There are numerous tips on how to succeed in business for start-ups. However this is practical advice for real results from feedback from businesses we have worked with and ours:
1. Business planning
2. Test Marketing
3. Right Finance

Business planning
1. A good way to kick start this guide is to state the obvious. Most successful Entrepreneurs who don’t start with a Business Plans do one early on into the start of their business – That’s because they realise it’s a good idea. In fact, businesses always start with a business plan, but maybe just not in the way of a formal one. A Business Plan is a document setting out a business's future operational, marketing and financial objectives and strategies for achieving them. Benjamin Franklin supposedly said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” A business plan doesn’t guarantee success, but aids it. On the other hand Winston Churchill also said “Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it”.

From our experience, it appears many people seem to think that setting up a business has more to do with talent and experience than planning. However, keeping your business plan alive is what we say is mandatory. There is no use doing one and then filing it away, just to tick that box. It’s a live document. The business plan serves as a guide for keeping the business on the right track. It also lays bare ideas and opportunities you may not have previously thought of. However, you should not be rigid with the Business Plan.  It can be altered to align with changes within the company or economy itself. It serves as a roadmap to success. You can have a 1 year or up to 3 year business plan.  In fast moving industries, looking beyond a year is irrelevant. It’s advisable to renew your plan at least every 3 years. That way you incorporate new ideas and do away with the old before they become obsolete. 

It is the desire for every business owner to obtain substantial business growth. Actually, that’s not true. Some businesses were simply set up to fund a lifestyle or to remain small.  Not everyone wants a medium or large size company. However every business owner needs growth in their business. If the business is not growing, it’s shrinking. There is nothing like a stand still. If it’s standing still, it’s like holding your breath. You can’t do that for too long. The inevitable will happen. Every single detail related to the business is of importance. However, in this short blog, I will be touching on 5 key drivers for company growth and management. They are: 

1. People
2. Marketing
3. Finance
4. Systems and 
5. Operations

1. People relates to a productive working person or team. Without someone/people to run the business and people to purchase the products/services, it wouldn’t exist! According to OPOWER CEO and co-founder Dan Yates, the secret formula to small business success is hiring the right people. However, this area can be very difficult to manage especially if the employees/partners views or interest is not aligned with the business. This will interfere with the systems which is the efficiency measure to drive profits and the ultimate goal of any profit making business. What are the key performance indicators for your people? Do you train them or if you are a micro business, do you undergo training yourself.

2. The importance of marketing which does cover a very wide area relates to gaining new customers. It is one area that is often talked about, but not worked on effectively, sometimes due to time or investments required. Effective sales and marketing lies at the heart of any successful business growth and helps to achieve business goals. Your system of marketing will very much depend on your products / services and your target market. Some businesses feel they don’t need a target market. In this day and age, for any business to expand and grow, it needs to have a system of marketing which is geared towards its market. Unlike in ‘the good old days’, there’s no such thing as marketing for all, especially with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. An intelligent investment in marketing will ensure stability and growth, if combined with strong customer retention. This will therefore help in making your business sustainable and therefore also compete effectively. Our Business Consultants at RBSS will help ensure your marketing goals (or help you put them together) align with the business goals.

3. Finance is one of the most challenging aspects of any business especially new businesses and start-ups in relation to profitable working. Profit generation is the root function of any worthwhile business as it acts as a source of income, enables reinvestment for the business, acts as a buffer against setbacks and creates wealth for the owners and other stakeholders. The truth of the matter is that, whether you are a start-up business or an existing business that wants to grow the company to the next level, you may need some form of cash injection to help you on your way, alongside the right plan. But asking for money isn’t often simple. Any funder, be it a business loan, equity finance or any other kind of finance will want to see a business plan and financial projections, to help them decide if investing in your idea is going to be a profitable one, or not. The business advisors at RBSS Consulting in Romford, Essex, help companies of all sizes get finance ready.

4. Systems which is also known as efficient working is what keeps your company together, helps it grow and improve profitability. Our Business Valuation, Performance and Health Check Service is designed to help you achieve the performance and value what you would like to see happen by addressing the above key drivers. This key driver can easily be overlooked especially when the business is up and running smoothly and making a profit. However, it is vital as it expresses how effectively time, money and effort are being utilised. This, is very much the case when managed effectively as it aids a business to improve profitability. At RBSS Consulting we use an artificial intelligence business dashboard run by Runagood, an online software used for measuring company metrics to drive performance and value and benchmarks your company within your industry. As a business grows, the ability of the owner/manager to remember, watch, manage and make good decisions deteriorates unless they have the right systems in place. It does become more demanding to monitor the various systems in place and deciding how to move these systems forward. We can help with that.

5. Operations may sound overwhelming for some. However, it relates to retaining customers and is certainly at the heart of any sustainable business. I’ll refer to Operations as the ‘heartbeat of the business. NOT to be overlooked! It keeps the business ticking as it is the backbone of retaining your current customers or clients with the most efficient form of marketing. A smooth operation leads to smoother growth. If your clients or customers are happy, you will be their first go-to and they will be more than happy to recommend you without realizing they are actually marketing for you for FREE! However, there needs to be a stable balance between maintaining new customers (via marketing) and retaining current customers (via operations). To gain further insight into this area, have a look at our quick guide on how to develop your business performance strategies.

If you require further insight into these key areas to help your company grow or you just want someone with the required knowledge and experience in this area or any other area of marketing to bounce ideas off of, please feel free to connect with our business advisors at RBSS Consulting Ltd on 0333 355 1696 or drop us am email at info@rbssconsulting.com. We provide real business solutions for startups and existing micro and small businesses.

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Every business whether start-up or existing micro, small, medium or large enterprise, needs expert and valuable business advice. That’s where RBSS steps in. We provide a full diagnostic on areas of your business or field you may not have thought about, but are important. A business consultant can also be an excellent sounding board to help get you out of some very tricky situations. Some business solutions are ways to raising finance, business valuation and health checks, business planning , growth strategies, profitability and efficiency strategies, business modelling etc. These services are available to both start-ups and existing businesses.

In this blog I will focus on 4 key areas a consultant can add value to your business:

1. Finance ready
Finance is the bloodline of businesses. Without finance there is no business! Most business want to grow and profitably too. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) states that up 40% of small and medium businesses fail within the first year and a further 30% within three years.  It’s been proven that part of the reasons for business failures is lack of understanding business finance and business support, amongst other things. Our Business Consultants at RBSS will help you combat the key areas to get financial backing at the best rate and from the best source that suits your business needs.  This may be business loans (which includes Start up loans) or equity funding (whichever funding suits your business best). Help to become finance ready is crucial to put you in the best position possible for funding.

2. Understanding your competition 
Let’s imagine that you want to open a pub in Romford. After doing your research you realise that there are 20 pubs within a five-mile radius. How are you going to make your pub stand out? What niche markets do the other bars feature? Some will target millennials, whilst others rely on entertainment etc to thrive. Our researchers at RBSS will help you research your local competition.

We will do more than check out their websites. We will invite you to visit your competition in person, book appointments with them and see how they run their businesses. Ask them their challenges and pain-points. This in-depth research will only make your business more viable. You can then mitigate the threats and leverage the opportunities. These pointers will stand out more with our thorough Business Valuation and Health Checks.

3. Personal visits
Being a consultant is about giving practical information, advice and guidance based on facts and figures. Nowadays, clients expect a bit more and would like a Business Consultant to make it more personal. At RBSS our Business Consultants will visit and get a one-to-one, hands-on sense of how your business is running where feasible. This way, we can see beyond the surface and be able to advise and help beyond what you may deem as the challenges.  We will be happy to revisit or have you visit us, whether it be in person, telephone or Skype etc. to ensure you are where you want to be and staying on top.

4. Problem solving and business strategy
Business Consultants also possess great problem-solving skills to provide solutions and recommendations that will increase profitability and efficiency, which is the backbone to any business. Strategy can be over-emphasised, but a lack of it can also be bad news for any business.  You can only stumble around in the dark for so long. At some point, sooner rather than later if you have managed to survive, your business will need a clear strategy. 

Business consultants can help you with strategies that achieve your goals. Be that growth, profitability or operational improvements. 

These are all areas that will add to your businesses bottom line. So if you can resonate with any of the areas covered above or any other business related issues at all, get in touch.

For more insight on the services our experienced and professional Business Consultants In Romford provide, please feel free to call, skype or complete the form below:

Whether you are a start-up business or a business that wants to grow the company to the next level, you may need some form of cash injection to help you on your way. But asking for money isn’t that simple. Any money lender will want to see a thorough business case and financial projections, to help them decide if investing in your idea is going to be a profitable one, or not. The business advisors at RBSS Consulting in Romford, Essex, help companies of all sizes get finance ready. Here is our four-step process that we will take you through.

1. Business Goals and Mission Statement
You’ve decided to take the plunge and begin the rewarding journey of entrepreneurship. Self-employment or starting your own business is a noble calling and is not for everyone. Do you want to sell products, services or both? What are your business goals? Do you have a mission statement? If you don’t have answers to these questions, not to worry. RBSS will help you define your business goals and mission statement. This is a necessary and vital step in creating a business plan. When networking or attending a social event, when people ask you, ‘What do you do?’ you will have a clearly defined answer formulated. ​

2. Brainstorming
Entrepreneurs often work in solitude without having anyone to bounce ideas off of. Our business consultants are here to help you flesh out your concepts. It’s one thing to repeat your objectives to yourself or even write them down on paper. It’s a completely different ball game when you communicate your thoughts out loud to someone who can give you feedback. A mundane scheme can become revolutionary. You may be leaving money on the table by not considering other ways to diversify your product or service offerings. By diversifying, you increase your market share. A larger market share is usually indicative of more revenue and what business owner doesn’t want more revenue! ​

3. Research Demographic and Competition​
Who is your demographic? Where are they located? How will you reach them? What are their spending habits? These are just a few of the questions we will ask you so that you can eventually build a profitable enterprise. Many novice entrepreneurs make the mistake of asking these questions after they’ve had their soft opening. If the right questions are posed and answered before opening, businesses would last longer and be of greater good to society. Are there other businesses like yours in the area you plan to serve? Do these businesses serve the same target group? Our expert business consultants will help you pinpoint your digital and brick and mortar competition.

4. Business Plan​
Perhaps your parents will lend you money without a business plan, but a bank won’t. An investor, whether a bank, angel or venture capitalist worth their salt will need to see a clearly defined and well-executed business plan before they will even consider your solution and give you access to finance. All of the research results and questions answered will go into your business plan. This plan will be clearly formatted with every ‘i’ dotted and every ‘t’ crossed, complete with graphics, tables and examples. If you’re not a finance person, we have a consultant on staff that can generate your financial statements. This business plan will be the key in your success towards acquiring financing. 
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5. Due Diligence
There are the mundane but necessary things to make sure you have in place and up to date.  They are the more legal requirements that we have to make sure you have in place.  They relate more to the directors or owners of the company.  This is in order to comply with the Anti Money Lending and Know Your Customer rules.  They are the proof of identification, proof of address, a few months’ business bank statements and sometimes a CV for the directors. In some cases you may be asked  for a credit report.  We do this to make sure that these things don’t end up being the stumbling blocks after all the hard work has been done.  Again, don’t worry about a thing. An RBSS Business Advisor will help you make sense of all this on a one to one basis.

What type of finance can RBBS Consulting help you get access to?
There are a number of ways for you to raise finance for your business. Here we explore the common avenues:

• Peer to Peer Lenders (P2P)
• Merchant Cash Advances
• Crowdsourcing
• Unsecured loans
• Secured loans
• ​Start-up loans
• ​Invoice factoring and
• Asset Financing

 
​If you want to find out more about these options, they are explained on our Raising Finance page.
What's stopping you? Call the business consultants at RBSS now to help you get your business finance ready.

Whilst it is common knowledge and should be the goal of any business to grow and acquire more clients, as they truly say in the business world, it is more cost effective and easier to retain your current clients than to acquire new ones. However, with the stiff competition businesses face today and to help you compete effectively in getting more customers and keeping your existing ones, I’ll be focusing on five tips (not a magic wand) to help you achieve this.

1. After Service. Too many businesses are too busy looking for more clients to find time to look after their current clients who could, with the extra mile, quickly become their loyal customers. For example, if you gave great service to a client and that client loses your contacts, would it be easy for the client to find you again? How about if you sent the client complimentary, special offers, reminders or even a thank you for using our service. This would help keep you more printed in the client’s mind rather than them searching online and getting sidetracked by other competitors and offers. Clients too would rather stick with the same service provider if they were happy with them.

2. Keep it personal. Everyone...well almost everyone, likes to feel treated like a person and not just a number. Where possible include a handwritten ‘Thank you’ note where applicable. Build a rapport with your clients so they easily remember you. At the same time, know the boundaries so you don’t appear unprofessional or off-putting. There’s nothing wrong in asking for recommendations. That way you are also adding to your old clients. And always give your first name after your company name.

3. “Know what your customers want most and what your company does best. Focus on where those two meet.” — Kevin Stirtz, Author, More Loyal Customers. Basically, your target audience and business objective combined are the foundation of your business. The two therefore have to be aligned and in order for the two to stay aligned, you need to know your target market well and what your business has to offer to best meet their needs. According to one study, a 5% growth in customer loyalty can result in a growth in profits from 25% to 95%.  

4. Digital marketing. Like it or not, you really cannot avoid digital marketing to retain and acquire new clients. Engage with clients as much as possible to build a business community by engaging with your potential clients, knowing about them and their likes etc. From there you have more insights to what their expectations are, staying connected and in their minds. The true customer nowadays wants to feel connected and cared about. Don’t be a business that disengages as soon as the service is delivered. Keep yourself updated on the trends of your industry and what your competitors are up to, to stay on top.

5. Customer Service is the bottom line to a business “Excellent customer service is the number one job in any company! It is the personality of the company and the reason customers come back. Without customers there is no company!” - Connie Elder, Founder, PEAK 10 SKIN. Whatever shape or form your clients come in, they are your number one priority and all businesses need and should thrive for repeat clients. To add to that; the Southwest Airlines theory that, ‘how you treat your employees is how they will treat your customers’ sums up the customer service requirement. Make them your customer evangelists. Happy employees also make happy customers! A business cannot survive without both.

If any of the above points resonate with you or you just want advice or to share or offload any issues related to your business however small (or you may be thinking of starting a business), please feel free to contact us to talk to an experienced and professional Business Consultant at RBSS on 0333 355 1696 or email us at info@rbssconsulting.com.

​If you need any help with a business startup loan, business valuation and performance health check or business plans & growth strategies, contact us.  If you are based around the London or Essex areas, you may want to pop into our office which is based in Romford, Essex for a one-to-one complimentary chat.