Monthly Archives: June 2017

Fast and Easy Ways to Set up Your Business Premises

June 16, 2017 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

Running your own business is great fun, but it can be exhausting. In the early days, it is best not to say no to work. You never know if that extra client you are squeezing in is going to turn out to be a loyal and long-term customer.

 

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You relish landmark moments like opening your first business premises, but to some extent, dread them too. Setting up a new office, salon, shop or workshop is a daunting, and potentially time-consuming task. But it is vital that you get it right. Fortunately, there are ways to simplify the task and get it done in hours rather than days.

Keep the decor simple

You really should give your business premises a fresh coat of paint. It does not take long and will make a huge difference to how good your workplace looks when potential clients visit.

To start with opting for plain walls with a few pieces of good quality artwork to brighten things up, and help you with your branding. HelloCanvas canvas prints are ideal for this. The entire ordering process takes minutes. Everything is done online, all you do is send them your high-quality photo, choose the size, finish and frame and pay. Within as little as a week you get your artwork delivered to your door.

Use your brand and logo in your business premises

If you are selling a product or service it is always worth having a logo made up. We are visual creatures, so remember images better than anything else. Therefore, using a logo, in your business premises, on your correspondence, website and social media accounts makes a lot of sense.

You can easily get your logo made up into a banner, wall sticker, large picture or window decal. This does not cost a lot of money and is a good way to make sure you incorporate it into your business premises.

You can find out more about branding and how to create one for your small business, by reading this article.

Rent your furniture and equipment

The next task is to furnish your business premises. In most cases, the simple approach is to rent the furniture and equipment that you need. There are plenty of companies that offer this service. Including specialist firms that rent out everything you need to set up a beauty parlour, hairdressers or another type of business. This is by far the simplest approach, but you need to be aware it can be an expensive way to do it. Therefore, you should cost it out first, and review the situation once you are sure your business is viable, and that you will be staying open in the long-term.

Rent a serviced business premises

If all of the above still looks like too much work it is worth exploring the option of renting out a serviced space. You can easily find serviced offices, where redecorating, and the basic equipment you need is included in the rental deal. For other business models like hairdressers this option is not so easy, but if you do your research you can often find that fully equipped premises are actually available to rent in your area.

 

Do you have any tips to share? Please sound off in the comments section below.

 

*Collaborative post.

Why Saying NO More Often is Good for You

June 16, 2017 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , 33 Comments

Everyday you’re faced with circumstances that will push you to make decisions. Most times it’s either a “Yes” or a “No”. The answer you give will either make you happy or sad. Of course, although nobody will happily choose sadness, there have been times when you sacrificed your happiness or peace of mind for the happiness of others.

 

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We know “yes” to denote positivity, optimism or openness to receive only the best, while “no” denotes the negative, pessimism or closed doors. Over time I realized that if you want to say “yes” to a happy, blissful life, you need to start saying more “nos”. Hard to believe? Here are 4 reasons why saying “no” is actually good for you.

  1. People start respecting you

When you are clear about what you want, never be afraid to draw the line. People will respect you when you respect yourself and your time. Drawing boundaries keeps you empowered. You will not be treated like a doormat or push over. Saying “no” will give the impression that you have a life and you have things you value. But most of all it tells people who value YOUR time. Time is an asset you can’t take back so you’d rather spend it on something more worthwhile.

  1. It’s an act of self-love

Serving people is a good thing. But you’ll only be able to give quality service if and only if you give it to yourself first. Remember the saying “love your neighbour as yourself”? Saying “no” so that you have time for yourself is a way of showering yourself with love. You give yourself, your comfort and your goals priority over others. All these build you up. When you’re strong in your love and appreciation of yourself and your mission in life, it is so much easier to be there for others. Self care and love is needed for a fulfilling life.

  1. You save time

You know how you always say “I don’t have time” or “I have so much to do”? If you honestly examine your life and daily activities you’ll observe that 99.9% of the time you could have used to do something so much more important, is spent on devoting your time to someone else. Saying NO regularly gets rid of the selfish people in your life. You’ll no longer have to deal with their unreasonable requests or fit other’s activities into your itinerary, if it is not convenient.

  1. You are in control of your life

When you say “yes” to everything and everyone around you, you’ll find your life being dictated by people. They’ll be the one who will encroach on your time and space. Saying “no” gives you the upper hand in your life. No one will be able to tell you how you should spend your day. When you begin to say “no” you will be able to plan your time and do the things you want to do. You will have a life to live and goals to pursue.

Don’t underrate the powerful word “NO”. It may be small yet difficult to say. But when you’re able to break free and make the transition, you will be the one who will live your life on your own terms and not on the terms of others.

 

Do you struggle to say no regularly?

How to Become a Successful Freelancer

June 15, 2017 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , , , 58 Comments

Transitioning into freelancing was one the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.  I exchanged my 9-5 for a life of freedom where I can earn and still be there for my family. I’m not limited to space and I work anywhere I want to, whenever I want to.

 

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With a 9-5 job, I was dependent on my boss for how much I take home every month. But freelancing empowered me to determine my income. Thanks to freelancing I am my own boss. Many freelancers get to this point and coast. However, there are greater opportunities freelancing can give you when you push the bar.

Even though I’ve been really successful as a freelancer, I know there’s so much more for me. There is so much more I can achieve and want to achieve. And that should be your mindset if you want to succeed as a freelancer.

 

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Here are 10 tips you can use to raise the bar and very a successful freelancer.

Treat freelancing like a real business

Just because you work from home doesn’t make freelancing less than a business. You need to plan, strategize and track your progress. Your freelance business is a business and you need to treat it as one. Wake up early. Do the work. Make the calls. Send the emails. Do your taxes. Invest and budget for the next month. Until you take your work seriously, no one will take you seriously.

Maintain good relationship work your clients

It’s so much easier to get your current clients to keep coming back than it is for you to get new clients. So whenever a client wants to hire your service, keep it at the back of your mind that it has be on the long term. Be polite and helpful at all times. Keeping in touch with your clients and asking of their welfare is a great way to go about it.

Put your work out there

Don’t slow down your efforts of showcasing your work. Use social media as a means of letting your audience know about your latest projects. That way you are increasing publicity. Word of mouth is a powerful means of marketing. So the more you put your work out there for people to appreciate your talent the more people will know and want to hire you.

Continuously improve your skills

There is a lot of competition and one of the best ways to stand out is to have outstanding skills. Invest in courses or programmes when you can learn about the latest techniques and develop yourself at your craft. You need to always stay on top of your game.

Pitch, pitch, pitch

I am the pitch QUEEN! I am forever sending a pitch. Waiting for clients doesn’t make the clients come knocking on your door. You have to go out there and take your business to them. Search for potential clients and pitch your services to them. Pitch from the angle of adding value or solving a problem and not with a desperate tone of “Please hire me”. Always maintain the upper hand.

 

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Network

You’re not an island of knowledge. Attend meet-ups, masterminds or conferences if you can. Join Facebook groups and Twitter chats. Socialize and meet with people in your industry. Learn from them. Rub minds together. Share your problems. This will give you a fresh perspective in your freelancing business.

Set up systems to simplify your work

Automation is the order of the day. With automation tools you get to do more in less time. Since time is your biggest investment you need to. Find a way to save as much time as you can. Schedule your social media posts, email sequences and batch up content where you have to.

Move towards generating passive income

Raise your income through programs, packages, ebooks and courses. Passive income allows you to make money even in your sleep. It is an avenue to diversify your income and move from only being a service-based entrepreneur to a product-based entrepreneur. Let’s be realistic, you can only handle a certain number of people at a time.

Hire extra hands

If you want to be successful as a freelancer then you need to have the mindset of expansion. As more people get to know you and want to hire you, you’ll have so much work on your plate. Hire people who can join your team. That way you can accept more jobs and still be able to deliver on time with good quality intact.

Give value in your community

There are so many people looking for solution to problems that you can solve. Although it’s great to be paid as a problem-solver, it’s also good to share your expertise with people who desire to learn. Don’t ever think that this will reduce your workload or patronage. This is one of the most effective ways of showing people in your community that you’re an expert and a go to person in your niche.

 

Do you have any freelance tips to share?

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