start ups

These are the Top Resources for Small Businesses

January 3, 2018 by Abogado Aly

Behind every small business is the hard work of an entrepreneur with a passion and a lofty goal. Entrepreneurs spend countless hours working to keep their business on the road to success. From making connections to building their resources, entrepreneurs turn small businesses into thriving brands. Using resources is a vital part to every small businesses’ success. Below is a guide to knowing which resources small businesses should take advantage of in today’s economy.

Social Media

In today’s digital age, social media is one of the best resources for small businesses. Through the use of search engine optimization and influencer marketing, social media has allowed small businesses to significantly increase their growth in both revenue and audience reach. Social media is a tool that allows businesses to build their online brand and reach a wider range of consumers. Digital marketing increases brand awareness, raises sales, and allows businesses to grow their network by partnering with other businesses. Having a strategic social media plan is vital for small businesses. Without it, a small business could lose out on potential sales, target audience reach, and much more.

Industry Associations

A small business is a world of its own where the CEO and other significant figures in the business know every detail inside and out of the business. While this is a major strength to any company, industry associations serve as a backbone. From like-minded entrepreneurs to similar business plans, having an outside source can be just what your business needs to drive forward. Joining a small business association will give your business a network of opportunities to increase knowledge, skill, credibility and more within your business’ industry.

Local Colleges

Hiring a strong plate of employees is essential for a booming business. Local colleges are full of fresh professionals your industry can take advantage of. Connecting with a local college for new hires and internships opens a pool of highly qualified candidates you company can benefit from. Rather than having to extend your search for entry-level positions and internships, being connected with a local college will allow the career services and job fairs to bring applicants right to your door.

Connections/Partnerships

Networking is a powerful tool in any business, large or small. Knowing the right people in business can come in handy. One example of this is having a LinkedIn. This social media property connects business professionals and allows for endorsements that build credibility on a career based scale. Strong business connections and partnerships can create a more diverse threshold for your business.

The Power of Networking

November 14, 2017 by Abogado Aly

The famous “two are better than one” saying is ever true in the world of business. With two minds looking at a project, a strategic plan is better implemented. When you have two businesses partnering together, the audience reach is extended for both businesses. Taking today’s fast growing, highly competitive society into account, networking is a powerful tool that assists businesses to overcome challenges they may face from a wide scope.

Here’s a look at why networking is so powerful for businesses and their markets today.

Business Leads

Through networking, relationships are formed between a business and others. Those others could be investors, contacts, potential clients, and more. It’s through all forms of these newly established contacts that business leads arise. We are a people oriented society, and therefore connected to people through other people.

You know someone who knows someone– that’s a connection. Those connections allow for professional communication pathways for your business. Utilizing contacts can help open doors for business leads.

Learn From Examples

Another benefit that comes with networking is the opportunity to discover what other businesses are doing right, and then seeing how you can incorporate that into your plan. Through networking, you can learn the latest softwares that may benefit your company, learn the most recent associations and accreditations your business can earn, and more.

By networking with other businesses, you can discover best business practices. In the sense that two heads are better than one, you can not only learn from what other businesses do right, but also learn from their mistakes and be sure to avoid making them in your own business.

Cost Effective

Another quote that comes in handy here is “It’s not about what you know, but about who you know.” and in the case of networking, this is all the more true. A business with more connections has better advantage. The number of connections and the strength of those relationships can aid in a cost effective business reach.

Networking is a key tool that gives a business a world of opportunities they wouldn’t have without building positive, strong relationships with others. Networking could be just what your business needs in order to grow to the next level and achieve your company goals.

The Perfect Business Diet

July 24, 2017 by Abogado Aly

A weekly 9-5 job is the standard full time business. You work for 8 hours and then you go home to live yet another routine outside of your career. The life of a full time worker is packed with daily tasks, meetings, and other things that need to be done. With such a business lifestyle, it’s easy to work up an appetite – a hunger for a better career, a better life or a better job. That’s why we created this recipe for you. The perfect diet to make your job a dream, in real life that is.

Here are the Ingredients:

Reduced Anxiety
Hint of Happiness
A Dash of Mistakes
One Stress Free Environment
A Pinch of Change
Splash of Confidence

Life is a big mixing bowl of your job, your family, your home and your hobbies. Having the perfect business diet will ensure you satisfaction in your career.

Reduced Anxiety

To reduce something, you must physically place the heat on “low”. Yep, this means lowering expectations in life. Give yourself a daily to-do list. Keep it to a minimum of things you know you can achieve. You’ll have a sense of fulfillment each time you check off a task. When you find your anxiety creeping in the back of your mind, try a breathing technique and calm yourself down.

Hint of Happiness

Take a moment out of your work day to do something that makes you happy. If your office has a gym, go for a workout. If you enjoy the outdoors, take a walk to get some fresh air. Grab a snack if you love to eat. This is not a selfish act. To have a great day every day, you need to have a minute or two where you do something for yourself.

A Dash of Mistakes

It’s okay when you make mistakes. However, you must own up to them and admit when you are wrong. This is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. No one is perfect at their job and mistakes are unavoidable. When you admit your mistakes right away and try to fix the problem, you end up saving yourself and your company time and effort.

One Stress Free Environment

You will be doing yourself a favor when you create a stress free environment in your office. Add personal touches to your desk, diffuse calming oils into the air and have plants to omit extra oxygen for easy breathing. When you reduce your stress levels, you have a better chance of focusing on your work and becoming a more productive employee.

A Pinch of Change

Change is necessary. It’s how businesses and employers progress to become better. Accept a little change every now and then. If you find yourself falling into a mundane routine, switch something around on your calendar so you keep yourself used to accepting when things change.

Splash of Confidence

Believe in yourself and your career. There is a reason your company hired you. Boost your self esteem so you can take on each day with a “can-do” attitude. Understand that you have unique attributes that you bring to the table wherever you choose to eat. Confidence is a key ingredient for any successful career.

Things to Know Before You Turn Your Hobby Into a Business

May 20, 2017 by Abogado Aly

What makes an entrepreneur, an entrepreneur? Some are born and grow up knowing they want to run their own business one day. Others have a business handed to them. Some, dream of owning a business but never expect it to happen. Hobbies becoming startups and small businesses are becoming more and more popular. If you want to turn your hobby into a business, follow your dreams and love your job, you are not alone. Running a business takes hard work, major effort and plenty of knowledge within the industry of your company. Here are a few things you should know before you start your journey of turning your hobby into a business.

Build Your Brand

Your brand will define your business. This is where you decide what your mission is, your business colors, the logo and other design, and also the relationships your business will have. Creating a brand is essentially building a person that your business will replicate. The strategy behind a business is the brand. A brand is the identity of a business. It’s how consumers know what your company is, what it stands for and more.

Your business brand will go beyond just consumers recognizing your logo and placing it with your products. You will implement your entire brand into the products, relationships, online presence and face to face interactions with customers. You have to get the brand right if you want a successful business.

Know Your Target Audience

Consumers are the people who will purchase your service or products for their own personal use. These are your customers, the people who you will target for your business. Who do you want to reach? Who can benefit from your services or products? If you’re thinking of starting a photography business, for example, who would want you as their photographer? If you take wedding photos, then newly engaged couples planning their wedding are your target audience. A wedding photographer wouldn’t target already married people, or even single people for that matter. You need a specific audience in which your business will target.

Put In the Hours

Much like a full time job, your business will require the majority of your house each week. The amount of hours you put in will determine partially how well your business will be. If you don’t put in any work, your business won’t see growth. If your hobby happens to be something you make and sell, if you don’t make items you’ll have nothing to sell. Just like in the photography example, if you don’t take photos, you have no work.

It’s highly possible for you to turn your hobby into a very successful business. With the use of social media and utilizing your connects or audience, you will watch your business grow and flourish. The most important thing to remember when turning your hobby into a business is that there is no race. Progress is progress no matter how fast or slow it may come.

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