How to Improve Your Business Image

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Admin



Does your small business project a confident, positive image? Or do you even have an image?

Here are several ways to improve the image that you project to the world (defined as potential customers).

1. Your Logo:

The first thing people see when they look at your business card, your letterhead, your web site, is your logo. Your logo should convey the spirit of your business. If you are a technical company, your logo should look high tech. But this would be completely wrong for a company selling old fashioned quilted comforters. So think about your product or service and how you would convey that as a logo. If you are having trouble, go your competitors’ web sites and look at their logos. Pick the one that resonates with you and work from there. If you don’t have any artistic ability, enlist someone who does. You can also do a lot with programs like Adobe Illustrator and Corel Paint Shop Pro. Or you can hire the services of a professional designer or artist. But whatever you do, do something.

2. Your Business Cards:

Once you have a logo design, a business card should be easy. The most important thing to remember about business cards is that the name of the individual is the most important element. It should be prominently centered, and bolder or brighter than everything else. That’s the reason you give them out, so people can remember your name. Other than that, they should include your address, phone number, email address. These should all be smaller and less bold than your name.

You can print first class business cards on any photo grade ink jet printer. Use Avery Business Card stock (available at most office supply stores); you don’t even have to cut them; they snap apart. If you don’t have a good printer, go to Kinko’s and have them printed there.

3. Your Stationery:

Again, once you have your logo, stationery is easy. Your logo and company name and address at the top. Keep it simple. If you have a decent printer, you can incorporate your stationery as a template in Word or Open Office. Otherwise, have a printer do them up for you. Make sure you choose a decent paper; nothing can do more to destroy your image than sending out a letter printed on cheap copier paper. If you have any doubts, talk to your printer about Strathmore Writing. It comes in a variety of colors; but, if you can’t think of a good reason for using white or off-white, don’t do it.

4. Your Web Site:

I can’t think of any business that shouldn’t have a web site. It is the most common form of advertising in use today. A web site does not need to be a complicated thing; but, once again, it should convey the image you are trying to show. You can use WordPress to create a serviceable site; there are lots of places that you can get templates that may convey the image you are trying to portray. Try Googleing “wordpress templates” and you should get a whole range of ideas. Some of these are free and others are available for a fee. Try to go for something uncomplicated that feels like it is right for your business.

You can also get a custom WordPress template done for you, either from scratch or as a mod of a theme you have selected.

Most hosting companies can set up and host a WordPress site for a minimum fee.

5. Your Telephone System;

You may not have considered this item, but think: What is the first impression someone gets of your firm when they call your telephone? Is it answered in a professional and informative manner? If you don’t know, pick up a phone and call your business number. Listen as if you were a potential customer.

We recommend that your phone be answered by an automated message that picks up on the first ring. Why would you want your customer to listen to 7 or 8 ring tones before the phone is answered? They might well hang up before you even answer. A simple message would be “Thank you for calling Ace Candles, your source for scented candles. Please wait a moment while the system locates someone to take your call.” It only takes about 3 seconds, but it lets your caller know that something is being done about their call.

If it is after hours and you don’t want the call to be handled, the message should say that and invite the caller to leave a message. But, if you are a small operation, and you want the maximum impact from your phone calls, have the call routed to your cell phone, home phone, or someplace where somebody can take the call. Even if you are out in the field, it is better to take the call rather than let it be handled by voicemail. Voicemail and message leaving should be an absolute last resort. If you tend to get a lot of calls at odd hours, consider hiring someone to take the calls live. College students tend to keep odd hours, so check your local junior college placement center.

And finally, if it is necessary to put callers on hold while you research their account, use that hold time to play them a message that shows them the benefits of doing business with you. This is a lot more effective than playing them “elevator music” while they wait. And, if you must play music, stick to something quiet and soothing, rather than jazzy and exciting.

So there you have five ways to improve your business image. If you are not doing all five, we suggest you get to work.

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Catchy Business Names

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Admin



Thinking up a catchy business name can seem like an impossibility when you’ve spent hours putting pen to paper and asked just about everyone you can think of for ideas.

However, to get the ultimate catchy business name, it can be a matter of doing some very simple research. The internet is a great place to start. You can go onto certain websites and type in the nature of your business and the search will throw up related words.

A dictionary is also a brilliant source of information. When you search for a specific word, very often the description will send you to another related word and then another. I’ll bet there are words and terms in the dictionary that you hadn’t even thought of!

Newspapers and magazines especially can give you great ideas for a catchy business name. Specialist magazines that are dedicated to the type of business you are in are going to be full of great ideas.

There are many different thoughts on how you should name a business. Some will recommend that you choose a name that is theme or name related, whereas others seem to think that an ‘all purpose’ business name is the way to go. Personally, I think there are many different factors that should be considered.

Is your business relating to just one topic or product? If this is the case, then a more specific name should be used. This usually indicates that you are in a small niche, so a catchy business name that is theme related will work best.

For example; Pizza hut sells pizzas. People know that when they go there, they are going for pizza. A catchy name for a thai restaurant could be ‘Beau Thai’- and how about ‘On 4 Wheels’ for a driving school?

If your business relates to multiple topics that are in the same category, then a name that covers all the products is going to work best. For example; Google and Yahoo are known all over the globe. Their business covers thousands of different topics, so the name they chose was a generic one, but their business names mean absolutely nothing. In fact it’s gobble-de-gook. But the names are catchy and people remember them.

Be bold, be humorous. People have always got a smile when they hear a comical catchy business name, and if it has caught their attention, they will remember you and more than likely check you out over the competition!

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Most Profitable Small Business Ideas

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Admin



There are a number of profitable small business ideas that you can consider. Many companies looking for investors, for example, advertise themselves in business magazines and newspapers. You can also find a number of profitable small business ideas posted in the internet. It is however important that you always check out with your business bureau to verify the legitimacy of a profitable business idea that has been offered to you.

This will help you avoid the hassles of dealing with illegal companies whose objective is just to steal money from their investors. It is best that you make a research before dealing with a company regardless if a friend or a colleague has referred it to you. Be also cautious of companies enticing you to invest on business ideas that seem too good to be true. Make sure that you seek for a business advice before signing any document to invest in particular business opportunities.

Operating a successful business

It is difficult to have a perfect formula to ensure that your new business ideas will become successful. There are, however, certain factors that you can consider to ensure that the business idea that you have will become a profitable business. Make sure that you seek business advice from experts who can give you helpful inputs when choosing for a profitable industry. It is also helpful that you have the necessary business resources when operating particular business.

Business resources do not just refer to the business cost. It also refers to the skills and interest that you need to have to make you qualified in running profitable companies. Profitable startup businesses have become successful because they are operated and managed by entrepreneurs who are knowledgeable and have natural interest in the industry that they have chosen to do business with.

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Cargo Services for Business

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Admin



Cargo services refer to the production of items transported for business gains. This is done via ship, plane, van, truck or train. In the provide situation, packing containers are used in the majority of inter-modal long-haul transport. Depending upon the mode of shipping, cargo services is divided into sea freight, air freight, freight teach and truck or van freight.

Sea freight takes plenty of forms like automobiles, boxes, break bulk, bulk, project and heavy lift. Vehicles are managed at several ports, in most cases carried on professional roll-off/roll-on ships. In a similar way, holiday bulk refers back to the material stacked on wooden pallets. These are lifted out and in of the vessel using cranes. However, this kind of freight has witnessed a decline as a result of the expansion of containerization.

Bulk freight is described because the commodities that don’t seem to be handled as separate pieces. The commodities like salt, tallow, and scrap steel that constitute bulk freight are neither in packing containers nor on pallets. Heavy carry and undertaking freight would possibly include items like manufacturing unit parts, production apparatus, power equipment like wind generators and turbines in addition to every other overweight or bulky merchandise that matches in a container.

Air freight is the fastest among all the modes of delivery utilized for shipment of freight. With the passage of time, specially designed aircrafts have been utilized for transport of freight. Aircrafts like An-124 and Boeing 747 can also be hired shipment purposes. Those massive aircrafts use loading bins similar to the containerized ships.

Trains can transport a couple of packing containers that have simply left the transport ports. They are applied for transportation of wooden, coal and steel. Typically, trains are able to pull a big amount and have a direct path to their destination. Moreover, it provides more cost-effective as well as energy-environment friendly mode of transport as compared to road. Alternatively, it lacks the flexibility equipped by means of street transport. Because of this, rail freight is incessantly substituted by way of road transport.

Cargo services generally handle packaging too so that goods are protected in their lengthy journey through air, land or water. On this connection, it must be remembered that your supplier is not just answerable for the transfer but also for its safe transit and right kind delivery. Therefore, they make sure that your pieces are classified and packaged properly.

Experienced and reliable shipment transferring service suppliers will estimate costs and supply points in time, conserving in mind the necessities of the client and the character of the goods. Because of this cargo services it also provide chain management as part of their work.

The primary objective of right shipment provider is to get the cargo delivered on time and to the precise destination. To verify this, they want to control every section of the moving process. They also make sure that the documentation procedure is accurate and neatly maintained. A good carrier provider could have a large network of providers or they could also be tied up with a supportive resource so that in case of any unexpected problems, they are able to get the work performed for the customer via choice resources.

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The Psychology of Business

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Admin



On the different aspects of consumer and employee needs that are included within the psychology of business.

The modern world is dominated by global businesses and corporate houses and any large scale enterprise requires a systematic understanding of employee and consumer demands, both material and non-material. The performance of business organizations depends on the performance of employees and the needs and expectations of the consumers, and so the ‘human’ factor is central to the success of any business. In recent years, say from the last part of the 20th century, there have been several changes in our understanding of human nature as it relates to work and performance in organizations and the primary focus in now on communication, leadership skills, and employee satisfaction. All these factors are important in enhancing the overall performance of any business organization.

The psychology of business is thus primarily the psychology of employees and the psychology of consumers and it’s the organization that is responsible for maintaining the balance between consumer demands and employee demands.

The Psychology of Employees - First let us talk about the psychology of employees. Any business house is operated by a number of employees and some of them are part of the higher management and are also considered as partners of business. The major elements that should be part of understanding the psychology of employees would be

1. Communication – Employee communication and understanding of business goals is an integral part of success and it is the duty of the management of an organisation to maintain direct and clear communication procedures through video conferences or seminars and presentations that would clearly state the mission and vision of the company. The communication between management and the other employees is thus a key aspect of employee or personnel psychology

2. Leadership – Any human resource manager or career counselor would focus first on developing leadership skills and leadership is an integral part of business because our inner leadership skills help us to break the mould and do something different and pioneering. Leadership skills in employees are important as team leaders in an organization are required to motivate other employees to attain certain company objectives. Leadership is thus closely related to motivation as a highly motivated individual will also be more likely to show leadership skills

3. Satisfaction – Employee satisfaction is an important aspect of business and we hear of several companies declaring large pay packages and incentives to retain the best talent. Job satisfaction, material satisfaction in terms of salary and bonuses, and social satisfaction with regard to the work ambiance are essential aspects of business and all businesses will have to pay specific attention to employee social, financial and emotional satisfaction. Fulfilling the needs of employees should be the primary focus of companies and this could be in accordance with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in which it has been suggested that financial security, personal safety would be very important to humans followed by emotional need for social contact and connection and then we have esteem needs for social status and reputation.

Employee psychology is thus based on these three major factors or elements of business and all businesses should pay considerable attention to employee communication, leadership and motivation and employee satisfaction as essential aspects of psychology of business that can in turn enhance performance.

The Psychology of Clients/Consumers - Apart from employees, the consumers or customers are an integral aspect of business and the business management or corporate heads will have to understand the needs of customers as well in order to expand their business potential. Consumer psychology is based on several elements and this has a direct relation to whether businesses will thrive in a competitive global environment. Consumer psychology is shaped by the following related factors.

1. Innovation – Consumers are ever curious and eager to buy new products and services and their own expectations and satisfaction tend to drive business innovation. Innovation is the direct result of consumer necessities and any innovative or novel product immediately gets consumer attention. The apple iPod or iPhone attracted consumer attention with the novelty so innovation as it relates to business has a direct impact on consumer psychology.

2. Branding – Brands indicate social status and many individuals prefer to buy branded products as these products promise quality and enhances social prestige. Women spend thousands on Gucci or Chanel products simply they want to be seen with designer clothes, shoes and accessories. Designer brands apart, regular brands for food products let’s say Kellogs or Nestle are company names which are perceived as brands signifying quality. Consumers are not just interested in innovation and innovative products but they are also interested in familiarity and thus innovative products of renowned/familiar brands or companies are the most successful in the market. Psychologically we are seekers of novelty and we are also seekers of familiarity and a certain amount of routine. Thus both these needs have to be balanced in case of consumer expectations and only then businesses can be successful. Brands are synonymous with company reputation and increase consumer confidence.

3. Performance – Company performance in terms of stock market indications, annual reports, projections of company profits improve consumer confidence and in business performance drives performance. Thus if a company’s prospects are bright and company growth is projected, the business halo effect works immediately and further improves business. When employee psychological factors should be considered to enhance company performance, performance in turn is a factor to meet consumer psychological demands. So business performance is a two way process, it is driven by consumer expectations and drives employee contribution.

Thus consumer psychology which is based on demands and expectations for products and services are guided by these following factors of the extent of innovativeness of a company, the brand or reputation of the company and the performance of the business organization. Employee psychology which in turn is also based on demands and expectations of employees highlights the extent to which they have communication facilities and the extent to which employees are motivated or satisfied in their jobs.

Thus the psychology of business has two distinct branches – that which deals with employee interests and that which deals with consumer interests and although these can at times overlap, the elements are distinct and I have tried to differentiate between the key elements of consumer business psychology and employee business psychology. Thus any composite organizational business psychology will consist of both these aspects of employee personal development through human resource management consisting of elements of motivation/leadership, communication and satisfaction; and expansion of consumer base through organisational goal achievements through performance, innovation and branding.

Apart from the elements discussed here, business psychology involves a whole gamut of psychological aspects considering needs of consumers, employees and the organization in general and this is also closely related with advertising, marketing, and business orientation and objectives of a company. In fact business psychology should also include company strategies as basic elements of an organizational psychology as well. Thus business psychology is comprehensive including consumer needs and employee needs and although these needs may encompass organizational needs, a distinct organizational psychology could well be drawn out from this and I will take this up in a latter discussion of this ongoing series in psychology.

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Business Process Automation

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Admin



Do you conduct or manage your business, just take close look at some of the daily activities that you or your employees generally perform to run your business operations. If you try to observe or study your own business daily doings, you may find that most of the tasks that you perform are repetitive as well as tedious in nature and so a proper automation procedure is required that can effectively automate the entire process with zero involvement from you. Business process automation also known as BPA is thus defined as a process that focus on streamlining and automating key processes that help in driving the value for a organization. It consists of integrated applications and cuts down the labor cost wherever possible. Gaining its popularity, this process is also defined as technology components that have the ability to substitute manual process and further manage the flow of information to reduce cost and increase consistency.

Looking at the present scenario due to rigorous demand in the market, many enterprises are planning to deduce costs and in-turn increase shareholder value. As a result in order to survive in such competitive environment, businesses can have significant cost reductions and efficiencies by automating business process flows and eliminating non-value-adding human interventions. Business Process Automation software enables organizations to design, implement, observe, and constantly upgrade business processes that span organizational boundaries.

Talking about some of the major benefits of BPA, it makes business operation faster and easier. Apart from this it also automates the intricate processes mostly involved in running projects, programs and managing resources across the lifecycle. In fact it is the most inclusive workflow engine in the industry and offers the most elasticity for corporations in spite of organization size.

However, it is important to note that this process can deliver profit to any organization only with a combination of process re-engineering and technology along with organizational structure that can support both. In addition to this, BPA features three important pillars like: orchestration, integration, and dynamic process automation and combination of these three elements further enables organization to simplify and automate business processes despite of scale and intricacy of any business operation.

Orchestration facilitates business managers to work together on automated process designs using easy-to-use and intuitive interfaces. But orchestration must assemble and transform data/events into actionable information which further smooth the progress of proactive decision-making. Nevertheless orchestration is not useful in the absence of integration, so integration is must to change and replace critical data that affect the decision-making of humans and machines. Since most of the business processes consist of different systems, varied environments, and multiple applications, so an effective integration plays a vital part in business process automation.

The final element of business process automation is dynamic and automated execution across multiple systems. An effective automation finally enables organizations to eliminate repetitive and manual tasks. Automation integrates control over the development process to eliminate the hassles of managing and maintaining code over the long term.

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Honest Online Business Search

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Admin



Have you been searching for an honest online business? Well, don’t give up as they really do exist. There are lots of scams, but there are also real, legitimate, ethical, honest online business opportunities out there that give you that “work from home” job that you’re searching for.

I have been working online for many years and as a result I get the opportunity to talk to many people about online business and how they can be their own boss and work from home. While I enjoy talking to people about it, I also get frustrated at how many have a bad opinion regarding the existence of an honest online business. Unfortunately the scams run abundant and there are many easy targets out there.

It’s really not that hard people. Business rues have been abundant long before the internet came around. People have been buying into business scams in person, over the phone and by snail mail. It just seems more prevalent now as more people look to the internet and its promise of quick easy money. That’s the problem – quick easy money.

Come on folks, do you really think that there is any get rich quick thing out there? If it was, wouldn’t everyone jump on it? Then were would the money come to make everyone rich? An honest online business is simple. It’s a legitimate business that is run online. Do you know of any business that doesn’t take work? Take time to build? Have a learning curve?

To find your honest work from home business, you have to take your time and investigate. Yes, I hear this from many people who have lost their money: “I did check them out”. Yet in most cases they read a couple of sales letters, looked at a web site, and poof, they paid. Now they wonder why there money is gone. They found a get rich quick business… one that got the person that sold the “business” rich.

Please take the time to research and find a business that has people to talk to, lots and lots of information, up front, before you spend a dime. If it’s a legitimate honest online business they are going to be very willing to give you all the answers. Would you buy a local business without checking it out in detail?

Don’t think you are going to walk in and retire in a month. This is a business and it takes time and lots of work to make it a success, just like any other business. Working online is liberating and lucrative, but its still work. Sure you can work in your sweat pants all day, but you still have to put in some time each day.

Look for a business that gives you a complete education to go with the business. If they are a legitimate online business they will have a full education for you to help with your success, and they won’t be telling you that you will be rich at the end of the month. They will likely be telling you that it will take some time, and it will depend on YOU and what you can put into it to make it a success.

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How To Create An Effective Business Development Strategy

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Admin



The Business Development Strategy is used to underpin your main Business Plan and essentially it sets out a standard approach for developing new opportunities, either from within existing accounts or by proactively targeting brand new potential accounts and then working to close them.

This document highlights the key issues you should consider prior to compiling your own plan and will hopefully guide you logically through a proven framework.

The key word is ‘Strategy’, because you are creating a workable and achievable set of objectives in order to exceed your annual target.

Your Starting Point:

The key words are Who? What? Where? When? Which? Why? How?

For example:

Who – are you going to target?

What – do you want to sell them?

Where – are they located?

When – will you approach them?

Which – are the appropriate target personnel?

Why – would they want to meet with you?

How – will you reach them?

If you have conducted regular account reviews with your key accounts during the previous twelve months, you should be aware of any new opportunities that will surface during the next twelve months. You will also, when assessing what percentage of your annual target usually comes from existing accounts, need to review data over the last two or three years. (It is likely that you can apply Pareto i.e. 80% of your business will probably come from existing accounts and in fact 80% of your total revenue will come from just 20% of your customers/clients)

You will be left with a balance – i.e. “20% of my business next year will come from new opportunities” – therefore you can then begin to allocate your selling time accordingly.

Ideal Customer Profiling:

Pro-active business development demands that we create an ideal target at the front end – i.e. an Ideal Customer Profile. The essential characteristics you will need to consider are:

- Industrial Sector

- Geographical Location (Demographics)

- Size of organisations (Turnover, number of employees etc)

- Financial Trends

- Psychographics – i.e. Philosophical compatibility

Many strategic sales professionals merely profile their best existing clients and try to replicate them – there’s nothing wrong with doing this but we should always remember that we are seeking an IDEAL and we can always improve on what we already have.

‘New’ Opportunities From Within ‘Old’ Accounts:

Because it costs approximately ten times as much, to first locate and then sell to a new customer as it does an existing one (although these costs are rarely reflected in the cost of sales), it is essential that we fully develop our existing accounts working upwards, downwards and sideways, thus making the most of the (hopefully) excellent reputation we have developed already.

Most corporate accounts have several divisions, departments, sites, even country offices and you must satisfy yourself that you have exhausted every possible avenue. Don’t be afraid to ask the question “Who else should I be talking to in your organisation”?

Developing New Opportunities:

There are a number of ways in which we can target new opportunities e.g.

o Direct Mail

o Telephone Canvassing

o Researching Archived Files For Customers Who Used To Buy From Your Company

o Exhibitions

o Seminars

o User Groups

o E-Mail Campaigns

o Referrals

o Qualified Leads

o Advertising

Not all of these will be appropriate to your particular industry, but you should not be afraid to experiment – i.e. challenge the paradigm – and do not accept that just because a particular idea has not worked in the past that it will not do so in the future. (Remember when you were learning to walk – it didn’t work first time then!)

The important thing is to make an early decision in terms of what you are going to try and then build this (those) ideas into your master plan.

A Typical Business Development Plan:

You should plan out the whole year and review / revise quarterly.

o List your existing accounts and plan what activities / actions need to be completed in order to fully exhaust all opportunities. You may for instance, plan to cover more bases within the decision making unit or contact associated companies or offices. The Strategic Account Profile can be used as a prompt.

o Begin to target new accounts using business directories etc. and set targets per week / month / quarter i.e. I normally allow for eight hours per week as a minimum (Don’t forget to continually refer back to your Ideal Profile)

o Then build in what assistance you need from your marketing function – i.e. qualified leads, seminars, exhibition attendance etc.

o Finally share your plan with your manager and then commit to it.

You should also measure it against S.M.A.R.T.E.R. i.e. is it.

S.pecific

M.easurable

A.chievable

R.elevant

T.imed

E.xciting

R.ecorded

Linking With Your Commercial Plan:

I have suggested that your Business Development Strategy, would link with your Master Business Plan but logically you should also integrate it into your Commercial Kit(this is a document that outlines your monthly,quarterly and annual targets) – specifically the areas that deal with new business generation, account management and development, four tier account lists etc.

These three documents when combined should drive and guide you through the next twelve months and beyond.

Summary:

As I have said often enough “People do not fail because they planned to fail but rather because they failed to plan”

The man who knows where he wants to go is more likely to get there, he just has to decide how to get there. All plans are essentially maps and guides; the strategic element is the ‘How’.

Do be prepared to change course, flexibility is key, and don’t be afraid to experiment, look outside the square.

Copyright ? 2008 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

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Has Business Dress Changed?

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Admin



The other day I was pondering the question as to whether professional business attire has really changed over the years.

Without a doubt the major change has been with the introduction of “business casual”.?This movement started in the 1990′s with the casual dress style of high technology in the Silicon Valley.?Today it has spread to most of the work force.?Apparently 90% of all businesses have some form of business casual. ?

But has professional business attire really changed??For men it has stayed pretty much the same.?A man’s suit is still the official business dress and little has changed over the past 100 years.?The changes occur in the details, the width of the lapel, cuffs or no cuffs, vest or no vest, cut of the suit, color selections and tie width.?Men seem to have it easy.???A shirt, tie and suit are always correct. ?

Women’s professional business attire has also remained consistent.?When you think about it the components are still the same.? Always correct are?the 2 piece skirt suit, pant suit, dress with jacket, and dress.?Women have far more fashion choices and fads to deal with that complicate matters, and this?sometimes leads to inappropriate choices in office attire.?Like men’s clothing the basic components are the same, with skirt lengths fluctuating, shoulders and lapels getting wider or narrower, silhouettes changing and colors that come and go. ?

The bottom line is stick to the basic components, and interpret the trends to stay current, fashionable and most of all professional.

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10 Tips On How To Start A Pressure Washing Business

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Admin



Starting a real pressure washing business can be hard work if you don’t know the proper steps to take. So to make things a little easier, just use these 10 tips as part of your plan.

1) Be certain you enjoy the work. You are going to be devoting a lot of time and energy to starting your new pressure washing business and building it into a successful venture, so it’s vital that you truly enjoy the work. Whether you’ll be doing the physical labor yourself or just running the business end of the company, you better be sure you enjoy it or you’ll be burned out before you even get started.

2) Have your personal finances in check. Starting a new power washing business can be tough. Realistically it may be awhile before your new business actually makes any profits. Make sure you are financially ready because the lack of finances will put strain on your family and your new pressure washing company.

3) Don’t do it alone. It’s imperative and usually overlooked, that you have a support system while you’re starting a business (and afterwards). A family member or friend can be someone to bounce ideas off but be sure they give you positive feedback; some people will actually drag you down and tell you that you’re idea is crazy. Find a successful business owner that can serve as a mentor, someone whom has what you want. Talk with other contractors in the pressure washing industry for support.

4) Get some customers first. Don’t wait until you’ve officially started your business to start looking for customers, because your business won’t survive without them. Do the networking, make the contacts, sell, or even volunteer your services just to get things rolling and to give you some practice. You can’t start marketing too soon. The phone is not going to start ringing just because you bought $10,000 worth of power wash equipment.

5) Write a business plan. The main reason for writing a business plan first is that it can help you to avoid wasting your time and money on starting a business that will NOT succeed. Your business plan should contain your company’s purpose, goals, budgets, projected income, customer demographics, market analysis, advertising and marketing plans.

6) Do extensive research. You’ll do a lot of research while writing a business plan, but that’s just a start. Unless you are already an expert, you need to become one in the pressure washing industry, cleaning products, equipment, services as well as the techniques and methods for doing the work. Joining related message boards, forums, and attending networking events are great ideas.

7) Hire professional help. Moreover, just because you run a small business, does not mean you have to be an expert on everything. If you’re not good at accounting or bookkeeping, hire one (or both). As a new pressure washing contractor you’ll be tempted to wear many hats but you’ll waste more time and money in the long run by trying to do things yourself that you’re not qualified to do.

8) Have some capitol lined up. Save up if you have to or approach potential investors and lenders. Figure out your financial safety net plan. Don’t expect to start a professional pressure washing company on a shoe string budget. Fly by night companies do this all the time and that’s why they are gone as fast as they came. To do this professionally you have to look professional, and that will cost some money initially.

9) Be professional from the get-go. Everything about you and the way you do business needs to give people the perception that you are a professional contractor running a serious pressure washing service. That means getting all the trimmings such as professional business cards, a business phone, a professionally designed logo, matching paper work, lettered vehicle, insurance, and treating people in a professional, courteous manner.

10) Get the legal and tax issues right the first time. It’s much more difficult and expensive to detangle a mess afterwards. Register your company with your State. Find out about licensing. Make sure you have the proper amount of general liability, commercial auto, and workmen’s compensation insurance. How will the entity of your business affect your income tax situation? Consult with an accountant or lawyer as to what business formation you should set up. Learn what your legal and tax responsibilities are before you start your pressure washing business and operate within the law.

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