Full article with thanks to: simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2017/01/how-to-build-a-business-website-a-step-by-step-guide According to a recent survey, 81 per cent of consumers now look online before making a purchase. It’s a simple equation: if you don’t have a business website, you’re losing custom. But building a business website can be a daunting prospect – and a potentially expensive one. If you want to get a professional to build your business website for you, the costs can quickly spiral. How I can help you build a business website However, thanks to new innovations over the last few years, it’s now perfectly possible to take a DIY approach to build a business website, and end up with professional-quality results. Read more in our step-by-step guide. 1. Choose your domain Your domain is the address at which internet users will be able to find your site – for example, www.yourbusiness.com. Your first step is to choose your domain. In most cases, …
Obtaining Finance for your Business
An Intro to Your Finance Options As if starting a business wasn’t scary enough. If you need to obtain finance to enable your business to get going – or if you’re an existing business owner and need finance in order to expand – this can make life even scarier! Now, before I go any further, I need to make it clear that I am not a financial adviser, nor am I qualified to offer financial advice. I am able however to give you some solid things to think about, to help you explore your options and to help you prepare to apply for finance. Before you do anything else you need to make sure that your business plan and marketing strategy are both completely up to scratch. If you haven’t got one or other of these then now’s the time to get on it! You’re going to need both of those – and …
How do I find my niche?
How to Find Your Niche So you’ve decided you want to start a business of your own but aren’t 100% sure what your business should ‘be’? Don’t worry – you’re in the right place! First of all – what IS a niche? Wikipedia tells us: A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focused. The market niche defines as the product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact. It is also a small market segment. In more simplistic terms – a niche is either a product or service being offered to a specific group or groups of consumers. But how do you work out what your niche should be? And how do you know that you can build a profitable business around it? That’s a good question and …
I’m a small business…do I REALLY need a business plan?
I get it – you’re a small business. Business plans are for big companies aren’t they? Actually no – business plans are for ALL companies. Running a small business can feel incredibly overwhelming at times can’t it! If you’re a small business owner then chances are that it’s all on you….even if you have a few employees, you no doubt feel the weight of the responsibility of the company rests entirely on your shoulders! There’s so MUCH to do that it seems impossible to focus on any one particular thing…and then you can feel that you’re getting no-where fast. It’s even harder if you have a family, another job or other commitments as well. Sound familiar? The answer?…yup…your business plan… It doesn’t have to be war and peace! A complete plan could fit on a single A4 page if you have a hobby business. Simply put, this critical document defines who …
Top Sales Tips
Top Sales Tips Here are a few of the best sales tips I’ve picked up along the way that hopefully you’ll find helpful: When talking to a customer, don’t ask questions that they can answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. You’ll get a lot more information from them this way. It’s not what you say – it’s what your customer believes. Don’t ever make a phone call or send out a communication without an end goal. Don’t bother trying to sell a product or service that you can’t get passionate about or don’t believe that you’re offering a quality product or service that will truly benefit your customers. Don’t be late – EVER Stay standing when greeting a customer – or stand as they enter the room. ALWAYS shake hands standing up with a nice firm, purposeful handshake. Ensure that every sales call starts with letting the customer …