How To Reduce Your Workload As A Business Owner

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Reduce your Workload|How To Reduce Your Workload As A Business OwnerBusiness owners are, necessarily, very busy people. This is even more true if they are the only ones working in their business (and therefore are doing everything), or if their team is a small one. Although you might think this is simply par for the course, the truth is that working non-stop, starting early and finishing late, is both unproductive and bad for your health since it can quickly lead to burnout.

It might seem impossible to reduce your workload if you want to continue to grow your business and get everything done even if you know it’s the right thing to do. However, there are ways it can be done; read on to find out more.

Make A Plan

If you know what needs to be done (and if you don’t know, it’s wise to look into exactly what tasks you do each day and find out) then you can plan it all out and become much more productive and, ideally, free up some of your time as well.

The best way to start with this plan is to look at prioritizing your tasks and determining which are the ones that have to be done first, and which can wait until later. In other words, anything that is urgent and important goes to the top of the list, anything that is not important and not urgent goes to the bottom, and those that are urgent but not important and important but not urgent can go in the middle.

As well as this, it’s a good idea to start each day with a goal in mind. When you are working towards something, whether it’s completing your to-do list or finishing work at a certain time, for example, you’ll be much more focused. It’s easy to waste time when you don’t have something to work towards.

Delegate

The idea of delegating any of your work might be a concerning one; after all, if someone else is taking on the task, how will you be able to maintain control? How will you know it’s done in the way you want it to be done?

The answer is simple; before you delegate, you train. If you carry out training with your staff members, they will understand exactly what it is you want from them. They will like the fact that you’re trusting them with more responsibility, so they’re going to be more productive. Although this training might take a little time, once it’s done you can cross another task off your life forever. Just check on the end result once in a while to ensure the quality is there and that’s it.

If you don’t have any staff members to delegate to, you can look into how to hire personal assistants. This can be done virtually, and these highly trained helpers will be able to do many different admin tasks from making phone calls to answering emails that would otherwise have taken up a lot of your time.

Take A Lot Of Breaks

It probably sounds completely counter-intuitive, but stepping away from your work and doing something else, whether that something is having a nap, going for a walk, watching TV, exercising, making some art, or anything else that is non-work related, will actually make you more productive when you return.

This break will give your brain a chance to relax and refocus. If you continue to work without taking a break, you’ll just become more and more tired and the work you do will be of a lower quality, plus it will take you longer to do overall. Take plenty of breaks and the work will be done to a higher standard in a shorter space of time.

Stepping Up Your Business In 2021

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Business in 2021|5 Lead Generation Tips for 2021Working for yourself can often be the dream life for many. It can give you that flexibility of finding the right balance between working and home life, and give you the opportunity to work in a field that you are passionate about. Not many people love their jobs, but people who work for themselves often say that they do. It can take a while to build up a business yourself. A lot of people do it while working in full-time jobs, or even attempt to start a business from nothing and turn it into something during their spare time on very little money.

The last few months have seen many people decide on starting a business. Having had time during the lockdowns to think about what they wanted to do, and in some cases start a business with the global pandemic directly in mind. No matter when you have decided to do it, you no doubt want to make some improvements where you can. But, once you do take that plunge and you have an established business you can look at ways to step it up a notch. 2020 may have been a strange year, but that doesn’t mean this year has to be the same, and you could make some improvements to your business in order to step things up. With that in mind, here are some suggestions to help you.

Outsourcing instead of hiring

One of the first things you could consider doing would be to outsource certain aspects of your business. Logically, this can actually be a great money saver for you as it saves you hiring someone specific and having the outlay of a consistent wage. Outsourcing means that you have someone doing that role for you as and when you need it most. The hours that suit your business as well as the budget you have to spend on it. Things it could work for include IT, accounting, social media management and website development. Leaving you free to focus on the things that you could make the most difference with. Outsourcing can be a great way to push your business forward and focus on some of the things that you could do to improve business in the areas where you can make the most difference.

Are company vehicles the right choice?

Many businesses move on to think about logistical needs, and company vehicles can often solve this problem for you. This might be for yourself or your staff members. There are many different funding and fleet management options that you could consider, and fleet finance can often be a great choice to consider. There are some other benefits to company vehicles including the advertising opportunity. Having a vehicle sign written with your company details means that every time it is out on the road or parked up, you are advertising your business. Of course, the downside is the additional business cost, but you need to weigh the benefits to work out if this is the right choice to make.

Thriving at home

Right now there is no choice but to work from home, but this could be a big money saver right now while you have no choice. Using your business as a purely online venture will help you to keep your costs down and make some big savings this year. As there is no other way to operate for your business, you know that you don’t have any worries of competitors doing things differently. So this could be a great way to give you a level playing field with businesses and allow your business to grow in a different way. If you are having to work from home make sure you create a dedicated working area. This could be something that you have in a corner of your home, or you may want to look at turning a room into an office. This might need to happen if you have stock that you need to store or if you have a lot of packing that you need to do to send items.

Moving from home into a business a premises

You may think that moving to a business from home is actually going to be a real expensive thing to do. At home, you have very little overheads to think of, but you are limited in what you can do. Sometimes spending more can bring you greater benefits. This could include a shop to sell from or a premises in which you can meet potential customers and clients. Meaning more business could be done in the future. It may seem like this is a tall order right now with many shops and establishments closed for face to face business, but it is certainly something that you can aim for in the future.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Business in 2021|5 Lead Generation Tips for 2021Making more of free advertising options

Do you really take advantage of free advertising options? The main one being social media? The chances are you are probably not doing it as well as you could be. There may be times that you are not posting as consistently. Or it could be that you are just not making great content. Now is the time to stop and reevaluate your social media marketing and make some changes. Try different things, look at ways to include a bit of personality. Don’t always think that a sales approach is the right approach, you will want to engage with your audience. This is where some of the best accounts do the best when it comes to social media and advertising in a different way.

Place a focus on your marketing

You also need to take some time to think about focusing on your marketing plan and strategy. Marketing isn’t just about social media, it is about advertising in general and all of the options that you have available to you. This is where you could use the help of the best digital marketing company in your area. They can help you come up with a plan to make the most of the marketing opportunities for your business. A strategy can help you to understand what is needed and also enable you to focus on making the best changes to your business in order to reach new customers and expand on your business where possible. A marketing professional could help you to make sure you understand what your niche is and take advantage of it.

Focusing on your local community

Many people are changing the way that they shop. This is such a good thing for small businesses. A lot of people like the idea of supporting local and small businesses, and so now is the best time to start making a name for yourself locally. There are some easy ways to be known. You could get involved in community events, such as sponsoring them, or being part of them with a pop-up shop. You can advertise locally in small magazines or on local Facebook pages. Even just talking to shop owners and chatting in the community can help build your profile. During the pandemic there was such a huge focus on helping small businesses to thrive under the current circumstances that they faced. Advertising locally can help you to build on that and to make more of the business potential that you have. Shopping locally and supporting small businesses is something that many people feel strongly about, so enabling that customer base to see who you are and what you are all about could help your business to thrive in a different way.

Is expansion on the cards?

Finally, are you thinking about expanding your business? It may often be seen as a big expense, but expanding your range and also looking at ways to reach out for more potential customers will see you benefit in the way of profits. The new year is the ideal time to start thinking about this, and some of the ways that you could do it. It could be something you have already started to work on, or you may want to put the plans in place to make it a reality. Maybe it is franchising your business or selling the business plan and potential that your business has. It could be looking at expanding your products or the services that you offer or heading in a different direction when it comes to the niche that you are in and what you can do for your customers. There is so much potential for expansion for businesses these days, so definitely don’t feel like you are restricted right now. It might just mean looking at another avenue to explore.

Starting a business is always going to be scary, and even doing it while the world faced a global pandemic may have felt crazy at the time. But now that we are in a fresh new year you can take advantage of that new found motivation to take things up a notch. Let’s hope these tips help you to step up your business.

Top Reasons to Consider Opening a Franchise

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Open a Franchise|Top Reasons to Consider Opening a FranchiseAll sorts of people love the idea of owning their own business. However, starting from scratch requires a huge amount of time and effort, and there are simply no guarantees of success. This doesn’t mean that you can’t become an entrepreneur. A common approach that people take on is to open a franchise of their own. This way, you can become part of a larger organization that has already stumbled upon a formula for success. Essentially, you can then replicate this by opening up a branch of your own. The rewards are often there to be taken, but the risks are minimized. Take a look at this list of other reasons to consider opening up a franchise.

Allows for a Combination of Independence and Guidance

One of the most attractive parts of running a business is the opportunity to be independent. However, a lot of people don’t like to think that they are entirely on their own. So, having some guidance can be a majorly attractive proposition. This is where educational franchises come in. Some examples of specialized educational franchises include tutoring centers, therapy providers, and schools for children with learning disabilities and etc. These types of franchises can be a good option for those interested in franchising but who want to avoid the risk and uncertainty of starting a business from scratch. Apart from it, specialized niches can be successful with less demand, and a strong reputation can control more market share. Plus, many specialized educational franchises also provide a strong sense of community and camaraderie among franchisees, which can provide additional support and motivation.

Franchises come with a clear set of rules and regulations of what you can and cannot do. There is also all sorts of information offered with regards to promoting your outlet as widely as possible. At the same time, there are also plenty of other executive decisions that you can take, whether you are looking to run a Superior Vapour franchise opportunity or a food and drink outlet.

Big Company Benefits

Many franchise businesses are already well-known, so a big part of the marketing work is taken out of your hands. One of the toughest parts of running a small business is making yourself stand out, and this is a hurdle that a lot of entrepreneurs simply cannot overcome. You may also get other benefits like the opportunity to get discounts from suppliers. Also, you don’t have certain challenges like having to come up with your own recipes, etc. At the same time, you still get a good feel of what being in charge of a business is like, as well as the number of plates that you have to keep spinning at the same time. As a lot of financial projections have already been taken care of, things like applying for a loan suddenly start to seem a lot less daunting.


Less of a Risk

One of the scariest parts of running a business is the level of risk that you are naturally going to have to take on. However, being a franchisee mitigates against this and puts you in a position in which you are more likely to succeed and less likely to fail. Essentially, you are already starting with a blueprint that has been proven to be effective on a wide scale. Of course, this doesn’t mean that there is no element of risk at all. However, when you take a smaller risk when you start up a franchise, this may give you the experience and willingness to launch a company of your own at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Help is Available

Many entrepreneurs get started all on their own. As a result, they feel like there is nobody that they can reach out to along the way. However, when you are part of a franchise, you are involved in a bigger organization. This means that more help is available should you need it along the way. As well as the parent company itself, there are also plenty of other people who have been in the exact same situation as yourself. They have likely encountered many of the problems that you have found yourself up against and can offer you the best advice on how to proceed successfully in the future. In fact, they can help to prevent you from making many of the same errors along the way.

Access to Proper Training

When you start a business on your own, there is nobody there to train you and tell you how to do it well. However, a franchise company knows that there are plenty of new entrepreneurs that are getting involved in their business. As a direct result of this, they will have set up a training scheme that incorporates many of the main elements of running the business successfully. Of course, training is always going to be somewhat limited based on the fact that you learn a lot more on the job than you do simply reading about it.

Have you been convinced to run a franchise business yourself?

5 Businesses You Can Start Without Any Prior Experience

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Starting a business| 5 Businesses You Can Start Without Any Prior ExperienceWhen starting a business, it is vital to find something that is appealing that the person will enjoy doing. It is pointless to choose an industry that they see as tedious or unrewarding. By choosing a niche that they like, the person is more likely to succeed and dedicate more time to the venture. They can start the business easily and won’t have to jump through a lot of hoops to get started.

1. Home Cleaning Services

Home cleaning services are an easy to start option for anyone who loves to clean, and they can set up appointments by letting people in their community know that they are taking on clients. A cleaning service doesn’t require them to set up a corporation. They can obtain a limited liability company license to operate the company. Most people have experience cleaning their own homes, and they can adapt to the cleaning preferences of their clients. Anyone can learn how to get started by reviewing information from Launch27 now.

2. Pet Sitting Services

Anyone with pets will at some time need someone to watch them or sit with them. Whether they travel or just work long hours, they will need someone to take their dog for a walk or manage their cat. The services don’t require extensive experience, and anyone who loves animals can do the job easily. They will get paid to feed and water a pet while paying them attention. By setting up the business, the person gets to literally play with animals all day. It’s a win-win.

3. Home Painting Services

Home painting services aren’t difficult to set up, and anyone who can use a paintbrush can paint a house. It doesn’t require great skill to complete, and they can generate a nice living by painting homes. All homeowners will need a fresh coat of paint on their homes at least every two years to keep them aesthetically pleasing, and the painting company capitalizes on areas such as subdivisions.

4. Starting Your Own Taxi Service

Taxi service is a great way to provide necessary transportation for a local community. While the person can’t set up their own company under Uber, they can set up a transportation service under a different name. They will need the highest coverage level for their vehicle and take on additional coverage for liabilities such as accidents that result in injuries. They will need to define their service area and their rates clearly.

5. Tutoring for Children or College Students

Tutoring for children or college students is an easy setup. All the person needs is knowledge of the desired subject, and they should be patient with others. If they are a people person, they will find tutoring a rewarding business venture. However, they will need to define the age group, subjects, and their rates. The advertising for their services is easy since they can set up flyers and business cards anywhere such as schools, college campuses, and other areas where students venture each day.

Hopeful business owners examine business options that allow them to complete tasks they like, and they need an industry that doesn’t require extensive experience if they are just starting out. An assessment of easy to start business ventures helps people find the best industry for them and start earning more money quickly. If they can avoid a lengthy application process for establishing the business, this is even better.

The three business decisions that are too important to make on your own

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Business decisions|The three business decisions that are too important to make on your ownIf you run your own business, you’re likely considered an expert in your industry. The only problem is that you might not be an expert in everything else it takes to run a successful business. With that in mind, here are three business decisions you should always look for the guidance of experts before making any big moves.

Marketing

When you think of your company’s most important departments, you might think about the design staff that plan your new range of products, the production staff that actually produce them, or your sales team that make sure they get to the customer. Many people often overlook the power and influence of the marketing team. In fact, some smaller businesses even believe they can run without a marketing plan altogether. It’s important to have a marketing system in place to make sure enough customers know about your products and are persuaded to buy them, so you’re business can truly grow over time. Even if every other department is doing their job correctly, you could be losing out on a lot of money without proper marketing.

While it is possible to run a business without full-time staff members trained in marketing, it doesn’t mean it’s smart to do so. As there are so many ways of marketing, and the size of marketing campaigns can range massively, it’s important to speak to someone who knows which steps are right to take for your business. What works for one business might be a complete waste of resources for another, and vice versa. A marketing company like Flyrise, can help you decide the best ways to spend your marketing budget on a monthly basis. With the right advice, you can enjoy a path to long-term growth and success year-over-year.

Recruitment

Another important decision for any business to understand properly is recruitment. Hiring an extra staff member means your business can be more productive. But, doing so also means an increase in your payroll cost, and if you’re a small business, even one person’s salary can make a big difference. With this in mind, it’s important to pick only the best people to work with you. If you’re unsure of the qualities to look for in your new employee, or even the best way to judge which candidate is the right one for the job, seek the help of a local recruitment firm. If you choose the wrong candidate, you could be stuck with someone who isn’t benefitting the business as much as you’d hope but is still being compensated as such.

HR

Disputes between staff members can be seriously damaging to your company. At best, they’ll damage the mood of your team and also affect their ability to collaborate together. At worse, and it could lead to court cases and other complications. When it comes to dealing with HR, it’s important to find resources independent from the business to make sure every situation is dealt with fairly and to the letter of the law. If you don’t hire an expert, these disputes will go on for longer and cause a lot more disruption than necessary.