Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Being an SEO Expert is Enough Good Reason to Start Your Own SEO Business



Being an SEO expert in today's digital world is not doubt of a great value, however, have you ever considered having your own company offering SEO and other online marketing services?

Believe me, SEO alone is not going to help you become a business owner. You need to take multiple online marketing options under one banner. Well, in case, if you don't have expertise of all; get the experts with you in partnership or else you may pay them on freelance basis.
 
Here's a detailed guide on how to start online marketing business, but to make it happen, you must have a business plan in mind as well as on paper.
Also check this detailed guide on setting up SEO business and also one on building a running an SEO company.
Most of the online marketing business owners didn't have huge amount to start and they started with very low budget; some even started with no budget so think of ideas and actions that do not require investment or else very low one!

Basics of Starting Consulting Business

You don't need to be the top expert in five or ten different disciplines in order to start your own consulting business; but yes, you must have mastered one or two.

Being a consultant you are nothing less, nothing more; just a consultant!

To become a good consultant, an in-depth working knowledge and practical experience of the subject matter is crucial.Further more, you also need to have an ability to transfer existing technical talent to subordinates, so as your consultancy business grows, you have the backup!

So, if you know your subject matter well and want to know how to start consulting business, start with targeted research.

Here are some 21 consulting business ideas; check the list to see how can you innovate your expertise into a consulting business.

If you are already on a job, it's better to know when to leave job and start your own business. In the meantime, do check details on starting part time consulting business, so you can have a smooth transition from job to your own consulting firm

Monday, June 15, 2015

How to Start & Run a Laundry from Home?

Looking to start a laundry business but being on tight budget is not letting you take an action?

Opening a home based laundry service where customers can leave laundry so that it can be washed and ironed, can be a good small business and you don't need any investment too except for a little marketing and licencing.

Do a careful research for your ideal target market before you start. Prepare a laundry business plan and keep everything in order within the document so you should remain on the right track.

While preparing the document and entering your research findings consider the following areas:
  1. You should ideally having washing machine, dryers, folding tables, irons and ironing boards at homes, however if you don't have, add it's cost after getting the best quotes from suppliers.
  2. As you are operating from home, make sure that you have enough space. Equipment, unwashed clothes and washed clothes will take up space, besides that you should have a space to make sitting area for customers who come to pick and drop their orders.
  3. Consider setting up online appointments to avoid hassle.
  4.  Some clients may want to use a credit or debt card to pay for the services that they have purchased from you. It is important that you are able to transact this way. 
  5. Make sure that the assets of your business are properly insured.
  6.  Do have back-up plan if you washing machine, dryers or irons breakdown.
  7. Consider all the legal issues associated, i.e. licensing and permits.
  8. Check out the requirements and legal issues if you are going to employ staff.
  9. Make sure to spend wisely on marketing and advertising; that's the only way you will get more customers.
So, consider these small points and make your home based laundry a perfect business!

Sunday, June 14, 2015

What Services to Offer at a Hair Salon?

For a hair salon, the most sought-after service is, of course, haircutting and styling and this includes everything from styles created with a blow dryer, curling iron or hand scrunching to tried-and-true roller/dryer sets.

But, that's not just enough to sell in your hair salon. Rather, you need an enhanced list of services including treatments and detailed hair repair options. Making an impressive list of services a part of your hair salon business plan will not only let your business get more clients, but many investors will find it investment worthy.

So, let me create a ready made list for you to paste it in your business plan and the rate card too:

  1. Cuts & Styling: List all the cuts and styles you know.
  2. Conditioning Treatments: Hair Oiling, Deep Conditioning, Balance Scalp Mask, Colour Save Mask, Hydrate Mask, Repair Mask, Henna Application. 
  3. Texture Services: Permanent waves, Partial Perms, Spot perms, Spiral perms Anti-curl treatments.
  4. Braiding: all what you can do! 
  5. Colouring Services: Partial Head Highlights, Low Lights, Combination Colour, Glazing, Colour Correction.
List them all with your pricing and you are done!

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Some Common Reasons to Become Entrepreneur


Well, everyone has their own reasons for starting up a business. For some it's feeling to change the world and for most of others it's money.

If you still have no reason to start your business, explore the list of 2015 small business ideas and you may find your dream business that could bring the motivation itself.

I met hundreds of entrepreneurs and the common reasons I found are as follows:
  • When you build something successful, it’s a great feeling, let it be your pride!
  • Have you ever been laid off, downsized, or fired? /start your own business and forget the worry of job security.
  • Your circle of friends and acquaintances always grows when you become an entrepreneur.
  • You control where your company profits go.
  • You may become popular.
  • Everyday you learn a new skill.
  • You become dedicated and determined to causes.
  • Building something that gets you appreciation brings great feeling; an especially when you receive this recognition.
  • You should get the financial independence; definitely a big reason.
  • Having a successful business means a sufficient flow of money. Trust me, money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does make finding happiness much easier.
  • You may reinvent something, like Email replaced the postal mail.
So stop thinking and start doing now!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Instil Urgency to Increase Conversions on Website

It's a human nature that they are attracted most to something rare or limited. More people will want to try something that comes in smaller amount. So, taking advantage of this natural phenomenon, any business can boost website conversions.

Whether you are working on your website conversion optimization strategy from scratch or just tweaking the sharp edges, do include this test.

Instilling urgency in your website copy and convincing readers that they must take an action NOW is the idea.

Whether you are into products business or selling services and or intangible goods, it's very important that your sales copy develops a sense of urgency in your visitors and must compel them to act now, i.e. Buy now, subscribe now, download now and so on.

The best place to add the CTA instilling urgency is at the end of the sales copy, but you can also test your landing page with CTA in the middle and even at the top right after the main headline.

How to Develop the Sense of Urgency:

  1.     Offer a limited-time price discount before a certain date.
  2.     Offer additional bonuses for free if visitors buy within a certain time frame.
  3.     Offer only a limited quantity of your products or services.
  4.     Offer a limited quantity bonus.
Think on it and you will have more ideas tailored for your business!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Success Factors for Business Growth Through Mergers & Acquisitions

At times when your business idea is actually value creating, however, due to any particular reasons you are unable to develop strategic partnerships and are also running out of finances for further growth, merger can save the business.

Well, mergers and acquisitions may always not work, but when you want to grow small business faster and the other options are closed, getting acquired sounds the most suitable idea.

As mentioned earlier, it may not be a success if you think it's easy. The process is actually intense and at times exhausting too. Keeping up the below success factors in mind can, however, get it on right track:

  1. Customer retention:  Convey them the message clearly and in a positive tone, so they stay.
  2. Staff retention; Make sure that the acquirer rehires your best and brightest staff.
  3. Product/Service Standards: Convey the acquirer clearly that these standards to be maintained to retain customers.
 Take care of these basic areas and rest will all be fine!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Having a Business Plan for Your Bakery is Key to Success

Even though you desire bakery business to be a time pass activity, a business strategy is a must so you can enjoy your hobby fully.

No matter what brilliant idea you have for a hobby or part time business, it may not work if it delivers loss. At this point should your home bakery will be regular business along with or perhaps you would like to mature the idea larger with long term, a business strategy can be a need to yet again, all things considered you will definitely help to make adoring from it.

This is all what starts with putting things on paper, a.k.a a bakery business plan. Here’s exactly what a great business strategy need to be contains.
  1. Executive Summary (including Mission & Keys to Success) 
  2. Company Summary
  3. Products 
  4. Market Analysis Summary 
  5. Strategy and Implementation Summary
  6. Management Summary 
  7. Financial Plan 
  8. Appendix 
In spite of the fact that you can make a workable and marketable strategy yourself, getting assistance from a specialist is dependably an incredible thought. With available business plan templates and samples you can compose a decent document in less time.

Monday, June 8, 2015

3 Essentials to Start a Beauty Salon Business

Commitment and determination are two essentials to start any business and be successful in the same, however, other requirements vary.

If you are committed and determined to start your own beauty salon business the three steps you need to work out before even starting are:


Business Plan: No business can function properly without a business plan; By developing beauty salon business plan you have a roadmap to success.

Funding Sources: Whether you’re borrowing money through a traditional bank loan, have teamed up with investors, seeking help from friends and family or using your own savings; you need to figure out how much money you need to get started, with a proper cost breakdown with particulars.

Mentor: Even most successful businessmen when start a new venture, look for a mentor. It’s best to find someone in the salon industry that can answer questions for you as you start and grow your business.

Get started with the above three points and you will unlock the further requirements and answers to all other questions yourself.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Build Trust with Website Visitors If You Want More Sales


Well, it's much easier to build trust than have to rebuild it!

Trust is not just the ranking factor, but ensures a long term relationship with your customers and an important element of word of mouth marketing.

So, if you are looking to increase sales through online marketing, it is important to get all the trust elements fixed right from the beginning. Small businesses that have had an online presence for over ten years and may not be getting it quite right can also consider building trust to see a huge impact in less time. And remember, there's no reason why you can't do something about it now.

Here I will highlight the most important and quick fixes to build visitors' trust, so they can be converted into long term customers.

  • Though your all operations are online, do find other ways to convey the fact that you are trustworthy, i.e. working phone, physical address clearly mentioned on website.
  • Try getting as many accreditations as possible, including association and trade body membership. Join local business groups to show you are part of the local community by displaying it on site.
  • Include endorsements, testimonials and case studies from customers on your website.
    Personalize your site as much as possible and feature real people, i.e. your staff, management pictures because when there's no face-to-face contact, it's good to have a human element.
    Security is most important part of trust, so display the payment providers you work with, such as PayPal, Verified by Visa sign and a VeriSign SSL certificate.
Depending upon the industry and business model you may add more human elements and trust factors, but the above ones are must for all!

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Landing Page SEO; An Important Conversion Optimization Factor

Did you know that your website has more landing pages than you think. Every page that intends to get a conversion is your landing page.

Well, for short term marketing campaigns, SEO isnʼt a factor, but for longer terms projects it is a big factor for sure.

For all the pages live for any extended period of time, make sure the content is optimized for maximum value.  So what you may be looking at a glance is:

  • Keep the product name in H1. It will give you some bonus points. 
  • Focus on long tail terms for your content and make sure to cover them well in page content and meta tags.
  • Have a pure optimized HTML.
  • Provide a valuable resource to gain links
    Most evergreen landing pages exist just for the purpose of lead generation, so have some evergreen pages. 
  • Give away something (ebook, white paper etc) that has valuable information and can get links back.
  • Make sure to match the content on your landing page and the link title from your AdWords campaigns for relevancy and quality score.
Landing page SEO is one of the Landing Page Optimization best practices, and may not work in isolation. To get maximum result out of your SEO efforts, you have to make sure that you fulfill all other complimentary factors too.