It’s important to remember the basics when starting your own business. There are so many things going on at once that many things can get lost. Below are 6 core key tactics that you will want to remember as your small business grows. I recommend putting these in a place that you often see a lot. This way you can read them through out your day. The more you see them the less likely you are to forgetting these key tactics.
- Invest in the right people – Hire people based on attitude and that are flexible. People with great attitudes who are fun to work with can learn and do just about anything.
- Be willing to take risk – Be willing to try anything if you believe in that it can provide better services for your customers or that you can gain a competitive advantage. If you don’t take a chance, you will never grow.
Don’t Listen to too many people – The majority might think you are crazy for starting a business in this economy. But if you have done the research and know there is a need for your offering then go for it! Surround yourself with people who are positive and will support you no matter what.- Try different things – When you are a micro-sized business, you can afford to try a little bit of everything. That’s a great thing to do. But once you get to a point where the business model is flushing itself out, then you need laser focus.
- Share your knowledge with industry experts – It is your responsibility to know who the influencers are in your industry that can help make or break your business. Once you identify those people, you need to be sharing their content and your content on a consistent basis, whether that is through Facebook, Twitter or building lists on your blog.
- Empower your employees – Let your employees know that you trust them and that they are allowed to do whatever they need to be successful. Don’t wait for permission. Whether this is a solid policy or not, it employees to take risks and become leaders.
What other key tactics would you add to the list above?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Business Solutions | Tagged Business Solutions, business success tips, employee empowerment, Employee training, how to have a successful business, small business tips, tactics for a successful business | Leave a Comment »
Well-trained employees are the key to your small business success. Creating a training program is essential because not only does it instruction arm your employees with needed professional or technical skills, but it also shows that you are invested in them and interested in having them on board for the long run. Below are some very helpful tactics to remember when creating your company’s training program.
- Decide early on what the focus of your training program should be. Determine what skills are most pertinent to address current or future company needs or ones that will provide the biggest payback.
Communicate your expectations that all employees should take the necessary steps to hone their skills and stay on top of their professions or fields of work. Make sure you support those efforts by providing the resources needed to accomplish this goal.- Before rolling out your training program to the masses, rehearse with a small group of users and gather their feedback.
- Be selective when it comes to picking your trainers. The training will make a major difference in the success of your efforts, whether it’s a professional educator or simply a knowledgeable staff member make sure the person has a great personality and is very knowledgeable about the subject at hand.
- Explain to employees why training is necessary. Help them understand the connection early on, so they don’t view the training sessions as a waste of valuable time. You want employees to see training as an important addition to their professional portfolios.
Do you currently have a training program at your company? What piece of advice would you add to our list above?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Employee Training | Tagged best tips for training employees, Employee training programs, internal company training, small business, tips for starting employee training programs, training programs | Leave a Comment »
Do you ever find yourself working for hours on end sitting in an office chair without getting up to take a break? Taking breaks while working long hours is essential and crucial to your health.People who work in highly repetitive jobs should be offered more frequent shorter breaks in order to prevent boredom which can result in a decrease in productivity, a decrease in proficiency, and less mistakes. People who work behind a computer all day should take a break every hour or so and be able to get up and move round. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying people should be socializing all day long because then no work would get done. But a 2-3 minute break to stand up and stretch or get water is healthy and can help keep productivity high among employees.
Below are some other dangers of not taking breaks through out your work day.
When you sit in static postures where you are not moving, circulation can be impeded. The feeling of fatigue often is related to circulation and blood supply.- People who work continually face complete burnout. Physical exhaustion can lead to problems such as chronic headaches, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and trouble sleeping at night.
- After a break, your performance levels increase dramatically. You can finish your projects quicker and more accurately.
- Focusing on a tedious task for too long can easily lead to physical and mental stress. Common consequences of stress include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor fitness, low resistance to viruses, and serious illnesses.
- For those that sit at a desk all day staring at a computer, it is easy to develop repetitive stress injuries such as eyestrain from staring at a computer screen too long.
As you can see breaks are very beneficial. Take 2 minutes to do some deep breathing exercises or stretch and calm yourself down. This little bit of time will make a huge difference in the future. How often do you take breaks?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Business Solutions | Tagged benefits of stretching, breaks during the work day, Business Solutions, company breaks, Employee training, healthy habits for the work place, increasing employee satisfaction, increasing productivity at work | Leave a Comment »
Below are a list of our specials for the month of April! Don’t miss out on theses great steals.
- Avery Mailing Labels – $32.99 per box
- Avery Eco-friendly Mutli-purpose Filing Folders – $17.99 per pack
- Avery Index Table of Context Divider – $6.89 per pack
Get A FREE Dashboard Cover for you car with a $50 purchase from the Avery.
- HP 12-A Dual Pack Toner Cartridge – $145.94 per pack
- HP 42-XD Dual Pack Black Toner Cartridge – $464.11 per pack
- HP 49-XD Dual Pack Black Toner Cartridge – $268.80per pack
Get $30 gift card when you buy two (2) of the SAME Original HP LaserJet print cartridges at the same ti?me from above, on the same invoice during the promotion period. Pick your choice of a Shell, The Home Depot®, or Darden® Restaurants gift card. Note: Dual and tri-packs qualify as a single purchase only.
- Sanford Write Bros Stick Ballpoint Pen – $1.89 per dozen
- Paper Mate Biodegradable Mechanical Pencil – $1.79 each
- Paper Mate Dry Line Grip Correction Film – $2.79 each
Get a FREE Rubbermaid Fresh FilterTM Water Bottle when you purchase any of the items listed above.
- Stanley Bostitch B8 EZ Squeeze Heavy Duty – $52.99 each
- Stanley Bostitch Power Crown Staples – $4.25 per box
- Stanley Bostitch EZ Squeeze Heavy Duty Stapler – $31.99 each
Spend $77 on the items above and get a FREE B777 Epic Stapler
What deals are you going to take advantage of this month?
Posted in Village Office Supply | Tagged Avery, B777 Epic Stapler, Discounted Office Supplies, HP Dual Pack Toner Cartridge, Office Supplies, Paper Mate Biodegradable Mechanical Pencil, Stanley Bostitch, Village Office Supply | Leave a Comment »
Many companies do not realize how much money is wasted on office supplies each year. If you want to start saving more money, this is a great place to start! All it takes is a little extra effort and you will definitely start seeing savings within a few months. Below are 6 ways to save money on office supplies that are also considered to be eco-friendly practices.
- Replacing office supplies before you completely run out. This will save you time from having to run to the store or money on having to get items rush delivered. Order in bulk so you’ll save on delivery costs by ordering more… less frequently. This means that you and your team are going to have to be a little more aware when taking things out the supply closet and remembering to notify the designated person when a certain item is running low.
Save on cleaning supplies but re-using the spray bottles. Choose concentrated green cleaning products and add your own water. Re-fill and re-use spray bottles over and over. Reduces packaging waste, transport related carbon-emissions and saves on delivery costs too.- Purchase re-fillable items. Many stationery products like biros, highlighter pens, white board markers and correction tapes are available with re-fillable ink or cartridges.
- Use less paper by spell checking all documents before hitting the print button. Set double-sided printing as a default on office computers to automatically print on both sides of the sheet. Keep a scrap paper pile near the printer and copier.
- Use online documents instead of paper. Email the office memo rather than passing out paper. Save on paper, printing and postage costs by distributing newsletters, brochures, catalogues and price lists electronically. Invoice your clients by email.
- Reuse and share office supplies. Designate an area in your office supply closet for sharing (like file folders, binders, etc) that can be re-used by other staff when one person has finished with them. This will eliminate buying duplicate items that do not get used very often.
How does your office save money on office supplies?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Business Solutions | Tagged Business Solutions, eco-friendly office practices, how to save money at the office, money saving tips, Office Supplies, saving money on office supplies, saving paper at the office, tips for saving money | Leave a Comment »
There are lots of reasons you need to keep your employees’ enthusiasm up! When your employees are more positive you have less turnover rates, more productivity, and they are better brand advocates. They will share their love for your company with their family and friends which helps gain positive exposure for your company. Below are some ways you can keep office morale high and keep productivity high.
- Celebrate good news and birthdays. Take the time to have your team sign a birthday card or make a sign for the employee on their special day. Organize a celebration lunch if a company goal is reached or a really good review is given. This is a great way to motivate people to work harder since they know they will be rewarded.
Partners and managers set the tone for the office. Pay attention to your comments and see if the majority are positive or negative. Create a goal to give at least 3 different people compliments in a day. The more you make others feel better the more they will do the same, which will overall enhance the mood in your office.- Hire people who are naturally upbeat. There are some people who just exude the right attitude, who make people smile and are inherently motivating. Having a few of these people around will help you maintain a positive and motivating atmosphere.
- Find out what motivates each team member. Remember, everyone is different so the same tactics will not work with everyone. For example, one employee may like verbal compliments and another employee may like written compliments.
- Vacation isn’t just good for the employee… it’s good for your company! 2-3 weeks can give your employees plenty of bright spots to look forward to throughout the year. Employees will also come back recharged and better able to focus on their duties. They will less likely get burnt out from their job and jump ship.
What other morale boosting tips would you add to this list?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Business Solutions | Tagged boosting employee morale, boosting morale in the office, decreasing turnover rates, increase productivity, leadership tips, motivating employees, motivating your team, office morale, tips for happier employees | Leave a Comment »
Where do you buy most of your office and home good from? Many times people overlook the importance of supporting local businesses and just go straight to the nationally known stores for their needs. There are so many benefits that we all can get from supporting each other in our own communities! Below are 5 benefits for why we shop local and suggest that everyone should start doing this.
Money that is spent in your own community stays in your community. This means better schools, housing, and living for everyone.- Local businesses are owned or managed by people who live and work in our communities, raising their families and investing in our communities’ futures. These owners are the ones that directly support our local organizations and education initiatives.
- Local businesses provide a wide variety of products and services, right here in our own communities. Many of these are “one-of-a-kind” businesses that provide our community with its own unique services/products. The more people shop here, the more products and services will be available.
- Shopping locally can be better for the environment because it reduces your gas consumption and you eliminate the waste that comes from shipping boxes and packages. Also, local stores are usually walking or biking distance which helps increase your exercise and reduce the amount your are driving around.
- When you shop from local businesses this will help ensure that they are going to be able to continue their corporate giving to our local non-profits. So, this means that our local non-profits also benefits from when we shop local.
Village Office Supply is all about shopping local! We love helping our community get better each year. If you are looking for some organizations to support below is a list of some of our local charities that we support.
- Matheny School & Hospital
- Childhood Leukemia Foundation
- Easter Seals
- Special Olympics
- The Seeing Eye
- Philhaven
- Daughters of Israel
- Goodwill Industries
- Drayer School in Haiti
- Gichner Shelter Systems
- Sunny Crest
- Say Yes to Education
- Vera House
- Make a Wish Foundation
- Catholic Charities
- Arc of Onondaga
We hope that our list can give you some ideas as well! How do you support your local community?
Photo courtesy of flickr
Posted in Business Solutions | Tagged benefits of buying local, benefits of shopping local, how to support local businesses, local businesses, supporting local businesses, the importance of supporting local charities | Leave a Comment »
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