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:
image credit – Pixabay
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.
Our beliefs are the cornerstone of our experience. What we believe decides our actions which in turn lead to our results. But where do these beliefs come from and are they true?
Many of our limiting beliefs about money come from childhood before the age of 7. At that time we are hyper vigilant to the world around us and the influences from parents, caregivers and what we see or hear on TV.
Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels
Picture the scene, you are staying up late with your parents watching a film or soap on TV. The rich guy is nearly always the villain, selfish, greedy and probably has criminal tendencies. The wealthy family is dysfunctional with rebellious kids and partners cheating on each other. The portrayal of wealthy people is nearly always negative, so too is the likely reaction of those watching. Particularly if young and vulnerable to external influences.
Subconsciously we accept these images and scenes as ‘normal’ and overtime, with repetition, they form our beliefs, for example that rich people are greedy or bad in some way. A consequence of which is that in our young minds we make a decision that this is not the path for us.
“We learn our belief systems as very little children, and then we move through life creating experiences to match our beliefs. Look back in your own life and notice how often you have gone through the same experience.”
–Louise L. Hay
At some point as adults we can learn to challenge these limiting beliefs about money and realise that what we took in as a child is either not true or questionable to say the least.
When we believe something to be true we look for evidence to support it. we need to be ‘right’ to feel good. So if we have a limiting belief that money only comes through hard work we will scan our experience to support that view. For example for a teenager maybe a summer job picking fruit was ‘hard work’ and resulted in getting more money than they were used to. Or working evenings in a restaurant, or Saturday on their feet all day as a shop assistant.
Each validation of the belief acts to strengthen it. Just as placing legs under a table top makes it more stable and likely to endure. 3 legs or more are ‘wobbly’ but bring 4, 6, 8 or more and that table is rock solid.
The trick to explosing that belief is to remove the legs from under the table. Chalneging these beliefs can take some time but can be achieved with a little patience and desire.
So for example if we believe that ‘money is the root of all evil’ here is a questioning technique to work through.
Step 1: Write the limiting belief down. Play detective and follow your thoughts and emotions to discover the limiting beliefs that hold you back. Put them on paper and stare them in the face! You might note how strong each belief is and what emotions they elicit in you.
Step 2: Acknowledge that these are beliefs, not truths! This is often the hardest step. “But, but, my limitations are real!” Here’s the place where choice comes in. Which are you more interested in: defending your limitations to the death or achieving your goals and desires? As author Evelyn Waugh wrote, “When we argue for our limitations, we get to keep them.” You can choose.
Step 3: Try on a different belief. Use your imagination and try on a belief that is aligned with what you want. It might be something like, “My financial difficulties in the past have taught me so much that I’m fully prepared to handle them now!” Or, “The more money I have, the more good I can achieve in the world”
The trick is to go beyond just saying it. You want to really step into this new belief and feel how it feels. Done thoroughly, Steps 2 and 3 will go a long way to dismantling your old limiting beliefs about money or anything else.
Step 4: Take different action. This might feel a little scary, but it’s time to act as if your new belief is true. In other words, if you really are capable and have learned a tremendous amount from past financial difficulties, what steps would you take? What would you do differently now?
The infographic below comes courtesy of T Harv Eker and may help you look at your limiting beliefs about money in a different way.
These are uncertain economic times for everyone. With the global pandemic affecting nations and business, no one knows quite how the next few years are going to play out. Even with government backed stimulus packages in place for a lot of countries, the stock markets are suffering and businesses are failing. Even if you haven’t suffered being made redundant, you may have seen the value of savings and investments fall, and be worried about the long term outlook. Thankfully, you can take steps to prepare while in quarantine, to ensure that your finances are in the best possible shape for whatever the future may hold.
Photo by Jessica Lewis from Pexels
Overhaul Your Budget
Living a simpler life during lockdown conditions has made many of us realise how wasteful some of our pre-pandemic spending habits really were. It’s a time when rampant consumerism has been exposed as unfulfilling, and what we’ve really missed most are simpler pleasures like seeing our friends. With a bit of space, it’s the perfect time to give your personal budget an overhaul. You should currently be making savings on things like eating out, so make the most of it by channelling those into separate account to create a financial cushion for the future. And with a bit more time on your hands at home, it’s an opportune moment to go through all your fixed outgoings like energy bills, insurance cover and credit card debt and shop around using price comparison sites for a better deal. It doesn’t take long to save on things like car insurance – click here to see what cover might suit you.
Look Into Transferring Debt
If you have outstanding debt you’re looking to pay off, you should prioritise securing the lowest interest rate possible so that more of your money goes to making a dent into what you owe rather than servicing the interest. Hunt for a balance transfer to a zero per cent APR card if you can manage to pay off the balance before the term comes to an end. If you can’t, then it can be a better option to seek a bank loan at a lower rate to pay off credit cards. This move can also free up more cash each month should you need it in the future.
Hold Steady With Investments
If you do have investments, you may have been watching with concern recently as the markets have plunged. But resist the urge to cut and run at all costs. In most cases, if your investments are for the medium-to-long term, it’s better to have them stay put and wait for the market to recover. If you have a short term need to access money, you may need to do some juggling, but it’s wiser to leave as much as you can invested and ride it out. If you have concerns, speak to your financial advisor for some guidance on switching to safer options – for example investing into precious metals rather than stocks.
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.
