Why You Shouldn’t Use A Template For The Website Of Your Small Business

biscuit cutters (Photo credit: hunting.glee)

There are a lot of questions surrounding the design and presence of your startup’s website, and those questions should be at the forefront of your mind as you go about getting your business up and running.

Website templates are available fairly cheaply – the idea is you just provide the content and stick it into a pre-packaged design. It’s certainly an option that works for some, but we reckon you’ll attain more success in your business if you actually hire a professional web designer.

Could ‘Corporate Culture’ Be Holding Your Small Business Back?

‘Dilbert’ cartoon, copyright Scott Adams

Startups have reputations of being versatile and free from constraints on employees and the way they work. They’re often thought of as the more fun companies to work for.

And when we think of what we call ‘corporate culture’ – and a lot of different practices and values fall under that name – we generally don’t think of small businesses.

Having said that, a worrying number of startups have policies on the books that actually prove counter-productive – and they probably haven’t even thought about how things could be different.

Taking A Look At How To Start Your Own Business 2

“moo business cards” (Photo credit: osde8info)

The next steps on the seemingly never ending path to launching your own company are, just like the others, extremely important. Location is probably a good place to start as this really can make or break your fledgling enterprise with surprising speed.

If for example your venture is into the retail market, you want your premises to be in an area where as many people as possible people can see it. Hidden away in a little side street or up an alley means that it may be difficult to find and therefore lose potential customers, walk by traffic.

Taking A Look At How To Start Your Own Business

English: Business Plan Presentation at FSG 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A great many people have a dream, a dream of running their own business, of bringing their particular products or services to the attention of the public. They are sure that they have what it takes to make it by themselves and stand tall on their own two feet.

Unfortunately, statistics would paint another, slightly less rosy picture, one in which the shelf life, to coin a phrase, is less than substantial. However, that said, there are several things that anyone who at the moment is thinking of starting out for themselves can do to reduce the risk.

The business market can be very complex and more importantly unforgiving, so the last thing that you want to do is to fall at the first fence by lacking experience. To this end, the first thing that you should do is recognise the fact that you are going to be the new kid on the block and make a concerted effort to get as much knowledge as possible.

There are many ways that you can do this, the internet for example is an incredible source, it is amazing what you can find out if you only take the time to look. There are places out there which are dedicated to and pride themselves on giving new business advice and these are definitely well worth visiting.

Anything or anyone that gives you an insight into the world you want to break into will increase your confidence and chances of survival. If you are willing to put in the leg work at this early stage, it could just save you a lot of heartache further on down the line.

The next hurdle will be a business plan, you will need one, especially if you will are looking for funding to get venture up and running. Anyone lending you money will need to be 100% sure that their money is in safe hands, and the chances of return are nothing less than good.

This can be extremely hard work, especially in today’s economic climate, but don’t give up hope if you don’t get a break first time round. If your business plan is good enough, then someone somewhere, will eventually come to the fore with the assistance that you need.

The important thing that you have to remember is that this is your dream, your business plan, your venture, and your ideas. Unfortunately this also means that it is down to you and no one else to promote and convince others to help you to get it off the ground.

Taking A Look At How To Start Your Own Business.

Gnomes’ three phase business plan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A great many people have a dream, a dream of running their own business, of bringing their particular products or services to the attention of the public. They are sure that they have what it takes to make it by themselves and stand tall on their own two feet.

Unfortunately, statistics would paint another, slightly less rosy picture, one in which the shelf life, to coin a phrase,of new businesses is less than substantial. However, that said, there are several things that anyone who at the moment is thinking of starting out for themselves can do to reduce the risk.

How Networking Can Help Your Business.

Social-network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Running a business can at times be an extraordinarily difficult thing to do such is the nature of the beast. There are no quick fixes to making your business the raging success that you have always hoped that it would be.

Unfortunately, to the vast majority of us, striving to make a living by working for ourselves, life is not that kind. There is an old adage that says that you make your own luck, and it is true as nobody is going to serve it to you on a silver platter.

Key Considerations For Going Global With Your Business

When opportunities for growth in your home country are, at best, scarce, then exporting to a more promising market abroad could present your business with a golden opportunity.

In recent years, Brits with lofty career aspirations have flocked in their droves to sunny España.

Now, research shows that emerging markets are expected to contribute the large part of an increase in the world’s middle classes by some 3bn by the middle of the century.

3 Ways Running A Small Business Has Changed In The Last 5 Years

Five years doesn’t seem like a particularly long time. Many of us will have retained the same hobbies, social groups and habits that we possessed formerly. Many of the modern technological innovations we now employ were similar or the same as those we used in recent years, too.

All time is relative, nevertheless. And in the world of business, five years can be the different between a company seeing a boom in profits or going bust altogether.

A perusal of The Small Businesses: Then and Now Survey from Constant Contact yields further changes – some subtle, some dramatic. Here’s our pick of three of the most striking modifications to have taken place in the way small companies now conduct business.

3 Easy Tricks To Get Your Small Business Noticed

No matter what your product or service, the marketplace is, most likely, depressingly saturated with similar alternatives. It’s never been more difficult to be noticed – or more important to stand out.

But whether your business idea involves selling kitchen sinks or novelty party favours, there are a number of ways of setting yourself apart from the ever-swelling crowd.

Make an impression for the right reasons with these tips for getting small businesses noticed.

5 Technology Essentials To Support Your New Business

So you’ve managed to set up your own brand spanking new business. You’ll have had to make some sacrifices along the way, and some of your office equipment may have been belatedly implemented only after you ran in a situation that called for it.

To avoid any further frantic last-minute purchases of this nature, support your new business with this list of five essentials no office should be without.