Launch. Grow. Thrive.

Tag: Business planning

  • 3 Effective Business Marketing Options

    3 Effective Business Marketing Options

    Getting your business, product, and brand in front of the right people is one of the most important aspects of business success. After all, you won’t make your sales target if the people in the demographic you are looking to attract don’t know you are out there. Fortunately, there are many effective ways of making sure this happens. Keep reading to find out what they are. 

    Paid Advertising 

    Paid advertising is also a wonderful way to market your business effectively. There are several options to consider that come under the paid advertising umbrella too. The first of these are TV, Radio, and print adverts, which despite the rise of other alternatives, remain popular and effective with business, even if they are one of the most expensive options. 

    Then there is PPC advertising which is a type of search engine promotion that ensures your company’s search engine result is shown above all the others. Thereby giving it an advantage and prime position to be used by a customer. This method is known as PPC because you pay-per-click that is every time that someone clicks through on your link. 

    Last, of all, another form of paid advertising that your business may wish to use is targeted internet marketing or programmatic display advertising as it is also known. White label programmatic display advertising uses software to match your message with the right demographic, making sure that your advert is displayed in front of someone that is most likely to be interested in your product. Something that means each advert maximises its chances of becoming a conversion and so helps you sell more stock.

    Point of purchase marketing 

    Another smart way to market your business products is to demonstrate just how effective they are to a captive audience and encourage an impulse buy. Of course, what we are referring to here are point-of-purchase displays or POP marketing which can be hugely effective. 

    In particular, creating the most eye-catching products displays can go a long way to confirming those sales. Not to mention adding coupons to your product that increases value for your buyer and encourages them to add to their purchase. 

    Social Media 

    Last, but definitely not least, we have social media marketing. Indeed social media marketing is probably a vital aspect of your business because of all the benefits it provides such as increasing brand and product awareness, as well as boosting your SEO. 

    However, companies that are most successful with social media marketing take it just that step further to maximise the outcomes involved. For example, this may mean that instead of only creating content that people want to share, you go that extra step to create a community online that is linked to your brand. One where people can meet, connect and communicate with those with similar interests. Indeed, studies show that by building a strong community around your brand, you can expect far more loyalty from your customers, with some even taking on the role of evangelising and spreading the good word about your products themselves. 

  • Asset Business International

    Asset Business International

    Join us for networking, tours, in-person lunches or dinners, virtual roundtables, webinars, accountability, community and brainstorming to support your business pursuits and meet other like-minded small business owners, freelancers, consultants, coaches and other service-providers around the world.

    For business professionals far and wide, together our mission is to empower you with new ideas and concepts.

    See the latest events at abinternational.biz


  • How To Build The Perfect Team For Your Startup

    How To Build The Perfect Team For Your Startup

    Working with a bad team can be fatal for a startup. Many business owners and managers will agree that their biggest human resource challenge is finding and assembling the right team to work with. With the global talent shortage increasing, there is an increasing demand for talent, making it even more difficult to find the right talent to work with- especially as a new business. So, how can you attract the right people and build a perfect team? The following tips can help.

    First, you need to decide who fits into the category of a perfect team member. What kind of worker are you looking for? What skills do you want to attract? Do you need someone full-time or on a contractual basis? If you already have a team you’re working with, find out what missing gaps you want to fill and the skills needed to fill them. 

    1. Create the right bait

    Once you know the kind of worker you’re looking for, it’s time to bait them to apply. Everyone wants to work in a perfect work environment. This includes flexible working hours, freedom to be creative and innovative, reasonable leave periods to recuperate, attractive remuneration, opportunities for personal development, and so on. Such factors are likely to attract the right candidate to apply. But it will also lure almost anyone looking for a job, and that’s why the next point is equally important.

    1. Be able to spot talent

    Your ability to spot the right employee from the large candidate pool during your screening process is crucial. You already know what you want in your ideal team, but how do you spot them? Find out what they know about your industry, what ideas they have that can bring value to your business, and the potential they have to grow. Additionally, take the time to communicate your expectations to them as clearly as possible. 

    1. Understand the strengths of each individual

    Your potential candidates will likely come from various backgrounds. They will have different strengths, weaknesses, and personalities. You have the task of understanding the strengths of each individual and how they can benefit your business and allow for growth. Focus on assembling a team of various strengths and personalities, and find ways to ensure that the personalities complement each other.

    1. Look for action takers who get the job done

    A great idea is just what it is – a great idea. Without action, an idea cannot become a reality. While you need people with bright ideas, you also need people who can take the effort required to make an idea successful. You want to build a team that is capable of accomplishing things beyond the spouting of ideas.

    1. Use a recruitment platform

    Finding the right talent is less complicated than it was, thanks to various recruitment agencies. All you need to do is find a reputable company with a track record of identifying talent and work with them. Or you can also take advantage of online platforms, depending on the industry your business operates in. For example, if you run a startup that deals with medical services, you can consider using Cornerstone Medical Recruitment services to help you find suitable employees in the field. 

  • When to Modernize Your Business: Considerations and Timeline

    When to Modernize Your Business: Considerations and Timeline

    You might be wondering when to modernize your business and what needs updating. There are many benefits to modernization, but it is also a large undertaking requiring time and effort. Nevertheless, there are many reasons that companies need to modernize their business. Modernizing your business can be a game-changer. Not only will it help you to attract new customers, but it may also increase revenue and create better customer experiences for everyone involved.

    When Should You Start Thinking About Modernization? 

    Has the competition already modernized their business? If so, don’t wait too long, or they could overtake yours. What do current trends show as far as how your industry is evolving? What does this mean for your company’s future success? Does your existing technology need updating or replacing altogether-such as computers, software programs, systems that integrate with other companies? If so, what needs to be replaced or updated, and how can you do so? What changes should be made to the layout of your business, especially concerning modern trends? For example, does it need more open floor plans with collaborative workstations instead of cubicles? Again, what needs to be changed, and how will it affect employees’ daily tasks and processes?

    When to Modernize Your Business Building

    Modernizing your business building is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. The first thing you should factor in is your company choice. If you have a medical clinic, for example, chances are there will be plenty of people coming into the building daily. In this case, it might make sense to modernize and add elements that draw more attention from customers passing by, such as an impressive entrance or large windows. On the other hand, if your business does not get many walk-ins, investing money into improving the outside appearance will likely not pay off. When it comes down to the science behind modernizing your business, one thing is sure. Customers will always gravitate towards a new and updated model or version over an old one every time. To ensure that you get the current trend, get some professional help that will help you with your medical clinic design. Make sure that the trend will last at least five to ten years or be easily adjustable.

    What is Modernizing Business Software?

    A company’s needs will evolve over time, requiring them to step up from using out-of-date software or hardware solutions to serve customers better. When this happens, it’s called ‘modernizing’. Letting your technology fall behind can lead to operational errors costing millions of dollars per year, if not more. The longer you wait before upgrading your systems, the higher these costs rise exponentially. As well as other issues such as security risks that could have been prevented if upgraded earlier on. While upgrades might seem costly at first glance, they often save companies many times over down the road.

    When to Modernize Your Business Software: Considerations and Timeline

    If you are wondering whether or not your company needs an upgrade at all, consult IT professionals who know what’s in place and how well it’s working for you so far. They might recommend sticking with something rather than upgrading if it still has life left in it yet. If you need to modernize, though, there will be costs involved, such as buying new hardware/software licenses. Still, these expenses often pay off in reduced labour costs (such as hiring additional staff) later on. Another thing to consider is your company’s growth trajectory, as the timeline of a modernization project may differ depending on whether you’re growing slowly or fast. Slow growth means more time for careful planning and implementation, whereas rapid expansion requires speedier actions. Finally, there are also factors like industry standards that should be considered. If they change frequently, it might not make sense to invest in something that will quickly become obsolete.

    apple laptop notebook office
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    The Modernization Of Software Timeline: What To Expect?

    When modernizing an existing business process with new software solutions, expect this timeframe to take anywhere from three weeks (rapid) up to six months (slow). This varies based on how complex the system or software is and what changes need to be made. For example, converting data takes a long time and will take longer to complete the project.

    There are many factors to consider when modernizing your business. First, however, take the time to research and plan accordingly for this undertaking. Then, you will be able to create a successful timeline that is realistic and feasible. Once all tasks have been completed on schedule or at least with some allowances made in case issues arise, your employees can enjoy new equipment and technology as well as an updated workplace. This will make them more productive during their workday while also creating better customer experiences overall. This should contribute even more revenue to your company since everyone involved feels valued! If possible, it may even help retain current customers plus attract new ones who would like what you’re offering now that your business has taken these necessary steps toward modernization.

  • 3 Things You Need When You Grow Into A Medium-Sized Business

    3 Things You Need When You Grow Into A Medium-Sized Business

    If you are one of the hundred businesses around the world that is about to grow from a small business to a medium-sized business, you will be learning about some very exciting but complex things. To grow into a medium-sized business, you require a large network, more funding, great sales, a bigger team and of course, your own headquarters. In other words, you need more of everything, and in some respect, some totally new things. Some of the things we are going to mention, you can do without to some extent. But you can also take some of the things we mention, as mandatory. 

    Your own finance team

    Now that you are growing into a medium-sized business, you need to consider your very own finance team. Up until now, you have probably been working with a finance management and investment management service. Now, you need to bring everything in-house. You don’t have to make a large finance team, but they should be able to take care of the basics. This will be revenue management, making sure that too much of it is not wasted on expenditures. The finance team will also work with legal, so you can know how much a court case over patents is going to cost. A couple of financial advisors can also help to improve project funding, invest in technologies and manage your money when it comes to taxes.

    Your own office

    One of the most memorable moments any business has, is when construction workers hoist your new building sign up. When large banks like HSBC and Morgan Chase had their names hoisted up in large lit signs, they knew they had made it. If you want to create your own office, work with a company like TPM Builders who can assist in everything from design, planning, construction, project advice and building tendering. So you can design your own office, completely bespoke. If you want to create your very own look, style and design, you need to work with a design and construction team, as they can give you advice of what is actually possible in your ideas. 

    A larger network

    The most amazing brands have to continuously network among other brands. Brands like Apple and Google have been so successful with other brands, because they continuously host events, invite management of other businesses and executives to parties and award ceremonies. So it’s a good idea to host events whereby you invite micro, small, medium and large businesses. Here they can all have their say, talk about the industry but also, where you can meet entrepreneurs and talented individuals who you could possibly work with, or even hire. You should also be going to more and more business conferences and events, so your brand and your voice can be heard and recognized within the industry.

    It’s a great time to expand as the world begins to get back to normal. These are just some of the things you require when you expand into a medium-sized business, but there are a lot more. Can you think of any?


  • Business Owners: 5 Ways you can prevent a Supply Chain Disruption

    Business Owners: 5 Ways you can prevent a Supply Chain Disruption

    The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the significant factors that has upset the global supply chains and left many companies on their feet. And since a supply chain is usually delicate, just a small link of disruption can significantly impact your business. So are there steps you can take to maintain the business endurance and lower the impact of unpredictable disruptions?

    While there might not be an excellent answer to preventing a supplier’s chain disruption, the key thing to do is be prepared and minimize its effect. Fortify your logistic operations and be prepared.

    5 ways you can prevent a supply chain disruption

    There are various strategies that you can use to combat a disruptive situation.

    Know the risks of a supply chain disruption and have a proactive contingency plan

    This will make you flexible to adjust your operations whenever faced with irregularities swiftly. Besides, business continuity plans handle emergencies only after they have happened. So, ensure that you are aware of the risks and prepare yourself if an adverse event affects your key suppliers. For instance, it is a good idea to have a car accident attorney by your side in case your supply chain is disrupted by an accident.

    Diversify your supply base     

    You can protect your business from supply disruptions from one supplier by dividing sourcing activities between numerous suppliers. However, it is essential to note that there are some costs associated with this strategy, just like with any other one. Therefore, you can engage various supplies in different locations to reduce economies of scale and increase monetary costs. Also, you must ensure that the cost needs are balanced with the value of the disruption impact.

    Have an emergency management centre

    A supply chain disruption can be caused by natural disasters, artificial problems like fire, cyber security, geopolitical events, or financial and company feasibility. Therefore, you must have centralized information and decision-making functions during any of these times. All your data should come to a single place to all decision-making easier.

    In case of a pandemic like the coronavirus, you can have most of your business functions done virtually. So, have one team focus on the employees’ worries while the other is taking care of the business ecosystem, taking care of suppliers and your clients.

    Have good communication

    When it comes to any crisis, communication is the key. Your company should be ready to communicate with all the stakeholders, including the employees, customers, shareholders, media, analysts, and the community.

    The critical thing here is to speak with a unified voice and get someone who will share correct information about the crisis and what the company is doing. That single voice has to tell everyone precisely what is going on.

    Manage product demand

    If you find it too difficult to implement the above strategies, there is an alternative way to prevent a supply chain disruption, manage your product demand. There are two alternatives when it comes to managing your demand, rationing, and switching.

    Bottom Line

    You must carefully deliberate these strategies when coming up with a risk management plan for your global supply chain. And while there is no one way to prevent or minimize all the possible disruptions at once, you should carefully consider a strategy that uses various approaches acting in harmony to prevent these disruptions and have a speedy supply chain.


  • Enhancing Your Business Through Your Employees

    Enhancing Your Business Through Your Employees

    Looking for ways to enhance your business? We highly recommend that the first place you look is to your employees. You might think that this sounds silly and that you should start with the supply chain or your marketing, but we promise you your employees are the best place to start. The reason for this is that your employees are the very heart of your business, and without them nothing is going to function properly. In this article, we’re going to be looking at how you can enhance your business through your employees, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

    Work On Their Customer Service

    The first thing that we recommend is that you take a look at their customer service. Now, it’s very rare that customer service can’t be improved in at least some capacity so you need to look carefully. It might look alright when you don’t look too closely, but the whole point of this is that you are clamping down on the finer details. It might be a case that you send all of your customer service advisors on a training course to fine tune their skills a little better. You can look at digital courses and learning at a site like https://www.learningbank.io/platform/digital-learning/ if you don’t want to send them to physical classes.

    Customer service is one of the most important parts of your business, and customers will usually not use a business that is known for theirs not being up to standard. If your employees work on their skills in this area, your business will be all the better for it.

    Get Them Motivated

    You need to get your employees motivated to work. Do this by any means necessary. Some companies set goals and then give out prizes or rewards to the person who does the best job. Some companies offer people for their employees to talk to if they are having a hard time so they don’t feel alone. Sometimes all it takes is asking about their day or inquiring about their lives to make them see that you do care about them. When you take the steps to show them that they are cared for, they become more motivated to work for you and succeed.

    Making people want to work for you and motivating them to do so come hand in hand. You have got to be an employer who cares about their wellbeing, cares about when they find things hard and goes out of their way to help them etc. You can find out more about how to motivate your employees on a site like https://squareup.com/gb/en/townsquare/how-to-motivate-your-employees. 

    Hopefully, you have found this article helpful and now see some of the things that you can do in order to enhance your business through your employees. It’s important to understand that your employees are the backbone of your business, which is why you need them to do their best for you. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you start seeing positive results in your business soon.


  • Negotiation Skill Techniques

    Negotiation Skill Techniques

    Learn how to negotiate your way to success!

    Negotiation is a two sided event, if you want to be known as a good negotiator then you have to build a reputation for this. 

    As with any reputation you have to allow others to trust you. This cannot be done successfully if you negotiate by using cheap tricks and bad business ethics.

    So how do you build a good reputation for negotiation? The key to this is to understand what trust is all about. We have all met people that we trust along with those that we don’t.

    The key factor to remember here is that you are negotiating with or on behalf of someone. After all negotiating is all about reaching a common and satisfactory solution for all parties.

    It is going to be very difficult to reach a deal or solution with someone you ultimately don’t trust. You won’t ever be happy with anything they suggest.

    Both negotiators need to be able to trust each other, this is basically the only way a good deal will be struck. Once a deal is done everyone involved has to know and trust that the other party will deliver. 

    There is no point going through a ton of agony or heartache wondering if the other side is going to come through for you.

    Inside this guide, you are about to learn the following information:

    • Basic Negotiation Tips
    • Is a Negotiation Ever Truly Finished
    • Negotiation and Your Reputation
    • Negotiation not Desperation
    • Negotiations from Around the World
    • Personal Negotiations
    • Real Life Negotiations
    • The Basic Skills You Require for Negotiating
    • What are Negotiation Skills
    • When Its Just Not Going to Work

  • The Best Places to Work if You Work Online

    The Best Places to Work if You Work Online

    If you work online, then you have the freedom to be physically located anywhere in the world and to still earn an income. This is an amazing freedom that so few people are afforded, and it’s one of the top reasons that many of us are attracted to the notion of working online in the first place.

    It’s a minor tragedy then, that so many people who manage to make their income online, will not take full advantage of this. So many people who work online equate this to working ‘from home’ in a very literal sense. That means working out of a home office, or working in bed. Sure, this has its appeal too, but it’s not exactly taking full advantage of this untethered way of working.

    You can go anywhere if you work online. So where should you go?

    Working Abroad
    Of course, the natural conclusion is that working online should mean working abroad. That way, you can see more of the world, experience other cultures and truly live a kind of life that wouldn’t be possible any other way.
    I have done this a fair bit myself. One of my favorite memories was finding a friend who also worked online and travelling to Croatia. There we explored and saw the sites during the day (and had some great adventures!) but in the evenings we would work in cafes and bars.
    Sure, many people would rather be out partying during the evening, but my friend and I are introverts. And we love what we do. So, the idea of being able to sip a beer and watch the world go by, immersed in the atmosphere of the nightlife… it was incredible. One evening in particular, we worked in a bar listening to some Euro music while watching rain hit the cobbled streets outside and watching people pass by on their holidays. It was a great feeling and really made us grateful that we had the opportunity to work this way. On another occasion we hired a small log cabin from AirBnB in the mountains of Switzerland. There we worked while sipping tea and enjoying a view of the mountains from our wooden balcony.

    For the Non-Digital Nomads
    I’d like to point out at this junction that I am not a digital nomad. That is to say that I do come home in between trips and you can do the same. You don’t have to give up all your creature comforts or your relationships in order to enjoy travelling as you work. Working online means you can just travel more.

    And even in your local area, there are no doubt more exotic and exciting places you can work. Anywhere with an internet connection where you won’t get kicked out can make a great place to get work done.

    Working in a coffee shop is the most popular and sensible option. As long as you spend a little on coffee, you should be able to stay there as long as you like and most will have free wifi and power. Plus you can enjoy people watching and listening to the background chatter, all while avoiding the many distractions and temptations that come from working at home. Libraries are great too!

  • How Working Online Will Change You

    How Working Online Will Change You

    Lots of articles have been written about the kind of person who becomes a blogger or an SEO, and the ways that you can make yourself better at blogging or running a website. What is less often discussed however, is how working online can actually change who you are as a person and influence your personal development. There are many ways that this can happen and a number of common effects that blogging can have on your personality and your attitudes. Read on to meet the person you might become…


    How Jobs Impact On Us
    I used to proudly claim that I hadn’t changed, because I became a blogger and never bowed down to the man. I have no colleagues as a blogger meaning that there was no one for me to become ‘more alike’, but this in itself can have an effect on you. And likewise, working from home and earning passive income has probably had some impact on me too. Blogging/optimizing changes you just like any other job, only it changes you differently. Once I was self-aware enough to recognize this, I set about finding out what had changed about me. Here’s what I came up with…

    Care Free
    I would say that compared to my other friends, I am more carefree and less restricted. While my friends have to work 9-5 jobs and get very stressed if they stay out too late one night, I can remain flexible and free to work when I choose and where I choose. If I’m honest, this has also led me to somewhat resent those people who aren’t free to hang out because they have work the next day. I guess it’s fair to say that I’ve become somewhat detached from the ‘real world’ and regular routine.


    Opinionated
    Writing online regularly has also made me somewhat opinionated. Sure, I’m opinionated in my views on employment (and self-employment), but I’ve also become very used to expressing myself a lot online and sharing my opinion. This undoubtedly crosses over into my daily life, as I tend to wax lyrical about pretty much any subject that I get the opportunity to talk about. 


    Independence and Confidence
    You also get a lot of confidence from working online. Once you’ve made money yourself – completely yourself – you realize you’re capable of anything. This helps you to feel more successful and generally means you get used to ‘being the boss’.

    And with that comes increased independence too. You don’t rely on anyone, and you have countless projects to pass the time when you are alone.


    An Unusual View of Money
    In some ways, being an online entrepreneur has made me stricter with my money. The money I’ve earned has been entirely down to my own effort and is a reflection of my success, so I feel more personally affronted when I spend it. On the other hand though, I also think of money now very much in terms of overheads and profits. Spending a little money on a friend is just another ‘overhead’ and I can earn it back by working a little extra hard for a while.
    These are just some of the ways you change when you become a blogger or a digital marketer. Of course, the precise changes partly depend on who you are to begin with. Either way, expect to grow and change and to get more from the experience than you necessarily bargain for…

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I’m Lena Benjamin—global growth strategist and author of NIFTY, expanding into sustainable fashion and film. With 25+ years of experience in over 30 cities, I advise on UK buy-refurb-sell property ventures and have worked with startups, corporates, and SMEs. From Amazon interest to FT recognition—let’s unlock your next move.

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