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How Startups can Project A Professional Image

Creating a startup business is an important milestone, but expanding requires a professional image. Entrepreneurial drive, knowledge and talent is not enough to attract customers and the needed revenue to keep the business afloat. Transitioning from concept to a fully-fledged company requires employees, investment and a list of clients, all of which are hard to secure without a proven track record.

The key here is to make the business appear to be longer established and therefore project an image of reliability and trust.

Office Presentation

An office is an investment and important company asset. Renting, buying, renovating or designing an office space can be costly and require funds that are not readily available to a startup. Many businesses choose instead to use serviced offices or meeting rooms. Companies such as Landmark PLC provide meeting rooms that accommodate between two and seventy people, making serviced facilities ideal for a start up.

While the business may currently function from a spare room, having a professional space can be highly beneficial. It presents an image of a well established business and projects an atmosphere of trust when meeting prospective clients and investors or interviewing potential employees.

Branding

Good visual design and a memorable logo are important in order to make a startup business more memorable. For example, think about Coca Cola or Apple and one of the first things that come to mind is the branding. A logo should be used on the website, business cards, social media, advertising, correspondence and alongside the company name. Good branding can make a business appear more refined and professional.

Invest in a Website

A website is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to create a professional image for a business. No matter the type of product or business, a website is an important marketing tool that projects a company’s image. Creating a website is a surprisingly straightforward process. Simply register a domain name and use a website that offers templates, such as WordPress.

Use Social Media

Thousands of companies operate through social media, particularly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. With millions of online users across the globe, social media presents a quick way to grow and build company reputation.

Credibility is often centred around the number of likes or followers, both of which can be grown easily if you regularly create and share quality content. The larger the number of followers, the more trustworthy and legitimate and business appears.

How to Improve Your Company’s Finances

Finance is at the heart of every business, but it is also an area that can be problematic and hard to manage. The New Year has arrived and in a few short months, so will the new tax year. Therefore it is now the ideal time to get a handle on your cash flow and improve the financial future of your company.

Here are some important things to consider to help you better manage your financial accounts and thus, your business.

Negotiate with Suppliers

Depending on the nature of your business, you may require large quantities of stock or equipment. With many suppliers, you can opt to buy in bulk or if you make regular purchases, then they may offer structured payment plans. Make sure you work to create a good relationship with your suppliers, as a strong foundation will be important when attempting to negotiate a possible discount.

Deposits and Subscriptions

Many businesses request a deposit when when a customer places an order. Additionally, there are many products, such as magazines or mail order snacks that are purchased via monthly or annual subscriptions. This is highly beneficial as funds are provided upfront that can be used to take on another job or purchase more supplies, therefore allowing for a faster turnover.

Invoice Financing

Employ a third party to carry out invoice financing. A company such as Touch Financial Support will give you a great selection of quotes of companies that will purchase unpaid invoices for a fee, which can quickly provide your company with a percentage of any outstanding invoices, and then provide the remainder when it has been collected from the customer.

Grants and Funding

There are many grants and funding opportunities, especially for new ventures. Note that these will vary depending on the location, type and size of your business. There are grants for start up companies and even training, so it is worth taking the time to research possible grants. For UK businesses, look here for funding opportunities.

Analyse Your Cycles

Every business experiences high and low peaks throughout the year, with increased and decreased demand for services or products. This is particularly true in the retail industry, where a large majority of financial income rests upon the Christmas period. Take the time to analyse the cycle and patterns that your business follows. This will allow you to plot trends in expenditure verses capital and plan your cash flow accordingly, highlighting the times of the year where you can afford to reinvest or may require lending.

How to Launch a Real Estate Business

Real estate can be a profitable business if you possess the necessary knowledge and a solid financial plan. While the growth of the British housing market has waned somewhat during the past year, due in part to the restriction on mortgages in October, experts are predicting that house prices are set to rise in 2015. A potential increase in prices could equal larger profits for real estate businesses, so now could be the perfect time if you are considering a startup.

Here are some helpful suggestions on how to launch a real estate startup.

Knowledge

As stated in the Estate Agents Act 1979, unless a person has been declared bankrupt or has received a ban from the Office of Fair Trading, they can operate their own real estate business without needing a license in the UK (unlike America or Australia).

However, while an agent in the UK may not need to possess formal qualifications or a license to operate a real estate business, they will need expert industry knowledge.

Working in real estate requires excellent people, management and business skills. As well as thorough knowledge of the local market, planning laws, and legal issues for buying and selling property. In addition, a comprehensive understanding of tenant and landlord law is essential for an agent who intends to let. In this instance, the day-to-day running of business will also require liaising with tradespeople, landlords and solicitors.

Create a Business Plan

Before writing a plan, consider how the real estate business will function. The trend of online real estate companies – who market and sell properties in much the same way as traditional agents but with lower fees – is continuing to grow. These two formats require different business plans, staffing levels and premises.

However, to run a successful business, there must first be a solid business plan in place. This document should outline a plan of growth via business goals and a corresponding time period, how this can feasibly be achieved and the capital needed/available to finance this new business venture.

A well structured plan can help keep track of progress and spot any potential flaws, as well as secure finance. A business plan is particularly important for an entrepreneur requiring funds for a startup business that often needs the support of investors. There are books to help those unsure of how to tackle this document, or alternatively, search online for guidance on how to write a business plan.

BCECC’s Diplomatic Days on February 5, 2015

As the Chinese new year of the Goat is rapidly coming to us, I am pleased to invite you to BCECC’s Diplomatic Days on February 5, 2015 in Brussels as ourBelgian diplomats in China are heading back to Belgium for their annual meetings in Brussels.

During this lunch event you will have the chance to meet the Ambassador to Beijing, H.E. Michel Malherbe and the Consul Generals to Shanghai, H.E. Cathy Buggenhout, to Guangzhou, H.E. Christian de Lannoy, and to Hong Kong, H.E. Evert Marechal.

 

Subscription fee for BCECC members will be 75€/person (VAT excl.) and 115€/person (VAT excl.) for non-members. Please register online or by sending the filled out registration form by e-mail to events@bcecc.be or by fax to 02 649 04 39 before the 30th of January 2015.

CIM Bank Introduction

CIM Bank is a 22-year-old private bank based in Switzerland, with headquarters in Geneva. CIM Bank have a multilingual team, speaking more than 18 languages. Bank’s services include:

 

  • Free account opening
  • Personal or corporate accounts (for onshore and offshore companies)
  • Possibility to open accounts online only with a webcam (no visit requested)
  • Fast account opening (around 3-5 days)
  • Minimum deposit CHF/EUR/USD 5’000
  • Minimum remaining balance CHF/EUR/USD 1’000
  • Credit cards and debit cards
  • E-banking Mobile banking
  • Financial consulting & Investment advise
  • Savings account
  • Trading online (Futures, CFD’s, Options, Shares, Bonds, Funds)

Please contact us for further information: info@startupr.com