Money-hacks to consider when starting your own businesses

Starting a business? Well here are some money hacks to help you get started; from identifying your target customers to directing your marketing accordingly and enabling new customers to get in touch easily.  

Know your customers

Whether it relates to marketing or developing your products and services, be sure to know your target customers. What do they need? What media are they using or viewing? Build up as much intelligence as you can about your target market, that way you’re not wasting money or time playing to the wrong audience.

Market your brand

Be sure to market your business, online and elsewhere. Harness social media to raise awareness of your brand. Social media provides a cost-effective and accessible means to market your business, helping it to be found and chosen.

In addition, if you have a website, update it regularly with fresh, good quality content for your customers, including blog and news items.  Make the most of your expertise and don’t underestimate the power this has to engage potential customers, encouraging them to explore and stay on your website.

Make the most of online directories such as Yell and Yelp, ensuring your entries are complete, consistent and up-to-date. Ensure you add links to your company website wherever you can. It may be you’ll have the opportunity to join trade organisations too, such as checkatrade that will help potential customers find you easily. Also, build contacts within your local business community by joining your local chamber of commerce or business association, helping you to market your business and get lots of useful business advice too.

In addition, look at submitting press releases to your local newspapers, whether you are creating local jobs, launching a new product or have won an award – let your local media know about it. There is lots of advice online to help you get started on writing a press release, just be sure to give your story a local slant, include a relevant photo and a link to your website too.

Stay in touch

Make it easy for you to reach potential customers and for them to reach you, by installing the right phone system in your business. Contact the team at Planet Numbers to find the right phone deal for your business, from making cheap international calls to develop your business to setting up 0800 numbers that will allow UK customers to get in touch for free. Having the right phone numbers and systems in place will help your business to grow by encouraging new customers to get in touch and making it easy for you to reach them.

Paper-free business

Wherever possible, create a paperless business, allowing you to save money on stationery and associated costs such as printing, recycling or storage. Look at ways to embrace paperless systems within your business, such as electronic payslips and invoices for example.

Don’t go overboard on software

When creating your paperless office, don’t go overboard buying computers and software for your new business, purchase what you need and not lots of extras you won’t use. Be sure to have a look at what open source software is available for you to use commercially.  Open Source software has a number of advantages over and above the money it will save you, from a good user experience to quality, security, flexibility and freedom.  You’ll benefit from software created and improved by many thousands of developers, all applying their expertise to make a better experience for the end user, like you.

Hacks to help your business

So there you have a variety of hacks to help you save money and build awareness of your brand in a cost-effective way when you’re starting your own business. From strengthening your presence online to allowing potential customers to get in touch for free and economies you can make in the office, there’s a lot you can do. We hope your new business is off to a flying start.