More women are starting up businesses than ever before. BBC4’s Money Box recently hosted a programme on Entrepreneurial Mothers. Lots of women are deciding to work for themselves, fuelled by the desire to work flexible hours around spending time with their children. If you’ve had an idea and you’re thinking of going it alone there are a few key things to consider. Here are a few tips for any woman who wants to start a business…
Want To Start A Business?
This post contains quotes and guidance taken from the successful female entrepreneurs interviewed by The Fabulous Times over the years.
Know Your Numbers
‘A lot of creatives that I meet struggle with this, but there is a way to simplify it: work out how much you realistically want to earn, and calculate the cost of the materials that you are using, and the time that it takes you to make it. ‘
– Mavis Amankwah
A lot of us struggle with knowing the worth of our work. It is important to price your work, products, services fairly. You might have a much lower price if you are just starting out and building on your experience. However, your pricing structure is something you should reassess regularly to make sure you are getting paid the correct amount for what you are offering. Offering the cheapest price is not always the best idea, for certain things customers would rather pay a little extra and feel as though they were receiving a better quality. Don’t under sell yourself.
Know Your Market
‘A simple way to know and understand your market is to create a survey in Google, and ask people. 5 – 6 questions about products and pricing.‘
– Mavis Amankwah
If you’ve had an idea for a product or service and you’d like to create something to sell, market research is key. Who will buy your product? How much will they pay for your product? A simple way to determine this is by creating a simple survey. Ask your friends, family, community groups and potential customers to take your survey. The results will guide you, to see wether you have a good business idea worth pursuing.
Sell with Soul
‘It’s a 4 letter word that some people hate, but this will determine whether you really do have a business. Sell. Sell via social media. Sell to your friends. Sell to your target market. Selling does not have to be in your face or sleezy.’
– Mavis Amankwah , Award-Winning Entrepreneur
Sell with soul. Share your passion and products. There are lots of ways to sell that are not sleazy. Build your email marketing list. Create An App For Your Customers. Having an app for all of your customers is a great way to help your customers connect with your business. You can use push notifications to provide useful information. You will need to ensure you consult with both Apple, and Android application developers to make sure that you have smooth running software that will work on any device. Create useful, informative content, products and services that will enrich your customers lives.
Stay fabulous
Christine
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