3 Questions To Answer When Outsourcing

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Outsourcing|3 Questions To Answer When OutsourcingWhen you are looking to get a business up and running, there is no doubt that outsourcing will be an essential part of your early efforts. In the beginning, when you are trying your hardest to break through, you’ll often try to do everything yourself. That, however, is a risky strategy, as it can lead to burnout and crucial mistakes – so outsourcing is a necessity.

With that said, outsourcing in and of itself is like any other tool you can use in a business – it’s about more than just having it to call upon; how you use it also matters, and so does the quality of the service you are getting. In other words, there is no point simply deciding to outsource your accounting, the legal side of things or marketing without first asking a few questions about what you’ll be getting for the (often substantial) money you spend on it.

1. Do you trust the people who will be handling the task?

It’s all very well and good to know what you can and can’t do, and in truth it’s not knowing that which often stymies startups’ chances of success. Just as importantly, though, you need to consider what you might be getting when you put your IT services or marketing in the hands of another business. It’s essential that you meet them and find out not only what they say they can do for you (secure your network against hackers, or deliver a higher market share for your business), but how they plan to do it.

If they can show you figures, and demonstrate past success, then they are worth your trust when it comes to boosting your business.

2. Will they take the lead on the project?

If you outsource an aspect of your business to another company, then you will want to know that you can leave things in their hands and get on with what you’re good at. They’re not just there to give you a hand, after all, they’re essential in freeing you up for other tasks – but that won’t be the case if you constantly have to field questions from them and correct their work. Ideally, you should be able to compile a plan of what you need, then let them action it.

Often, experienced service providers will be the best ones to work with here – an occasional catch-up will be all that is needed to stay on the straight and narrow – but don’t rule out someone new with a convincing and detailed plan.

3. Will they answer your calls?

Arguably the most important factor when choosing a company to outsource any part of your business to is communication. As we’ve noted above, you don’t want them to constantly be asking you for more information, but equally it’s important to know that they’ll be reachable when you need to ask for a change or a progress report.

What’s ideal in this situation is to ensure that someone within the external company takes personal ownership of your task and oversees it to conclusion. When you have a specific contact you can always reach, you can be more confident of the work being done promptly and well.

Outsourcing is a thoroughly sensible way to ensure your business runs smoothly and you can focus on your strengths; just make sure you don’t saddle yourself with a few extra headaches when you do it.

How To Take Your New Business Idea To The Next Level

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Starting a Business|How To Take Your New Business Idea To The Next LevelWhen you come up with a great business idea and begin to lay the foundations for your dream to become a reality, you might find that you are being held back by certain restraints that can stop your concept from truly flourishing. It’s unlikely that you can be a one man band, and you need so many different contributing features to bring the whole venture together and really make it work. Becoming a successful entrepreneur takes skill, effort and time, but if you are ready to commit yourself and reach your goals then the results that you will achieve will make it all seem more than worth it. So, if you want to know how you can take your business idea to the next level and really hit the ground running, then read on for some of the best top tips and tricks that you can make the most of to start generating a respectable profit in no time at all!

Hiring The Right Support

Though you may want to keep all of the credit and control for your business, at some point you are going to have to let go of some responsibilities in order to allow your organisation to grow into something much bigger. Hiring the right support is such an important step to take, as having some experienced and qualified employees by your side to assist you with every task you complete is going to take a huge weight off your shoulders. Finding the right staff doesn’t have to be difficult, as there are several different ways that you can attract potential candidates – by posting a job application online, approaching a recruitment agency, or networking with others in your industry to spread the word about your vacancies. It’s easy to find more info about where you can hire the best professionals, but it’s up to you to identify which person will suit your own specific company needs.

Sourcing The Best Equipment

Whatever kind of business you are going to run, you will need to source the best equipment to ensure that you and your staff can complete every task to the highest standard. Whether you need computers or laptops, heavy production machinery or general labourer tools, its key that you can collect each necessary item and have it set up and ready for use as soon as you open your doors for business. If you purchase secondhand or poor quality machinery, you’re going to end up with a bad end product that will be worth half of the price of its properly made counterpart. It’s likely that you will need to provide training for some specific items as your staff may require the knowledge in order to operate them safely and securely.

Get Marketing Now

The sooner that you are able to start marketing your business, the more attention and excitement will build for your new idea. You can even start advertising before you open the doors to your company, as you can use your grand opening date as some kind of special day that includes offers or vouchers, therefore attracting more buzz and potential customers. The type of marketing that you use should really depend on your target audience, for example if your business is directed towards young adults and teenagers, you may want to make the most of social media advertising. You simply create a business profile, and update your page with regular posts that can receive constant feedback from actual users, whilst even offering options to purchase items or services straight through the social media platform itself. To reach an older generation, get on board with day time TV advertisements or put up a sign in your local newspaper or relevant magazine subscription to get their attention.

Starting your own business can be a whirlwind adventure, but following the steps above will show you just how simple it can be to take your idea to the next level and make some serious profit. There are so many risks that new business’ face whenever they are released onto the market, but you can reduce these risks dramatically by taking these top tips and tricks on board. Start by sourcing the right group of staff to support you through your venture, that have the necessary qualifications and experience to push your company to grow and evolve. Ensure that you have invested in the best quality equipment your employees need to do their job well, and put a big emphasis on marketing your brand to gain a wider influence.

Can You Invest in Property Without Much Cash?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Property Investment|Can You Invest in Property Without Much Cash?As is suggested by the word property ‘investment’, you do need some money in order to be able to get into property. There are options like rent-to-rent to consider, but as that is something that requires very little money and you’re controlling cash flow, it can’t really be considered investing in property. But how do you make sure that you are able to have enough and generate enough cash in order to truly invest and have it make a difference in your life? It is a pretty steady way to invest, as there is always demand for property, whether that be commercial or residential. So if this is something that you want to get into, then you should make sure that you’re able to have the cash to be able to invest in the first place.

Save, Save, Save

As radical as it might sound, one thing that you could look to do is to save money and not make a start until you are ready. After all, if you look at property as an investment and for any investment, even a small one, you do need to have capital to back it up. Tracking your spending is one of the things to do. Plus, if you are going for something like a 75% mortgage, then it means that for what you save it can be quadrupled to be money for a property.

Borrow Money Against Your Home

You might have very little in the way of cash, but you might have a home of your own with equity in it that you can take advantage of. If this sounds like you, then you could choose to extend out your mortgage to release some cash that you can then invest in elsewhere. It is up to you to decide if this is something that is going to work for you. You have to weigh up if it is going to be better to be able to invest sooner rather than later, or have the security that comes with paying down your own mortgage.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is something that is pretty recent, but it is making waves and helping people to invest and get a business started. You could use a straightforward site to help raise the money, asking people for donations. You can also use crowdfunding sites that offer something to the people that invest, so that could be something to think about as well. You could even look up a review of the Fundrise site to see if that could work for you. It is one of the first companies to crowdfund investment into the real estate market, so it is specific to the niche that you are looking at.

Use Family and Friends

If you have family and friends with some money that you could borrow from them, then it could be an avenue to look at. If you need to make it a more formal agreement, then it is a good idea to look into using their money as an investment, and treating it like a formal investment like you would from a bank. It can give everyone peace of mind.

Five Elements to Consider When Organizing a Trade Show

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Trade Show|Five Elements to Consider When Organizing a Trade ShowOrganizing your very own trade show can be an exciting experience, but it can also prove to be extremely daunting if you have never planned a professional event before. You’re going to have to delve deep into your skill sets if you want to pull off your event with professionalism, and wow those who will be attending. While the number of tasks that you may be faced with in regards to planning your trade show event may seem overwhelming at the start, this article should come in useful to help you pinpoint the key elements that you need to bear in mind, in order to ensure that your trade show event is a roaring success.

Here are five main tips to take into consideration:

1. Planning is essential

While you may be excited to jump head first into the trade show event without second-guessing your decisions, it’s likely you’ll face dilemmas later on down the line. Planning is essential in order for your trade show to be a success, as well as keeping your stress levels to a minimum.

Draw up a plan of action that determines the entire project specification, the marketing techniques you’re going to use, and your final budget to ensure that the step-by-step process of the project runs smoothly without any hiccups.

2. Secure a convenient location

While you may be focused on the event itself, what you need to be aware of is that the location of your venue is everything—especially if you’re planning on securing a huge number of exhibitors and attendees. Ensure that your venue is the correct size (neither too small, proving it difficult for everyone to be accommodated; or too large, giving the illusion of the event being unsuccessful and sparse) and within easy reach for your guests to attend without difficulty.

3. Instruct your staff accordingly

Those in leadership roles should instruct staff on how to behave accordingly. First impressions are everything, therefore, all those who are associated with your company should act professionally at all times, that is, in terms of their body language, facial expressions, and their willingness to communicate with those who are in attendance.

4. Provide food and entertainment

If you don’t look after your guests, you may encounter some complaints, especially when they have spent hours venturing around the different stalls and need some time out to revive. Buffets or packed lunches are always extremely convenient food options for trade shows, so attendees can pick up a snack whenever they choose.

To keep your attendees interested in the event, always make sure to provide suitable entertainment for your target audience. Consider renting trade show games to engage your visitors and build relationships between them—after all, networking is an integral part of any successful trade show, and can create an extremely positive atmosphere.

5. Follow up after your event

Once your trade show has come to an end and all your hard work has paid off, it’s extremely important to do a follow-up with your attendees and traders. Doing so builds on the relationship between your company and sellers, as well as getting the chance to receive feedback that will come in useful for future trade show events. Ensure that you offer gratitude to those who have attended, in order to put forward a positive impression of your company.

Essential Digital Tools For Non-Profits

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Non-Profits|Essential Digital Tools For Non-ProfitsRunning a non-profit can be challenging enough without being able to rely on profits and consistent paying customers, which is why there are plenty of excellent tools designed to make your non-profit excel without paying the same prices that massive corporations do. If you’re looking for your non-profit to be as successful and as rewarding for its clients as possible, here are the essential digital tools you need to know about.

Make Donations Easy

Donations are a massive part of any non-profit, so it makes sense that one of the main tools you want to invest in is a way to make them as easy as possible. Instead of shaking a collection jug as passersby on the high street, you can reach people from the comfort of their sofa watching football.

Donation software makes it possible for millions of people to feel charitable, and the best of this software can set a page up in fewer than 15 minutes. If you’re still not convinced, there are more than 7,000 non-profit organizations worldwide who use this software, and they can embed your forms or popup widget to make it easily accessible for those who are feeling generous. There are paid and free services, so take your pick of whichever works best for you.

Keep Systems Up and Running

With so much to take care of while running a non-profit, you can often neglect other parts of the organization. If you’re going to make the most of digital software and services, then Non-Profits IT support is crucial.

This means you have one less thing to worry about while you do your campaigning, and they can also solve any issues as soon as they arise, often with 24-hour support, seven days a week. With everything running smoothly, you can focus your energy elsewhere and focus on making your non-profit as fantastic as it can be.

Keep Subscribers In the Loop

Services such as Mailchimp or any of its competitors are a fantastic way of keeping your subscribers firmly in the loop when it comes to what you’re doing, what you plan to do next, or any other big news you want to share, especially at the end of a highly successful campaign.

It’s too easy for donors to forget about non-profits they were once so passionate about. However, with a dedicated email and newsletter service, you can ensure that the good news spreads sufficiently, and you can also reach out to other potential donors to help you fight for your cause. With such an excellent tool for marketing automation, you can also get a wide range of data and information about your subscribers.

Final Thoughts

A non-profit still needs to keep up with advancements in technology and the potential that it can offer if it wants to demonstrate that it can make a difference. By investing in the best and most essential digital tools, you can guarantee that your organization keeps on changing the world and committing to causes on a local, national, or even global scale.