Archive for the ‘Strategic Planning’ Category

Roll Up Banner Stand

Friday, January 8th, 2010

To attract the attention of potential customers one has to be different from a myriad of similar organisations with similar products. Yes, it is nice to give out leaflets or to put a billboard on the side of a highway, but there is also another way. It is extremely easy, convenient and cost effective to use roll up stands. It is a remarkable improvement in the practice of self-advertising, never before it was so easy and even effortless to set up a stand.

Roll up banner stand usually has a roller at the base, which makes it possible to rewind the banner. Just pull it and stable the fixing item – and your banner is ready to be displayed. The process of setting up takes only one minute, no additional tools or hired labourers are needed. The same simplicity is reflected in the transporting. A roll up banner is compact when rewound, it easily fits inside the case and is carried in a bag. Stored that way, a banner is protected from light, moisture and dust, which guarantees its durability. A roll up banner can be used over and over again, spreading reminders about your company.

Another wonderful thing about a roll up banner stand – it is made of light, but strong materials. A high quality model will never get spoiled after a few presentations, and the manufacturers are so confident when it comes to their production that the warranty they offer is a lifetime one. Do not go for very low cost models, they are known to be broken quite easily after several uses. The money invested in a nice banner stand will pay back with the success of your marketing strategy.

A wide range of these stands is represented on the market, there are numerous shapes, styles, materials to choose from. The size of your item should not be ignored as well. A roll up banner stand does not take too much space, but still some manufacturers produce them quite big, so this variant is available too if you want people to notice your stand from a distance. Usually this kind of stand is used indoors, but recently some weather resistant models appeared as well. The most important thing is to have a quality laminated graphics, in case of rain, and solid construction, in case of stronger wind.

Unlike old fashioned folded banners or a hanging poster, a roll up stand can be displayed from both sides. If the place is appropriate for this intention, do not hesitate to get a little bit more expensive double-sided roll up banner stand. The number of people from your target group will be doubled in this case as well, which means the chances for a successful advertising are much bigger.

Increase Rates Without Losing Clients

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

If you are in this situation then a good first step is to check the market to see what your competitors are offering. You may find that if your client could go someone else but they would be unlikely to get the same level of service. Alternatively, you may find that you are about the same but that does not mean that you cannot still increase rates provided you have something additional to offer. Ideally something that does not cost you a lot of money but is valuable to your client and worth paying extra for.

For example, I was working with an adviser who was attracting lots of clients based on low rates but frustrated that he was not making enough money from it. His service level was much higher than it needed to be, yet he was uncomfortable with charging more or taking away some of the services.

One service that he was providing was traveling to see clients rather than them having to come to see him. During the traveling time he was stuck in the car and not earning. He did not charge for traveling time. We worked out some service packages and gave them each a name, list of contents and price. There was a service package that had the current pricing but excluded some things like traveling which went into a higher level package with a higher price.

The outcome is that most of the clients were quite happy to accept the lower service level which meant that although the sales income for those clients did not increase, the service became more profitable and freed up a lot of time.  Some clients did decide that having the extra service saved them time and money and were happy to pay the extra. Giving them the choice made the negotiations so much easier.

If you are currently charging a reasonable rate for what you do then you could still look at the Terracing technique in order to create more revenue by upselling certain clients onto packages that provide extra value added services. Creating lower tiers can make lead generation easier by using price and then upselling to the high value added packages if required.

Resources For Small Business

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Small business resources help business owners increase productivity and competence of employees. Other resources help in making the small business appear to be larger than they actually are. Resources are also good for your business as they will provide you with a lot of information. This is usually to do with business and banking, management strategies, ways of advertising etc.

When looking for resources, the Internet is a good place to start. There is a whole world of information tucked away online. There are many articles available online that are a great source of information for your small business. These articles are available to you for free or a minimal fee. You will be enlightened about the various aspects of a small business.

Another resource for small businesses is a forum. Here, you get to exchange ideas of how to manage your small business. You get to interact with other people who are in similar types of business. They can give you tips on how to make more profit or even how to introduce a new product or service to your customers. If you are having some setbacks with your business, these forums will give you moral support.

Resources for small businesses can also be found in experienced entrepreneurs. Most of these entrepreneurs are people who have had businesses for many years. They have experienced challenges first-hand and can guide you on how to become a better businessperson. In addition, read more on the subject of small businesses. Visit your local library and you may be surprised at the wealth of information that awaits you.

Small Business Cost

Monday, October 19th, 2009

This is because you may come up with a great business idea when you have no money to set it up. An advantage of a small business is that it does not require a lot of capital. With good planning and budgeting you can have your small business up and running in no time.

There are many costs involved when setting up a business and some of them are hidden. Some of them also pop up along the way. It is therefore very essential to ensure that you do proper research and cover all areas when doing your small business cost estimates. The best way to go about this is to come up with a budget. This will include where you are getting your funds and which areas you will be spending on. The most general things that are always included in the costs especially when you are starting out are rent, cost of supplies or materials, utilities etc.

You can try and cut back on some areas like the rent and start your small business at home. The money you save for that can be allocated to another part of the business. When working on your budget ensure that your list of expenses are the things your business cannot do without. Costs like operational licenses and tax costs should always be included. Include the cost of transport, employee payrolls and even negligible things like parking fees or bridge tolls.

It is recommended that you come up with an annual budget. This will enlighten you on the various expenses that come up once or twice a year. Things like insurance fall into this category and should be included in your budget. You will also be able to plan and manage to spread out the cost over several months.