Are you a new business just starting up? Have you sat down and written out all the items you need to invest in, listed your company to-do’s, business expenses, set financial targets / projections etc… Lets face it, with so much to do, digest and think about, setting up a new business in today’s economic climate is not easy! Not only will you be competing with intense competition, established brands and more, but you also have the statistic that 85% of new businesses fail in there first year!

Ok, it is not all doom and gloom… And if you are prepared to put in the hours, box clever and work hard then why shouldn’t you be amongst the minority of businesses that survive, grow and succeed…

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Hello my Business Networking Link friends and readers, this evening I thought I would write a blog post about business strategies… So what is a business strategy and how can it help your business to blossom and grow?

Well, a strategy is all about how, when and why… It is setting long and short-term goals AKA a plan of action to achieve your business objectives. So the long and short of it is, your business strategy should be able to tell you in which direction your business is going.

Like with any new goals or targets in life, a business strategy will need to be frequently reviewed and monitored to increase your chances of success. It is easy to get lost in the moment, work hard and not clever when you are setting up a new business! The purpose of a business strategy is to help direct and channel this energy…

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Before choosing a company to manage your SEO campaign you may want to jot down some SEO related questions… Doing your homework is important, the industry of SEO is not regulated so you will need to box clever and make sure your getting enough bang for your buck!

Ok, you will find no shortage of SEO companies in Hampshire, prices will vary, and SEO jargon can take time to get used to… but remember, it is the job of the SEO Company to explain their processes, break down the work, time scales and costing involved… If you are unsure at any point, just ask! Making sure both parties fully understand the SEO campaign, requirements and expectations before work gets underway is vital…

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I was speaking to a friend / fellow businessman earlier this week about his goals, targets and business… After a discussions about 2011 so far, the economy and life, he went on to ask if I would write a blog post about our own month end process.

Month end to me is an allocation of time at the end of each calendar month to look over the month passed. If you keep a daybook and update your company accounts on a weekly basis then this allocation of time does not need to be massive! We often have a coffee in the afternoon, along with a 30/45 minute chat about our own facts / figures… Remember, a company is only as good as its accounts, so if you do not keep purchase and sales ledgers, check the bank daily etc then I can imagine month end being a nightmare! Our month is officially sealed when all of the month end processes are complete…

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Are you waiting for the right time to make your move, maybe you are trying to generate some savings in the bank prior to ending your day job? Ok, I think having savings to cover any quiet days, difficulties generating sales, wages, rent etc is a good idea. But, looking for reasons not to start a business is easier than you may think! Also, starting a business with very little money (even no money) is not impossible!

I say this speaking from experience, working with what you have, starting small and keeping an eye on your spending is one possible option! You would be amazed how much you can achieve in business with little money and a ‘work hard’ mentality…

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On Friday my wife and I went out for dinner with the owner of Portsmouth, Southampton, Chichester and Valencia Language Colleges… The crazy thing is, he had about 10 of his head teaching staff at the meal (people we had never met) plus us… Ok, it was not a networking event, however it was a great night and also a privilege to be invited and told our services (Web Design and SEO) had helped him to achieve what he has today!

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Being in business it is a good idea to monitor both time and events as effectively as possible. New to this then you may find a recent blog post on the 80 / 20 rule in business of interest to you.

This weekend (mid-way point of 2011) is the perfect time to sit back and ask questions such as; how has this year been for me so far? Have I stuck to various goals and targets set six months ago? Has business been how I imagined or have I had to evolve or change business strategies? Have I tried new marketing techniques, did they work? Do I need to cut costs or overheads to keep things ticking over? … In a nutshell, how are things developing for you and your business?

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Today I would like to ask the question; How do I make my business stand out from the crowd? We all know about a USP (Unique Selling Point) and yes they can help create a unique brand identity… Some of us have also heard about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and how it can boost business via the web… However, what this blog post aims to look at is how one business can stand out from a crowd filled with inviting USP’s and companies already investing in SEO!

Advances in technology (primarily the internet) have opened many doors for innovative businesses to develop and grow… But with these advances have come bigger and better competition, making the task of standing out from the crowd much more difficult!

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So what is the 80 / 20 rule in business? Well, the awesome Wikipedia quotes:

The 80 / 20 rule was named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who noticed 80% of land in Italy was possessed by 20% of its people; he then developed the principle by later noticing 20% of the pea pods in his garden contained 80% of the peas! So there you have it, in a nutshell (or a pea pod!) the 80 / 20 rule… Now we need to apply this rule to our day-to-day work and the development of your business!

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As owner of your own business you will need to be able to manage multiple projects and juggle a variety of different tasks when necessary. Your to-do list may look one way at 9am and another at 11am, welcome to the world of business, a fast paced, ever changing way of life that offers as many challenges as rewards.

I have met business owners and entrepreneurs over the years that knew a little about a lot, rather than a lot about a little! Two other characteristics that jumped out with these individuals was a thirst for information and a passion to do better, a mind-set that helped them manage multiple projects and create successful businesses.

Yes, knowing how to manage multiple projects in business requires a certain mind-set; getting stressed or overwhelmed when things are difficult will not get the job done! Managing multiple projects is a handy skill to have when running a business, so being super organised and having a to-do list set in stone each day can really help you tackle multiple projects effectively, even manage multiple businesses!

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