Best Business Tips for Beginners.
Good to know information before starting your business:
Name
- Choosing the right name will help ensure you’re creating the right image for your business. It’ll also help to distinguish it from your competitors.
- Before deciding on a name you should familiarise yourself with the different registration requirements.
- A business name is the name under which your business trades and it needs to be registered in every state where trading takes place.
Type
- Do you want to start a new business or would it be better to buy an already established one?
- Will you be a sole trader, in a partnership, a company or a trust?
- There are advantages and disadvantages to consider for each.
- Inexpensive and simple to set up, sole proprietorships are generally more suitable for smaller enterprises with a single owner/manager who wants direct personal control.
- Costs are usually higher with partnerships and corporations, but it’s easier to raise investment capital, making them a better choice for larger enterprises.
- They also offer tax and legal advantages that may appeal to certain enterprises regardless of size.
- Choosing your business structure is an important decision, so you need to investigate each option carefully.
- Starting a new business requires a great deal of time and money.
- You’ll need to research the market, raise finance, establish contacts, find a location and maybe hire new staff.
- Buying an established business or a franchise has the advantage that operations are already in place.
- The premises and stock, customer base, suppliers and income stream are already established.
Customers
- Before you get started find out if people are interested in buying your products or services and who your competitors are and whether the market can sustain your business.
- Conduct some research to see whether your idea is really feasible.
- This will involve gathering, analysing and evaluating information to help you formulate your business goals.
- Once you’ve conducted research into the feasibility of your new business you’re ready to write your business plan.
- Your business plan is essential for your business – it’s your blueprint for the future. It sets the direction for your business and keeps you on track once you’re up and running.
- It’s also a requirement when you’re seeking finance.
Skill
- Are you ready to venture into business?
- Operating a small business is not just about working for yourself, it’s also about having the necessary management skills, industry expertise, technical skills, finance and of course a long-term vision to grow and succeed.
- You can take advantage of a broad range of advice and support offered by the Government.
- These services include information and advice on starting and expanding a business, obtaining funding and training.
Structure
- A marketing plan assists you to integrate your total marketing effort.
- It ensures a systematic approach to developing products and services to meet and satisfy your customers’ needs.
- When you’re writing a marketing plan you need to be clear about your objectives and how you’ll achieve them.
- A good marketing plan sets clear, realistic and measurable objectives, includes deadlines, provides a budget and allocates responsibilities.
- Ideas and unique creations can exist in every business.
- They’re important for long term financial success and can make you more competitive than your rivals.
- Once you’ve decided to sell your products overseas you need to develop an export plan.
- An effective export plan will help evaluate your strengths and weaknesses when entering the export market.
Succession
- Nobody likes to think about it, but it’s inevitable that one day you’ll leave your business.
- Whether you decide to sell up, retire or leave due to health reasons, it’s important that you plan for that day.
- A succession plan outlines who will take over your business when you leave.
- A good succession plan will help your business transition smoothly to the new owner.
- By planning your exit early, you can maximise the value of your business and help it to meet future needs.
- Make sure your succession plan is achievable.
- Set a realistic timetable and measurable milestones along the way and stick to them.
Remember you can change your business structure as your business develops and circumstances change. However, while you are in it, make sure you have it well-planned and sorted, in terms of sustainability. Contact HyperEffects for our free one-hour session to learn about things that help your business grow. Also, if you need help in creating and maintaining a website, we are your answer to all the marketing and cyber development requirements.