What You Should Know Before Starting a Business - The Exhausted Entrepreneur

"You own your own business!" is a frequent response when I meet new people. The perception is that business owners make tons of money, get the flexibility with work schedules and are not in danger of being fired or laid off. I can tell you from personal experience, owning your own business equates to a lot of responsibility and many sleepless nights. The following are a few concepts to consider before starting out on your own.

1. Examine your work ethic. If you like to sleep in until 10:00 am, wear your pajamas all day and then go out with friends for dinner and entertainment every night, you may need to stick to working for others. I keep a daily task log - some days are 3 pages in length. I wake up at 6:00 am and begin to prioritize my work load. I am responsible for meeting my deadlines. I do not have a secretary to keep track of these things. I will wrap up in the evenings with tying up loose ends and sending e-mails.

2. You need to love people. I am not kidding here. We have a service industry where the customer can fire us at any time. We work hard to treat others with dignity and respect. We need to be friendly and find a common ground with others. If you are in the business to help others and you are unkind and unfriendly, your business will dry up and wither away.

3. Budgeting is key. I use QuickBooks but other accounting software is available. If labor costs are too high, or you are working on a contract and losing money, you need to be aware of this early so that you can make adjustments. Often, in the early stages, the owner may have to defer a salary. If you hire folks, you have to be sure you can pay them a living wage. Your employees and their families are dependent on that salary and you need to take that seriously.

4. Look for new ways to grow and expand. The dynamics of business is changing. One example is the big box stores are losing revenue to the convenience of on-line shopping. You have to adjust and adapt to market trends. We offer various services, so that we have different kinds of revenue streams. We have also automated a lot of our services for the convenience of the customer. People are busy and appreciate when businesses respect their time.

5. Network with those that are successful. Look for an organization that will help you keep updated on innovations and regulations affecting your business. I have been enriched by my continued association with the Independent Water & Sewer Companies of Texas. I am able to learn from others about the trends in the water industry and the regulations impacting our industry.

6. Keep learning. Don't assume that you know everything. Take time to read trade journals, updates in state and federal regulations and attend seminars. The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality presents an annual 2-day drinking water conference in Austin and it is free to the public, but fills up quickly. I have been for six years and each time have learned new and better ways to run our water operations company.

7. Have a positive mental attitude. Everything is not going to go smoothly. There are issues that arise that have to be dealt with. If you have a difficult time managing stress and you take your temper out on others, it is crucial that you work on that before it damages your business relationships and those that work and live with you. It is difficult not to carry stress with you as a little black cloud always ready to rain on your parade. It is important that you manage the stress so that you are better equipped to deal with business operations.

8. Keep an open door to your customers and your employees. Don't hide from difficult customers or keep your head in the sand regarding negative situations in the office. Communication is key. If you are approachable and allow others to have a "safe zone" with you where they can talk about difficulties relating to the business, there is a lot you can learn. Be aware of those that are toxic, meaning, always being negative, talking about others behind their backs and being disloyal. If the opportunity comes to separate yourself from these types of people or limit your contact, it will be better for the business (and your mental health) to make the change.

9. Stay focused. When you are on your own schedule, it is easy to get side-tracked. Some interruptions are opportunities to let your business shine. Be able to discern what the unnecessary distractions are. When I was studying in law school, I had to find the bottom floor of the library in a study carrel far away from talking or footsteps. It was so important for me to laser focus on my studies that I had to remove all distractions. In the business world, it can be just putting your phone on silent and letting it go to voice mail and returning those e-mails and phone calls after the important task at hand is completed.

10. Stay professional. It may be tempting to show up to work in pajamas and a "man-bun"- but that might be the day your biggest potential client walks in and needs to be impressed. There are a few days that I need to be "in the field" with a warm jacket, boots and jeans. In the office, I keep it business casual. In meetings, I am in more business formal. You can set the tone for the work place. If others in the office have a more casual approach, just collaborate with them on an office dress code policy that is professional.

For those in the business world, this list may seem obvious. For the younger generation wanting to start out on your own, this list may not be intuitive. There are rewards from working hard as a business owner, but not without setting goals and a lot of hard work.

Heather Nehila is the owner of Aggregate Water. To learn more about having a customer service inspection, well operation servicing, or utility billing services please visit http://www.aggregatewater.com/contact-us/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Heather_Nehila/2381739

Is It Work, or a Lifestyle?

There are two things that my friends find surprising, OK maybe 3: 

1. I travel more now than I ever have
2. It's Friday night at 7:30pm and I'm working
3. I'm looking forward to some "office time" tomorrow

The misconception here is whether I'm actually working (when travelling so much) and why I give up Friday nights and Saturday mornings to spend time catching up.

The answer, truthfully, is that this isn't "work" for me, it is my lifestyle.

And comparing their work (stuck in an office on a beautiful day, set vacation weeks), I'll take my lifestyle. I've worked hard for it, and I love it.

Let's take my surprising facts from the beginning. 

1. I travel more now than I ever have - How much fun is that! Yes, sometimes I travel for a true "shut off the email" vacation, but other times I'm just going along for the ride. I just returned from another adventure and worked more than 50% of the time. I successfully put in a full work day while on the plane; I am the master of working offline. During my 5 day trip I only actually took one day off.


2. It's Friday night and I'm working - now I'll admit I'm sitting outside on the patio, not tucked into my office, but I am working. Why? I happen to be creative on Friday nights, and I wanted to share this time with you. I've had a busy week, and its Friday night quiet time when my mind roams, and I start pondering business, the challenges of the week, and many times this forms the basis of the blogs. But tonight, I'm sitting outside with my laptop, just so thankful for the lifestyle I have, and that includes this time with you. Not thankful, however, for the massive spider making its way over here... this is why I don't often work outside!


3. And tomorrow, yes, I will work tomorrow morning. I have a cute little project that I've just started working on, and I've set aside "date time" with it. I have my morning planned, a good cup (OK, pot) of coffee and back outside I go to let my mind explore what's possible. I'm actually very excited about it, and have been planning it over the last few days.

What some consider work, is my lifestyle. The creative process is important to me, giving myself the space to explore the projects in front of me while my mind is relaxed and at ease is an indulgence I take seriously. I appreciate the concerns of my clients, and don't mind checking in over the weekend, if that's what helps them. We're partners, and we're on this journey together. Checking in, isn't work. It's a privilege to be on this journey with my clients.

My hope is for more of my colleagues (and friends) to break free of the concept of work, and explore their entrepreneurialism as a lifestyle, as bliss, and as an expression of their passion. Work should be what's in your heart, what your soul is telling you, and where your dreams lead you.

And if it isn't... how can you get there?

Share with us your lifestyle goals - and let's dream a way for you to get there, together.

We help business owners find more time.

Discover how entrepreneurs just like you have freed themselves from the overwhelm of tech. Download our FREE report at https://pmawebservices.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peg_Murrah/1101384

5 Ways to Enjoy Your Work

"When you enjoy what you do, work becomes play."

Your work can represent eight hours of your day, which is a third of your life. It's important to enjoy it as much as you can to live a happier life. How you feel about your work will also affect other aspects of your life including your sleep, health, relationships, interests and hobbies. Let's get into the 5 ways to enjoy your work.

PASSION

The first thing that is very important is to find work that you are Passionate about. Your work plays an important role in your life, as it will improve other aspects of your life.

So how can you find something that you are passionate about?

Look for other things in your life that you like doing. For example if you play guitar, you could open up your own guitar shop and even teach guitar lessons.

WORK FOR YOURSELF

The second factor that plays an important role in your enjoyment of work is to Work for Yourself or become your own boss.

If I would have to give you the number one reason to work for yourself, it would be that you would have more freedom and flexibility in your life, as you could create your own working hours and have more time to enjoy other things outside of work.

DIFFERENCE

The third factor of enjoying your work is to truly make a Difference to people's lives with your work. How many businesses out there truly make a positive difference to people?

Maybe McDonald's is one of them? (Just Kidding)

Whether or not you work for yourself for someone else, try to find something that you can actually see that you are making a positive difference to people's lives.

For example helping people grow their businesses, become happier, live healthier lives and so on.

BALANCE

The fourth factor to enjoy your work is to find Balance between your work and your free time. Learn to find your optimal working times and conditions.

If you're working too hard and for long hours, you're probably too stressed to enjoy your work, but not only that, it's affecting the time outside of your work too.

In this scenario try to cut down your working time (provided you work for yourself) while maintaining the quality of your work and accomplishing what needs to be done within allocated time periods.

LIFESTYLE

The fifth and final factor to enjoy your work is to actually focus on putting your Lifestyle needs before your work needs. This includes your own needs, family and friends.

After all, what is life without yourself, your family and friends?

You should start to spend time with the things that matter more than your work. You will start to enjoy your personal life much more, making your work also more enjoyable.

Remember, focus on enjoying your work alongside your lifestyle so that you can wake everyday bursting with energy!

My Website - [http://lotusnation.com/]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ediz_Emin/2298150

Getting a Mindset to Work

How many times have you heard motivational speakers, personal development gurus and life coaches talk about creating a "positive mindset"? You may have heard it so many times before that if you don't know, you question what does that actually mean. Still, in your lifetime you may've never heard that adage before! So, for many, the first step is understanding what does having a mindset mean?

We all have a mind. A place where our thoughts, ideas, feelings, perceptions and concepts are formed and the mind is in a place, the greatest computer ever known to man - the brain - and according to Wikipedia: "In a human, the cerebral cortex contains approximately 15-33 billion neurons, each connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons. These neurons communicate with one another by means of long protoplasmic fibres called axons, which carry trains of signal pulses called action potentials to distant parts of the brain or body targeting specific recipient cells."

How magnificent is that?

So, based on what we are facing or feeling, the neurons in our brain enables our 'mind' to perceive the situation that's in front of us. And when the events around us are negative and stressful, the resulting perception of a negative-leaning mindset can be misleading as once influenced in this way, it may manifest in ill-health, misinformation, internalising the negative energy and displaying or demonstrating impolite and uncivil behaviour. Thus the trick is to create a positive mindset by feeding the mind with positive thoughts and images and there are a number of ways of how to do this:

• Listen to motivational speakers and self-development gurus;
• Create a quiet space or place where the mind can sift through the rubbish it is fed on a daily basis from the mediums around it;
• Listen to uplifting music;
• Read positive quotes, affirmations and books;
• Move around positive people, dispelling anyone with any negativity;

Once our mind has been trained to focus on positivity, it becomes easier to discern when it is in a negative space (since we're only human and imperfect!) and what needs to change in order to be in that place.

As an individual, entrepreneur, marketer, CEOs or even an employee, having a positive mindset is crucial and critical in how we achieve our goals since, as with everything in life, there are challenges. The question is, how do we overcome those challenges when the going seems tough or the trial looks never ending? Like being on a boat or ship in a raging storm, on a rough and undulating sea, buffeted by wave upon wave, higher than the boat or ship itself; the captain must reassure his crew and passengers that everything will be fine. It's his duty to provide stability and a secure outlook, and he can only do so with a positive mindset, backed by his confidence and competency. Otherwise, if he fails to have one, he'd have more trouble on his hands than just with the weather.

I've had my share of challenging moments and continually do but I never ever give up or throw in the white towel. Contrary, I savour the test since this will take me out of my comfort zone and dare me to face the challenge. It can be scary. It can be unnerving but I never ever stop believing in myself and my abilities. I never stop to think I'm not capable or unworthy. At the end of the day, having a positive mindset helps to overcome the smallest of problems and I say to you, if you haven't got it already, cultivate one.

Help with focus and achieving a writing goal of publishing your own book? FREE 30-min consultation available.

Contact: http://www.kwamemcpherson.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kwame_MA_McPherson/2298651

Is It Work, or a Lifestyle?

There are two things that my friends find surprising, OK maybe 3: 

1. I travel more now than I ever have
2. It's Friday night at 7:30pm and I'm working
3. I'm looking forward to some "office time" tomorrow

The misconception here is whether I'm actually working (when travelling so much) and why I give up Friday nights and Saturday mornings to spend time catching up.

The answer, truthfully, is that this isn't "work" for me, it is my lifestyle.

And comparing their work (stuck in an office on a beautiful day, set vacation weeks), I'll take my lifestyle. I've worked hard for it, and I love it.

Let's take my surprising facts from the beginning. 

1. I travel more now than I ever have - How much fun is that! Yes, sometimes I travel for a true "shut off the email" vacation, but other times I'm just going along for the ride. I just returned from another adventure and worked more than 50% of the time. I successfully put in a full work day while on the plane; I am the master of working offline. During my 5 day trip I only actually took one day off.


2. It's Friday night and I'm working - now I'll admit I'm sitting outside on the patio, not tucked into my office, but I am working. Why? I happen to be creative on Friday nights, and I wanted to share this time with you. I've had a busy week, and its Friday night quiet time when my mind roams, and I start pondering business, the challenges of the week, and many times this forms the basis of the blogs. But tonight, I'm sitting outside with my laptop, just so thankful for the lifestyle I have, and that includes this time with you. Not thankful, however, for the massive spider making its way over here... this is why I don't often work outside!


3. And tomorrow, yes, I will work tomorrow morning. I have a cute little project that I've just started working on, and I've set aside "date time" with it. I have my morning planned, a good cup (OK, pot) of coffee and back outside I go to let my mind explore what's possible. I'm actually very excited about it, and have been planning it over the last few days.

What some consider work, is my lifestyle. The creative process is important to me, giving myself the space to explore the projects in front of me while my mind is relaxed and at ease is an indulgence I take seriously. I appreciate the concerns of my clients, and don't mind checking in over the weekend, if that's what helps them. We're partners, and we're on this journey together. Checking in, isn't work. It's a privilege to be on this journey with my clients.

My hope is for more of my colleagues (and friends) to break free of the concept of work, and explore their entrepreneurialism as a lifestyle, as bliss, and as an expression of their passion. Work should be what's in your heart, what your soul is telling you, and where your dreams lead you.

And if it isn't... how can you get there?

Share with us your lifestyle goals - and let's dream a way for you to get there, together.

We help business owners find more time.

Discover how entrepreneurs just like you have freed themselves from the overwhelm of tech. Download our FREE report at https://pmawebservices.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peg_Murrah/1101384

5 Ways To Be The Best Online Service Provider

If your online business venture is more focused on providing services, you definitely want to provide the best service possible and be the number one person that people go to when they need your particular service.

There are lots of service providers on the Internet these days, things like freelance writing and editing, grammar proofreading, voiceover services, graphic design, animation videos, programming, website creation, link building or any other service.

There are professionals with huge price tags and sites like Fiverr that make some services incredibly cheap but no matter which part of the spectrum you're at right now, there are a few ways to be the best service writer possible.

1. Don't charge prices based on the market, especially if you're trying to undercut the competition.

Price your services based on what you think they're worth and don't worry if some people are willing to pay the price because you'll find people looking for quality work like yours that are willing to pay good money for it.

2. Be consistent with all of your clients even if they don't know each other.

Charge the same basic prices to all of the clients that you have, promise the same deadlines and don't pick and choose policies based upon the client. If they ever do encounter each other, you may lose both of them.

3. Double and triple check your work before you send it out.

Even catching one or two minor mistakes could mean the difference between a client coming back or not, or telling other people about your services. Take a few extra minutes with every single project and make sure it is 100% what the client wanted and that it is your absolute best work.

4. Be okay with saying no.

There may be some projects that you don't want to work on and it doesn't really matter what the reason is. You could have a moral objection or could be just too much work for the price that the person is willing to pay.

The point is that you should be willing to say no to clients. They will respect you and not ask for unreasonable expectations in the future.

5. Figure out what people's problems are and then try to solve them.

If you can come up with solutions to people's problems other than your regular services, you could make a great deal more money and could spark a business idea that will take you to the big-time.

These are the 5 simple yet powerful ways when you start your service-based online entrepreneurial endeavor. Use them and differentiate yourself to be the best go-to expert in your industry today!

By the way, Keye Wu is on a mission to transform 1 million guys into the most productive, masculine and purposeful men. If you REALLY do not know the 5 Little Known Ways To Double Your Productivity For Men yet, we need to fix that. Join hundreds of other men already using it right now FREE in my value-packed productivity blog here. Alternatively, check out one of my most popular flowstate video here.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Keye_Wu/2314157

Why Entrepreneurs Need To Workout And Get Fit And Healthy

You wake up to the sound of that not-so-beautiful alarm.

It's early.

Still dark outside.

But, hey, this is what you signed up for when you decided to become an entrepreneur. So you soldier on.

Quick shower. Then you grab a bagel or some other sugar-laden or fatty snack on the way to work.

You arrive at work.

...

10am comes. You're hungry. And you're losing focus. Can't concentrate.

But it's all good. Why? Because you get your coins out and head straight to the nearest vending machine.

You buy your Mars bar, grab another double coffee, and get straight back to work.

Happy days.

Well, for another hour or so. Then it's back to feeling hungry and lethargic until lunch.

Lunch time arrives.

You get a bacon butty. Or something else nice and greasy. And a doughnut for dessert.

Back to work.

The sugar coursing through your veins. You feel great. Full of energy.

Until the post-sugar crash hits you.

HARD.

And guess what? It's only 2pm. You can't really afford to take another break. After all, you've got work to do. And you've already been so unproductive.

The thing is, now you're gonna be even more unproductive. You're just shattered. No energy. Can barely think.

How the hell you gonna come up with a new strategy? Or make an important sales call? Or conduct that interview? Or do whatever it is you need to do to make more money?

The answer?

There isn't really much you can do.

Sorry for sounding harsh. (Well, actually I'm not sorry. Best you hear the truth, right?!)

But at the end of the day, if your body and brain are living off junk food, then it's literally gonna be impossible for you to function anywhere near your best.

(In fact, I might have to get in touch with Tom Cruise... Could be his most impossible mission yet... )

Anyway, the point is this:

If you poured olive oil into a car, would you expect it to move?

Course not.

And the same applies to your body.

If you don't feed it properly, then you're not going to be at your best. And as an entrepreneur (or an executive, or just someone's who's very career-minded and ambitious) then that's gonna be a killer for you. Ultimately, it's gonna mean less money. And even complete failure.

Yet now imagine this scenario...

You wake up naturally after a good solid 8 hours sleep.

You feel refreshed.

You then put on your workout clothes, go downstairs into the lounge, and do a 20-minute workout.

Something quite challenging. Something that's gonna help you lose weight, whilst helping you tone up. Something that's gonna get you feeling great after you've done.

You then shower, before grabbing a nice healthy breakfast. Let's say oats with some blueberries, and a scoop of your favourite protein powder (which tastes just like milkshake by the way).

You then go to work. You're feeling great still.

And guess what?

You get a LOT done!

In fact, you don't even think about food again until lunch. You then eat a healthy lunch of your favourite meat in a wholemeal roll, with a side salad draped in your favourite dressing (you've gotta make a salad taste good, after all!).

You then go back to work. Now feeling even more energetic. Meaning you get even more work done.

You then have a quick snack. Either a smoothie with a few bits of veg and your favourite fruits to sweeten it, or a protein flapjack or something.

Carry on with work. Still feel great. Still getting lots done.

You then finish, go home, and have a meal with the family. Something healthy, but ending with a dessert of whatever the hell you fancy (you gotta stay sane after all!).

Then after spending the evening having fun with your spouse and kids, you decide to call it a night.

You get to sleep nice and relaxed.

Ready to have another great day tomorrow...

So, they're your two options in life.

Which are you gonna choose?

Tom Andrews, "The Executive Fit Coach"

PS- If you want to get a proven nutrition strategy that will show you how you can drop a belt/dress size in just 21 days, then click the link below.

http://www.executivefitcoach.com

Once you've clicked it, type your name and email address into the box at the bottom of that page. You will then get sent a FREE webinar where I will share this strategy with you.

Like I say, it's completely free. So what are you waiting for?

Hurry, go!

http://www.executivefitcoach.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tom_Andrews/2298168

Five Things No One Tells You About Entrepreneurship

The internet has made the idea of starting a business more accessible than ever before. And that is just what people are doing. However, the journey of entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Having a marketable product is not enough. Being talented enough to market your services for hire does not mean you know how to run a business. After all, 90% of all start-ups fail within the first 5 years.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you start your business:

1. Entrepreneurship is lonely

If you are like most entrepreneurs, you don't have a lot of capital to hire a permanent staff in the beginning. That means, it will be you and your laptop for a while. No one to help you come up with ideas. No one to reassure that everything is alright when you have a bad day. No one to help you generate ideas. It's just you. Depressing. After all, we're human. We aren't designed to work alone. To counter the bad effects of loneliness, join entrepreneur groups, have some entrepreneurs in your close contacts that you can reach out to when you need a voice of affirmation and encouragement.

2. You don't know what you don't know

I am a scientist. I know how to make the product. Initially, I did not know anything about marketing and advertising. I had to learn. There are plenty of resources on the internet and in libraries to help you along the way. Establishing a relationship with a business mentor will help point you in the right direction on where to get started. It's important have some idea of what you need before you start spending money with paid services to do things for you. How else will you know if you're going to get what you paid for?

3. Your mindset determines your paycheck.

The owner's mindset makes and/or breaks the business. Devoting time, energy and money to your personal development is just as important as devoting those things to process improvement and building a team. Spend time meditating, reading and visit a therapist regularly. Your business depends on it.

4. You will have to hire a team.

Yes, sometimes you will be able to get the task done best BUT you will get more done with help. You are not good at everything. Assemble a team of experts and all you will have to worry about is maintaining your own ability. Your business will grow faster. Two brains are better than one.

5. Your journey is your journey. Patience is a virtue.

In the age of social media, it is easy to start comparing someone else's progress to your own. Do not beat yourself up. You journey is your journey. Do not rush it. Do not compare it to someone else's, especially based on social media posts. Those posts are a snapshot of the highlight reel. You really don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

Yes. Entrepreneurship is hard and not for the faint at heart but when done correctly the rewards outweigh the risks. Connect with other entrepreneurs so you feel part of a community. Build a relationship with a business mentor. Learn skills you don't already have. Your daily routine should include improving your mindset. Hire a team. And, most of all, be patient. Your time will come.

I am an entrepreneur who turned her passion of health and wellness and laboratory expertise into a profitable business. I take great pride in helping people live healthy lifestyles, physically and financially. Visit http://www.fancyfreellc.com to learn more about our products and services.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Iyonna_Woods/1851801

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9702270

10 Reasons Why You Should Start An Online Business

Whether you are attracted to an internet business because you hate your current job, want to improve your circumstances, or would like a more flexible lifestyle, the internet offers all these opportunities.

Why An Internet Business?

1- Flexibility

Many people come to find themselves with an internet business through necessity rather than deliberate creation. For me, I needed a flexible job which I could work around contract work. It didn't come in often but when the phone rang, I needed to take the work. This presented all kinds of problems. Normal work didn't pay as well and employers didn't want me taking large chunks of time off when the other work came in!

I tried juggling several jobs over a number of years but nothing seemed to fit. At around the same time I was attempting to use e-bay to buy and sell for a bit of extra money. It wasn't until later that I discovered affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing, for those who don't know is a kind of referral selling. You point links from your website to other people's goods and services. The link is tracked so that when you make a sale you are rewarded for it with a commission.

Once you know how to do this you can set up links from your online content to other people's products and services. You can also use paid advertising to find people all over the world to sell to. This was perfect for my work because I could take my laptop anywhere with me and as long as I had an internet connection I could work. It didn't interfere with the work when it came up, I had no boss to answer to so it was the perfect solution.

2 - Automation

There's also a number of other reasons why I chose an internet business - and why you should too! The flexibility of the business was my primary concern. I wanted to be able to choose my own hours so I could take work when it came without any complications. But the other reason I chose this particular model was the ability to use technology to 'leverage' my time and income.

Once I had a website and content up and running, it kept going and I was able to make sales and deliver products without being physically present. This is the 'magic' of an online business. The automation involved with an online business means that you can do the work once and let that work keep running in the background. You can make sales and deliver products over and over through the same piece of content or advert, which can run an virtual autopilot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Each piece of content you create can send people to a landing page and sell a product. By creating many pieces of content and sharing them online you can build multiple sources of income which can all run continually, working as your own 'automated sales team'.

3 - Ability To Scale

Along with this amazing automation is the ability to scale your business. Because there is no human intervention in the 'sales loop', multiple sales can happen instantaneously through the same platforms. Your content and advertising can be grown over time and scaled instantly (in the case of paid advertising). As your content gets more shares and more people flow through your website and content, your sales grow as a result. If you use paid advertising you can also scale a profitable campaign up easily by increasing your daily budget.

The automation of an online business makes it very easy to scale. In the case of a physical business this often means more staff, sales tools, larger office space and a whole lot more expense and hassle. With an online business everything is already in place. You simply need to send more customers through the automated sales systems with content and/or paid advertising methods.

4 - Low Startup Costs

When I started an online business I did it from my own pocket. I didn't need a massive loan and I worked at a level which suited my budget. An internet business is very cost effective and you can start from scratch from pretty much any budget. If you have more to invest you can grow it faster with paid advertising. But, if you are on a budget like I was when I got started, you can get started easily and cheaply.

With a regular 'bricks and mortar' business there are many overheads to consider. Your costs include a business premises, staff, hardware and stock. Then there's advertising and delivery costs. With an online business you just need a laptop and an internet connection - two things many people already have. Your main cost is getting the right education and learning the best strategy to build on.

5 - Simplicity

Technology has made it much easier than was previously possible to set up your own website and learn how to use simple online platforms to connect people to products and services. Advertising and content creation is now available for anyone to use. Websites can be set up with a few clicks and anyone with an email can learn to use the tools and strategies of online marketers.

Whereas previously website building was the domain of the tech savvy programmer, now anyone can use simple user friendly platforms and programs. An online business sounds like something for a technical person, but anyone can now learn the skills needed to build their own online business.

6 - Control

An internet business gives you control over your life. Of course it takes time to build up to a stage where it can replace your current income. But the flexibility of an internet business means you can work it around your existing employment until you can make this happen.
Once your income is beyond that of your employment, you are in a very good position to take charge of your life. You don't have to do the daily commute, or put up with an uncomfortable working situation. If you don't like your job you can quit. Don't like your boss? Fire him/her!
One of the very best things about an internet based business is the control it gives you over your life. You can also build your work around your lifestyle, rather than the other way round. Most people are forced to put work first in everything they do. Family time, holidays and hobbies all tend to depend and evolve around work. An internet business allows you to prioritize the things in your life which mean the most. It can put you back in the driving seat of your life, both in terms of what you earn and how you spend your time.

7 - Work From Anywhere

Not only does an internet business offer great flexibility in terms of working hours but it also offers you the choice to work from anywhere globally. This appeals to many people who would otherwise be more trapped by conventional work in a localized workplace.
For me, it was the flexibility of being able to choose my own hours and not have a boss. But for many the ability to travel anywhere globally is the most important factor to owning their own online business.
Take your laptop anywhere with an internet connection and work while abroad and travelling.

8 - Learn Life Skills

The skills I have learned from building my own internet business also make me much more employable. I also worked for an internet based company with the skills I learned from my laptop while sitting at home!

Being able to reach people globally and target specific types of people is a great skill and very desirable in business too. I was also able to use the knowledge I learned online to build one of my other physical businesses much more quickly by using both my website building skills and paid advertising.

The internet is a fantastic opportunity for anyone to be able to improve themselves, learn new skills and build another source of income. Skills learned are yours for life, whether or not you continue down the path of building an online business.

9 - Independence

We might believe ourselves to be independent but many of us are very dependent on our work for income. As such, our employers tell us how much we can earn, how much holiday we can take and what we will be doing while at work. Financial independence is the ultimate freedom.

When we are financially independent we can take a holiday whenever we please and work in our own time and on our own agenda. An online business gives you the automation and independence to live life on your terms, without the agenda of an employer running your life.

10 - Sovereignty

Being an owner gives you sovereignty. The ability to call the shots in your business is what many entrepreneurs aspire to. As a business owner your actions determine whether you make a success of your business or not.

Having a successful online business gives you the kind of freedom which most people will never see in their lifetime. The ability to create your own life on your terms is the reward of having worked hard on your business and on yourself.

Not having a boss, choosing your own working hours and choosing who you spend time with are all luxuries which are earned from working hard on your own business.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Halloran/488644

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9663156

5 Key User Acquisition Strategies for Aspiring Appreneurs

Entrepreneurs often think that building an app successfully is enough to get the right grip on their target market. However, engaging with people and acquiring new prospects is where the main quest lies. While considering the different highly effective marketing tools, a mobile app works wonders to tap the target audience rightly. Considering this fact, it becomes highly important to plan a winning user acquisition strategy for your business.

Know Your Market Right
Before marketing your app, it is important to judge the preferences, likes and dislikes of the targeted market. Well, it is obvious that you want to score a higher rank in the Play Store. Thus, you must list out all the available strategies, analyse and choose the best fit for your business. This, in turn, will help you to stay focussed, thereby not diluting the broader markets.

Optimisation
App Store Optimisation in your app world is similar to SEO in the web world. Optimising your app's listings will help in increased workflow and counting the store search results as well. Use the right set of keywords to increase its online visibility. Many of the developers add certain descriptive words to the app titles. Most importantly, App Stores function more like search engines for the popular ones thereby, pulling them to the top. Helping it to secure a high rank becomes easy and simple by adding high-quality images and relevant descriptions.

Test Different Acquisition Channels
While starting from the very scratch, it becomes important to test all the various user acquisition channels and choose the most promising options available. Following here are some of the most effective ideas to try out for planning a winning user acquisition strategy.

Leveraging Social Media
Building a social media presence has become essential for businesses and considering it as a prime online marketing tool for your products and services. Thus, you must invest your time in social marketing activities like starting or joining conversations, connecting with influencers and much more. You can build groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, active Reddit subgroups, use popular hashtags and join Twitter chats to reach the audience on a wider scale.

In- app Sharing
Another strategy which, works well for marketers and entrepreneurs is encouraging sharing content with the social media audience directly via the mobile app. You can think of sharing videos with the audience via Twitter or can enable automatic sharing for sharing content on social media platforms.

Final Word
The opportunities are endless when it comes to boosting the client acquisition rates. However, the quest is all about finding the right strategies which, will suit your business requirements. With experienced app developers, you get better scope of choosing the most ROI-driven strategies for ensuring better customer reach and more prospects.

Rob Stephen is a skilled Android app developer of GetAProgrammer, who has great technical expertise in developing highly advanced applications for businesses of different backgrounds.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rob_Stephen/2369700

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9713331

8 Golden Success Secrets for Small Businesses

Running a small business is as challenging as trekking to Mt. Everest without having oxygen cylinder, prior practice, and a valid map guide. The challenges are only because there are no authentic rules that can lead a small business towards success while other major obstacles comprise: low budget, limited manpower, and lack of efficient resources. But as a small business owner, you must delve into the passcodes that help you decode the secret patterns of operating a successful startup or small business. It not only helps you to sustain your current growth but also excel your business planning's to achieve higher objectives. There are a few suggestions based on real-world experiences, which can assist you to hit the bull's eye.

1- Utilize the power of social media:

Nowadays, the entire world revolves around social media and if you are able to use its full potential, it can immediately help you increase your sales and brand reputation with very minimum resource and effort. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, help you connect with a large scale of users, where you can directly interact with them, thereby allowing you to convert them into your potential clients. It forms a two-way channel that not only allows you to put your message across but also, listen to what your targeted audience want, which eventually goes a long way in improving and growing your business.

2- Research and analyze your competition:

A business turns to be successful only if it runs on some finely grinned facts and figures. And competition analysis is one of the most important elements of the process. Competition analysis tells you the strength you will require to establish your brand in the market as well as it helps to prepare your business planning adequately so that you could avoid the chances of business failure. An additional benefit of competition research is it allows for designing and developing more feasible and user-oriented products that eventually help you attain a competitive edge over the current market.

3- Work as per your plan but be flexible too:

Efficient planning is a roadmap that drives your business to the top in the long run with predefined routes. It is always advised to stick with our planning even if we face a few hurdles while running our business given that the strategies are designed after in-depth analysis. And day-to-day challenges should not incline you to alter with whatever you planned. The winners always back their business plannings regardless of the stiff challenges, but on the other side, a successful business requires the owner to be flexible enough to embrace new changes. Adapting the new ideas and concepts not only makes a business owner take smart decisions but also, keeps their core planning intact and fresh.

4- Use informative materials to build trust and loyalty:

The Internet is the best medium to reach out to the huge audience with less effort, but you should keep the fact in mind that there is already a heavy flow of advertisements and endorsements all over the web. So, what can be an efficient way to create our presence with a significant impact?

There are definitely some better ways to do it like using informative online materials such as well-written blogs, well-designed infographics, animated videos demonstrating some set of skills, and presentation sheets, etc. Following such practices will attract a huge mass to our platform to learn and engage with us, which gives a sense of trust and ultimately convert them into our long-term clients.

5- Hire your weaknesses:

A small business consists of a team of limited dedicated professionals, having different skill sets of all the corners to tackle most of the business requirements. Small businesses, sometimes, compromise in some crucial areas since they can't hire specific individuals due to the lack of budget. To get your business positioned to the top, please don't bear with your inefficient area. Rush into hiring experienced professional(s) so that all parts of your business fire with the same intensity.

6- Be ready for mergers and acquisitions:

Even after working with your full potential, you may not generate enough force to compete with the leading competitors. Other small businesses with the same concept may face the same situations. Just find them and join in the talks to check the possibilities of the merger to form a combined force, which can provide the required pace and power to achieve the common business goals. Mergers have a long, rich history of producing successful businesses, so don't shy away with it. Similarly, business acquisitions are a noble idea to inject more strength to our business if budget allows us to do so.

7- Keep the quality service always on:

Quality service is the most important source that keeps your client for a longer period of time and it spreads huge positive feedbacks in the mass, driving in a large number of new clients. There have been more than just a few businesses reaching to the top just on the base of excellent service and even without spending a bomb on advertisements and business promotions. While there are other businesses which have failed miserably because of giving no importance to the quality of the services they provided. All in all, having the sound quality of the products/services is the key to succeeding in today's cut throat competition.

8- Don't give up:

Running a successful business is not a child's play since it requires a lot of guts, courage, and risk-taking capabilities. It, sometimes, shakes your ambitions when going through some rough patches, and you need to have the burning desires within you to keep it alive. Keeping patience is also an important character that the small business owner must have, as the formation of a business and climb the ladder of success, demands to wait for long period of time. So, as a business owner, you need to instill never give up attitude to see your dreams come true!!

Summing it up, though the above-mentioned points are not entirely foolproof but yes, following these points will definitely help you to become a smart small business owner who can defy all the challenges and get on the top of the competition. Of Course, the chances of success or failure of your business completely depends on your planning and execution.

Tina Smith is an accountant with SageNext Infotech. She is having expertise in project management, accounting operations. With SageNext, she consults the client accountants about the benefits of Sage 50 hosting. SageNext is a leading QuickBooks hosting provider, dealing in all kinds of tax and accounting application hosting.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tina_S_Smith/1671325

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9690597

What You're Doing Wrong As An Entrepreneur Or In Your Small Business

Business owners and entrepreneurs are not always good at asking for help. Be honest, when did you last reach out to someone? Perhaps this is the reason why they are entrepreneurs in the first place. Business owners are self motivated and self reliant. But if you're operating a business in this way, it could be the one thing which stands in the way of progress.

Entrepreneurs are hard workers too and will work hard in areas which many people wouldn't consider. They look forward to the long term effects of their actions rather than for immediate rewards. Often business owners have built up their businesses over many years of difficulties and sacrifice.

However, thinking into the cause and effects of all this work there is one thing in common: you. As the 'owner' of a business it can be easy to become complacent. Perhaps business growth isn't what it should be? You are always the limiting factor in your life. Unless you are growing, your business isn't.

If you keep operating from the belief that you know everything, you will always keep getting the same results in your business, and in your life. Growing in awareness and developing your self along with your business is what smart entrepreneurs do.

Working Hard And Smart

It can be easy to run things 'as you've always run things'. You can get stuck in a mode of operation, especially if you're largely on your own. But working hard and working smart are not the same things. You need to get smart about working hard if you are to make any progress. Don't become a 'busy fool' doing those things which you have always done, just because it's always been that way.

Smart business owners know this, and work hard at learning what the best activities are to move their business forward. This 'trap' of working as a 'technician' in the role of an entrepreneur is easy to fall into. This is especially true if you have recently 'graduated' from a role as an employee to that of an 'owner'.

The role of an employee is to listen to your boss and do the best for them. You are paid by the hour, or for work done. An owner on the other hand isn't paid for their time. They get paid when the business makes a profit. As such this is an entirely different role. Ask yourself whether you are playing a 'technician' role in your business. Should you be doing things differently? Can someone else be employed to do what you are doing? If so the answer should seem obvious. Your role should be the 'driving engine' of the business, the overseer and the planner.

Smart Advertising

Advertising is the 'engine' of your business. If cash is the 'life blood' of your business, advertising is the heart beat. Without a successful and progressive advertising campaign, your business will at best stand still. If you're standing still while other competing businesses move forward, you're effectively moving backwards.

Today we are lucky to have the internet as a source of advertising. We can reach anyone globally and target them down to their preferences, intent and geographical location. Platforms like Google's AdWords and Facebook advertising let us 'follow' our potential customers around the internet. Should someone land on our website and not purchase, we can remind them of our business later on. The advertising available to business owners today is very clever, and we should definitely be capitalizing on it.

Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay per click advertising is one of the best things to come out of the internet for business owners. Many owners doubt the effectiveness of pay per click advertising, but this is only because they don't understand it properly, or it's potential to massively change their business.

Initially pay per click should be tested and measured. Only by testing and measuring each element of an advertising campaign can you effectively 'tweek' it and learn which elements work best for your customers. If you run a campaign but don't measure it, how can you know if it brought you any customers?

The ROI

Knowing the return on investment (ROI) of any advertising campaign is a game changer. Many owners get this wrong because they only look at the initial sale. But once you can effectively determine the long term return on investment, you will start to see why it is so important to use paid advertising.

Paid advertising is effectively buying new customers. If your business model lets you earn again and again from each customer, your long term gain from a loyal customer is far more than you might spend to attain that customer. By altering your paid for advertising to reduce your cost and increase your ROI over time, you can find yourself in the nice position of being able to scale up.

Working Against Yourself

We are predisposed to think that spending is wasteful. In terms of 'smart' advertising the opposite is true. Of course you don't start out by spending huge amounts on your pay per click campaign. You start small and only increase your budget when you see tangible results and profitable ones at that.

But the main sticking point is the contrasting viewpoint that we need to 'cut back' while at the same time wanting to expand our businesses. This is a contradiction and although this is based in safety and reasonableness, your long term goal should be to be spending more and more on advertising as your business grows.

How do you feel about that? Most likely you want to spend less and less over the course of time. However, with pay per click advertising, once you have developed your adverts to pay out double what you put in, the only reasonable decision is to increase the budget.

So initially you might tentatively spend some money on advertising, see some results and then stop your adverts. This is especially true if you don't see any tangible benefit of advertising. Most people will give up too early.

Start small with a budget you can afford to lose. Test your adverts with several different strategies, keywords, images and landing pages. By cross testing adverts you can more effectively determine which ones work the best.

Once you have done this for long enough, you will see the power of pay per click. This puts you in charge of your business. Once you have one profitable campaign set up, you can simply leave it running. Then you can move on to another one and another one. This of course takes time but this strategy puts you in the driving seat of your business and eventually will mean you can grow your business more effectively.

This is smart work. This should be the focus of your time if you intend to grow your business.

Relying on free advertising methods or 'word of mouth' advertising doesn't put you in control, however valuable those methods might be.

Being a 'technician' in your business should be the work of a manager or an employee, not the business owner. As an owner, your job is to grow your business.

Grab 10 pages of "The Ultimate Guide To Online Marketing" and get "Niche Blogging For Profit" 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Halloran/488644

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9664803