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Five Steps to Grow Your Business

Whether you are responding to an external opportunity such as new customers or grappling with internal pressures, you can grow your business successfully. By building key foundations, it is possible to continually increase your profits for several years. Whilst good general management can produce organic, steady business growth, you will need to update and refresh your business with these five foundational steps in mind to see quantum leaps that are sustainable. 1. Have a vision and work toward...

Using KPI's to Monitor & Improve performance

The key performance indicators (KPIs) for one company will invariably be different from the KPIs of another firm. What both hypothetical companies share however, is the challenge of selecting which KPIs are best suited for measuring the goals and progress of their particular business model. Indeed, entrepreneurs have a vast array of reports and data sets from which to choose and select from, but that data needs to target those specific areas that are most critical to answering the questions th...

9 reasons to switch to cloud computing

Don't be left up in the air by traditional IT solutions. Check out the top 9 advantages for small businesses switching to cloud computing. Cloud computing is fast becoming the norm because storing information and using software hosted on the Internet has many advantages. 1. Save money Traditionally, a small business spends money licensing software or buying packages to install or download onto individual computers. Cloud computing, on the other hand, can provide 'Software as a Service' (Saa...

Eight Characteristics of successful small businesses

We now look at eight characteristics important to successful businesses. International researchers who have studied many small businesses have found that these characteristics consistently play a part in the success of small companies. The eight characteristics are: Owners leading by Example Having a simple business structure Information sharing among employees Staff are carefully chosen Staff commitment and loyalty A unique product or service A specific Customer focus Prompt follow...

Working out an effective marketing budget

"How much should I spend on marketing?" Most small business people ask me this question at some stage. Many small business people find working out how much to spend on marketing a tricky exercise to calculate. Generally there are five ways to work out a marketing budget for the year. Remember that these are marketing budgets, not advertising budgets. Marketing covers everything you do in your business that creates awareness, including such activities as advertising, brochures, competitions, f...

17 ways to get repeat business

Q. I am finding it tough. Sales are slowing but I can't figure out exactly why. No-one seems to be unhappy with what we do, and no competitor has entered the market. People seem to be buying less often and in lower numbers. Your existing customers are your most valuable asset. This is because it's easier and far less expensive to get an existing customer to buy off you again than to find new customers. So here are 17 ways to gain repeat business from existing customers, or to get your customers...

Finding Money Within Your Business

Most small businesses experience cash flow problems from time to time and urgently need working capital. Many business owners immediately think of the bank or loans when they're short of money. But there are other resources you can tap before you ask for that expensive overdraft or overdraft extension. The money you need might already be there—locked up in inventory, assets or your debtors' book. You can often free up funds from within your business by re-examining your business systems, an...

Work Life Balance

As a small business owner it's hard to juggle your work and outside responsibilities. It's important to run your business effectively and still have a life outside the office. You need a good balance between work and play for your health and well-being. Small business owners often fall into the trap of working too hard, ending up exhausted from the constant work demands associated with self-employment. Why you need balance Working too much without taking time out for yourself and your famil...

Combat Interest Rate rises in 3 easy ways

Rising interest on debt can be a curse when running a small business. However, there are some quick and easy policies you can start using to combat interest rate rises. Individually, small steps can add some value to a business, but when combined they can make significant differences. Think of your business like a car in development. Improved aerodynamics, fuel injection and weight loss might separately increase fuel economy, but used together they could make the car a market-leader. Here ar...

10 more quick growth tips for small business owners

Help grow your business through collaboration, expansion, improved marketing and some of the following quick tips. 1. Improve your customer service Businesses with good customer service retain consumers and attract new business through word-of-mouth. Even if you think you're already providing good service, make it a priority to provide refresher training to frontline staff at least once a year. Alternatively, hold regular meetings to discuss any issues as they arise. 2. Try out new products ...

10 quick growth tips for your small business

Small businesses can grow in boom times as well as periods of difficulty by working smarter and taking advantage of opportunities. Put these following effective tips into practise to help grow your business. 1. Utilise new technology Modern technology can save you time, improve productivity and reduce your operational costs. Make use of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media tools to market your business. Dropbox is a cloud-based service that can be used for document creation and ...

Can rental properties be ‘Business Real Property’

The case of YPFD and Commissioner of Taxation [2014] AATA 9 provides some helpful insights for self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees on the circumstances when their residential properties may be considered 'business real property'. The relevance to SMSF trustees is that real estate owned personally or by a related party generally cannot be transferred to their SMSF unless the property is 'business real property' (real estate used wholly and exclusively in a business). In YPFD the T...

Is property loan interest deductible after the property is sold

ANSWER: The sale of assets used for income producing purposes where the proceeds are insufficient to pay out the loan is quite a common scenario & typically arises where: Property markets are flat & there has been negative growth; Owners need to free up cash for an unexpected expense; Financial difficulties result in a 'distressed' sale. The good news is that, subject to certain conditions, the interest payable on business loans continues to be deductible even after the income pro...