Small Business Saturday takes place on the 2nd December 2017 and is designed to encourage the public to support and boost small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. Small Business Saturday is increasing in popularity each year, with TaxAssist revealing ‘at least 80 per cent of local authorities and millions of consumers throwing their support behind the campaign every year.’ We have collated some top tips from experts to help you make the most out of your business!
Enter and win!
Most Small Business owners have great plans but lack the resources to turn these dreams into reality. This is why it is important to enter as many competitions as you can to help your business progress.
Entrepreneur Michael Kosmos Owner of The NXG Group advises, ‘budding entrepreneurs to enter as many competitions as possible such as the Youngtrepreneurs Network’s The Start-Up Challenge Business Competition which gives young entrepreneurs, aged between 16 – 30 years old, a chance to win up to £10,000 and vital expertise from industry experts.’
Winning a competition gives fruitful networking opportunities, helping you to fast track business success by learning from others.
Pitch perfect
Angel investors are very interested in pitches from Small Businesses that have promising futures ahead. Baybars Atluntas, a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and also ambassador of the World Business Angel Investment Forum gives his top tip on how to pitch your small business to investors in a way that makes them listen! Authenticity and honesty is key, especially when valuing your company to investors, ‘the entrepreneur needs to be transparent in their approach and should make the angel investor feel confident that they are not hiding anything. If you sense that an entrepreneur is lying or exaggerating their position, this raises a red flag.’
Presentation practice
Presentation coach Simon de Cintra, author of “Unlock Your Business Voice: How to Sound As Good As You Think” offers his advice on how to nail a great presentation that could be vital your small business’s success and achieving investment.
‘The most effective way to combat public speaking anxiety is to prepare, prepare, prepare. Getting used to the space you will be conducting your presentation will help keep nerves at bay.
This can be achieved by getting to the venue early, finding key distinct places in the room, and at each take a deep diaphragmatic breath, breathing in and out slowly. This method will help refuel your voice and slow your heart rate, helping you come across credibly to potential investors and clients.’
Crack that confidence
Specialist orthodontist and entrepreneur Anthony Lam of Elleven Dental highlights how cracking your confidence could be vital to communication in business.
‘As unpopular an idea it may be, business professionals do attach importance to physical appearance. Putting effort into your personal appearance tells prospective stakeholders that you care about the impression you give to others. Well-maintained clothes, clean hair and nails are easily achieved, but making sure your teeth look the part can take a little more effort. If you suffer from unsightly teeth it can be well worth making a trip to your dentist to see what improvements can be made. This may include a whitening solution, implants, or braces to realign protruding or crooked teeth, which may seem like big steps but a healthier-looking smile can drastically improve first opinions of you, as well as improving your confidence overall.’
Dress to impress
Often we make our first impression about someone within the first few seconds therefore it is very important to start off on a good foot. Looking the part is crucial when striving for business success; if you look unprofessional customers will go elsewhere. Fashion designer, personal stylist and businesswoman Michaela Jedinak highlights the importance of finding a style that suits and flatters YOU. Having an outfit that fits your style will empower you and build your confidence. ‘I believe that everyone is different and they should build on their own unique DNA rather than try to be a bad copy of someone else. There is the perfect outfit for everyone, it just isn’t the same one.’
Be a wordsmith
You may not think it, but the words we use make a big difference especially when trying to influence in meetings. When we say or hear particular words, we create images in our heads, which affect our thoughts and feelings. Whoever you are speaking to it is important to be completely clear about what we want to say. Karen Meager and John McLachlan, co-founders of Monkey Puzzle Training explain that, ‘Transparency’ is a common example of a word that has good intentions by suggesting openness, honesty and integrity. However the majority of the time, people actually want to refer to the term ‘clarity’ (it is not always a positive thing to be completely open and honest with those around you in the workplace; there is always something that others should not know).’
Digital delivery
Rafael Dos Santos, owner of Unbox-IT reveals the importance of having a good website for your small business in today’s digital age. ‘Your website is the first thing customers will see. You need a inspiring website that catches the eye. That keeps customers coming back for more.’ You need to ensure you are giving the right impression across all platforms. If your website is unclear or unattractive, customers are easily put off and go elsewhere. Websites need links to social media channels, encouraging visitors to engage as well as graphics, animation or videos.
‘Having a contact form on the site is vital. As a business owner, you want to make sure your shop window site generates leads’, he explains.
Take a chance
Entrepreneurship is based on risk taking, sometimes not everything is down to careful planning, and is often just a case of luck! Online entrepreneur Jake Fox, CEO of Casinopedia says that to be successful, ‘an entrepreneur must not be afraid to take risks and getting their hands dirty. They must chance their luck with new and daring enterprises, ensuring to see things through to the end. Entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk on the odds are more likely to reap in the bigger rewards.’
Further reading on how to boost your business
