Why Your Business Needs a Business Plan From the Start

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StrategyDriven Strategic Planning Article | Why Your Business Needs a Business Plan From the Start

If you want to start a new business for yourself, there are many different things you’ll need to consider, but you can’t – or shouldn’t – do any of those things until you have a solid and sensible business plan in place. It’s so tempting to just jump in and get started, but without a plan, you’ll have problems. With that in mind, read on to discover why your business needs a business plan from the start.

Set Clear Objectives

A well-written and carefully considered business plan is a roadmap for your business, as it should take you from where you are now to where you finally want to be. This end goal could be selling the business, it might be retiring but still earning dividends, it might be handing the business down to a family member, franchising a certain number of times, or expanding globally, for example.

No matter what it is you want to do, you can use your business plan as a place to define your goals and set specific small targets that, when you complete them all, will mean you’ve reached your ultimate end goal. When everything is noted down and you can see what your next step will be, it means you’re in a much better position to make decisions and stay focused and motivated.

Secure Financing

Whether you think you might need funding from investors, apply for a loan, or even bootstrap your business, having a well-prepared business plan is crucial. Investors and lenders will want to see that you have a solid understanding of the market, a good plan to reach your goals, and a realistic financial forecast. This is why it’s so important to include everything little thing, down to how much it would cost for grout pump hire or what the profit would be on each individual item you sell.

A business plan will show you’re serious and professional and about your business, and it will instill confidence in anyone who might be thinking about investing with you or lending you money. In this way, you’ll be able to get funding more easily and can start your business in the right way.

Understand Your Market

A good business plan will help you to understand your market much better because you’ll need to include a lot of market research to back up your ideas – this is especially true if you want to use your business plan for funding. When you do this market research, you’ll be able to identify gaps in the market, make sure what you do is different, and tailor your marketing strategies to the right audience.

This research forms the basis of everything you do in business, so it’s well worth the time to get it right. Having a good business plan to include all this information in once you’ve discovered it means you have everything in one place,and it makes it an easy way to reference things when you need to know what to do next.

Understanding the Role of Time-Lapse Cameras in Project Management

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StrategyDriven Project Management Article | Understanding the Role of Time-Lapse Cameras in Project Management

Project management can be a demanding and complex field that requires effective tools and strategies to ensure the successful completion of projects. Thankfully, in recent years, time-lapse cameras have emerged as a valuable asset in the project management toolkit. This article will further explore the role of time-lapse cameras in project management and how they can benefit various businesses and industries.

What Are Time-Lapse Cameras?

Time-lapse cameras capture images at a set interval over a specific period. These images are then compiled into a video showing a project’s progress over time. Time-lapse cameras are commonly used in the construction industry to monitor the progress of a building project. However, they can also be used in other industries, such as manufacturing, agriculture, and event management.

So, for easier project management in your construction, manufacturing, or agriculture business, you may invest in a time-lapse camera service at Buildcam or other similar providers. They can help Monitor and manage your project remotely, providing you with high-resolution photos or even a live view of the site.

The Role of Time-Lapse Cameras in Project Management

So, how exactly do time-lapse cameras help you in project management? Here are their roles:

Monitoring Progress

One of the primary roles of time-lapse cameras in project management is to monitor the progress of a project. By capturing images at regular intervals, project managers can easily track the project’s progress and identify any potential delays or issues. This allows them to take corrective action and ensure the project stays on track.

Improving Communication

Time-lapse cameras can also improve communication between project teams and stakeholders. By sharing time-lapse videos of a project’s progress, project managers can keep stakeholders informed about the project’s status. This can help build confidence and trust in the project team and ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Enhancing Safety

Time-lapse cameras can also enhance safety on a project site. By monitoring the progress of a project, project managers can identify any potential safety hazards and take corrective action. This can also help prevent accidents and injuries on the job site and ensure the project is completed safely.

Improving Documentation

Time-lapse cameras can also improve the documentation of a project. Capturing images at regular intervals allows project managers to create a visual record of the project’s progress. This can be useful for making reports and presentations.

Proving Evidence in Legal Disputes

Time-lapse cameras can also serve as a tool for dispute resolution. In case of disputes, the time-lapse footage can provide an accurate and impartial record of the project’s progress. This can help to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently without the need for costly legal action.

Marketing and Public Relations Purposes

Time-lapse cameras can also be used for marketing and public relations purposes. By sharing time-lapse videos of a project’s progress, businesses can showcase their capabilities and expertise. This can help to entice new clients and build their brand reputation.

Benefits of Time-Lapse Cameras in Project Management

Cost-Effective

Time-lapse cameras are a cost-effective tool for project management. They require minimal maintenance and can be utilized for multiple projects. This makes them a more affordable option compared to other project management tools.

Time-Saving

Time-lapse cameras can also save time in project management. By monitoring the progress of a project, project managers can identify any potential delays early on. This allows them to take corrective action before the project falls behind schedule, saving time in the long run.

Remote Monitoring

Time-lapse cameras allow project managers to monitor the progress of a project remotely. This is particularly useful for projects located in remote or hard-to-reach areas, such as construction projects. With time-lapse cameras, project managers can keep an eye on the project’s progress without having to physically visit the site.

Improved Quality Control

Time-lapse cameras can also improve quality control on a project. Monitoring the project’s progress can help managers identify potential quality issues and take corrective action, ensuring the project meets the required quality standards.

Enhanced Client Satisfaction

Time-lapse cameras can also enhance client satisfaction. By sharing time-lapse videos of a project’s progress, clients can see the progress of the project and feel more involved in the process. This can help build trust and confidence in the project team and ensure clients are satisfied with the final outcome.

The Bottom Line

Time-lapse cameras are an essential tool for project management. They can help project managers monitor a project’s progress, improve communication, enhance safety, and improve documentation. Time-lapse cameras are also cost-effective, time-saving, improve quality control, and enhance client satisfaction. By using time-lapse cameras, businesses can ensure that their projects are completed within the given timeline and budget and to the required quality standards.

How to Account For VAT in the Netherlands?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article | How to Account For VAT in the Netherlands?

Expanding your own business involves looking for new markets. In order to obtain a satisfactory level of income, it is advisable to sell goods and services within the various countries of the European Union. One popular country is the Netherlands, which is preferred by many people for doing business and is even described as a tax haven. Regardless of colloquial opinions, it is worth finding out what the tax system in the Netherlands is really like.

BSN and VAT Identification Numbers

Doing business in the Netherlands for an extended period of time is linked to the need to obtain a BSN identification number, which is given to every person who wishes to live and work in the country. The BSN is a number used to process personal data and is required to use a wide variety of services in the Netherlands, including when registering a company. Another issue is obtaining a VAT number in Netherlands, which is necessary for the payment of turnover tax. All taxpayers who operate in the Netherlands are obliged to register, and are therefore also required to pay VAT.

New VAT Registration Numbers From 2020

The VAT number in Netherlands is also referred to as a BTW number. It is worth mentioning that new VAT identification numbers for sole traders in the country have been issued in 2020. Currently, a VAT number in the Netherlands consists of the country code NL, nine digits, as well as the letter B and two check digits, for example 123456789B01. To verify that the VAT number provided is correct, you can use a tool provided by the European Union called VIES or VAT Information Exchange System. This can be a basic form of checking and obtaining reliable information on companies. However, it should be noted that this system does not provide information on companies registered in countries other than EU countries and Northern Ireland.

Basic VAT Rates in the Netherlands

There are three main VAT rates in the Netherlands: the standard rate of 21%, the reduced rate of 9% and the 0% rate. The reduced rate can be applied to products such as medicines, food, books and magazines. The zero rate mainly applies to services related to the international transport of people or goods. In the Netherlands, certain products are also exempt from VAT. This is a group of goods and services related to healthcare, education, childcare, banking services, as well as trade in real estate. The list of VAT exemptions is long and covers many categories, so it is advisable to look into the specific regulations and tax rate reductions before starting a business.

Rules for Filing Tax Returns

VAT returns in the Netherlands are filed monthly, quarterly or annually. Quarterly returns are the most common, but this can easily be changed by sending a letter to the Tax and Customs Administration. This is the government organization responsible for levying, collecting taxes and also implementing various reliefs and schemes for Dutch residents. Some tax regulations may be unclear or you may be unsure how to apply them. For this reason, it is advisable to use the services of a specialized accounting office to take care of your comprehensive VAT settlement in the Netherlands. You can then be sure that everything you do will comply with the dynamically changing laws in this country.

How to Establish Your Brand as an Authoritative Voice and Reach a Wider Audience

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | How to Establish Your Brand as an Authoritative Voice and Reach a Wider Audience

As digital marketing continues to gain prominence, the demand for brands to adapt their marketing strategies is increasing too. One notable transformation is the escalating significance of establishing and enhancing brand authority. As a business, your primary aim is to be taken seriously by customers and clients. You need your brand to stand out from the crowd and be defined as a leader in your field, rather than a newcomer.

Being perceived as credible is what will keep your brand alive. If you want to take your company to the next level and be favoured over competitors by consumers, here are some ways on how you can enhance brand authority as well as reach a wider audience.

Engage Readers With Compelling Content

Whether consumers land on your business website, blog, or social media channels, any content you post must be relevant, informative and give the reader an incentive to buy into your brand. Your content needs to speak to your audience and get them to take notice from the offset. If you don’t create compelling content that hits the spot, you can’t be surprised if people aren’t sticking around to see what you post next.

We’re not saying you have to be a wordsmith either. As a business owner, you’re bound to have all kinds of tasks to be getting on with. Therefore, it could be worth outsourcing this role to freelance writers who can pull together content that excels. When you have content worth reading, this can instil trust between the consumer and you the brand.

Regularly Post on Social Media

Business and social media go hand in hand. When you consider practically over half the planet uses the likes of Facebook or Instagram, it’s a no-brainer getting your company on there too. If you use social media for pleasure, you’ll already know some of the powerful benefits it has, such as bringing people together.

If you want to become an expert in your field and build credibility, posting regularly on social media is a must. Make sure you have options for followers to leave a comment or engage with you via message. Showing how dedicated you are to your business can go a long way in building your reputation, so make sure your social media channels are consistent with one another, especially in terms of imagery.

Associate With Other Trusted Brands

For those who are new to business, trying to establish yourself as an authoritative brand can be incredibly difficult. After all, if consumers have never heard of your brand, forgive them for not being too trustworthy of you! To win their trust and get them on board with your brand, why not start engaging with other trusted companies in your field?

This step can be a great way to make connections, build your contact list and have people to lean on for advice and support. When consumers see you have connections with brands they know and love, they’re far more likely to give you a shot and see what you have to offer.

Revamp Your Website and Blog

To succeed in this digital world, you’ll need to have a business website up and running (and preferably a blog too). The latter in particular can be a great outlet to really showcase your expertise and turn readers into loyal customers. To create a seamless experience, you need to ensure your website and blog look professional, relevant to your audience base, and easy to navigate.

These simple tactics can be the difference between people clicking on your pages and heading for the X button! You may benefit from hiring a website designer who can step in and craft together a page that looks the part. Sure, you may have to shell out a bit of money to do this, but there’s no price on getting consumers to trust you.

Get to Grips With SEO

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the process of boosting your website to increase its visibility in search engine results. To truly establish a dominant force in your industry, you need to be seen! If your website or blog aren’t on the first or second page of results, don’t be surprised if you aren’t getting much traffic.

You need to brush up your knowledge of SEO and turn the basics of it into muscle memory. Some types of SEO that your brand will need to succeed include web design, content strategy and link building. Regarding the latter, this is all about getting other pages to link to pages on your own website. UK Linkology can assist with this. They provide a specialist link building service that can make an enormous difference in your business’s website and blog SEO rankings.

Display Testimonials

Whether you’ve been in business for years or you’ve just launched a startup, one great way to get people to take notice of your brand and trust what you say is through testimonials. Whenever a customer has had a positive experience with you, encourage them to leave feedback. This is because others are going to be checking them out before doing business with you.

Obviously, the more positive reviews you get, the better. You’re always going to get one or two negative reviews along the way. Try not to take this to heart! Instead, learn how to handle constructive criticism and take it on board. You can proudly display testimonials on your website, blog, and social media.

When you build a brand from the ground up, it’s natural you’ll want all your hard work to pay off in your favour. While there are bound to be plenty of businesses in the same field as you, doing what you can to stand out and show you’re a leader is what will bring in more customers, profits and revenue.

While we can’t guarantee success will happen overnight, we can say if you use our suggestions and incorporate them into your operation, they should help in boosting your credibility, getting people talking about your brand and hopefully increasing awareness to a wider audience.

Top 5 Benefits of Using Color-Changing Mugs in Your Office

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Top 5 Benefits of Using Color-Changing Mugs in Your Office

Mugs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Whether you’re looking for a glass, ceramic or plastic composite, there’s sure to be one that suits your needs.

Designing color-changing mugs is different from designing other products. It is essential to keep in mind that drop shadows/glows and low-opacity elements do not print well on mugs.

Save Money

Color changing mugs work with a process called thermochromism. The dye covering each mug’s surface turns opaque when cold but becomes transparent once you pour hot liquid. Thermochromic dyes use leuco dyes to do this, which are also the same dyes used in mood rings.

A fun and unique gift for any occasion, magic mugs reveal hidden photos until hot liquid is added. Whether it’s an awe-inducing family portrait or a hysterical meme, these beautiful mugs will be enjoyed long after the surprise.

The solid black, heat-activated coating turns transparent to unveil your choice of photo. Choose a wraparound design featuring one photo or create a collage of multiple images to tell your story. Personalize with text to add a special message, sentiment, or snarky joke that will remain entertaining after the reveal.

Reduce Waste

One of the best ways to reduce waste in your office is by replacing several single-use items with reusable alternatives. For example, stocking your office with reusable coffee mugs, reusable water bottles, and washable silverware can help reduce the number of disposable cups and bags used.

These mugs work by using thermochromic dyes, which react to changes in temperature. The dye turns from black to white when a hot liquid is added. You may also have seen this technology in mood rings, which change color based on your skin temperature.

Setting clear, measurable goals and tracking progress can ensure your team is on track to reach its waste reduction goals. This includes encouraging reusable utensils, setting double-sided print defaults, and providing more mug/bottle washing stations.

Add a Personal Touch

Nothing is more special than sipping your morning coffee from a personalized mug featuring your favorite photos, a meaningful message, or an inside joke. Whether you give one of these unique mugs to yourself or a friend, they will surely be a hit.

These mugs are black when cold and white when filled with hot liquid, revealing a custom-printed design or photo. You can also choose to add a name or monogram if you want to make it even more personal.

Mugs are a functional gift for anyone on your list, from family and friends to coworkers and teachers. Design a variety of custom mugs featuring different images and text to create a unique setting for any occasion.

Make a Statement

Whether grabbing coffee alone or sharing with a coworker, having your favorite mug can make all the difference. No one likes coming in to find their favorite mug is missing!

A color-changing mug is a great way to show your team and coworkers how much you care about them. Using heat-sensitive paint, your mugs can display anything from photos to inspirational messages and slogans.

The color-changing feature utilizes thermochromism, similar to the technology used in mood rings that change colors based on your skin temperature. The color changes when a hot liquid is added to the mug and returns to black as soon as it cools down. This mug is a perfect gift for any occasion.

Create a Unique Environment

Thermochromic dyes change colors based on temperature. This fascinating phenomenon is what makes the magic of color-changing mugs possible.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or want to add something special to your office environment, there are endless options for color-changing mugs. Make a pregnant sister’s day with a high-quality ultrasound photo, or give the self-proclaimed “dog mom” in your life a mug filled with her fur babies.

These unique mugs start black, then display your design when hot liquid is added. Customize with your message, image, or photos to create a unique gift that’ll be used repeatedly. Choose from sizes, handles, heat bands, lids, print types, and colors. Mugs are available in glass, ceramic, and stainless steel.