heart. The history of your business startup’s beginning can sway any job seeker to find interest in your company. Being honest and upfront about what got you to the point you are today can make a difference for a candidate that is looking for a company that cares about them as an employee and allows them to make a difference each day that they come to work. Be transparent.

Show where your business shines

Your business startup has many strengths that you need to tout them with job seekers. As much as you are interviewing them, they are interviewing you. They need to see what makes your company special and why it would be beneficial for them to join your team. Letting them see your strengths firsthand can go a long way in helping a job candidate choose your company for their employment.

Give benefits job seekers desire

Have a structure in place that provides benefits that employees want and can use can sway even the most indecisive of job seekers. Showing flexibility and providing benefits that are advantageous to your employees can make your business startup a highly desirable place to work. You’ll find that job candidates flock to your company if you offer benefits that they can’t refuse and want as a part of their employment.

Highlight some of the reasons to work for you

Every business startup has reasons why they are the best place to work. Let your employees do your promotional work and speak to new job candidates about what they love most about working at your company. Hearing firsthand from your staff gives your business credibility and entices job seekers to want to share in the same team environment you offer. This can make your company desirable to potential new hires and give your business the boost it needs to be selected by a job candidate.

Go where the job seekers are

When advertising your job positions to potential job seekers, you need to go where they are. Think about your ideal employee and consider the environment they surround themselves with. You need to post your job on sites that will attract top talent and give you the largest and best pool of job candidates to select from.

Take advantage of social media

Social media is an ideal platform to attract new and up and coming talent for your business startup. Many job seekers are looking on social media to find jobs with business startups that can show they are up-to-date with technology and offer a contemporary work environment that is open to new ideas. Social media can be your saving grace in attracting the type of employee you need to fill a role that will advance your business startup with customers that also demand more of these platforms.

Post enticing job posts

Nothing reads worse than a boring and arduous job post that lists endless job responsibilities. This can be an immediate turn off to job candidates that are looking for a business startup to work with that offers an exciting and new opportunity. Spice your job posts up and show your creativity to potential job seekers that are looking to find that dream job with an employer that offers more than just a position.

Follow up with candidates that interest you

When you find a job candidate that you want to make an offer to, you need to show them your interest in them becoming a part of your team. Follow up with a phone call or even meet for lunch. This can help solidify the relationship and make it harder for them to say no to your job offer. They have already invested a great deal in the role and meeting or speaking to you personally shows them what a valued member of the company they will be.

Make the interview process quick

When interviewing job candidates be sure to make the process as streamlined as possible. Job seekers can get frustrated easily with long delays and multiple rounds of interviews that they have to take part in. Have an effective plan in place for an interview that gets to know the potential new hire without wasting either of your time.

Present an offer quickly

In today’s job market you need to be swift in offering candidates job offers. Most candidates are courting multiple companies for an offer, looking to choose the best option for their employment. Waiting too long to offer a job candidate an offer allows them time to accept with a different company over yours as they may have forgotten why they wanted to work at your business during a long delay. Make your offer quickly to secure top talent and be sure to get a confirmation that they are accepting just as fast. This will ensure you lock in the best talent for your business startup without competing with another company.

Hiring top talent for your business startup can help your company benefit from advanced skills and experience. You need to be proactive in your approach to seeking out job candidates and promote your business to them, so they see why your company is a perfect fit for their employment.  

Who we are:  Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

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Cutting Costs without Reducing Your Team Is Indeed Possible

Costs

One of the things that many businesses around the world are notorious for is layoffs of their workers when they have to cut costs. It appears as though the least required asset for these companies is their workers. As brutal as it may sound, many businesses reduce their team sizes to reduce their costs every day. It is quite surprising because there are in fact dozens of different ways for businesses, especially small ones, to cut their costs without sending their employees home. Not to mention, small businesses aren’t in the best position to terminate their employees when they are already struggling with growth and expansion.

Let us first look at the circumstances and reasons why small businesses resort to firing their employees and terminating their contracts.

Reasons Why Businesses Terminate Their Employees

  •  Your Employee’s Performance is below Requirements

The biggest and probably the most valid reason for firing an employee is when they are not able to perform according to the set targets. Despite this being a valid reason, you should always follow the complete procedure and let go of your employee most ethically and professionally possible. Tell them that they also have the right to quit a company when a company does not pay them as promised and vice versa.

  •  Your Employee Isn’t Honest

You have noticed that your employee is not honest. They try to spend time doing nothing behind your back and are interested in things that they should not be concerned with. It is a risk to have such a worker working at the company.

  •  Your Employee Is Having a Hard Time Assimilating

One of the reasons why many employees are not able to give their best is because they can’t fit in the culture of your workplace. It’s either their religious, personal or moral beliefs that don’t let them feel being a part of the team.

  •  Your Employee Doesn’t Care

Believe it or not, some employees don’t care about the rules and regulations of your workplace and being at a professional place. They bully people around them, try to act pretentious, are not punctual and do not pay any attention to the dress code policy.

  •  Your Employees Cost You Too Much

This is quite an oxymoronic situation where the people who bring you business are the ones costing you money. Sometimes, companies become financially weak, and the only way they have to reduce their costs is firing employees. This helps them save money on employee compensation, bonuses, and incentives.

Is Employee Termination the Only Way to Cut Costs?

Not at all! There are many other ways for companies to reduce their costs without letting go of their employees. Here are some.

  •  Negotiations with Vendors and Suppliers

You can look into your current list of suppliers and vendors and look for opportunities to reduce costs. You have to realize that there are group purchasing organizations developed specifically for this purpose. Furthermore, there are online search engines designed specifically for businesses where you can find other businesses that can help you reduce your costs.

  •  Buy in Bulk

One simple way to reduce your costs is to purchase in bulk. Whether you are buying products or subscribing to software or online platform services, bulk purchases will always help you reduce your costs. As a business, you are subscribed to dozens of different online services and buy various items on a monthly or weekly basis. Buy them for several months or a complete year to save your costs.

  •  Reduce Lavish Expenses for Now

It is amazing that businesses offer their employees with refreshments, coffee, and teas for free, but there is a time when you can do this with ease. Until and unless you have reached a point where affording such luxuries do not bother you at all, do not introduce them.

  •  Invest in the Right Technology

Whether you are buying an electric generator for your office, bulbs and lights, ceiling fans, air conditioning units or machinery, you must invest in latest and energy-efficient technology.

  •  Market Wisely

Marketing can suck a lot of your capital out of business depending on the type of marketing you are doing. However, it will be rewarding for you if you use analytical data to narrow down only the marketing campaigns that are lucrative for your business. Spend on them and keep away from spending on marketing efforts that have not yielded any good results.

Similarly, you can find many other ways to reduce your costs without sending your employees home.

Risks Associated with Firing Your Employees

While firing your employees should be the last thing on your list of methods to cut costs, you must also know the many risks that come with employee termination. Here are a few.

  •  Sharing of Company Secrets with Competitors

When employees are not happy with your decision of firing them, they may not care about what action you can take against them. They may go for interviews with your competitors and share your trade secrets. This can be a big set-back for you if your competitor decides to take advantage of the situation.

  •  Lawsuits

When employees believe they have been fired based on unreasonable grounds, they may try to take you to court. If any wrongful termination is proved, it can be expensive for your company. Always be sure to complete the procedure of termination or make sure the termination is justified.

  •  Attack on Brand Image through Social Media

Today, people have a voice, and some people are ready to listen to their voice. Social networking platforms are great places for employees to discredit your brand and slander your image if they believe they were terminated by you wrongfully.

  •  Bad Performance of Existing Employees

It does not matter how much you care about your employees. They may have a stronger connection among themselves than they have with you. Therefore, when you terminate an employee and cause some dissention among the ranks.

So, it is highly recommended that you consider the many other ways of cutting costs for your small business before choosing to terminate your employees.

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

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Search Engine Ranking Hacks for Start Ups:

The focus is how to get your business name domain to have dominance on the top page of Google search engine, generally under one month.

Social Media

When starting out it can be very helpful to create a public video of what you are doing to promote your new business and create a link through a channel like you tube, or TikTok this can be useful when you post to your social media of followers that can be liked and followed so when you post something else it automatically reaches those that are following you and may be picked up by google search by your company name.

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram :

You can create a company account under your name and start populating it with regular useful content daily so the followers can get this new content and your company website when search will show the individual social media links, making your company presence on search engines more dominant, than showing only your website link. Always put the follow links on your footer of your website too.

Website Structure

Make sure all your pages have relevant titles, no more than 3 short titles and a description phrase, leading with the most relevant sentence. Include a site map file in your server “sitemap.xml” this will tell google what pages like about us, registration, or log in and other relevant pages and when google crawls this it will give this priority and list these pages organically on the search engine. Robot.txt is a similar page needed to include on your files so google knows what to include or ignore on crawling your page. There are examples of these pages online.

Website Reputation

Search your name to make sure you don’t have similar names out there like a .net or others that might be confused with your business. If you see they have other links or may even have some complaints you may want to structure your title or description accordingly. Eventually over time your increased content to social media and positive website structure will put you at the top of the page.

Google Ads and Business Profile

It is sometimes believed that Google will give you better organic ranking for advertising. It definitely tells Google you are legit enough to pay for advertising, even if its small. You can pay to have your website only show at the top when someone types in the search bar your domain name so it shows #1. You may spend only $10 month but it can be very helpful to get ranked on top while you wait to get organically ranked on top. Set up a claim your business with google for your business profile if you have an office location or store. This will show to the right of your searched website, with a google map image and what you chose to write in your profile. This is where google will start showing your reviews.

Website Monitoring

This is very important in the beginning to see your traffic at a basic level and get in-depth reports of who is coming to your website and watch it grow after implementing updates. SEMrush has lots of great features and a free trial. It also has lots of free basic reporting. This is a great way to get reports on your competitors too and what they do.

Summary

This punch points are possibly going to be the quickest way of getting your business to show up strongly when your business is searched in the search engines. Even though your business may not require internet presence, it is still important as most people like to search up businesses they plan to do business and see what they are all about and get more information.

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

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Developing A Business Startup Success Strategies That Works

Success

It can be easy to lose sight of the very reasons why you wanted to open your business startup. You can get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations, leaving little time to focus on what makes your business startup standout in the market. Having a strategies in place that allows you to keep you motivated can ensure your business stays on a path of success.

Fall In Love With Your Business

Any business that you invest your heart in soul in should be the great love of your life. You need to nurture it and watch it grow. Having a real passion for what you are doing and the products and services you sell can make your business startup a real labor of love. You should have a real hunger that drives you to do well. Making your business startup idea one that you can stand behind and love to eternity is the first step in achieving success.

If it seems that you are losing that connection with your company and not really feeling the love, take a step back and allow yourself to remember how it all started. This can spark your emotions for your business and allow you to fall back in love with what you are doing. Your passion for your business is often times enough to get you through the challenging times.

Surround Yourself With Good People

From your employees to your professional network, the people that you surround yourself with can have a strong influence on your business startup. These very people can give you new ideas and help educate you on your business’ operations.

Having positive people to lift you up can be a strong motivator and allow you to have someone to bounce thoughts off of when you feel uncertain about a decision. Use your network to gain valuable information and learn from your peers on what mistakes to avoid. They can prove to be a big part of helping you run your business and ensuring it is successful in its endeavors.

Don’t forget your employees; they can be a big part of keeping your focused on your business startup on a daily basis. Good employees will drive your customer service and in turn your revenue. When your employees believe in your business and the vision you have set for it, it makes it that much more important that you deliver now and into the future.

Create A Marketing Strategy

Having a marketing strategy in place to promote your business is necessary to help achieve strong revenues. You should have prepped and planned a strategy that you want to adhere to market your business startup to your customers. It doesn’t have to be a large portion of your budget, but it should include some effort on your part.

Think about where your customers go for their information. Be visible to them and make sure you use every opportunity that is available to you to market your business with both new and existing customers. Try social media, check into local advertising, hold and an event, and use what is available to you to reach your customers and introduce your business’ products and services to the masses.

If you stay aggressive with your marketing plan, you are sure to garner the attention of your current customer base as well as a new group of potential clients. This can bring in more revenue and keep your business startup on a path of success.

Get To Know Your Customers

It is your responsibility as a business startup owner to know everything there is to know about your customers. You should have a strong idea of who they are, what their likes are, and where they are located. When you truly understand your customers, the more effectively you can serve them with your products and services.

While your attention may be turned toward gaining new customers, don’t lose sight of your current clients. They are the bread and butter of your business, and you want to make sure you are not replacing existing customers with new customers at a losing pace. Show your loyal customers how much you appreciate their business. Without them, your business will only see marginal success, and you want to make sure to grow your business startup rather than be stagnate in its approach.

Take Time For You

It may be difficult to imagine, but you need time away from your business startup. You may think that you can’t take time away or that your momentum will crumple without you, but taking a vacation every now and then is one of the best things you can do for your company. When you step away for a moment, you allow yourself the opportunity to recharge and refresh. You’ll be able to see your business in a new light and be surging with motivation when you return.

You’ll be surprised at how much a vacation from your business startup can do for you. You’ll be filled with new ideas and solutions to problems that you previously thought unsolvable. Being able to see your business from a new angle can be just what you need to take it in a new direction, move it forward, or reach to new heights. Your business startup will appreciate the time you took, and you will be ready to take on new challenges with a fury as your drive will be restored and you will feel anew.

Plus, you have good people surrounding you that you can trust to steer the ship when you are away. Rely on your employees and allow them to do what you hired them to do. You’ll be pleasantly pleased with how quick they are to pick up the slack when you are away and the positive results you’ll see upon your return.

Having a strategy in place can ensure your business stays on track and experiences great success now and into the future. It is important to stay focused, think about your customers, and take a break when you need it. By embracing your business startup and trusting in yourself, your business will reach the success that you deserve and have always envisioned.

Who we are:  Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

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The Challenges You Must Overcome to Turn Your Small Business into a Big Business

Challenges

You might have a small business today, but you don’t want that label for the life of your business. When entrepreneurs make endeavors, they are looking to create a business that will rule the world one day. However, every business has to face some struggles in the beginning that it must overcome to become a big business. The way you handle these challenges decides the fate of your small business. Today, you will read about these challenges and the solutions to them, so if you are a small business, you can set the foundation for its success.

Knowing the Target Market

One of the biggest issues with most small businesses is that they don’t know their exact target market. Sometimes, they don’t know how to narrow down to the target market. This is a huge issue because you could have a perfect product, but you might pitch it to the people who don’t need it. Keep in mind that people who don’t need your product won’t buy it even if you try to give it to them for free. On the other hand, people who need your product will be willing to buy it even if it is priced high. For your business to survive, it needs to start selling as quickly as possible, and that’s why it is important to find your target market before launching your product.

Solution

The first step of identifying your target market is to know your product well enough. You have to ask yourself some important questions about the product and write the answers down. For example, you have to ask yourself “what existing problem does my product solve?” You also have to know if there are any other solutions available in the market for the same problem. If yes then you have to see how your product is better than them or how you can make it better. Conduct surveys on the street and social media to know the personas of the best buyers of your product.

The Right Type of Marketing

Businesses, small and big, have huge parts of their budgets allocated only for marketing purposes. However, the modern technological advancements have proven that a big marketing budget does not translate to successful marketing. So, you might have done a great job in identifying your target market, but if you approach them in the wrong way or through the wrong channel, you will not be able to reap any benefits from even the most potential market for your product or service.

Solution

Identifying your target market should help you identify your marketing methods and channels too. For example, if your product is for people aged over 50, you would not want to make Instagram the prioritized marketing channel because only 18% of the users on Instagram are aged above 50. Similarly, any product that targets executives, marketing officers and professional people should be promoted on LinkedIn before any other platform. After knowing the buyer personas, you should also select the type of marketing that best suits your potential audience. If you are creating a hip-hop music video for marketing to retired individuals or an opera video for 18-year olds, you are doing it wrong. Use website analytical tools to know what appeals or does not appeal to your website, visitors. Base your digital marketing campaigns on data—this is the era of data-driven marketing.

The Funding Problem

If there were no funding problem, every person who thinks of a unique idea would have a business. In the real world, funding is always a problem, and it is exactly the point where the journey ends for many aspiring people in business. However, it is not always the lack of funds that kill many small businesses before they even start. In fact, the important part is how much dedication you show in arranging those funds. Sometimes, people have the options available, but they do not knock on all the doors.

Solution

First, you have to know all the options you have available for arranging the funds. If you are not okay with arranging funds through the bank or in the form of a loan, take a look around at your family and relatives. You will be surprised to know how many of the people in your circle will be ready not only to give you the investment you need but become a part of the endeavor. The crowdfunding options are also there. You don’t even have to go to the investors personally today as you can visit a platform like funded.com and arrange funds online. Places like Credit Karma can be one of many free options to monitor a couple credit reports that business credit might be attached to a personally signed business account.

The Right Leadership

You can’t make a business successful unless you have the right leader in place. It is not completely untrue that the attitude of the leader sets the attitude of the rest of the employees at a company. If you lack confidence in your leadership, you will end up hiring people who lack confidence in themselves. One of the biggest problems with most small business owners is that they can’t convince themselves to delegate responsibilities. They believe in their skill so much that their mind never accepts that someone else can handle the responsibilities too. They end up taking the responsibility of everything on their shoulders and mismanaging things at the end of the day.

Solution

The first thing that needs to be fixed here is how you think. If you find it hard to delegate responsibilities, get rid of this habit as soon as possible. You can’t handle everything as the business grows and so you have to create a team right from day one. Do not hire people just because they can do the job—hire people who share the same vision as you. Do not settle for good employees because finding the best ones is taking time. Do not try to take matters into your hands all the times. Listen to everyone that’s part of the team and the decision making process. Have a great relationship with your employees.

Setting the Price

One of the most difficult decisions for a small business owner is to set the price of its service or product. When you are a small business, you can’t afford to have a full-fledged marketing department. Of course, when you have a marketing department, they can set the price of your products, but when there is no marketing department, you are the one to take this decision. Price your solutions too low, and you might not make any profit at all. Price your solution too high, and customers might never buy your product.

Solution

It will be tremendously helpful in this scenario to take a look at your competitors and how they have priced their products. Secondly, you have to know a simple rule to set the prices of your products and services. You first set the price to cover your costs. Once you have started covering your costs, you set the price to cover the costs and make a profit. Once you have done that successfully, you start adding your “value” to the price. You should also know the buying power of your target market so you can keep the price within their comfort zone.

These points cover pretty much every big challenge that a small business comes across. Keep in mind that some of the challenges might be exclusive to your business and industry too, but if you can overcome these common challenges, you can cover the industry-specific difficulties as well.

 

Who we are: Funded.com is a platform that is A+ BBB rated over 10+ years. Access our network of Investors, get instantly matched with a Lender, or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com