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Tips To Save Money In Your First Year Of Business

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Crystal M. Wilson
Tips To Save Money In Your First Year Of Business

You have probably done this a thousand times: you have looked at the economy, wondered how you will survive during these tough times, then went home and considered starting a small business. Will it survive?  Will your new business thrive? The most successful small businesses are those that understand the importance of cash flow, especially during the first year of operations, and the way it affects the way they should conduct their business.

  1. Setting an example

Starting a small business is more difficult during a downturn because businesses are smaller and cannot afford to expand. Many companies will shut down during this time; therefore, there is less liquidity, and capital outlay is reduced. You can successfully begin a small business during difficult economic conditions, but you have to know what to look for. Ask around, develop a strategy, and assess the risks you face.

The most important thing to look for is competition. What are your larger competitors doing? What are your customers going for? There are several reasons why customers will go for your products or services. These include lower prices, better service, faster delivery, better quality, and loyalty.

Startup costs are not cheap. Most small businesses do not have deep pockets to tap into. If you want to get the most out of your startup investment, you should consider investing in a few business loans or private funding sources.

When it comes to setting up an effective business plan, you should consider overhead costs. Overhead costs can eat up a big chunk of your startup investment. A good way to save on overhead costs is to consider outsourcing some of these tasks to paydays. Some companies offer payroll services to businesses so you can manage all of your employees' paychecks. Depending on the type of business you are considering energy costs can make up a good portion of your overhead.  Again planning wisely can help there.  From selecting energy-efficient trucks to picking the lowest-cost electricity providers, there are many ways to conserve your cash through better energy choices.  There are many overhead costs involved in owning and operating small businesses and having a good business plan can help you avoid them.

 

  1. Move away from traditional marketing

 

If you want to save money the first year you are in business, there are several non-traditional marketing techniques that you should be taking advantage of.  The object of most of these methods is to boost the number of people that visit your website. One of the most effective non-traditional methods is blogging. Blogging has become an extremely popular means of communication because it is free, it is easy to set up and most importantly, it attracts viewers from all walks of life. People are more likely to listen to what you have to say when they see you online speaking your mind. Not only will blogging attract a new audience, but it can also keep old ones coming back for more as well.

Another one of the non-traditional marketing techniques that you should be using is experiential marketing. An experiential marketing campaign basically means that you have to do something special in order to attract people. For instance, you could set up an experiential marketing campaign where you go out and hold a promotion or event for free. You would then collect money via your website, your phone and other methods. People like to help others for free and you will see them return to your site with much more information than ever before.

Other non-traditional marketing techniques that might fit your business include such methods as social networking, print media and even direct mail marketing. Social networking has been proven to be very effective as well as print media while direct mail marketing has proven not to be very effective at all. If none of the traditional methods seem to work, you should definitely consider trying non-traditional marketing techniques. They may just surprise you!

 

  

  1. Remote working

Remote working is really just a fancy name for ditching a traditional office and working from home.  Depending on the kind of business you are planning to start, you may be able to save money simply by using the services of remote workers. Remote workers are independent contractors that are paid on a per-job basis through an Internet-based employment site. You can hire these workers and give them access to your computer equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, and any other office equipment that you currently have.  Depending on your business plan, you might be able to get away with having no traditional office at all and rely entirely on a disbursed workforce all working remotely.  If you feel like you need a physical office to interact with your customers, you may still be able to get away from the big overhead associated with office space by using an office share company to rent a tiny or shared space, while most of your staff continues to work remotely.  

 Bottom Line 

Most businesses that fail do so in the first 12 months of operations.  By planning carefully, and conserving your cash during this crucial period, you will increase your chances of starting a business that will last for years, and maybe even generations.

 

 



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Crystal M. Wilson
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