Imagup General Magazine 2024
Setting up and establishing a business, as well as making sure it is a well-oiled and successful machine far into the future, is a difficult task to be sure. For the prospective entrepreneur looking to kickstart their own independent venture, consider these following bits of advice before taking the leap.
Modernize your business
A crucial factor to consider, especially for new businesses and projects that are starting out, is the technical fidelity and capability your venture will have, as this will be a major element and help in giving it a footing going forward. This ‘technology’ aspect has multiple arms, dependent on what type of business you are looking into:
– Social media integration is imperative for any business in the modern-day, as it is one of the main (and most effective) ways to increase brand awareness and visibility of your brand. Take a look at what some of your competitors are doing with their social profiles, and set up a Facebook or Twitter account to generate some buzz in the local area. Not doing this will make it difficult for your business to garner awareness, especially if you’re wanting to appeal to younger people
– Investing in sleek and helpful pieces of kit, particularly if your business is customer-facing, will you allow you to get work done faster, and better. Many café’s and bars, for example, now have extremely handy contactless (and wireless) payment machines, that can be controlled and monitored through tablets and smartphones by staff.
– For managing your businesses’ taxes, incoming and outgoing payments, use your existing knowledge of your smartphone etc to your advantage. Apps such as QuickBooks allow you to easily manage expenses, giving you more time to focus on the more important parts of your business rather than having to get clogged down ‘balancing the books’.
Think about your target demographic
The above point about social-media integration again is relevant here, as Facebook and Twitter, for example, will help you to do market research on the type of consumer that will be attracted to your product/service. Think about what sort of clientele that your product suits, and in reaction how you can mirror it to make it more appealing to them.
The area that you are thinking about setting up shop in is also a crucial point. Cities are without a doubt the most concentrated areas, and so the best places to root yourself in terms of opportunity, but some could prove to be more successful and cost-effective than others.
In the UK, for example, many businesses are actually beginning to uproot their operations from the capital, London, in favor of similar opportunity up-north in cities such as Manchester, but with must cheaper running costs and higher living standards as a result. RW Invest is one of the many property investment companies following this trend closely, offering high-quality, city-center apartments to professionals flocking to the area.
Consider your funding
It goes without saying that before jumping into a business venture and making significant commitments, you want to make sure that you have the relevant capital. Consider some of the initial investments that you will have to make to get your idea started, and weigh that up with the savings you have to make it happen.
Remember, don’t overstretch yourself to get started if you’re unsure of how long it’s going to take before you start making healthy returns. If your idea isn’t successful and has to cut your losses, it’s better to have some sort of monetary cushion to fall back on and help get you back on your feet.
