26 September 2014

Business tips - Some thoughts for new businesses

The Ruby Orchard has now been running for 18 months.  I can happily put my hands up and say... I've made mistakes, but I can also say I've made some good decisions.  The Ruby Orchard continues to grow and people from all over SA are slowly starting to hear about this little shop in Howick!


Here are a few of my top tips for new businesses...



1//Be organised, make lists and have a plan!  I know what i'm trying to achieve today, tomorrow and next week.  I have planned events, blog posts and stock I want to get in store for the rest of the year. I am already looking at my 2015 calendar!

2// Learn, Learn, Learn... You can always learn a little bit more.  Get yourself a network of similar business owners, follow blogs, book a coffee with a fellow creative. Bouncing ideas off others can be a great way to analyse what you are doing.  We booked a creative consultation with Nadia vd Mescht in 2013 to plan our marketing strategies for 2014 and came away fizzing with things we wanted to try and do!

3// Except your mistakes, get over it and move on.  I've ordered products that have arrived and I've hated them, I have taken on furniture jobs that were far too big for our team and we didn't quite pull it off. You cannot dwell on these mistakes, just learn from them.

4//  Keep a little eye on what your competition are up to, it's healthy to know... but don't get obsessed with them! You need to make your business unique and move forward in your own direction.

5//  Keep things fresh and changing - never stop trying to make things a little bit better.  If something doesn't sell, then it must be cleared and something fresh and exciting put in its place!  If an event is a flop... then analyse why... and make the next one 100% better!

Good Luck!





Labels:

4 comments:

  1. Unknown13 November 2014 at 17:49

    Thanks for these tips! They are great reminders for keeping your business growing and thriving. And if I may add, it’s also helpful if you watch the trend and observe your market’s behavior, especially if you're trying out a new product or service. That way, you stay current and relevant to your target market.

    Marta Terry @ Canyon Marketing

    ReplyDelete
  2. Clint Shaff29 December 2014 at 20:22

    Thanks for sharing these! There are a lot of people who would want to start their venture on a good note. And I think it would be helpful if they can get tips from experienced entrepreneurs like yourself. It can serve as their guide on the dos and don’ts of business, and help anticipate plausible problems, as well as how they can solve it. Cheers!

    Clint Shaff @ Franchise Match

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Ruby Orchard29 December 2014 at 21:33

      Thanks Clint, I have a whole series of these tips written and planned for 2015... Keep your eye out! :-)

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...