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You’ve just launched your startup and are ready to start providing a service or product that represents a solution for your clients.
Your business idea is going to take everything you’ve got to make it a success. There is no secret recipe or button you can press in order to achieve excellence and meet your goals as an entrepreneur.
From AEROAFFAIRES, we recommend that you arm yourself with a strong work ethic, perseverance and ambition. And if you’re a little hesitant and are looking for smart entrepreneur tips that can make a real difference, here are 10 tips that will come in handy on the journey ahead.
1. Be active and proactive
No one is coming. You are the only one that can get the job done. Entrepreneurs can’t afford the luxury of remaining stagnant and feeling comfortable. If you want your business to flourish, you need to constantly work on widening your skill sets or reaching out to potential new customers.
2. Keep your goals in mind
It’s vital to not lose focus of your business’s goals, and to work towards achieving something in each action that you take. Successful entrepreneurs set short-term and long-term goals and keep them in the back of their minds, which helps keep their focus. You can write down your goals and place them somewhere visible, so you don’t forget about them.
3. Brace yourself for financial challenges
Starting a business entails a lot of expenses, and it always ends up costing more than initially anticipated. Even the best business occasionally faces financial struggles, so allocate part of your revenue into an emergency margin that can cover unexpected financial emergencies.
As a last resort, you might even have to ask for a loan or inject money into your business. However, when you’re forced to do this, always try to pinpoint the root cause of the financial problem and solve it, if it falls within your scope of action.
4. Surround yourself with good mentors
One of your most valuable assets will be having the opportunity to seek guidance from a mentor, teacher, business associate or advisor that has already dealt with the issue you’re trying to solve or overcome. Contacts are essential, so try to keep in touch with those in your circle that can contribute to the success of your entrepreneurship.
5. Don’t be afraid of networking
Although it might be intimidating or uncomfortable at first, in an ever-changing industry, you need to keep up with the updates and changes as best as you can.
Networking is an essential tool when it comes to making your challenges easier to overcome or providing solutions to problems you might be stuck on. If you don’t know where to start, a great place meant for business networking is Linkedin. Remember, the more you do it, the easier it will become.
6. Be frugal when it comes to spending
Part of learning how to become a successful entrepreneur is learning how to best spend your money, especially when you’re starting out. Before buying anything or signing a lease, think twice if the purchase is actually necessary and will be a good investment for the future.
Always strive to do more with less, and look for ways to reduce costs as much as possible. Also, don’t forget about depreciation and maintenance costs when buying any asset or service. Although you’ll have to spend money to make money, don’t go overboard and spend more than you can afford.
7. Develop and follow a business plan
Materialize your ideas by envisioning how your business will be operated. Some of the questions your business plan should answer are:
What is the product or service provided?
Where do you want your business to be in 5 years?
Where and when will your business operate?
Why should your customers be interested and buy your product/service?
8. Make the most out of free marketing tools
Some of the best tools you can use for promoting your business are free: Google My Business, social media accounts, etc. Implementing a solid marketing strategy is key when it comes to promoting your service or product. The more people who know and can find your company, the better.
9. Know your competitors and learn from them
The entrepreneurial and business world requires good people skills. Even if you sell online and don’t have a lot of personal contact with your customers, you will have to learn how to interact with suppliers, brands, competitors and other groups of people in order to grow your business. Join communities, attend meetups in your industry and socialize.
Measure your results in terms of profit rather than on revenue.
10. Align your product/service with your customer’s demands
Great ideas are a must when it comes to entrepreneurship, but you must learn to shape that idea. Your business should not only make you fall in love with it, but also your customers. You might think that you have a million dollar idea on your hands, but, have you already checked with your potential customers so that this idea is valuable and, above all, profitable?
11. Trust your instinct
In some situations, when it comes to making a decision like a potential inversion opportunity or a change of trajectory, there won’t be enough data or you won’t have proper guidance. Don’t despair. Ultimately, the one who knows your business as you do, so when it comes to taking risks, trust your gut.
A lot of people tend to think that going with your instinct isn’t smart or reliable enough. However, when you’re running a startup, it’s often best to not second-guess yourself. If you learn to trust your gut and use the experience and tools available to you, your instinct can be a powerful ally when it comes to decision making.
12. Invest in long-term business relationships
There is no way out of this one. Business relationships matter. One key factor that will greatly contribute to earning your place and succeeding in your industry, are long-term working relationships, either with other entrepreneurs, other businesses, clients, private investors and even banks. All the people and organizations you will come in contact with are more likely to prefer to do business with a well-liked and trusted brand.
