If you’re thinking of making renovations to your business premises but don’t know where to begin then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re investing in a new location or renovating the one you already own, you need to be as prepared as you can when it comes to getting started. Luckily, there are lots of questions you can ask to ensure exactly that. From setting yourself a budget to finding the perfect contractors, the more questions you’re asking the better. With that in mind, here are 5 things to consider before renovating your business premises:
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What Is Your Overall Budget?
One of the first things you need to consider when it comes to making major renovation within your business premises is your budget, as this is the best way to ensure you’re not spending more than you can afford.
The best way to put together your budget for your project is to think about each individual aspect of your renovation separately. Take a look at the average price for the work you want to be done, adding them all together to get your final figure. It might take some time but it will definitely be worth it when you know exactly how much you’re going to be spending.
What Changes Will You Be Making?
As you’re working on your budget, you may also want to think about the changes you’re going to be making, as this will make it much easier to price up.
If you’re unsure where to begin when it comes to your major renovations, you may find it helps to make a list of priorities. You won’t be able to do everything at once, but you will be able to do them in order of importance. For a guide to prioritising as a business, you can visit this site here.
Do You Need To Hire Any Help?
Although you may be able to do certain aspects of your renovation alone, often it’s better to leave it to the professionals. Whether your premises are within a historical building or you’re undertaking projects that are not within your skill set, a little bit of help can go a long way. For more information when it comes to Historic Building Conservation, you can visit this site here.
Finally, you need to ensure you have a contingency plan in place.
With lots of important questions to be asking, you can be sure you’re as prepared as you can possibly be when it comes to making major renovations. What else do you need to do? Did we miss anything important off of the list? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.
This COVID-19 pandemic is far from ideal. It would be nice if the entire virus could vanish so that we could go back to living our normal lives and getting by with what was always the norm. It’s still here, though, and it looks as though it’s going to be relatively prevalent until a vaccine can be created and distributed worldwide. So, seeing as we’re going to be staying in quarantine for a while (albeit in a few waves), we’re going to need to accept the fact that life might continue to be a little different for quite a while yet.
Even though we’re in this predicament, there’s still a lot of money to be made. Just because we’re seemingly stuck in this strange prison-like time, it doesn’t mean we all can’t grab a large slice of the pie for ourselves! For as long as there’s a will, there will be a way, so we can all make some money if we just knuckle down.
How can we do such a thing, though? Making money from home seems like such a specialist habit that only a select few have the brains and the privilege to do. That’s absolutely not the case, though. Anyone can do it – it’s just a case of doing a little research and then applying yourself. In all honesty, you’re bound only by your creativity in this regard – if you can think up a good enough kind of money-making method, then you might be able to genuinely monetize it pretty handsomely. For now, however, let’s go through just a few current ways one can make decent money from home:
Many, many businesses all over the world have to deal with tedious administrative work. Some people enjoy sitting down and getting the admin work done, but a lot prefer to focus on the practical, real hands-on side. This is why they hire an office assistant to help them out. At this time, business owners might not be able to bring people in to handle these kinds of tasks, and will, therefore, look for people online to help. There are many outlets you could use to sign up to a virtual assistant scheme – you just have to look online. You’ll do all the tasks required of an admin assistant, but it will all be done from the comfort of your own home.
Review Items And Websites
This is quite a niche idea, but it’s one that provides good money for people if they do it correctly. If you know a thing or two about browsing websites on the internet (or even web design as a whole), then you might be able to become a reviewer. There are services out there that allow people to review websites and give a ten-to-fifteen minute talk about the pros and cons. If you’ve got the confidence to speak for a while, then this might be a good idea for you. Reviewing websites, items, and all kinds of things might not seem like the fanciest thing to do, but it’s certainly an option for anyone.
Create An Online Store
Working from home allows people to use their creativity in ways that perhaps they never have before. Selling items online isn’t something we’ve all done before, but it’s certainly something we could all try. Whether it’s a case of creating your own items and having them shipped to you, or whether it’s a case of executing the dropshipping method, it’s definitely a real money-maker. Dropshipping is becoming more and more popular recently as it only really requires you to be the marketer and seller – you don’t have to deal with large amounts of stock or things like a paypal foreign transaction fee biting you in the backside. Before you know it, you could be the owner of a huge brand that is on the cusp on turning into an empire – all from the confines of your own home.
Write An Ebook
If you have a pen and paper, then you can create a world for others to enjoy. If you have a typewriter or a computer with a word processor, then you can publish something for others to buy. More and more people are bringing out Ebooks these days as it is becoming simpler to publish thanks to the way of the internet. If you have a compelling novel lined up or something that people would be interested in reading, then why not create something and put it on a blank canvas? You could make a fortune.
Simply Create A Social Media Account
If you have lots of followers on social media, then you could make quite a bit of money. Having such a large reach means you could be quite an influential character. Big companies might want to get in touch with you in order to promote their goods and/or services, and they’ll pay you to do so. Being an influencer is very profitable these days.
Start A Podcast
Podcasts are so popular nowadays due to their simple nature. People like being entertained while they go about their day. Podcasts allow people to listen consciously and unconsciously to all kinds of different content. Comedy, current events, and education seem to be the main and most popular kinds of listening material. You could create something and have people listen all over the world – you never know what you could accomplish with this kind of method. Many could then come in from sponsors.
Sell What You Already Have Online
We talked about creating an online store and selling goods to others, but the chances are that you already have a lot of valuable things stored in your home. Sure, if you’ve managed to shift a lot of the stuff you’ve been hoarding, then this might not be a viable option for you. Many of you probably have things in the attic or in the spare room, though. If you could be bothered, then you could make a fair bit of money by selling this stuff. If you can separate yourselves from the sentiment of the items, that is!
Play Competitive Online Games
It sounds like a silly pipe dream, but people can now make lots of money by playing video games and other kinds of contests online. The video game industry is booming, and eSports are very, very popular now. If you think you’re good enough, then get yourself online and test yourself against others – you never know what might happen. There’s also the likes of poker games, too, although it’s understandable if that might not be your cup of tea.
Start A YouTube Channel
Much like podcasts, people are interested in visual communication. It’s easier to take in information through watching and listening than it is to knuckle down and read of your own accord. If you have an idea and feel as though people might want to watch what you provide, then a YouTube channel would be a really good idea. YouTubers work from home a lot of the time and are able to rack up lots and lots of money. If you gain many subscribers, you’ll be able to do it for a living – it’s not a bad occupation, huh?
Work As A Freelancer
This is similar to the idea of becoming a virtual assistant for a while – the difference being that freelancing is more of a genuine career and not just doing a bit of admin for different clients. Writing content for websites, designing websites and logos, editing videos and taking part in other artistic projects – these are all great ideas if you’re looking to become a self-employed freelancer.
Growth is something every online shop owner worries about. With so many social media marketing strategies out there, it can be difficult to know what tactics are most effective.
To help you along your ecommerce journey, we’re going over seven strategies you can easily implement to grow your online shop.
Post compelling content frequently
If you want to grow your brand on social media, consistently posting great content is non-negotiable. Users react more favorably to businesses they regularly see in their feeds, leading to more engagement and trust.
However, you don’t need to go overboard and start spamming your followers. Simply create a schedule that works for you and commit to it.
Automate word-of-mouth with social reviews
Reviews are this century’s word-of-mouth.
Having product review apps on your shop’s site creates trust and leads to more sales. When your customers are happy, they’ll want to convince others to buy from you too, so let them share the love!
Make it easy to share your products
Add social share buttons to your site, particularly for Pinterest. If a customer likes your item but can’t buy it right away, they can pin it for later.
Even better, someone else might see that pin they’ve saved of your awesome product and click onto your website. Your potential customers are doing some of the marketing for you!
Be active on the right #hashtags
Hashtags can be a little complicated, because there’s different rules for different social channels. Luckily, there are tools available to find ones that align with your brand, aren’t oversaturated, and will yield the best results.
It’s also a great idea to create your own shop-specific hashtag. This encourages your customers to post photos with your products using that tag.
Align your posts with a trending topic
When you post about what people want to read about, both on your social media and on your shop’s blog, you’ll naturally attract potential clients. If you properly utilize SEO in your posts, it’s easier for people to find you.
If you need help in this area, SMR Digital is an organic search agency providing link outreach, SEO, PPC and social media marketing services.
Invest in an infographic
Infographics are a quick and visually-appealing way to help your customers make informed decisions, or educate them about your brand.
There used to be a big hurdle driving traffic from Instagram. Now, for business pages, it couldn’t be easier!
The same way you’d tag any other account, you can now create product tags. These shoppable posts allow users to tap and see prices, then click through to purchase. They fit in seamlessly and don’t come across as spammy.
Starting your own business is both exhilarating and challenging. One of the main reasons that startups can’t get off the ground is due to lack of finance. If you’ve got a winning business plan, it’s a shame to be held back by money. Luckily there are a number of schemes available in the UK which can help budding entrepreneurs, and existing small businesses, to access the funding they need.
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1 . Princes Trust
The Prince’s Trust started providing grants to entrepreneurs back in 1976. As well as funding, they provide an enterprise program, mentoring young people who want to set up their own companies. Grant applicants must be aged between 18-30, and applicants can start the process by filling in the form on the website. The Prince’s Trust believes that all young people should have access to career building tools. On the site you’ll also find links to free professional courses, and other career based content.
2 . CRACK IT Challenges
CRACK IT is a challenge-based competition which funds collaborations between SMEs and academics. The goal is to solve science or business based challenges in society. Previous challenges have seen winners secure three year contracts and £1 million in funding. Current challenges in process include a handheld device for monitoring rheumatoid arthritis, and developing a method for tracking gene therapies.
3. Tradeshow Access Programme
The tradeshow access programme helps companies with promotion by offering grants to visit overseas trade shows. TAP offers businesses support with market knowledge, foreign export, and funding. To apply for the grant, you should be a UK small business who has been exploring a few export opportunities already. You should also attend one of TAP’s events. Many entrepreneurs forget all about trade shows, due to all new digital marketing techniques. Marketing yourself in person is more authentic and suited to expressing brand story.
4. New Enterprise Allowance
This grant is specifically for those who are currently unemployed, and would like to set up their own business. Successful candidates on the scheme receive weekly payments over 26 weeks, in the past these payments have been around £120 a week. The New Enterprise Allowance scheme also offers mentoring and help to set up your business.
5. Innovation Programme
The Innovation Programme was made for small businesses who are creating innovative products or services. As far as criteria goes, past companies have worked in areas of assistive technologies, IT connectivity, data or energy. To apply for the program, your company should have under 250 staff members. Applicants should be made through Coventry City Council.
When you’re starting out as an entrepreneur, should you take all the personal finance tips you can get! These are just a few of the funding options for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. Be sure to apply for everything that you are eligible for, you never know what big opportunities your applications could lead to. As a small business or startup it’s important to take care of your financial health. To help you do this, MNE Accounting offers some great outsourced accounting services, which can be accessed on their website here.
Starting a courier business is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs because there is a huge demand for delivery services. We spend more than ever on online shopping, and delivery services are becoming the norm for most goods that we buy. Although the big courier services already deal with the biggest retailers, and many retailers handle their own deliveries, there are still plenty of companies out there that are in need of a courier.
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However, when you start any business, you need to manage the legal issues, and that is especially true with a courier company. If you are planning to start your own courier company, these are some of the big legal issues that you need to manage.
Licensing
Licensing is a big issue for courier companies. If you are operating heavy vehicles, all of your drivers will need specific licenses. As a business owner, it’s up to you to make sure that all of your drivers have the correct licenses and they do not have any driving bans in place. If you do not check the paperwork when you are hiring people, you may be held liable for allowing people to drive your vehicles without the correct licensing.
Driving Infractions
If your drivers commit an infraction of some kind while behind the wheel of one of your vehicles, that can be a serious problem for you. Not only does it have a negative impact on your image, but you may also be held responsible. In some cases, if the infraction is a serious one, like drink driving, you may need to look into criminal law assistance for your employee. You can avoid issues like this if you pay attention to your hiring process and make sure that you are carrying out thorough background checks. You should also consider installing a telematics system in your vehicles so you can monitor speed and make sure that your drivers are following the rules of the road.
Insurance Issues
When you are starting a courier company, insurance is one of the most important things to consider. If you are delivering goods for clients and they are damaged, you are liable for that damage, so you need to make sure that you have the right insurance coverage in place to pay for it. If you don’t, you will end up paying out of your own pocket and you will soon end up in financial trouble.
You also need to consider what will happen if one of your drivers is involved in an accident. In some cases, the other driver involved with the crash may attempt to sue the company, and if your employee was at fault, you may be forced to pay a large settlement. If you have the right insurance coverage to protect your business, that’s not too much of an issue. But if you have to pay it yourself, it could spell disaster for your business.
If your new courier business is going to be a success, it’s important that you are able to deal with these potential legal issues.
