5 Business Tips
The 20th October 2017 marked my 9th year in business as Sharyn Munro Virtual Assistance. In that time, I’ve learned a lot about running a business, and although I’m far from an expert, here are 5 things that I think are really important:
1. Get a brains trust
Find some people to talk about your business with. I think it’s best if they have different views and values to yours, so you get a range of knowledge that you can pick the ideas that work for you from. Stay clear of people who will put you down, rain on every parade or have an overwhelming cynicism. That horrible little voice in the back of your mind will probably play that role for you so don’t duplicate it externally.
2. Work with the right people
The right people are so important, whether they’re your suppliers, contractors, co-workers or clients, the right people are easier to work with. While it is never easy to say no to someone, being able to say no to the people who aren’t right for you does you both a favour. You can go on to find your ideal people and so can they. So, find a way of saying no that works for you, and make sure you say it whenever you need to.
3. Brand your business
It’s not that hard, but if you have a problem with it there are a heap of experts around who can. At the very minimum you should get a logo (unless your business name is its own logo), choose colours to use on your website, logo, business cards, social media, documents etc. Other things you might want to have is a font, a language style guide, a graphic style guide or anything else that will immediately let people know that something is coming from your business.
4. Know the legal requirements
This is important! You need to find out all the legal requirements around starting and running a business in your local area. I’d suggest starting with your local council and State Governments to see what’s required. Also, check with the Australian Tax Office to be sure you’re doing the right thing regarding GST, BAS, payroll tax etc. Having a good accountant is also a great way to make sure you get on top of everything.
5. Don’t try to do it all yourself
We all try to do this. Initially, because we probably don’t have a budget to do it any other way. But once you start making a profit, you should really look to start engaging people who can help with the things that take you too long or you really hate to do. Some of the roles you might want to think about outsourcing are: Administration, Reception, Bookkeeping, Website development/maintenance, Graphic design, Copywriting, Marketing. Really, whatever would free you up to do the work that brings in the money or allows you to provide a more professional service.