Many people think that if they create a website for their business or a shop or group on social networks, they will immediately find themselves in an entrepreneurial paradise. They think that profits will flow literally from the sky.
As you may know, this happens only in Hollywood films. But in reality, business people face a lot of difficulties before they find themselves on the entrepreneurial Olympus.
In this article, I would like to give some advice to people who want to build a successful business or boost their existing business. Also, there are a few tips to avoid fraud in the business.
Sales
No matter how common it may sound – it all starts with sales. Whatever kind of business you have, and whatever you make, sales are the keyword in the business.
Even if you produce free products, such as applications or digital products, you must secure an audience that will download, try and leave feedback. And that audience over time will become your customers. You must know your customers KYC and their taste. If you do not know them or even it is hard for you to trust someone with your money, there are a lot of platforms out there which can help you verify your customers in seconds through a simple and secure solution.
Business development plan
Many aspiring entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of making a plan. Preparation and planning – what could be more boring than these two stages of work? Yet, these are the most important and crucial steps. If you skip them, you can make life difficult for yourself.
The ideal option is to draw up a clear scenario for the development of your business, which includes determining the target audience, creating a product, promoting it, as well as a map of its development.
Four questions that you must answer
You must know the answer to four questions. If you do not know them, then building a successful business for you is like walking to another country. Here they are:
- Who are your customers?
- What is their number?
- Where do they get the information from?
- What is their purchasing power?
The answers to these questions are a real treasury for the business owner. Unless you want to sit in a puddle, be sure to find the answers to these questions.
Sales Department
Salespeople are one of the most important people on your team. And their selection must be approached wisely. Even if your company receives hundreds of applications a day and if your sellers work through their sleeves, the results will be depressing. This is the same as throwing money away.
Show your passion
When creating products and services, you must do it sincerely and with a desire. Products created from the heart are most successful. Even when you talk about your products, people will feel this passion.
This way, it will be easier for people to believe in your product and buy it. Also, you will not have an internal conflict preventing your business from growing by doing everything. Sincerely.
Be patient
Business is not the same as a casual job. On the contrary, it is just the opposite. When employed, you can expect to receive a guaranteed fee at the end of the month. But as a businessman, you have no guarantees. Business is that fragile ground on which you can manoeuvre and maintain balance. But stability, especially at the beginning is not worth counting.
However, the amount of remuneration from a business owner can be incomparably greater than that of an ordinary employee. Thus, you need to have some patience to be able to build a successful business.
Build relationships with the audience
According to research, most of the people decide to buy a particular product after 6-7 interactions with different brands. Thus, hoping for instant purchase of your products is not worth it. Now you need to be able to build relationships with users.
Not every customer is the same
Many people think that users who are dissatisfied with the product will certainly write to the support service about this. And put everything on the shelves. But actually, it is not.
Not everyone likes to complain about the uprights of a product. It is easier for many to refuse and choose something else. I vaguely remember the last time I wrote about errors or bugs of a particular product.
A few tips to counter business fraud
Fake payment for goods.
A wholesaler of equipment from different countries received an urgent prepayment order from a potential capital client. An invoice will be sent to the customer by email. After a couple of hours, the supplier receives payment of the goods. Without checking the receipt of money, the supplier ships the products. And then he discovers that no money has been received from the client to the account.
In such cases, frauds rely on the negligence of the seller when checking the payment, caused by the desire of managers to receive a bonus on the results of sales. It is always necessary to check the flow of money to the account before shipping products
Email interception.
If the company does not have its mail server and uses free services, they can be hacked and intercepted by important letters.
It is better not to rely on any Invoice email. Check its credibility and make sure to check bank statement.
Creation of fake documents and sites.
An example from practice that a buyer-company asks for a large batch of goods with a delay, but is ready to pay an advance of 30%. The security service gives the go-ahead. But after the conclusion of the contract, the advance payment comes to the supplier’s account not from the buyer's account, but the individual. The buyer explains that it is faster and more convenient, and the seller who received the advance is not aware of the threat. After the shipment of the goods, the buyer disappears. Therefore, entrepreneurs should introduce an algorithm for thorough verification of counterparties, checking the credentials and documents of their signatories, and in case of payment not from the buyer's account, find out the reasons.
Unfair mediation.
Often, entrepreneurs seek intermediaries to deal with sensitive administrative or commercial issues. Through friends or on the Internet, they find people willing to solve the problem. Payment is usually made in cash or through shell companies. After the advance payment, the intermediary disappears. There is only one advice – do not rely on mediators and act only by legal methods.
Conclusion
You must sign surety agreements with the beneficiaries of the forwarding companies, insure transportation and work only with trusted and large transport companies. Also, warn the drivers that in case of a call from the carrier about changing the unloading place, you should immediately inform the customer and the police about this. Although, the driver himself may be in a group of scammers.
And to boost your business, you should create a documented content strategy that includes a plan for future publications, promotion methods, and so on. So that is all for me. I hope this article has been helpful to you in any aspect.
