Getting Through The Tricky First Year in Business
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To run a successful business there are many plates that you need to keep spinning, and that first year especially can be tough to get through. As a new business owner, you have a lot of pressure to get it right and not a lot of budget to costly mistakes can put an early end to your venture. Here are some of the things you'll need to get right to get through your first year.
Website
Your website is vital to your success as a business. Invest in the services of a web designer and have them create you something responsive and beautiful. Ensure all of your information and social media links are present, and invest in high quality images to bring it all to life.
Security
Many criminals will actively target less established businesses, knowing that their physical and online defenses won’t be as good. Rinsed bank accounts, stolen data, fraud and other issues can occur as a result of breaches, so always have the best security software installed or work with a managed IT company who can provide the best service. A company like www.spectrumwise.com is one example. Many criminals are able to gain access to small businesses just because they use easy to guess passwords or they find out from untrusted people that are linked to it, so be sure that you're not making these mistakes. To physically protect your business, you'll need to invest in a professionally fitted burglar alarm and a high quality CCTV system.
Health and safety
Accidents are always a possibility in the workplace and can happen regardless of what kind of business you're in. However, many can be avoided by following strict health and safety rules. This involves making sure everyone has the right training, the right equipment and the right understanding of what they’re doing in their job roles, so regular training and checking employees qualifications and certification before giving them the job.
Branding
Branding is what sets you apart from your competitors, so having a clear brand image from the start will help you gain your own following and avoid having to compete with much bigger companies. Competition is fierce in business, and no matter what you do, you’ll have competition. Focusing on your brand helps to differentiate you, and therefore appeal to customers that are interested in you, it's something to work on and get right from the very start.
Marketing
Marketing is essential to your success as a business. You absolutely need to be reaching the right customers and giving them a reason to choose you over other similar brands. There’s more that goes into marketing a business than you might realize, it’s a skilled job and not something you can guess at so get a marketing expert on board your team or outsource to a professional company.
Finances and taxes
Use accounting software to track everything that comes in and goes out of your business money wise. Then it comes to filing your tax return, it will be quicker and mean less hassle for you. If you pay a tax accountant to complete your return for you, it will cost you less if everything is easy to understand and organised, as all of the information will be accessible and take less time.
