I’m raising a toast to celebrate a decade in business! When I left the corporate world to start up my company, I had no idea that I’d still be learning new things 10 years down the line. However, that is
Can outsourcing help to keep employee costs down?
As a new financial year begins for many, employers face a higher wage bill. With many companies already operating on tight margins, these increases can be hard to afford. Yet, skills and experience are essential to maintain operations. As a small business, I have built a virtual team of professional and trusted contacts. I know I can’t do it all, so the option of outsourcing enables me to flex. If you are new to outsourcing, this article can help you decide if it is a viable way to cut employee costs without compromising services.
10 questions to ask before writing business reports
Business decisions and long-term strategies are most effective when they are informed by relevant data and research. To keep improving the key is to measure and analyse performance. That’s where business reports come into play.
Well-prepared, business reports provide a comprehensive collation of data and research. They can evidence that outcomes were achieved or give insight into the appropriate allocation of resources.
The advantage of short-term business plans?
Traditionally, business plans are created at the start of the year and reviewed at the end. They guide the direction of the company and inform decision-making. However, in times of uncertainty and change, they can quickly become irrelevant.
So, I’m exploring the advantages of short-term business planning.
Holiday requests & how to manage them
We all enjoy a holiday, we work hard and deserve a break. However, as a business owner, managing annual leave requests can be a headache, especially through the Summer. How can you keep the business running smoothly while team members are off? What can you put in place to streamline the process, prevent disruption to the business and enable your team to have a well-deserved break?
Is your SME attractive to investors?
If growth is on your agenda for the 2022/23 financial year, you may be hoping to attract investment or apply for a grant. An injection of money and business acumen can help business owners to realise their ambitions to scale, but what will ignite an investor’s interest?
Are you project managing the process of investments into your business?
Keep the cash flowing
Cash flow issues are the number one reason why businesses fail. How can your SME keep on top of the finances so you don’t run out of accessible cash?
Get 2022 on the right track with 10 essential documents
A list of ten essential business documents that every organisation will benefit from. They are not industry-specific and can be valuable to companies of all sizes.
How to Plan your Social Media Marketing Activity
Social Media offers an accessible, affordable means of marketing. It provides SMEs with an opportunity to compete alongside established brand leaders. On the flip side, it can consume a considerable amount of time, so how can you make it work for your business?
Kickstart the financial year with business development in mind
What are your business development goals for this financial year and how are you planning to achieve them?
Undertake a business development audit of where you are right now.
Mapping your ideal customers
As a small business owner, do you pursue every opportunity or are you selective about only taking on work from ideal customers? With ideal clients, there is a synergy.
Need a concise business plan template?
The prospect of shutting up shop was not an option for every
business. To ride the storm, many sprang into action. Reading the market and adapting their processes or offer, they spotted fresh opportunities and attracted new customers. Was your business one of them?
As the lockdown restrictions continue to be lifted, what is
the plan now? Will your company return to the old way of working or has diversification opened up new doors that could support business growth?
Brand Identity
your brand is your identity. Customers will form an opinion of your brand from your products, your services, your website, your logo, how you dress, how you sound, in fact from everything you say and do.
Brand Strategy
Your brand is your identity. It lets customers know what you are about and what they can expect from you. A great business name and an eye-catching logo can really make a business stand out from the crowd.
Make your meeting a success
Our time is precious and none of us have time to waste it in meetings that don’t achieve anything. So how do you make your meetings count? How do you keep on track and achieve the outcome you want?
Written Communication
We all communicate every day. The good thing about written communication is that we have longer to plan our message, which is just as well because it’s much easier to be misunderstood or simply ignored.
Whether a user guide, sales report, fillable form, meeting agenda or simply an email, communicating effectively requires some thought.
Setting Goals You Can Achieve
It’s that time of year when everyone starts making new year’s resolutions. But there is a big difference between having a dream and setting a goal. “Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.”
Writing Email Messages People Want To Read
281 billion emails are sent and received each day worldwide, according to statistica.com. Think about your own email inbox for a moment. How many do you get a day? But more importantly, how many do you read?
Creating Brilliant Training Environments
One of my favourite quotes about learning is by Benjamin Franklin “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”There are a few things you can do to create an environment where people feel involved, engaged and curious from the moment they walk into the room.
Stand up if you want a good working environment
I realised that I regularly spend many hours a day sat at my computer, often for several hours at a time and I know it’s not good for me. I have tension in my neck and shoulders and live in fear of developing a profile like the hunchback of Notre Dame. So, I have (ahem) taken a stand.
GDPR: A Summary
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) builds on the existing Data protection act 1998. GDPR will apply to any business that processes personal data of EU citizens and will give individuals more rights on how businesses use their data.
Homeworking
Ding dong… “Hello luv, can you take a parcel for number 12?” When you are a home worker you’re there to take in deliveries for half the street. Especially in December!
My Journey So Far
A thank you to my family….. I’ve had an interesting time recently. In September, 2 years ago I had put my hand up to take voluntary redundancy and was waiting for my manager and HR to say if I could leave.
How to Master Delegation
Running a busy company or team takes a lot of time and if you want to grow the business you’ll need some of that time to focus on development. If you work on your own, your time will have to be split.
Achieving Balance
Sometimes it feels like I have a never-ending to do list. I could easily sit and beat myself up that I haven’t finished this or started that or cleaned out the toaster! But life is all about the balance.
Time out for myself
Sitting by the pool enjoying my holiday…. OK, I admit it. I wasn’t able to completely forget about my business. There is always the worry when you run your own company that people won’t be able to contact you.
Customer Relationship Management
Networking is a key way to meet new people that may benefit your company. In business, you need customers. Everyone you meet is a potential client or knows someone who could potentially want your product or service, at some point.
Networking Nerves – No Need!
When I was just starting my company, I had some advice from a business coach to get out there and network. It was one of the most terrify thoughts, I was to voluntarily walk into a room full of complete strangers and talk about myself. Crazy!
Holiday Planning For Small Businesses
Thinking about going on a summer holiday but worried about missing out on a client? You’re not alone many small business owners forgo holidays or spend hours each day while away, checking and responding to e-mails and calls to keep their business running smoothly.