A Closer Look At The Steps Of Revenue Can Help You Get A Lot More Of It

measure your revenueAll businesses need to begin with a good idea and a target market that can sustain it. You may very well have those, but you’re still not getting the kind of revenue in return that you hoped for. Was the enterprise just doomed to fail? Most likely not. Instead, you might have to look at the different steps of acquiring revenue a little more closely and make sure you’re maximizing the potential of every one of them.

The source

Your revenue source is going to be the most important part of the question. You might find yourself hitting the cap on the streams you already have and finding you need more. In that event, you must start looking at the opportunities for new business. New product variations, new locations, new additional services. You don’t have to radically change the business to find a source for new business. You can even look into using the brand in new ways, like selling your expertise to other business owners.

The customer

Being competitive with your prices sounds like a realistic tactic for taking on some of your more established competitors. But the truth is that customers are often willing to pay more than we expect them to. They’re willing to pay it when a business truly invests in better customer service and more interactive communication. A study showed that 39% of customers feel that most companies feel to live up to their expectation of customer service and that 73% are willing to pay more for better service.

The payment

As important as the customer service is how the customer actually pays. In many ecommerce platforms, poor user interfaces can confuse the purchasing process, leading to what’s known as shopping cart abandonment. But the actual payment methods can be just as big a sticking point in both ecommerce and brick and mortar business. If you’re not looking at service providers like PayPal and sites like creditcardprocessing.xyz, you might very well be looking at the prospect of losing customers who don’t like having their payment options limited. Make your payment process simpler and more flexible. That’s an easy way to unlock more revenue if you have a happy customer base.

The return

That happy customer base needs a lot more attention, too, not just the new consumers you’re trying to welcome to the business. It takes considerably less investment to retain customers than it does to convert them. Nowadays, services like loyaltylion.com are boasting stats like contributing to 5.3% or 6% of a business’s annual income, which can be a huge boost. A focus on incentivizing customer returns also has the knock-on effect of creating brand fans that then go on to lead to more new customer referrals, too. It can very well hit two birds with one stone.

The more value you provide, the easier it becomes to capitalize on that value, and the more you go on to keep delivering it, the more money the business will make. Keep the tips above in mind the next time you’re thinking of how to start making more money.

Top 3 Fastest Growing Investments In 2017

investments measureEach year we see certain things come to the forefront of the investment and trading world. These things grow in value quickly and are predicted to keep increasing in value into the near future. As such, they’re perfect investment opportunities for anyone looking to get in early and cash in when the assets peak.

In 2017 many things are catching the eyes of top investors, and we’ve narrowed down the list to these things down below:

Amazon

When it comes to the fastest growing stocks in 2017, Amazon.com is right up there. This has really been the year that Amazon has started to kick start a few new projects. Their video streaming service is improving as they add more exclusive TV shows and movies. Not to mention they’ve also acquired the rights to stream various sporting events live on Prime Video too. Then, there’s their biggest move yet which saw them buy Whole Foods. With so much diversification all in one year, the future looks very bright for Amazon. Experts predict the share prices will rise considerably, so this is the time to get involved and earn a piece of the Amazon pie.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the world’s most famous crypto currency, and it’s really skyrocketing in 2017. It’s fair to say that the price of bitcoin has risen quite dramatically since it was first around. These days, while it may fluctuate in value during a day, it’s generally predicted to keep going up and up. Plus, with things like Bitcoin IRA, you can now invest using a retirement account or your 401k. As such, it’s become more accessible now than ever before, which opens up your investment opportunities. Other crypto currencies are slowly creeping up on bitcoin, but it may be a year or two before they make a ‘fastest growing investments’ list. If you want to go crypto, bitcoin is the way to go.

Virtual Reality

If you’re looking for an industry to invest in, virtual reality is one of your best bets. It’s an industry that saw sizeable growth throughout 2016 and into 2017. More companies are creating virtual reality software, and we should see a lot come to fruition in the next year or so. Just the other day Apple announced the iPhone X with augmented reality built in. This paves the way for more virtual and augmented reality in the smartphone world too. One thing’s for certain, if you’re looking for a fast-growing industry to invest some money into, virtual reality is at the forefront of things right now.

While these investments differ from one another, they’re all incredibly fast-growing right now. Granted, some may still be expensive to invest in, but the potential rewards outweigh the investment costs. All three of these ideas are set to become even more valuable in the future so you can save money by investing now instead of later. The great thing is, they’re all fairly steady investments too. They’re growing fast now, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about extreme price fluctuations over the course of a year or so. If you want to get involved, there’s no better time than the present.

4 Ways To Start A Business When You’ve Got Bad Credit

bad money businessWhen you get yourself into financial trouble, your credit score is going to suffer. Having a bad credit score affects in so many ways and it’s not a position you want to be in. Trying to borrow money or buy things on credit is a nightmare so your dream of starting a business seems so out of reach. But there’s no need to give up on your dreams just because you’ve got bad credit. It’s going to be made more difficult by your low credit score but if you’re serious about it, there are ways to deal with it. If you’re worried about your credit score affecting your business goals, check out these tips to get around it.

Increase Your Score

The first thing you need to do is to try to increase that credit score, even the smallest increases will help your situation no end. Paying down debts is the simplest way to do it. If you’ve borrowed a lot of money, seek the services of companies like consolidation.creditcard who can help you to combine all of those separate debts into one easy to manage payment. Clearing those debts will put you in a better financial situation and improve your score so it’s easier to borrow the start-up capital that you need for your new business.

Find A Partner

Having a business partner is always a bonus. Two heads are better than one and it also helps to reduce the financial strain that starting a business will put on you. If you’re struggling to get loans in your name, consider collaborating with a business partner that has better credit than you. They will be able to borrow the money that you need for start-up costs but make sure that you make clear agreements beforehand because they will be shouldering the lion’s share of the risk so you need to be bringing something to the table as well.

Crowdfunding

The internet has given birth to lots of alternative lending streams that aren’t bothered about your credit score at all. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter are perfect for your situation because they offer a platform where you can showcase your business idea. If people like it, they can make small donations to help towards your costs. It runs solely on the quality of your idea so you aren’t hindered by any financial mistakes you’ve made in the past.

Peer To Peer Lending

Another new lending stream that has started to become more relevant in the past couple of years is peer to peer lending. These sites pair up investors that are looking for opportunities with entrepreneurs that are looking for alternate lending streams. Again, you won’t be bound by your credit score and you can find investors that are willing to take a chance on you based on your ideas rather than your financial history.

Having bad credit makes it more difficult to start a business, but there are so many successful businesses out there that are run by people that have been bankrupt multiple times, so don’t give up on your dream of owning your own business.

Tempted To Invest In Property? Read These Tips First

invesment plans in propertyWhen you think about your monthly budget, some non-negotiables take priority: mortgage, food, utility bills, insurances and your kids education. However, once you have accounted for these necessities, you may find yourself in the fortunate position of having some spare cash. If you are financially astute, you may park this money in a savings account to accrue over time. This is the safest option and requires minimal risk on your part. However, as your cash begins to stack up, you may find yourself wondering whether your increasing stacks of cash are working in the most effective way for you.

One major alternative to a regular savings account with a bank is to test your resolve on the property market. Investing in bricks and mortar has paid dividends for many over the past few decades. Lucrative returns can be had in the short term if you are quickly flipping a house, and also in the long term, if you are building up a rental portfolio. Take a look at these tips to help you decide the sort of property investment that you may be tempted to make.

Research Like You Have Never Researched Before

Although you may be impatient to see some of your hard earned money invested in the realm of property, it’s vital that you understand the styles of property that are in demand. If you are thinking of purchasing an inner city dwelling, the chances are that apartments and penthouses will cater for the needs of young professionals, with their lack of gardens and low maintenance requirements. If you are opting for the land of suburbia, you may want to consider larger townhouses and condos that will accommodate wealthy families, that are spacious and located within highly regarded zip codes.

If you are tempted to try your hand at purchasing a property to renovate and sell on quickly, ensure that you purchase the worst house on the best street and not the other way around. You can always alter a property by bringing in a team of tradespeople and renovating it, but you can never upgrade where it is.

The Rental Option

If you are going to dabble in the property market for the long haul, you may wish to let your investment. You’ll need to do your homework and make sure that the rent you receive each month covers the mtal-ortgage that you have taken out to purchase the property. Try and buy somewhere close to other rental properties. You may want to look at a location close to a university to attract students or a hospital that may appeal to doctors or nurses working nearby. If your property is close to good transport links and is easily accessible, it will appeal to more potential tenants.

You may be worried that you could end up leasing your freshly painted and coiffed property to nightmare tenants who refuse to pay their rent resulting in you getting into financial difficulties. Don’t worry. Use a credit referencing agency if vetting your tenants yourself or pass this responsibility over to a specialist letting agent who’ll take care of it all. For a small percentage of the rent each month they will manage your property, take care of maintenance issues and deal with any problems as and when they arise.

Investing In Property For Your Family

You may disregard the idea of flipping or letting a property altogether. Instead, you may be keen to upgrade your current home and take a few extra leaps up the property ladder. You might even be keen to build your very own dream home totally bespoke to your family. You could opt for an eco-home, a waterfront property or one of the many mansions designed by Playoust Churcher. The architect you choose will create your dream home designed and built specifically for you. By investing in property this way, you are enjoying the fruits of your money, as well as ensuring that you have a humble abode that will increase in value if you come to sell it at any point in the future.

If you have extra money each month, you can, of course, build up your savings for a rainy day. However, if you want to see greater returns on your investment, it pays to consider either purchasing a second property to rent or to flip and sell on quickly. You could also think about building your own dream dwelling. You never know, if you clue yourself up on potential locations, housing types and property market forecasts, you could be at the embryonic stages of forming your very own property empire.

Cost Effective Life Hacks When You’re Out Of Work

financial life hacksWe always want to know little hacks for daily life, usually in the form of needing less effort to accomplish something or finding a cheaper way to fix or obtain items. However, situations vary a lot and the more serious the issue, the more we search desperately for ways to get around it. So what can you do if you’re out of work? First of all, don’t worry. If you’re out of work, whether it be your fault or not, there’s plenty of things you can do to make ends meet each month. There’s never any shame in needing a little help, even in the form of looking to someone else for answers, so read on for a few good ideas that can bring in some easy cash to make the hard times a lot easier.

Important First Steps To Take When Out Of Work

First of all, considering hiring a service such as LaPorte Law Firm if you think you were unfairly dismissed or aren’t getting the benefits you’re legally entitled to. It’s the best move in a situation when you’re out of work and your dismissal doesn’t feel right. Finding someone who specialises in social security means bills will also be a lot cheaper!

Also, try digging into your savings account if you have one. It can help pay off any debts if you’ve been laid off, and keep a few things at bay, most of all any collectors. Your number one priority at this kind of time is looking for a new way to bring in a stable income; in other words, a new job. Make sure you’re getting all the help you can with things like rent and mortgage most of all, so see if you’re owed any back pay or deductions in terms of tax.

If You Have The Commitment, Join A Blogging Platform

Making money at home couldn’t be easier when you have an internet access and some spare time. Vlogging and Blogging means you’re exposing yourself to some kind of audience, which also means advertisers will be exposed to them as well.

One of the main ways you can start bringing in extra cash every month is through placing ads on your pages. The most popular way to utilise an ad is to host a CPC (cost per click) banner or sidebar. Every time a visitor to your site turns into a customer by clicking through the ad, you get paid for it. It’s that simple!

Yet depending on the amount of visitors you have to your blog, some advertisers may even approach you with exclusive offers. If you can offer them exposure then you’re guaranteed a few offers from all different kinds of products, whether they be big companies or small. You can even write sponsored posts to advertise something in the form of reviews, and they’ll often send you the product for free!

Sell Off Your Surplus

So this category is going to have a lot of stock to it, but that’s just representative of how much you can sell off if you don’t want or need it anymore. So, got some clutter laying around the house? Spruce it up and put it on an auctioning platform! This can seem a lot like common sense, after all, everyone uses a yard sale or Ebay at some point to get rid of something. However it’s a much more lucrative market than you may have first thought.

We need to get into a lot of detail here. A lot of specialty stores and sites exist for each kind of item, so look around for a good place to get the best money for value. DVDs and CDs are one of the main sources for this, so polish up any old records and get rid of them.

You can even use social media to find the best market place and the most competitive prices. It’s also a lot easier to talk to people in real time. Facebook is good for this kind of selling, as it is specialised for this kind of action.

You can find cash for clothes centres, meaning you can just fill a sack with any clothing items you no longer want or fit you and finally get rid of them. It even means you get money in hand on the same day.

If you have a vegetable patch in your garden, now’s a good time to harvest and sell off what you don’t need at places like farmer’s markets, if you like being surrounded by competitive prices and the good smelling produce. However you can once again sell off anything you’ve grown online, and find advice on making the most money for value.

Write Your Own eBook Or Make Images

If you have some writing skills or photoshop proficiency, then you can sell anything you craft from these online as well. Creating products in a digital format means anyone will be able to access them, immediately increasing the market you can sell to.

With an eBook, you should have a good amount of time to work on writing a story if you’re out of work. Don’t just rush something out because you need the money and think people will be interested in whatever you have to offer. Making quality content is the best way to get visitors and potential customers to click on you. Similarly, drawing in photoshop takes some time to do well, and you can even take commissions from people.

It’s even better if you already have a blogging platform to work off of, as you can introduce your products to loyal readers and have them interested from the start, which means word of mouth advertising in real life as well.

So there you have it, a few hints as to what you can do to bring in some money when you’re out of a stable income. You can do any and all of these things, so don’t panic about how little each one seems to make alone.