Business

Whether you’re thinking it’s Spring Cleaning Time or time for an annual checkup, your business needs to undergo a checkup each year.  No matter how large or small your business is, you cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes you’ve made without analyzing the benefits and bottom line.

Here are 10 questions to get you started:

•    How do your year-to-date sales compare to the last couple of years? Don’t be satisfied if you managed to match them because if sales stayed the same then you’ve achieved zero growth.  With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for more trouble down the road.

•    What percentage of your business is from repeat customers? This is important to know because if it’s too low, then it needs to be improved.  The estimated cost of getting a new customer versus retaining an existing one can be as much as five to one in terms of dollars spent.  Keeping customers is more cost-effective than constantly seeking new ones.

•    How long has it been since you offered a new product or service?  Loyal customers like to see you changing and progressing with the times.  If you’re stuck for an idea, ask your customers what they need.

•    Do you consider marketing and advertising expenses or investments?  How you look at the money spent in these areas affects your willingness to spend money at all.  Would you look at prescriptions as a waste of money?  Marketing is really investing in you, your vision, and your company.  The old adage that you must spend money to make money is true, but you must spend it wisely.  Spend it on ads that are pulling responses and orders, and if they’re not maybe you need to change publications.

•    Do you know what PR is and how to use it to positively position your business in the media?  I’ll bet that at least one of your competitors does.  Nearly every mention of a company or business in the newspapers and magazines is a direct result of publicity efforts.  Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your clients and readers who are your potential prospects.  A good PR consultant can do that for you and show you ways to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its publication.

•    Are you listed in the yellow pages?  If you only have a line listing, consider including a small ad in the yellow pages.  If you can afford it, it will pay dividends throughout the year.

•    Do you teat your regular customers better than your drop-ins?  You should.  If your customers don’t feel special when coming to you for products of services, why should they remain loyal to you?  Have a customer appreciation day or a special invitation only sale for your regulars.  Create a mailing list of your regulars.  Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for special events or just to keep in touch.  Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name when they visit you.

•    How long has it been since you really talked to one of your customers?  Just as you appreciate when your Doctor takes time to talk to you, your customers will appreciate you if you take an interest in their needs.  If you have a service business, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you once or twice a year.  The personal touch in an impersonal world will be remembered.

•    How is your business doing compared to your competition?  Every company, no matter what the size, has competition – even home-based businesses.  Is their business growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service better than yours?  If so, what can you tell potential customers about the price difference?  Think about how you can improve your service to meet or exceed your customer’s expectations.

•    Are your employees happy?  Don’t ask them directly, but observe them throughout the day.  Watch, listen and learn.  Employees who like their jobs don’t watch the clock for quitting time, aren’t habitually late, don’t have poor body language, don’t spend time on personal phone calls, and don’t look like they never smiled.  Observe how they interact with customers.  Not everyone is a match for direct contact with the public, so make sure you don’t have an employee who is driving business away.

Business

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A start up venture capital is a means of funding usually aimed at start up businesses showing a lot of growth potential. Venture capital is just one of the many options available for start up companies to raise some cash in order to put their new business idea to work. Here are some of the basic ideas that one needs to now about venture capital.

Venture Capital Firms
When start ups today want to obtain some venture capital, they usually have the venture capital firms to face. These firms are made up of venture capital fund advisors that manage a portfolio of venture capital funding coming from different investors. Those who directly manage the venture capital funds are known as the managing members. Those who invest into the firm that becomes a part of its venture capital portfolio are known as the limited partners.

Venture Capital Firm Types
There are different types venture capital firms that focuses on certain types of businesses to invest in. These firms may approach each business differently depending on the industry they belong. It is important for start up businesses to carefully look into the investment model that the different venture capital firms engage in before approaching them.

Seeking Venture Capital
For a start up business looking for some venture capital funding, research on certain venture capital firms may prove essential. This will help increase chances of seeking venture capital for a certain business. Some venture capital firms may be investing in start up businesses while others concentrate on relatively new but already established businesses. As mentioned before, many venture capital firms also concentrate on putting a bulk of their capital portfolio in a certain industry that they feel comfortable investing into. It pays for start ups to try and find out which venture capital firms to approach that really invest in the industry that they belong to.

Also key to getting some venture capital funding is by trying to find out if certain venture capital firms may be able to provide the sufficient capital that the start up may need. It may also be important to know the geographical scope of funding that the venture capital firms provide. There are firms that provide funds to start ups that tend to go global. There are also firms that are more focused on funding start ups in their region or on the national front.

Another thing to consider when seeking venture capital funding from firms is what they expect to get in return for providing venture capital financing. Different firms have different standards concerning return of investment for the venture capital that they provide to start ups and new businesses. It is quite important for businesses seeking such financing to first know about the agreement that they might be getting into when seeking venture capital.

Another important thing to consider when start ups seek venture capital is the level of involvement that such firms would likely have in the new business. There are venture capital firms that may seek a bigger role in the control of the new company while there are others that seem contented to leave start ups a certain level of independence with day to day operations.

Knowing about all these would help start ups seek the right type of venture capital financing in order for their business ideas to come into fruition. Getting the wrong venture capital firm can sometimes prove fatal to certain businesses that usually lead to failure.

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You have a great business venture idea and you are raising startup capital but why is that nobody wants to invest in your business? There is always room for improvement. There are several mistakes on raising startup capital that could be the reason why it is difficult for banks or for venture capital firms to invest on your business.

Robin Cross stated in her article that there are 3 groups of mistakes made when raising start up capital: poor preparation, structuring the agreement and managing the money. This is truly the reasons why entrepreneurs would find their loan applications and investment applications rejected. By avoiding these blunders, then there would definitely be a higher possibility of having a your business financed.

Poor Preparation

There are entrepreneurs thinking that enthusiasm and passion would be enough to start and keep a business. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a start up capital, investors are not only looking for proper attitudes, they are also looking for a complete and solid business plan.

When going to a meeting with bank or venture capital officers, you would like to be prepared with your business plan. This would show how important the venture it is. Nothing is more disastrous when an applicant files an application that has incomplete business plan.

You do not need just funds, you would also need management skills. Another common mistake is forgetting about the managerial aspects of the business. A bank loan grantor and venture capital investor are looking for something when they meet you, how you will return their money and investment. Nobody could be successful without relying or having somebody to help. You would have to get the best people out there.

Structuring the Agreement

There are surveys done by U.S. Bank in 2004 showed that there are small businesses who fail because they start with little amount of money. Most of the entrepreneurs who applies for starting capital are actually asking for the amount based on the best performance of their business. It is important to calculate the amount you will be needing in the worst scenario that could happen.

Others would commit mistake of actually not being too conscious about the legal agreements. If you are not confident with dealing with angel investors or VC firms, then it is for the best to get a lawyer that has experience about this kind of agreements. This would ensure that the terms would not be taking advantage of you and your business.

Managing the Money

Proper management is the key. It is natural to have difficulties on the first year, but overcoming it is important. There are entrepreneurs that would start a business just because of getting excited over it, but once they experienced a difficulty, they would let it go completely. When having difficulties with business, some entrepreneurs tend to keep the problem to themselves.

That is something you should not do! Look for people who can help you. Of course, there are mentors who are willing to help you out with your business issues. Asking for help or guidance is not a sign of weakness, rather it is about acknowledging your weaknesses and working to overcome them.

You do not have to build a fortress around your business, community involvement can help you get additional business contacts and at the same time impart your blessings and knowledge to other people.

Your business venture would benefit a lot from start up capital offered by different institutions. But it is not just enough to get the capital, what happens with money when it is already in your hands would decide what would happen to your business. Start up capital for your venture is just a boost.

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It still amazes me how many businesses ignore the power of social networking. Most traditional business owners are either too lazy or too busy putting out fires. The power of Facebook alone for business can be an incredibly powerful tool. Combine a facebook business fan page with a correctly structured FREE Google Places page and all of a sudden your business can attract more customers. How do your customers locate you? Do you still rely on the old fashioned Yellow Pages that barely work but cost a fortune?

Being able to keep an open mind in business is one of the greatest attributes any business owner can have. Too many so called business owners think they have all the answers, they are negative towards facebook because they think it is a gossip place for people to expose their dirty laundry. It can't be further from the truth.

The most important thing any business owner can do is read and keep up to date with the latest trends. The internet is a powerful tool, it can provide untold benefits to businesses if only the owners bother to look and inform themselves.

If you are interested in Facebook, take a look at what tools are out there such as on the link below:

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There is a great article today on the New Zealand Herald website about going into business with friends. It pretty well sums it up but they have missed a couple of great pieces of advice.

I have posted my suggestions and thoughts on this to Facebook. Therefore go to the Facebook Icon on the right hand side of my page and take a look. The article is a good read and any budding partnerships should take heed. With all the news in the USA at the moment about corporate greed etc be warned.

Make certain you cross your I's and dot your T's if you are thinking of taking on a business partner.

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Motivating yourself to excel at your job or to be an example to your employees, should not be something you do only when the spirit moves you. It’s an ongoing process that should include every facet of your business life. This means your mental attitude, physical well-being and appearance, work atmosphere, your interaction with others (clients and employees alike), and your off-the-job environment.

Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.

1. Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!

2. Leave Personal Troubles Home - Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
3. Create Positive Affirmations - The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.

4. Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times - This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.

5. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise - I know that lately it seems that “exercise” is the cure-all to every physical ailment or your love life, but despite that there is some truth to that ugly word. By “exercise” I don’t mean that you should go out and join a gym and spend your lunch-time, 3-days-a-week there working out. What is really beneficial and workable is that at those chiming alerts from your computer, get up and walk around your desk or room. Maybe go outside and get the mail and enjoy the sunlight (if you’re an entrepreneur that has a home office), or just get up and do a few stretches. Concentrated, tense thinking – typing - plotting plans - or whatever your work, makes all those muscles tighten up and knot up. Then when we move we “ooh” and “ouch” because we’ve knotted up into a ball of tension. Periodic stretching, even at our desk, or just getting up and walking over to the window and getting a different view can help. One of the greatest disservice modern business décor has done to us, is making our offices pristine, sleek, unencumbered spaces. There is nothing more relaxing than getting up from your desk and walking over to a peaceful, serene, seascape or pastoral painting and just drinking it in visually. Momentarily transporting your mind out of work and into that place does wonders. A few good paintings and less shiny chrome in offices would benefit us all.

It only takes a little concentrated effort on our part to keep motivated and productive, which leads to success. I know you’re going to hate hearing this, but it’s true anyway – and that is, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOUR LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!”

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