Are You Ready to Start Your Own Small Business?

So you are thinking of starting a small business and are starting to learn how to go about doing this. There are many people doing the same thing during the down economy, but more than half of the people that are starting their first small business will see it fall apart within the first year. Its scary to think about, and some may think it is wrong to say that, but it is the cold hard truth. So many people jump into starting a small business for all of the wrong reasons, and then there are a handful of people that are starting them for the right reasons but didn’t plan things out enough which is another reason many businesses fail. Here are some things you should consider before getting going, following these tips could make a huge difference in the success of your brand.

Know What You are Getting Into

Out of all the people starting small business many of them do not realize what it actually takes to be a success, a lot of people think that if they start a small business it will be Easy St. and they will only have to work minimal hours every week. If that were true it would be nice, but unfortunately it is not that easy. Starting a business will consume a lot of your time, first you have to deal with all of the initial set up of the business, that includes the company name, writing a business plan, establishing the type of business (LLC, S-Corp etc.), and obtaining funding in some cases, these are some of the first things to be done. Then once that part is done you need to do some advertising to get your name out there and start building a client base, this can be time consuming and very frustrating at times. The point here is that you should plan on working a lot of hours every week in order to be successful, some weeks may only be 40 hours but then you will have other weeks where you might be working 70 hours. If this is something you cannot do then you may want to rethink things before you get in over your head and find yourself overwhelmed.

Educate Yourself

This is another very important piece of advice that you should be sure to follow: Educate! Learn as much as you can about all of the different aspects of running a small business. This would include state and federal laws pertaining to your business, especially regarding taxes. Learn about small business accounting so you can properly manage your money and have good cash flow, especially if your business model involves purchasing and reselling. If it is that type of business you may want to look into good tracking software, and if you are storing products to ship you need to have a good place with sufficient room to store products etc. There are many great places you can learn what you need to know right on the web, or if you want to get educated in another way join your local Chamber of Commerce since many of them have classes and presentations that can help you out in learning what you need to know. Different types of businesses may have different rules you need to follow, so that is something you want to learn about as well depending on your business.

Be Patient

Patience is a virtue, and it is one of the greatest virtues that you must understand when just getting your business off the ground. A lot of people that are just starting out expect clients to be swarming to them right away, that may happen to some people but it is not usually how things work. You need to understand that things may start out slow, but you should not let yourself get discouraged over it. Patience and hard work will pay off when you put the time and effort into marketing your products or brand. Putting the hard work in will pay off, but in most cases it will take the better part of your first year just so you can maintain the business, and as long as you keep working hard at it things will just get better for you as your business starts growing.

Stay in the Loop

Another thing that is important for any type of business is staying current with your particular niche, things change so fast in many cases that it can be time consuming to stay current, but it is well worth it in the long run. If your client or customer sees that you know what you are talking about and staying on top of new products, changes, etc than you will probably have a long time customer, and many times these are the ones that will send you more leads. Knowledge is the key to success, no matter what the circumstance no one will ever succeed if they are ignorant about something that they should know when it comes to their niche. Many businesses have failed because of this alone, people keep trying to us old and outdated techniques, or their products are always out of date, so staying fresh and current is something you should always remember.

Sony's new slogan 'Make Believe' For Marketing Communications With Consumers

Sony Ericsson makes a refresher, because uses Sony's new slogan 'make.believe' in all its communications with consumers so strengthen the quality of entertainment and its collaboration with Sony Group. This is a Sony Ericsson step to the next round in the transformation of business that they have been positioned as a brand for Communication Entertainment number one.

Djunadi Satrio, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson Indonesia declared unify communications and entertainment are at the center of Sony Ericsson's offerings since the beginning. According to him, the message 'make.believe' create Sony Ericsson align with other Sony Group companies, and to show unity between the communication and entertainment.

"The transformation of our business is being run to create the foundation for the new Sony Ericsson. Alignment of our brand is an important part of this strategy. Together with a new culture that is open, it indicates a change in the way we plan and build the proposition Sony Ericsson, also invited consumers to in touch with us via social media and digital platforms, "continued Djunadi.

Visually, Sony Ericsson will expand the appeal of the logo 'liquid identity' is used by adding seven new color variations as well as 'liquid energy' flowing from the logo to make it more dynamic and interesting seen in the digital arena. Sony Ericsson also intends to adopt a more open attitude and critical, by inviting greater consumer participation with the Sony Ericsson through a stronger focus on digital channel and interactive social media. So with the new slogan, Sony Ericsson's corporate image will rise.

Case Study : A SWOT Analysis In Retail Store Part 3

In Case Study: A SWOT Analysis In Retail Store Part 2, five critical elements in the store X has been summarized and discussed about the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The next stage which is the final stage of SWOT study is a SWOT strategy in Store X. As is known SWOT Strategy is a combination of internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats).

And here are his strategies:

1. Strengths-Opportunities Strategy (ST Strategy)

To satisfy customers, employees at the store X always gives an explanation of products to consumers who visit. Store X provide information and assurance to products of interest to the customer. Friendly and courteous attitude towards customers as well as good appearance is also included in this strategy.

2. Weaknesses-Opportunities Strategy (WO Strategy)

Because there is no supervisor, then to help the working store managers, cashiers conjunct in handling the internal tasks of the shop. By knowing a desk listening damaged, store X make strategy by doing on-air product that interest customers. To avoid disappointment due to customers of the collection lacks a certain album and artist, store X provides information and advice purchase alternative to their customers.

3. Strategy Strengths-Threats (ST Strategy)

To boost sales of the film, Store X issued promotion buy 3 get 1 free. Additionally employee of Store X gives customers an understanding about the delays of New Release Movie.

4. Strategy Weaknesses-Threats (WT Strategy)

In order for the entrance to the store X not blocked and customer convenience, store manager in coordination with supermarket management regarding the layout of the supermarket's existing products near store X. Furthermore, Store X plans to make the store location information boards to be installed on the sidewalk and driveway supermarkets.

The explanation of this strategy is more easily explained through pictures the following table:

That is the discussion of SWOT analysis and strategy in a retail stores. Actually, a SWOT analysis is used not only for the business alone, but can also be used in various aspects of activities such as organizational, political, and leadership. In principle, the SWOT analysis is an attempt to maximize the capabilities and opportunities that exist and reduce even if possible eliminate the weaknesses and threats that exist.

Definition of SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis is an observational tool that is used as a basis for policy analysis or decision of a business or organization. SWOT Analysis serves to determine the vision and mission, work programs, employment determination, and as a tool for the evaluation of the implementation process of work. Before a company determine a policy, it is necessary to know the things that can support the implementation of the policy. These include Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat, or abbreviated with SWOT.

Strength is a matter that is in itself a form of excess owned and not owned by other parties or competitors. Weakness is a deficiency in him that can hinder the performance of a business. Opportunity is an opportunity that is owned by the company to gain business advantages. Threat is a challenge from outside himself to the greatest extent possible should be eliminated so that the vision and mission can be accomplished.

To Analyzing and determining the SWOT strategy, there are 5 Things That Should Be Observed In Determining The SWOT Analysis. These 5 things must be available to create SWOT Strategy. This five is abbreviated 4M +1 E.

Modern Retail Stores

Every time and every time we always hear the term retail stores, retailer, or retailer. So what exactly is meant by retail? Retail business is a selling a product where the consumer / buyer is the final hand of the flow distribution of the product. In other words that retail business is the business of buying and selling goods at retail. Thus, the prices charged on the purchase price of the product is a consumer.

Retailers are entrepreneurs that line of business is to sell products at retail. A retailer is the final step distribution before the product reaches the consumer or user.Retail store is a store where the products they have bought and sold at retail. This retail shop there are 2 categories, namely traditional retail stores and modern retail stores. Traditional retail stores are retail stores that are not so complicated in the process of supplying the goods to get to the hands of consumers. This retail store using only a simple listing even possible without computer-based recording and out of the goods or buying or selling process. Usually this is a traditional retail store traditional markets, which usually exist in developing countries, and more selling the materials basic needs.

In contrast to traditional retail stores, then the modern retail stores is more complicated and complex in the process of supplying the goods. Even the organizational structure is more complex than traditional retail stores that may be absolutely no organizational structure. In this modern retail stores there are organizational structures that include named head of stores, supervisors, Sales Promotion Girl Sales Promotion Man, and the cashier, even perhaps there is also the marketing . 

In the modern retail stores, all the process of recording sales and transactions have been computerized. An employee in this store are the cashier will directly input into the computer when there is a sales transaction. The term computer used to conduct the sale transaction input is called Point Of Sales (POS). To facilitate input the data sale of a product into the computer, then each item has a code that called it is called Barcode. Every product has a different barcode. At this barcode is usually there is a data item name, price, type of goods, name of manufacturer, expiry date, and so forth depending on what data is needed to process the store administration. This barcode will be read by a tool called a barcode scanner that is usually directly connected to the computer Point Of Sales.

Given that modern retail stores already have an organizational structure, it is usually the products sold will be on display at the store by certain standards in accordance with company policy. Form of customer service and process transactions, all of which have standard rules to be followed by all human resources in the shop. In other words, a modern retail stores have a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in conducting their business activities.

That glance overview of modern retail stores. With the use of computers as a tool of sales transactions, as well as the organizational structure that has been owned, then the retail business will run more controllable and relatively free from the chaos of recording data.