February 2023 - Page 4 of 11 - BOLLYWOOD SURKHIYAN

4 Delightful Garden Design Ideas for Your Hospitality Business

How to design a garden setting? If it’s been a while you’re in the hospitality industry, then it’s probably not the first time you ask this question. Actually, every single time a change needs to be done to the outdoors, this question pops in first. Although there’s no One Way of creating an outdoor living, you can follow some garden design ideas to have an attractive setting.

As a hospitality furniture company, we find it our duty to share with you and our clients, some garden design ideas to greet guests in a welcoming way. So take notes, and consider using these 4 trends:

Adopting vertical gardening

When designing the outdoors, restaurants, hotels and resorts mostly focus on the horizontal space by carefully choosing the garden furniture and coming up with a plan for the setup. However, what is usually forgotten is the decoration of the garden or patio’s vertical space. Most gardens contain plants, flowers, and statues, but forget to add a special vertical touch. A good addition would be the Greens collection from the outdoor furniture brand Maiori. Greens are planters with a simple drip watering system allowing water to flow from top to bottom, eliminating water paddles and overwatering.

Creating a semi enclosed outdoor living room

What’s the use of taking care of your garden and designing your patio if you won’t welcome guests in the open air? One trend to follow is by creating a semi enclosed outdoor room with 3 walls and a ceiling. This area will include restaurants tables and chairs, or hotel outdoor furniture to create a unique experience. The secret recipe to building a cozy space is by keeping the feeling of an outdoor area so guests enjoy the beautiful weather.

Placing a garden pergola

Another trend to receive guests in the outdoors is to install a pergola in the middle of the garden. This feature allows visitors to sit, eat, or relax on outdoor furniture, and at the same time to stay protected from direct sunlight. The pergola can either be made from wood or, for a more luxurious style, from aluminum. For example, Jardinico introduces Attitude, an outdoor umbrella that is used as gazebo.

Mixing new and old in the garden

Unless the theme of your business is to give a classical style by using old-looking furniture, it is time to start combining different approaches. After talking, in a previous article, about mixing and matching different materials and styles, now is the time to blend old and new outdoor furniture together. The only rule here is to smoothly pair the two styles as some elements might not go well together.

In order to bring these garden design ideas to life, it would be wise to get the help of a hospitality furniture company that can assist you with the proper planning. A lot of details can be overlooked by businesses, while remaining an important aspect for any outdoor furniture supplier.

Drama Queens – Do You Attract Drama in Your Life Or Business?

One of my incredible mentors raised an interesting question in a teleclass this week: Do you attract drama in your life or business?

Your first impulse might be to deny it. But what is drama really?

The dictionary definition of “drama” is a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces, or excessively emotional performances or reactions.

Well, I don’t know about you, but if that is how drama is defined, I certainly can’t say that I haven’t experienced my fair share of it.

And if you are launching or running your own business, it is likely you have too.

What does drama do to us? Well, drama creates stress. And unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, chances are that you have heard about what stress can do to your body. A quick refresher:

“The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off.

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.”

Yuck, right? I know that none of us want to face these physical and emotional risks.

So, how do we prevent ourselves from becoming another stress-related statistic? The answer lies in the simple question: Do you create drama, attract it, seek it out…Are you a drama junkie?

This takes some real soul-searching to get to the answer.

The first place to look is your past to see if there are patterns that you can see in your life – patterns in your relationships, your work experiences, your family, your money situation, etc…. Most of us continue in the same kind of cycles in life until we become aware of those cycles and make a firm decision to change their experiences and the results of those experiences.

Remember that famous quote by Albert Einstein about cycles? He said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

I am here to say that drama is just about the most destructive cycle you can get caught in as a business owner. Besides the awful physical and emotional havoc it can wreck on you, it can also undo all of your hard work, make forward progress difficult if not impossible, and can even ruin valued relationships.

Any way you look at it, drama can hurt you, your business and your bottom line.

So, where is YOUR drama?

In your environment? Is your office a mess? Do you have clutter in your workspace? Are you months behind on your filing?

In your wallet? Are you up to date on your bookkeeping? Do you have a box, file or pile of receipts building up that you keep forgetting to do something with? Do you have unpaid bills or an unbalanced bank account?

In your relationships? Do you have someone in your life who sucks up all of your energy? Someone who discourages you or actively criticizes you? Do you have a relationship that is riddled with arguments, resentment or weighty expectations?

Can you see where I am going with this? I think if we are all honest with each other, we all have some area or areas where there is drama. In fact, many of us have likely learned to live with it day-in and day-out, the weight of it pushing down on us. We have learned to tune out the warning bells, the adrenaline rush, the frustration and to just live with the drama like it is an inevitable part of our lives.

Drama should not be an inevitable part of our lives on a regular basis. True, life always changes and always sends us curve-balls and tragedy. We all have our crosses to bear at one time or another.

But accepting daily drama and pain isn’t healthy and it will keep you from true success, true happiness and living your truth.

If you are on this blog, chances are you want success, happiness and the chance to be your true self, so it is time to address the sources of drama in your life.

Some of them are easier to deal with than others, but you really can deal with any kind of drama.

If your office is a mess, you can devote an afternoon to clearing it out and getting organized. Better yet, pay someone to do it for you on a regular basis and devote your time to activities that move you forward. It is also much easier to quickly eliminate the chaos and drama when you bring someone in who isn’t emotionally connected to your drama. She can be unemotional and efficient about clearing the clutter, whereas you might be bogged down in the emotional connection to the things you need cleared out.

If you face money drama, that can be overwhelming, but it can be eliminated. For starters, hire a good bookkeeper to handle your books and to enter receipts on a weekly or monthly basis. She can also balance your accounts for you and keep you on top of bills that need to be paid. Pay her to do her job, and focus your time on what you do well, which will in turn result in more revenue and less money drama. That does NOT mean ignore your finances, though. Make sure you stay connected to what is happening and that your bookkeeper educates you weekly on all of your accounts.

If you face drama in your relationships, that one can be harder to deal with, especially if the person who brings drama into your life is a spouse, parent, child or best friend. This is a very complicated subject for a blog post, but I urge you to think about ways to eliminate the drama in those relationships. It might require counseling, or carving out space for yourself each week, or it might ultimately require that you (sadly) end the relationship. If you have people in your life who are toxic, that is always going to undermine your attempts to achieve your dream life. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in you, who are your fans and champions, and who give you honest feedback that builds you up and helps you progress (honesty is NOT the same as criticism or harsh words).

I know a lot of this is easier said than done, but all you have to do is just START. You just need to take baby steps and make sure you renew your commitment on a daily basis to eliminating drama in your life and business. Taking the first baby step is a movement towards breaking the cycle of insanity. It will open up your horizons, free you to a new future and you will find that you have renewed energy, enthusiasm and strength, all of which you need in order to find your business brilliance!

Good luck and let me know how it is going for each of you!

p.s. If you need some direction, you might want to consider my programs. My clients who want greater support and a tribe of their own often seek out my coaching programs and bootcamps, which provide the tools, support and encouragement that accelerates them towards success and turbo-charges their journey towards bliss and business brilliance. http://www.jessicaeavesmathews.com

You Win With a Business Plan

No matter how small your business idea, a business plan can help you build the confidence you need to get to opening day. Business planning is not just for large or high-growth ventures, and it really shouldn’t be put off until you need to borrow money.

As healthy as the planning is, many small and microbusiness owners will put it off as long as they can. And it’s easy to understand why. Business planning involves the tedious process of organizing your thoughts and getting them onto paper, more likely into a word processor. It includes a whole whack of potentially unfamiliar activities, such as researching, writing and building a credible set of financial projections.

Indeed, why would anyone knowingly put themselves through such pain? Thankfully, the benefits far outweigh any negatives. Here 11 ways you will win by taking the time to develop a business plan:

You know where you’re going
You will have a roadmap or blueprint for your business
You will have a document to look back on in order to measure your progress
A plan will help protect your investment and equity from loss
You will find out if your idea will work
You can discover and solve problems before starting the business
You will build confidence in your business idea
The plan can help you get financing
You become the expert for your business
You will prove your business case
You will have a document to use for communicating with others, family, partners, investors, bankers

Business planning can appear larger than it really is, until you step up and embrace it. Think of it as a cost-effective learning process for anyone aspiring to operate a successful business in today’s complex global work environment. A business plan can be a giant step toward making your dream business a reality.

Planning your business doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time or money, and you don’t have to go it alone. Two local agencies that do a great job of helping entrepreneurs get started are the Community Futures Development Corporation at 562-9622, and the Aboriginal Business Development Centre at 562-6325.

Whether you are thinking of starting, buying or growing a business, I urge you to first develop a business plan. Once you take the plunge, you might just have fun doing it!

After all, it is you who really wins with a business plan.

Marketing Ideas For Vitamins And Supplements Business

With people becoming more health-conscious, the market for vitamins and dietary supplements has increased significantly. Customers are given an exciting array of choices, with many different brands competing with each other and offering better products at fairer rates.

People use vitamins and supplements to lead healthy lives, with greater energy and vitality, improved memory and strength, and improved nutritional quality. Nearly everyone makes use of vitamins and supplements these days.

Manufacturers of vitamins and supplements face stiff competition because there are so many firms offering various combinations of products for the target customers. It is imperative that your advertisements be unique and informative, inducing customers to buy and use your vitamins and supplements. The advertisements have to be consistent and convey the message intended to the customers to choose your brand over others. You can do this by listing the benefits of using your brand and may attract customers by offering freebies that are useful.

Some Marketing Ideas for Vitamins and Supplements

Infomercials on TV, which if implemented correctly, can have a great ROI. It helps people become familiar with your brand and will help them choose your brand the next time they buy vitamin or supplements.

Having advertisements appear in health-oriented magazines as well as other magazines. They have to be frequent, as repetition is the essential ingredient to advertising success.

You can have brochures of your vitamins and supplements be made available in the local gyms and beauty parlors and spas, clinics, and supermarkets, etc.

Forming partnerships with pharmacies is another marketing idea. Having signboards and fliers advertising your products and brand name can influence many customers.

Using medical representatives to entice practicing doctors to prescribe your brand of vitamins to patients.

Using celebrities to endorse the vitamins and supplements. This has a very high ROI, as many fans will follow through.

Organizing health camps and awareness camps and offering the services of doctors for free can be very effective ways of marketing your products.

Using trade shows to promote your brand name and products.

Giving out educational leaflets in schools and colleges can influence some customers to try your products.

Using MLM to sell your products can be successful, too.

Develop catch phrases that will stay in the minds of customers and bring uniqueness to your products.

Opting to have referral programs with affiliate services. This may be very advantageous. You may have a website to promote your products, too.

These are a few marketing ideas for vitamins and supplements. There are firms that offer services as well as products to help run a successful business.

Writing Your Business Plan? Don’t Forget Your Own Professional Development

This may seem obvious to more serious or experienced individuals who are climbing the ladder of success, but one must endeavor to stay current and invest in professional development. Many of the business plans that I review fall short in this area, and a lack of vision at the outset of the planning process can eventually be fatal to the enterprise.

When a prospective entrepreneur shows me a plan that cuts corners in important ways, I become concerned. Going “bare on health care”; family members working for free; no plans for time off; delayed or unpaid salaries; a statement that marketing will all be done by “word-of-mouth”; and no budget for professional development: one or more of these is a sure-fire tip-off that there’s trouble ahead on the entrepreneurial railway. You see, if a product or service which is to be offered is really viable, it stands to reason that the business would be profitable enough to support necessary business expenses, which include creating an environment that is suitable for human beings, as compared to machines.

In addressing the subject of “professional development,” we might divide it into two sub-topics: How does one “do it?” and “What are the benefits that cost-justify the investment?”

How exactly does one “do” professional development?

For the past couple of years, I have purchased an average of two or three books per month, which are related to a subject area that is of interest to me, either at a book store, or when a book club circular associated with this area of interest is delivered to my mail box. The reason I have not specified my area of interest is that it doesn’t really matter, relative to the overarching point, which is: You should buy books that address a topic of interest of your own, and read them. This practice (virtually made into a “habit” because of the book club) costs me about $50 dollars per month.

I also subscribe to about two dozen periodicals (journals and magazines). Some are industry specific, some are business magazines, and some are consumer magazines. Some are paid subscriptions, and some are complimentary subscriptions based on my ties with certain industries or subject areas (and some are included in membership fees). My paid subscriptions cost about $300 per year.

It is also very important to attend conferences and workshops. If one goes as a speaker, he or she can use the visibility of the conference platform as a means to network, create a reputation for having a certain type of expertise, learn from others who have different viewpoints or specialties, and justify travel expenses. If one goes as an attendee, he or she can accomplish many of the same objectives, sans the visibility of being on the official program. Conferences vary widely in price, but several hundred dollars for conference fees, and $1500 for food, lodging, and travel might be typical for a four-day national conference. Regional conferences are typically less expensive across the board, as they are held at less expensive facilities, have smaller conference fees, and may be within driving distance. I plan to attend a one-day workshop in Atlanta within the next month or so. That will cost $149 for the workshop fee, and mileage expenses (about a three-hour drive). Annually, one should probably budget at least a few thousand dollars for these activities (e.g., four or five), and of course, the “sky is the limit.”

Networking soirées are all over the place. These happen in any given community as social, cultural, and business events. Organizations such as a local chamber of commerce will often sponsor gatherings that allow people to mingle and meet over drinks and light fare. Many cities have bona fide networking clubs, which are operated to provide a free exchange ideas, resources, and contacts. The entry fee for most of these events is low: $30 may be typical. How often should one attend? Oh, I’d say about a hundred dollars-worth per month would prevent anyone from accusing you of being reclusive.

Professional memberships are also important. For any given discipline or area of specialization, there are probably three or four associations or similar organizations that one should join. (Hint: discounts on conference fees, publications, and other perks are usually available to members as an incentive to join). Being an active member is also important. Try to contribute in some way, besides paying membership dues. You can participate in the conferences and support the organization’s sponsors (which keeps the organization viable), serve on committees or in leadership positions, be responsive to other members, provide pro bono services, or the like. While fees and the availability of memberships varies widely, $1000 per year would be a good place to start.

Some training is covered above in the context of workshops and conferences, but you may want to also consider taking a formalized course from time-to-time, or even enrolling in a degree or certificate program. On a smaller scale, you could buy software, take courses, and stay current on the Internet (e-learning is predicted to be a major trend). If you are now convinced about implementing the suggestions that I have mentioned above, but still looking to cut costs, you can certainly spend time in the library, and online, conducting research and staying current. I would recommend that you do not attempt to cut all of the costs, because that would mean that I am back to square one, with regard to the purpose of this article. The issue is discipline, and creating positive habits. (Remember, I said that the book club circular ensures my own habitual behavior? Meeting announcements, membership and subscription renewals, and other regular reminders will help you make sure that you follow-through with action – if you are determined to do so in the first place, of course).

What are the benefits that cost-justify the investment?

Now, some people will say they can’t afford to invest in books, conferences, workshops, and the other tools that would aid their efforts to either stay current, or advance in their careers. I would reply that it’s a matter of attitude and planning, at least to a great extent.

Can you afford to pay for your own professional development?

Well, that’s up to you, and your own attitude, and the choices that you make about your career and your business pursuits.

One’s own professional development (and the development of employees, assuming that you are still working on your business plan) is a far better investment than just about anything else you can buy. Paying attention to your own professional development, and addressing the means by which you will grow the people in your organization within the pages of your business plan will assist you in proving that you are long-sighted, adaptable, and worthwhile investment, yourself (if you are seeking outside capital).

As for me, I figure the several thousand dollars per year that I keep investing will eventually be worth far more than what I have spent. I know what I won’t have if I don’t invest: No current knowledge; no contacts; no contracts; no industry knowledge; and no ability to demonstrate that I even have a clue about what’s going on, as a so-called professional, among my cohorts in academia or the business community.

That would be a very high price to pay, indeed.

Use Crowdfunding If You Need Capital For Your Small Business

Crowdfunding campaigns may offer a lot of benefits to small businesses. They can help startups get access to a pool of prospective investors and several fundraising options. Although raising funds is always the primary purpose of these campaigns, you may also use these campaigns to gain visibility, customers, and success. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at some of the primary benefits of crowdfunding for small businesses. Read on to find out more.

1. Efficiency

If you are struggling to build your business and raise capital, you may not afford to pursue conventional financing requirements. In this case, it’s better to set up a crowdfunding campaign on a good platform. These platforms can help you get your message across to a lot of people.

These platforms can help you tell your story and benefit from a focal location that may get you a lot of potential investors.

2. High visibility

Good crowdfunding platforms enjoy high exposure. So, if you run your fundraising campaign on this type of platform, you can have social proof and validation for your prospective investors. And this will build a chain of investors for your startup. And this is what you want to grow your business.

3. Crowdsourced brainstorming

Crowdfunding offers an opportunity for you to brainstorm in order to refine your ideas. The basis of a new business is to look for something that your prospective customers may need. And you can brainstorm ideas to meet that need.

So, what you need to do is grab that opportunity and get customer feedback while putting together a plan for your startup. Crowdfunding can help you get closer to your prospective customers. This way you can engage your customers and field ideas, feedback, complaints, and questions.

4. Loyal advocates and early adopters

Crowdfunding can help you get in touch with early adopters and brand advocates. And these people believe in your product, service, or story. Therefore, they are willing to put their money into the longevity and success of your startup.

They will play an important role in making your crowdfunding campaign a success. Plus, they will get the word out about your success with their friends, family, and members of social networks.

5. Media exposure

Press coverage can attract a lot of potential investors to your campaign. Plus, it can help you raise awareness about your brand. You can achieve these goals through a print publication, blog, or a popular news station.

For instance, a feature story on a social network, such as Twitter can create a snowball effect and bring a lot of investors to you.

In short, crowdfunding has become an ideal way of validating businesses and looking for early adopters and investors. So, if you are looking to reap all these benefits, we suggest that you use a good crowdfunding platform.

Marketing Strategies: Increasing Your Business Profits

The main objective of every business is to grow and keep on profiting. Besides, what kind of entrepreneur would want to see their businesses fail? Although business has its risks, you, as an entrepreneur should know that you need to take risks in order for your business to flourish.

However, you also would never want to take too much risk on your business. This is why in all kinds of businesses, you always plan, plan and plan some more before you make a move.

As an entrepreneur you should have a written guideline for you to start your business’s marketing strategy. The guidelines are used by your business to judge your business’s actions accordingly.

A good marketing strategy should have the following goals in order to create a good marketing plan:

– Competitor

– Description of key clients

– Reasons why your product is unique

– Distribution channels

– Price strategy

– Research and development

– Expenses

– Marketing segments the company will compete in

With all of these included in your marketing strategy, you can be sure that you can really pave the road to success for your business.

Think of marketing strategy as a compass where it will guide your business to the right path. Having this kind of “compass” will make it clearer for you on what actions to take if you encounter an obstacle in your business’s path.

Decision-making is also the key in every business. With a marketing strategy, you will find that it will be easier for you to make a decision when it comes to leading your company to success. It will also help you prevent making the wrong decision.

Another advantage that a marketing strategy can provide is that you can set specific goals for your company. Whether it’s a short-term goal or a long-term goal, a marketing strategy will make it easier for you to set goals that can affect the way you run your business.

Depending on the situation, you can try different types of marketing strategies that will tailor your business’s needs. Here are some examples of the different types of marketing strategy:

– Market dominance strategy – This kind of strategy is used by companies to take control of a particular business.

– Innovation strategy – This strategy deals with the company’s rate of new product development and also innovation.

– Growth strategy – This marketing strategy is formulated to make the company grow.

– Warfare based strategies – A business competition is always there. And, sometimes your company needs to be aggressive to attack the competition or defensive to protect your company from losing profit.

These are some of the strategies that you can use in order to maximize business profit and minimize loss. Sometimes, it will be necessary for you to change your marketing strategy to cope up with the changes in the business world, such as new competitions, new technology or falling client numbers and profits.

So, depending on the situation, you should always plan on what kind of marketing strategy you should use for the benefit of the company. Running a business isn’t always smooth. There will be times that your business will be in danger of losing money or have decreased profit. Because of the ever-changing situation in the business world, you need to think of a marketing strategy to minimize risk and maximize profit.

Get To Know All About Online Business Directory

In the present online world, you will find a number of directories that provide information of different types. Nowadays, such directories are available for the people as per their requirements. They cover various subjects that include online business, hosting and many others. In these directories, you can find listings of businesses that are dealing in a specific area. A business directory features a complete list of businesses both online and offline. Many businesses look for the directories when they do not find services and products through their own businesses.

In order to enlist your services to a good business directories, you need to keep some points in your mind, so that you can take advantage without spending much time on searching. A business directory should be informative and useful with a suitable presentation. It should be well prepared and well managed so that it is easy for the people to navigate. To offer the best services to customers, update your directory on a regular basis. So, choose a directory that is placed on the top ranking of major search engines. For direct customers, online business directory is very beneficial as it provides them with all the relevant information at once.

In case, they want to make an online purchase, these online directories can give them a wide variety of choices. A buyer or a customer can easily browse through the services of so many registered service providers and select the best among them. Besides, offering a list of the online service providers, this online business directory provides many other things as well. It also includes useful business tips, links to business shows and online business news and business advices from the experts. These specialists give their suggestions on topics like business promotion, process and cost effectiveness. An online b2b directory is also a best guide that offers solutions for your business problems.

Unquestionably, a business directory is like a one-stop shop place where one can get answers to all their queries related to online business as well as other business related issues.

Painting Business Marketing Tips and Ideas

Marketing is an important part of running a successful painting business. No matter how good you are at doing professional paint work, it won’t help you if you don’t have a marketing strategy in place to promote and sell the services that you offer.

In this article we look at how effective painting business marketing strategies can help your company get the painting jobs that you need on a regular basis. We also off ideas and tips on putting such a marketing plan together.

Branding Strategy

Right from the start you should set out to develop a brand. Give some thoughts to how you want to shape public perceptions of your business. A great name and logo design can give your brand visual representation but there is much more to it than that. A winning brand strategy is to have the right attitude and to adopt a business philosophy that will ensure that you slowly start to develop a good reputation. Strive to become known as a reliable company that always meets and exceeds customer expectations.

Painting Niche Markets

Before you can start to develop a marketing strategy you need to know exactly what painting services you intend on selling. Depending on the size of your local market and the number of competitors you may decide to specialize in one particular area or to be a ‘jack of all trades’.

The market can basically divided into two broad areas, exterior and interior painting. Exterior or outdoor painting work is usually easier to get as people are less likely to do it themselves due to the perceived danger of getting up on ladders. The great thing about outdoor painting work is that customers are usually less demanding then they are when you are painting surfaces inside their home. With outdoor painting you do have to consider safety to a much greater extent though, particularly for multi story buildings. You don’t even have to limit yourself to house painting as all kinds of buildings need painting from time to time.

Market Research

Do some thorough market research and identify all of the opportunities that are out there in the market. You also need to try to understand who your customers are likely to be and how you can market your service to them in a way that they will respond favorably. Put together some customer profiles and chat to a few typical customers to find out more from their prospective. Get into the customers shoes and try to understand what they are looking for in a painting company.

Networking Tips

One great way to pick up some regular jobs is to approach people who you think are in a position to be able to refer customers to you. Try to make relationships with property developers, interior decorators, real estate agents, home staging companies, property management firms and others who are out there in the market. Other networking options include joining a local builders association or the Chamber of Commerce.

Look for other well established service businesses that have large lists of clients and regular communication with them. You may find cleaning companies or lawn care businesses that will promote your service to their mailing list for a fee.

It can be great to have relationships with other painting contractors. While they are competitors in some sense of the word, they can also be helpful. If you specialize in different kinds of painting or you work in different parts of town then you may just be able to refer business to each other. If you are lucky there may be times when you have more work then you can handle. Being able to pass work on to other painters that you know are reliable will be good for your customers and good for them. They may also reciprocate and send work your way.

One great place to meet people is at home improvement stores. The painting section in Home Depot can be a gold mine if you are friendly and strike up some casual conversations. You will meet other contractors there and you may even meet a customer as well.

Advertising Campaigns

The obvious way for a new business to get in touch with prospective customers is through advertising. Test a variety of methods that will put you directly in touch with your target market. For more information see our article on Painting Business Advertising.

Marketing Materials

It helps if you have some marketing materials to show to prospective customers when you meet them for a consultation. Have some brochures made up or at least take a folder along with you with pictures of some of the jobs that you have completed in the past. Testimonials from previous customers also offer the prospect the kind of reassurance and ‘social proof’ that they want before they sign the dotted line.

What can you do if you have not completed any paint jobs yet or don’t have any suitable photos? One great tip is to purchase stock photography from an online retailer. Featuring pictures of beautiful paint jobs in your brochure or on your website is not fraudulent if you don’t make false claims about the depicted work being your own.

Fine Tune your Sales Process

To be a huge success in the painting business you do have to have someone on your team who is able to go out there and sell your services. There are many different sales strategies and techniques and they all have varying levels of success depending on the sales person and the prospect. Learn about some of the different approaches, test them out and then find out what works for you.

Don’t be intimidated by the idea that you have to sell. Sometimes if you just be yourself, stay positive and guide the customer through a pleasant conversation about how you can help them, that’s all it takes.

Try to up-sell customers on additional painting work. Once they have agreed to hire you to paint a certain area you can also start suggesting other areas of their house or property that could do with some paint work.

Ideas on Customer Service

In the painting business you have to be a good communicator as well as a good painter. It is necessary to take the time to understand every customers unique requirements. Always give them the best standard of service and make sure that they have open lines of communication with you. This should start right from the moment they get in contact with you to enquire about your services. Try to have someone answering your phone calls in person and if this is not possible then make sure that you return calls as soon as possible.

Marketing to Existing Customers

Once you have a customer and have completed some work on their home, that doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship with them. Build up a client list with notes about each property that you have painted. You can then contact them from time to time and offer to do any other painting work that they require.

There are many great guide books available online that will offer you additional ideas and strategies for your painting business marketing. If you study marketing in general you will find that most concepts relate to the painting industry and can be applied in your business.

How To Evaluate A Business Idea For Developing An Enterprise

Why Do You Need A Business Plan?

Planning is a process that never ends for all businesses. It is extremely important in the early stages of any venture when the entrepreneur will need to prepare a preliminary business plan.

There are different types of plans that may be part of any business operation. These include but not limited to Financial plans, Marketing plan, Human Resource plan, Production plans, Sales plans etc. Plans may be short term or long term or may be strategic or operational. Whatever the type of plan or the function, plans have one important purpose; to provide guidance and structure to management in a rapidly changing market environment.

A business plan on the other hand is a written document prepared by the entrepreneur that describes all the relevant external and internal elements involved in starting a new venture. It is often an integration of functional plans such as marketing, finance, manufacturing and human resources. It also addresses both short term and long term decision making for the first three years of operation. Thus, the business plan, or road map, answers the strategic questions of where am I now? Where am I going? And how will I get there? Potential investors, suppliers and even customers will request or require a business plan.

How I Prepared My Preliminary Project Proposal

In my case, I followed the following break downs keeping each section as brief as possible.

1. Background: in this section, I established the context of the project by giving an account of the problem it is trying to address.

2. State of the art: I gave an overview of existing and emerging technology in the field, including an account of rival technologies and a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the various options.

3. Proposal: I wrote an overview of the proposed project and the approach, i.e. the activities which I will be undertaken to achieve the project objectives. Clearly establish the research element or novelty component in the proposal.

4. Consortium: an overview of the proposed manpower and establish the required ability to carry out the project successfully (e.g. skills, competencies, etc.)

5. Objectives and Deliverables: Identify (1) the objectives and (2) the deliverables of the proposed project.

6. Competitiveness: if applicable, establish the competitiveness or advantages of the proposed solution compared to other solutions, whether these already exist or are still being researched.

7. Cost: give an overview of the project cost (including start-up cost and working capital requirements).

8. Impact: this section should include:

i. Markets and Uses: identify possible uses and markets for the deliverables of the project.

ii. Benefits and Beneficiaries: identify the beneficiaries of the project’s results (e.g. the project participants, the general public, third parties) and the manner in which they will benefit.

iii. Roadmap: give an indication regarding what further steps, effort, costs and timeframes are necessary before tangible benefits can be realized from the deliverables or results of the project (unless these are realized within the lifetime of the project).

iv. Spillover Benefits: identify any secondary benefits of the project (e.g. facilitating participation in funding programmes, improving Malta’s ranking, strengthening Malta’s reputation in a particular area, etc.)

Preparing a Detailed Business Plan

Stages of writing a business plan are: After deciding to go into business, before starting the business and when updating is required.

Business plans can be written for retail business, wholesale business, service business, manufacturing and any other type of business.

A business plan is written by doing the following:

Identifying all the questions that could be asked about the business.

Determining what further information needs to be gathered to answer all the questions.

Obtaining all the necessary information.

Comparing various alternatives

Making a decision on each question.

A business plan should:

Have a good appearance

Provide an index

Provide a summary

Number each copy

Be signed to show who is submitting it.

Depend on the nature of the business.

A business plan should be organized to carry a cover page, table of contents, executive summary, business description, Marketing plan, organizational plan, operational plan, financial plan and appendices.

Outline of a typical business plan is as below;

1. Title: Feasibility study Report on______________________

Commissioned by_________________________

2. Project consultants

3. Table of contents:

Executive Summary

The Report

Project Background

Objective of study

Project description and

Loan advancement

Promoter

Location

Market and marketing plan

Potential customers

Competition

Pricing

Sales Tactics

Advertising and Promotion

Distribution.

Technical Feasibility and management plan:

Factory

Machinery

Overhead charges

Packaging materials

Raw materials Manpower and Labour costs.

Financial Projection/Feasibility:

Overview on capital requirement

Financial plan

Projected cash flow

Projected profit and loss account

Projected balance sheet

Break-even analysis

Source and application of funds

Organization Plan:

Form of ownership

Identification of partners/Principal shareholders

Authority of Principals.

Management team background

Roles and responsibilities of members of organization

Assessment of Risk:

Evaluate weakness of business

New technologies

Contingency plans.

Schedules:

12 months projected sales

12 months projected purchase

Fixed Assets and depreciation schedule

Profitability index.

Thanks for reading