How to deal with rude customers in 18 different ways

How to deal with rude customers in 18 different ways

by | May 17, 2022

Business Tips

How to deal with rude customers in 18 different ways

May 17, 2022

Best tactics to teach you how to deal with rude customers

Knowing how to deal with rude customers it’s an important lesson every business owner and employee should learn. Because not knowing how to handle rude customers can cause real problems inside your company. The negativity coming from these customers can trigger employee dissatisfaction, frustration, and similar issues.

The first and foremost thing you need to know is that you have every right to refuse service to rude customers, without apologies. However, if you judge the situation to be moment and you think you can overturn them to become polite, loyal customers, it’s time to learn how to deal with a rude customer.

Jump directly to:

 1. Give them refreshments

 2. Send them to some of your competitors

 3. Refuse service for the rudeness

 4. Win them over with kindness

 5. Listen carefully then ask the right questions

 6. Put the guidelines on paper

 7. Try to reason where the rudeness comes from

 8. Read between the lines

 9. Have policies set in stone

 10. Offer upgrade instead of a refund

 11. Payout of your pocket

 12. Don’t respond logically

 13. Improve your overall customer service

 14. Let someone else from your team deal with it

 15. Divide the problem into chunks

 16. Don’t give them space to argue

 17. Follow up after the problem is solved

 18. Try not to handle it alone

Experts explaining how to deal with rude customers without losing your mind

The following tips come from businesses that learned how to deal with rude customers through their experience. As one of the respondents said, dealing with rude customers comes with the territory. Whether B2C or B2B, there’ll always be some prick to disturb your day when you’re in business.

Give them refreshments to cool them down

Show how that you care, begin with an apology and sound genuine while doing so, irrespective of whether or not the customer is right: “I am sorry you had a terrible experience and I would do everything possible to make it better.” 

After the apology, we usually ask them to wait for a short while we work on resolving their issue. During the waiting time, we serve them refreshments and make them feel comfortable. Then a senior executive shows up patiently listening to their query and mellowing them down. 

The basic idea is to apply reverse psychology and show the utmost respect. A customer might be having a bad day or might be generally rude, but it isn’t our task to turn them into decent human beings. The wait time and the refreshments served to make them feel at ease and calm them down. A follow-up by a senior executive who attempts to break the ice initially does the job.

Akram Tariq Khan, Co-Founder of YourLibaas

Recommend working with some of your competitors

There’s a percentage of the population for whatever reason are never happy, and these you want to move on. You’ve just gotta have that difficult conversation with them. Of course, be friendly and respectful, but show them the door politely and send them to a competitor.

You could say something like: “Look, I’ve noticed there’s a disconnect between the services we deliver and what your business really needs. And while I’d love to continue this working relationship, I have to be honest with myself and you. It seems like we’re not the right fit for what your business needs right now. So, how about I introduce you to someone I know who can address your needs more closely.”

Why does it work? The customer will respect you for being honest. They might come back in the future when they are a better fit for you and your business. Moreover, they will find it very helpful that you’ve suggested an alternative solution. Either way, you will have done the right thing for yourself and your own business and that’s why I believe this is tha best tactic of how to deal with rude customers.

Allan Dib, Founder of Successwise

Can a business refuse service for the rudeness? YES!

Rude customers cost a lot more than just refund or compensation, they do cost indirect cost – our employees’ mental health. As rude as it sounds but we do cut ties with them as soon as possible, we follow the 80-20 rule and we strongly believe that employees are the most valuable thing in the company so we value their sanity.

Armandas Tiskevicius, Head of eCommerce at Mezzoroni

Recently while on a project, we had a general contractor attack our team verbally using racially sensitive words. Due to current events and politics, many of our team members already feel unappreciated and like they “don’t belong”. A majority of our workers are Hispanic. They are the lifeblood of our company and a huge reason for our current exponential growth. We will not tolerate anyone disparaging our team. 

So I drove two hours to make it abundantly clear to both the contractor and my team that we will remove our equipment from any project regardless of size if someone disrespects any team member. Removing our equipment prior to work completion is quite expensive for us because we risk not getting paid, but contractually allowed and can drastically affect a project timeline. This is a price we are willing to pay for my team.

Robert Lewis, President of Peak Access Solutions

Win them over with kindness

The rude ones are the best. Why? Because when you finally win them over, it’s a far greater triumph. So, how to win over the rudest customer? A natural reaction would be for us to bite the bad behavior. 

However, leading a team of 15 Senior Executives where substantial amounts of money were involved, I’ve heard many rude customer scenarios. Should you manage to keep your cool under this type of customer-induced pressure, inviting a calm and understanding tone to an elevated situation, you will find you take back control. No, this isn’t about being a pushover. This is about winning the race. Kill them with kindness and professionalism.

Setting boundaries and asking questions to interrupt the behavior such as “What would you like our next steps to be here?” can place you firmly back in the driving seat. Mapping out logical options with the aforementioned rude customer often wins respect and in most cases, you’ll receive a phone call or email highlighting that you caught them having their worst ever day, with a sheepish apology to accompany their confession.

Rachel Crocker, Founder of Rachel Crocker Consulting

Listen carefully then ask the right questions

I handled quite a few rude customers, so I have thick skin when it comes to how to deal with rude customers. A warm smile can do miracles when it comes to people being rude to your face. It is almost impossible to be angry at someone who is smiling at you.

When dealing with rude customers, it is crucial to remain neutral and to listen by confirming what is being said actively. For example, “If I understand correctly, your main concerns are A, B, C. Is this correct?” With this approach, people feel heard and respected. Once the customer finishes talking, I don’t propose my solutions. But instead, I ask “How can I make this up to you?” or “What solution do you believe would be best for your problem?”

Alex Manos, CEO at Beverly Hills Car Club

Rude customers are game-playing, subconsciously trying to manipulate a situation. Therefore, you have to release their emotion by:

    •  Listening
    •  Apologizing for their emotions, for example, “I’m sorry you’re not happy”
    •  Reassuring, for instance, “I can sort this out for you”
    •  Getting past emotional manipulation by asking for the facts. That could be “When did you buy it?”, “When did it stop working?” and “Which store did you buy it from?”

We train customer service staff to focus on anticipating a customer’s needs regardless of the situation so they know how to deal with rude customers. For example, to foresee a complaint and contrary to typical behaviors and attitudes, bravely go and exceed their expectations.

Andrew Wallbridge, Head of Leadership and Management at TSW

Put the guidelines on paper

I remind our staff that courtesy has a limit and is a two-way street. We are landlords so provide housing services to our customers (tenants). It is an intimate relationship built on trust and a set of written guidelines we all agreed on (a lease). It is also based on governmental laws so as property owners we are held to a high standard.

So when a customer gets too rude or abusive and this is a habit of theirs we look to fire that customer. According to the Pareto principle, 80 % of your headaches come from 20% of your clients. We fire them by issuing lease violations for their behavior as it is written into our agreements to maintain respect for one another. Also, abusive tenants typically are abusive neighbors, so we also put them on written notice that they are interrupting the ‘quiet enjoyment of other tenants when we receive those complaints.

Often these letters quiet the situation and we can all get back to resolving the issues that have created the tension. Sometimes we agree to disagree and facilitate the exiting of a tenant from their lease so everyone can move on, essentially firing the tenant as they have become a time waster and we cannot satisfy their desires.

Gary Zaremba, Broker/Owner of PepZee Realty

Be empathetic and try to reason where the rudeness comes from

The customer is the king who sometimes needs special treatment. Your goal is not to fight back against the rudeness and make the customer feel bad for his behavior, but to solve the problem and keep both parties happy.

Several months ago, a customer sent an overly dramatic, rude, and hostile email, complaining that his emails were never answered.

After checking and realizing that the support team had replied to all of his tickets, I wrote the customer a very sympathetic email asking him to kindly check with his tech team if our support’s address was being blocked by their firewall. No apology or promise for compensation until the issue is cleared out. Just empathy for what the customer was going through.

I then received an email from the customer apologizing for the behavior as indeed his company’s firewall blocked all our support’s emails. I followed up by thanking the customer for letting me know and making him in this way feel better (not bad!) for the way he had behaved. Don’t forget that politeness ambushes rudeness!

Angeliki Bekyra, Customer Success Associate at TalentLMS employee training platform

Customer service is extremely important in the world of business. One of the best customer service skills is the ability to use emotional intelligence in business and show empathy. Those who work in customer service can show and experience empathy simply by listening. When it comes to empathy, it is important to both feel the emotion internally, as well as to express it externally in a way that customers can observe. 

One way customer service representatives can show customers they empathize with their situation is by repeating what they say in their own words. For example, if a customer finishes a long complaint, you as the customer service rep can paraphrase the issues and make it more concise by saying that “So you are saying…” This will help customers feel heard and will also give them the opportunity to correct any potential miscommunications. Having a customer focus and excellent customer service builds brand loyalty.

Kevin Miller, Founder, and CEO of The Word Counter

Read between the lines

If you’re a business owner, chances are you’ve encountered at least one rude client or customer – it comes with the territory – but how you respond can mean a lot for your experience, your client’s experience, and your company’s reputation. Nobody wants a negative review, so it’s best not to default straight into giving the opposition a piece of your mind and find out how to deal with rude customers. 

When a client expresses discontent, it’s essential to remove the emotion from their message and read between the lines. What are they really saying? More often than not you’ll find that they are either confused, feel unheard, or their expectations are not being met.

To find some common ground, you’ll need to eliminate confusion by creating clarity, actively listening and reiterating that you understand what they are saying, and ensuring that both of your expectations for how the project and deliverables were perceived are accurate and being met.

Amy Goldizen, Owner, and Founder of Black Label Leads

Have policies set in stone

We have policies depending on whether we’re dealing with rude/disrespectful prospects or paying clients. If a prospect is blatantly disrespectful to a team member we communicate that we aren’t a ‘great fit’ and suggest a competitor as an alternative.

If a paying client is repeatedly disrespectful to a team member, we request a call/meeting. On this call, a manager communicates to the client’s manager that we require an upgrade to ‘Tier 1’ support which carries an extra cost.

The outcome of this meeting usually falls into one of these categories:

    •  The client contact often changes their tone or introduces a new point of contact.
    •  If the client agrees to ‘Tier 1’ support, the team member earns a quarterly bonus paid out from the support fee.
    •  If the client doesn’t change their tune or upgrade we reserve the right to not renew their contract.

Ryan O’Donnell, Co-Founder of Replyify

Offer upgrade instead of a refund

Empathy has to lead every customer interaction even when you’re dealing with rude customers. Even if they are demonstrably upset, you have to see it through their eyes. I recently worked with a customer who felt the product was not relevant to their needs and they wanted a refund. I took full responsibility, telling them I’m sorry we disappointed them. As our way of saying sorry, I offered them a free upgrade and a free product rather than a refund. 

They happily took the refund and were grateful to receive that kind of service. They even offered to write us a 5-star review! It would have been easy for me to give up on that customer, but the people who are most upset are also capable of being your biggest cheerleaders if you make it right for them.

Paul Burke,  VP of Private Brands for Sidekick Digital Media

Payout of your pocket

One of our most popular product categories is stress balls. This particular customer purchased a safety cone-shaped stress ball. Despite the order form listing the name as a construction cone stress toy and including the item size (3.5 x 2.5), the customer was very upset they couldn’t use the stress balls as actual traffic cones for their upcoming construction project.

Things got heated. The customer was clearly embarrassed over the mistake but didn’t want to take responsibility. We eventually came to an impasse. The customer continued to call and harass our staff for about a week. I eventually went to Amazon and ordered full-size construction cones, paid for them out of my own pocket, and drop-shipped them to the customer’s address. The angry phone calls stopped after that.

Bret Bonnet, Co-Founder/President of Quality Logo Products

Play the emotional card, don’t respond logically

I’ve responded to over 6,000 customer support tickets at my company. Almost always, the trick when dealing with rude customers is to mirror and label what it is they’re going through. People understand in two ways, logically and emotionally. 

If you try and logically explain to them their problem back to them like “It sounds like your computer isn’t working,” they are less likely to feel understood. Versus emotionally “It sounds like your computer not working is causing a lot of frustration, and that’s not an experience anyone should have,” they tend to respond with a “That’s right,” and know that because you understand their emotional severity, you are capable of helping them properly. 

You have to nail not just what it is they’re having a problem with, but what the problem means to them.

Spencer Shulem, CEO of Build Better

Improve your overall customer service

One of the best tips on how to deal with rude customers and overall improve customer service is to make it easy for customers to get in touch with you with different toll-free numbers in different parts of your funnel and emails. Also, assign dedicated customer support agents for specific departments which handle various aspects of customer service. 

For example, shipping inquiries are assigned to a specific team of agents, billing concerns to another team, and refunds/returns to another team to enhance efficiency and faster response times to customers. 

Also, enable customer support via SMS automation to enhance better ways for customers to get in touch with your customer support teams. By setting up these systems, you will be able to solve each customer’s issue much faster, saving them time and improving satisfaction.

Ashwin Sokke, Co-Founder of WOW Skin Science

Let someone else from your team deal with it

The most important thing about interactions with rude customers is that you don’t take it personally. View it as a problem that you need to solve, objectively. What can you do to resolve the issue quickly and successfully and get the customer on their way? 

My advice to all business owners is to let the staff that’s trained to deal rude with customers do it because as an owner, you’re too close to the business and you tend to be biased or get defensive. Do you know how many awful social media exchanges I’ve seen of owners starting fights with rude customers? Or getting defensive over bad reviews? 

An interaction with a rude customer is not the time to be “right” regardless if you’re the owner or an employee. Stay calm, polite, and smiling, and do what you have to do to protect the integrity of the company name. 

Hosea Chang, Chief Operating Officer of Hayden Los Angeles

Divide the problem into chunks

Speaking of how to deal with rude customers I’d like to think of it  as the process of breaking down a large problem into several smaller parts. These small portions make it easier to deal with the problem at hand. People commonly use chunking to organize their daily tasks. It’s also useful when dealing with difficult problems. 

Assume a client always has an excuse for not being able to set up their account and begin using the company’s software. You can ask them to assist you in breaking down each of the final steps you need to take to get things moving during your next meeting. Chunking each task makes it easier for the client to understand what remains to be done.

Shane Liuw, SEO Expert at First Page Digital

Don’t give them space to argue

Rude customers often want to argue and insist on getting what they want. Sometimes these arguments may go on forever, especially if you open space for them to develop. The best strategy is to be polite and respectful, but limit the space for discussion. 

For instance, if you receive a complaint, don’t go into much detail about the reasons. Simply thank the customer and show what your next steps would be. It’s important to always show respect, even if the person doesn’t give it back. However, don’t fall in the trap of explaining yourself or asking additional questions. If a person tries to provoke you, don’t react and focus only on providing a solution.

Andrew Makhovskyi, CEO of Effy

Follow up after the problem is solved

My most effective tactic when it comes to dealing with rude customers is to always follow up, even after the issue has been resolved. You will need to set up time with the customer in order to connect, or get their number or email if possible. Following up with them about the situation to see how they are doing, is a really great way to ensure the customer does not have a completely negative experience.

Although it is not true that the customer is always right, it helps to rectify a situation and to show that you care about them. It can build a better rapport with the customer and it decreases the chances of them talking about your business negatively both in person and online. Remember that a customer’s feedback is vital, and one negative review can overshadow the positive.

Adam Moore, Founder of SocialPlus

Try not to handle it alone

When dealing with a rude customer, I’d recommend bringing in someone else from your company to listen, answer questions, and even help you resolve the issue. This can help for a few different reasons. First, it makes the customer feel special, second the rude customer won’t be able to take advantage of you and manhandle you and lastly, it can help with new ideas so you can fix the situation.

This could be someone in the specific department that caused the complaint, a manager for the company, or even the owner or leader. Bringing in extra help can really assist you if you’re ever in the situation of dealing with a rude customer.

Lucie Chavez, CMO of Radaris

Conclusion

It takes a lot of nerves and patience to learn how to deal with rude customers. Nevertheless, if you keep your cool and refuse to play by their rules, you’ll get to the bottom of their rudeness quickly and you can move on with your day. Even though you might think that how to deal with rude cusotmers is easier said than done, once you have the above-mentioned tactics in mind, trust us, it’s easier to have the control over any unpleasant situation.

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25 most effective ways to get more customers for your business

25 most effective ways to get more customers for your business

by | May 3, 2022

Business Tips

25 most effective ways to get more customers for your business

May 03, 2022

Proven ways to get more customers for your business.

If there’s one question all business owners lose sleep to, it must be how to get more customers. That’s not surprising at all considering the fact that more customers equal more sales, thus more money.

But is it that hard to get more customers? Well, not to sound too pessimistic but 29% of small businesses fail because they run out of cash. 

So, in order to improve your sleep and boost your sales, we’ve made this guide on how to get more customers. If one thing’s not working, remember, there’s always something else to try – quitting is not an option!

Oh, and one more thing – don’t forget to identify your most loyal customers and nourish your relationship with them while searching for ways to get new customers. Because these existing customers are usually the largest door to new ones.

What brick-and-mortar businesses can do to get more customers?

We’re starting with brick and mortar because, in light of the eCommerce rise, these businesses became a sort of endangered species. If you like the advice below, there’s a special article with tips for retail stores that want to increase their foot traffic. 

To generate the most effective tactics, we’ve asked experienced business owners to share what works best for them. So let’s find out how to get more customers for your brick-and-mortar business.

Let’s find out how to get more customers for your brick and mortar business. 

Optimize your Google My Business profile

Sign up for and optimize your Google My Business Profile, this will enable you to show up on Google Maps for local searches in your local area. This includes filling in all relevant information on your listing including adding a detailed business description (mention your town/suburb/city and relevant keywords here) and completing the services section, plus regularly adding Google Posts and photos to your listing. 

You should also add your business to local business directories as well as gradually build up Google reviews from happy customers. Thus, consider having a QR code at your premises for people to scan and link this to your Google Business Profile.

Karen Dauncey, Founder ofThe SEO School

Market services you don’t provide online

Speaking of how to get more customers for your brick-and-mortar business, offering services that cannot be provided online goes a long way. Also, providing expert advice so that customers do not simply go online and buy something without consulting with you first is a highly effective strategy. 

Change the business model to a hybrid one, so that individuals can shop both in-store and online if at all possible. Make it simple for them to shop in person as well. Given that consumers are accustomed to receiving subpar service at the moment, it may be worthwhile to go the extra mile to ensure that your customers are satisfied. Offering services that can only be completed in person can be incredibly useful for the majority of companies. 

Tam Le, Founder of Steamaster

Develop clear cleanliness standards

To attract more consumers, I recommend that you develop a clear cleanliness protocol. People want to feel protected after a pandemic, so I would continue to emphasize the need for hygiene and publicize the idea that it is a priority. 

One method to accomplish this is to ensure that the store is immaculately clean. If you have a cleaning policy in place during the epidemic, I would recommend sticking with it for a little while longer. I would also make it known to your consumers that you do, in fact, have a strict cleaning policy in place. 

Display the policy in a prominent location where your customers may easily notice it, and incorporate it into some of your advertising materials. Providing cleaning goods, hand sanitizers, and masks at the front of the store can also help build consumer confidence in your business. 

Moreover, you can assign numerous staff to monitor and restock the supplies as needed in order to stay on top of things. Even after vaccines have been distributed, a few simple actions can help consumers feel secure enough to return.

Sahil Kakkar, CEO of WebSignals

Improve customer service

Improving customer service can make a significant difference to get more customers to your brick-and-mortar business. I believe that improving customer service is vital to reintroducing clients to the retail sector from the internet environment. 

It all begins with the simplest elements, from clean salesrooms and a friendly smile to competent employees and service. This means you have to hire the right staff. They should be polite, patient, resourceful, and able to deal with different people’s personalities, expectations, and needs. 

More often than not, it’s the stuff that makes the difference between customers leaving without purchasing anything and customers buying what they came for plus more. Each employee’s objective should be to satisfy the client. Their mantra should be service, service, and service again.

Teo Vanyo, CEO at Stealth Agents

Host a pop-up shop

Shopping in-person is not extinct. If you’re searching for a unique way to attract customers to your brick-and-mortar store, we also recommend trying a pop-up shop strategy. Another unique and engaging way to drive foot traffic to your business is to incorporate a QR code escape room event. By integrating QR codes in different parts of your store or surrounding area, you can create an interactive experience for your customers. This not only promotes engagement but also makes visiting your location more memorable and enjoyable. The short time of the shop’s operation instills a sense of urgency among shoppers, compelling them to turn up or risk losing out totally. Combine this with limited-time sales and promotions and added-value events such as happy hours, food trucks, or even hands-on activities within the area.

Offer incentives for in-store pick-up

To increase traffic to brick-and-mortar businesses, you can offer online incentives for the in-store

pickup of online orders. While some customers may choose to pick up their online orders and depart, others may like to continue browsing or notice something that piques their attention and inspires an impulse purchase.

Incentives can be as straightforward as guaranteeing no queues, a percentage discount off the whole order, or an in-store-only discount on a popular product or service.

Appealing storefront and display

You know how important first impressions are, right? Well, your storefront and display are the first things passersby see, and whether they’re inviting enough to make them enter depends on you. According to research, 24% of purchases are triggered by window displays.

But how do you create a visually appealing display? Here’s what experts suggest:

    • Play with visual elements – add color, depth, and height.
    • Yet, don’t over clutter the space. Keep it simple so it doesn’t overwhelm the viewer.
    • Add light, it makes the space inviting. Even if the colors are darker, illuminate them!
    • Create a story that is in tune with your brand. Your display should sell what you offer.
    • Update it regularly. 

The same rules apply to in-store merchandising.

Yes, you’re a brick-and-mortar business but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be present online. You may face some obstacles when going online, but nothing that can’t be resolved with the right people and mindset.

You can start with creating a website. Although this can be expensive or time-consuming if you decide to set it up on your own, it can bring a lot of customers to your store. In addition to that, blogging is another way to get more customers online. 

Now, you can say no to a website, but when it comes to social media it’s a major yes, whether you like it or not. Instagram and Facebook are the best platforms for B2C businesses, while LinkedIn is for B2B. You can use them to increase brand awareness, promote in-store promotions or sales, and much more. 

The thing with social media is that you have to be consistent and engage with your audience actively because they are your potential customers.

Local community

Synchrony’s research shows that almost 70% of shoppers live within the area of a retailer’s brick-and-mortar location.

Supporting local charities, attending fairs or shows, sponsoring sporting clubs and events, and joining a good cause – are all things that attract good publicity among locals. You’ll be practically promoting your business by giving back to the community. 

Additionally, this kind of presence in the community will help you meet the locals in person and learn their needs, which you can later use to shape your offer and approach.

Referrals and introductory offers

In the pursuit of attracting more customers and providing extra value, why not consider offering special discounts on products that can be delivered directly to their doorstep? Integrating a dinner delivery coupon into your promotions could be a strategic way to entice online savvy customers who value both convenience and savings. This approach not only offers certain cost benefits to your consumers but also enhances their overall shopping experience by providing them with quality meals at a discounted rate.

Leverage your existing clientele to boost foot traffic in your store. Create a loyalty program that will encourage satisfied customers to refer their friends and family to you. It’s a win-win situation, you retain your old customers and get new ones, and they, in exchange, get rewarded for their loyalty.

On the other hand, make sure your new customers feel appreciated too. Create special offers that will make them feel like they’re getting more value for their money. Bring-a-friend or coupons are just a couple of creative marketing ideas you could use to attract customers.

How to get more customers for your online business

The following tips will show you how to get new customers if you’re running an online business. Although, with more and more brick-and-mortar businesses getting online, these often apply to them too. So regardless if you’re 100% online, brick-and-mortar with an online presence, or click-and-mortar, here’s something that could help you get more customers.

Easy Checkout

Reduced friction in your checkout process, similar to the point made above about user experience, can have a huge impact on your conversion rates. Visitors should be able to utilize and navigate your site as easily as possible, but you should make it even easier for them to buy what you’re selling.

Remove any superfluous steps from your checkout process that can deter a potential customer from converting. Filling out forms with extraneous fields is a waste of time. Don’t let them run out of time and force them to start over.

David Glasser, PR Executive and Growth Director at Notta

Continue expanding your network

While it’s fantastic to rely on your current network to grow your client base, you may ultimately run out of fresh leads. You may have to look into increasing your network if you find yourself in this predicament. 

It’s impossible to succeed with a fantastic concept and a wonderful company structure if you don’t have any contacts who could be interested in assisting you. Therefore I recommend attending networking events, joining groups, forming partnerships, and seeing your network expand. We’ll go through that in greater detail later.

Steve Rose, CEO of MoneyTransfers

Give new customers free trials

Allow customers to try your goods for free. Free trials are a terrific strategy to sell since they bring in new customers and generate positive feedback. They also enable you to get additional input on new items and make necessary modifications.

Additionally, to convert them into loyal customers, you may boost the value of whatever you have to offer by giving free trials, and then convert people into paying returning clients later.

Instill the value of your product in this possible buyer, and make it evident that your service or product is exceptional. If you do this and provide excellent service, you will most likely be able to turn them into loyal clients.

D.C Foley, Marketing Manager at Perspective Pictures

Use Google AdWords

By creating targeted ads and bidding on specific keywords, I was able to drive relevant traffic to our company’s website and significantly increase conversions. This type of advertising is very effective for businesses that want to get more customers and not just get people to click on an ad. 

I’ve been using Google AdWords for years and have had a lot of success with it. Digital Marketing is a very competitive field, and I strongly encourage you to use the tools that are available to you to boost your online business. 

Yet, if you decide to use advertising, make sure you do thorough research on how to use the most out of your advertising budget, or hire an advertising agency so you won’t spend your money the wrong way.

David Rowland, Head of Digital Marketing at EcoOnline

Email marketing

There are undoubtedly a variety of tactics that can be effective when it comes to getting more customers for an online business. However, one that has consistently worked well for me is email marketing. 

Sending personalized, targeted emails to potential customers can result in a high conversion rate, as people are more likely to buy something if they feel like the seller is specifically addressing their needs. Additionally, email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with current customers and keep them informed about upcoming promotions or product launches.

Mia Clarke, Owner of InvertPro

Utilize social proof

Be authentic when it comes to social media participation – social media isn’t just a tool for driving traffic to your store, it is also a chance to tell stories about your company that people can share. Even if you try to convince your audience that your goods or services are of high quality, they will still rather hear it from someone else, preferably not affiliated with your brand.

Testimonials on your site will dispel any doubts your prospects may have about your product or service. This technique is especially effective since it prevents customer remorse.

Nathan Watson, CEO at Lion Locs

Create video content

Leveraging the popularity of video content is another great way to get more customers online. Video content is more explanatory, thus, it can give customers a better understanding of your products or services. 

You can showcase your products, explain how it works and discuss features so customers can be sure of what are they about to purchase. If you are trying to sell services, you can use video marketing by explaining how your services can help your customers. Moreover, you can include testimonials from satisfied customers as proof of your good work.

Focus on mobile optimization

Nowadays most people use their mobile phones to find everything they need, hence, you can get more customers to your online business with mobile optimization. 

If you don’t want to lose customers, it is essential that your website is optimized for mobile and you should make mobile visitors’ purchasing experience as simple as possible. Keep in mind you may need to redesign your checkout process or launch an entirely separate mobile website. 

A well-designed, highly optimized mobile experience is primarily concerned with navigation and user experience. The more difficult it is for visitors to find – and buy – what they want, the more likely they are to leave your site and go somewhere else.

SEO and content

We’ve all heard it – content is king! 

And one of the best strategies to get started with content marketing is to create blog posts based on long-tail keywords. This works well because there tends to be less competition for these types of keywords, while also being able to generate much more targeted traffic. This is also a great strategy if you’re also looking to initially build up traction with your website.

If you’re looking to enhance your website’s visibility and increase its online presence, incorporating a white hat link-building service can be an effective way to attract more customers. White hat link-building focuses on acquiring high-quality and authoritative backlinks that are obtained through ethical means. These quality backlinks drive traffic to your website and boost your search engine rankings, ultimately leading to increased exposure and potential customers.

Influencers

No, we’re not talking about paying A-list celebrities. Instead, we’re suggesting working with micro-influencers who have a highly engaged audience and are relevant to your niche.

Let’s say you’re an indie designer of sports apparel. Well, there are thousands of personal trainers and lifestyle bloggers that are passionate about workouts. Find out which ones target your niche the best and reach out to them with a business proposal. Some of them would ask but others will be glad to promote your line even if you just send them a box of your products for free.

Multiple delivery options

According to PSFK, 82% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from a brand with multiple delivery options. Hence, the more options you give to your customers, the more sales you’ll make. You may not have the capacity of Amazon but with the right strategy and partnerships, you can ramp up your delivery efficiency.

Find partners

Whether we’re talking about how to get more customers, expanding your market reach, or any business-related matter, it all comes down to collaboration and building partnerships with other brands.

Hook up with companies that you share customers with. For example, if you’re selling organic pet snacks, find a vet, a pet nursery, or even a dog walker to partner up with. Create a co-branding strategy together that will bring new business to both of you. Learn more about the benefits of the right business partnerships in this comprehensive guide.

Luckily, in today’s online business world, you can easily find business partners by leveraging the power of B2B marketplaces. Finding partners does no longer mean you need to spend a fortune traveling around the world. You can join one of the fastest-growing business marketplaces for free and get in touch with thousands of established companies worldwide.

Contests and promotions

You may think this is so-last-decade but the truth is that social media has resurrected contests. People love ‘winning’ free things, and they’ll do all it takes to get them. Share, comment, stand on one leg… Everything!

With only one Giveaway you raise brand awareness, reach a broader audience, attract new customers and engage current customers. That’s a lot of value for something that can cost you 40$ (or even less) and 15 minutes to create the post and share it on your social media channels.

Extra tips to get more customers even when the odds aren’t in your favor

The crisis comes out of nowhere. So you have to be prepared. Whether it’s a pandemic, an economic crisis, sudden downtime, or Armageddon, it’s your job to assess the situation and find ways to still get new customers and stay afloat. 

In a 12-year span we’ve seen one of the biggest recessions ever, and a pandemic that completely shut down the world. So it’s not a matter of question if it will happen again, but when.

On top of it, businesses often face crises not connected to any grave social-economic events. So you better prepare yourself for such times if you want your business to grow.

Preorders

There are a lot of obvious reasons why people won’t spend money on non-essential items during an economic crisis. However, pre-orders have proven to be very effective in changing people’s minds and getting more customers.

Here’s how Sophie from Twisted Squid leveraged preorders:

“I opened a preorder for a new t-shirt last night after getting the excitement built up on my social media. With the preorder, you got a free tote bag and art print. Didn’t pay for any ads and took £600 in 4 hours. Will definitely be doing more like that in the future.”

And another Reddit user came up with something similar for his favourite barbershop: 

“My favourite client is my local barbershop, and they have been hit hard [by the lockdown]. They are used to having 1 hour+ wait times for their first-come-first-serve location.

I was worried about them when things started spreading and while chopping it up, we had an idea to utilize gift cards for the first time. Their patrons love them and want them to stay open so they are in a prime position for a “pay ahead and get a discount” model. If you haven’t ever used gift cards maybe now is a time to try. We utilized the barber’s social media to get the word out and a good ol’ sign in the window.”

Added value

In markets where competition is fierce and service offerings aren’t wildly distinct, even at the best of times, brands are looking for ways to stand out. This is more relevant now than ever before, with consumers becoming even more money and value-conscious following the impact of Covid-19.

When it comes to choosing telecoms, insurance, or utilities provider consumers are faced with a plethora of choices but no obvious point of difference. Outside of brand identities, core values, and service, brands need to give the consumer an additional reason to choose them over their competitor.

The added value used to come in the shape of a ‘Parker Pen’ gift with purchase or perhaps a discount when you ‘buy today’. While the concept isn’t new, even pre-Covid-19, the playing field has changed. People have enough pens! Today’s ‘woke’ consumers want incentives that enrich their lives while protecting their pockets.

Free virtual yoga classes to focus on wellbeing, discounts on essential summer gear, or saving on sharing a takeaway with the family – these offer real added value. And it’s these kinds of rewards that are helping businesses chase the conversion.

Conclusion

You can notice that despite being divided into 3 sections: brick and mortar, online, and in crisis, with a little bit of imagination each of these tips can be implemented in all three cases. Combining some of the above-mentioned tips on how to get more customers can give you even better results than just relying on one method. However, it’s important to know your marketing niche and target audience so you can identify what are the best ways to get new customers for your business.

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How to identify substance abuse in the workplace

How to identify substance abuse in the workplace

by | Apr 11, 2022

Business Tips

How to identify substance abuse in the workplace

April 11, 2022

Identifiying substance abuse in the office

Millions of organizations worldwide are looking for ways to identify substance abuse in the workplace. After all, drug addicts are a threat to themselves, their coworkers, and the general public. 

But, workplace drug abuse has several other negative consequences as well.

According to the data released by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), workplace drug abuse costs employers in the United States close to $81 Billion per year.

Most drug addicts are employed. Be it a trucking company, a law firm, a home service business, or even a hospital – some workers abuse illicit substances or prescription drugs in nearly every organization.

Suppose you are an employer or someone who looks after the HR operations of a business organization. In that case, you need to know how to identify signs of substance abuse in the workplace and validate your suspicion with a drug test, if necessary. Here in this post, we will discuss the top six ways you can detect drug abuse in the workplace: 

Pay attention to absenteeism rates

People who abuse drugs are often too jittery, tired, or sleepy to go to work daily. Such people call in sick more often than others.

If you notice that some employees routinely disappear from the worksite without any reason or are found missing from their seats for long periods, they may be using alcohol or drugs while on the job.

Workers who abuse drugs are also among frequent latecomers. You may have noticed that some people, who spend their weekends partying, are late to work on Monday.

High absenteeism rates may be due to substance abuse in the workplace.

Don’t ignore frequent incidences of theft

It’s unfortunate, but many drug addicts resort to stealing to pay off their debts. Professionals with drug problems are nearly always short on money.  The most common examples of workplace theft include:

  • Physical cash gets stolen
  • Equipment or raw material gets stolen
  • The worker claims that he has lost a company smartphone or laptop
  • Merchandise in a warehouse or on sales floors goes missing
  • Workers with access to signature stamps write company checks or make electronic payments to themselves
  • The worker steals company funds but hides them as payments to vendors
  • The worker overbills customers after a service visit and keeps the extra money
  • Workers handling telephonic orders may use a customer’s credit card information to make personal purchases online
  • The worker falsifies overtime, business expenses, etc.

When you notice frequent incidences of theft in the workplace, be sure to investigate further if some of your workers use drugs while on the job or during off-hours.

Find out why some workers are always ill

Many people who abuse illegal drugs or prescription medication have sniffing nose or red and runny eyes while on the job. Such signs may not be due to allergies.

An employee complaining of frequent colds or migraine headaches may actually be concealing drug withdrawal.  

Similarly, other frequent illnesses may be due to a weak immune system – a characteristic of chronic drug addicts.

Why are your workers getting injured too often?

Workers who routinely use large equipment with moving parts or operate heavy machinery in the workplace are nearly always at the risk of accidents while on the job. But, operating such machinery or equipment while high on drugs, significantly increases their risk of injuring themselves, and others.

A lack of focus, poor decision making, or a momentary lapse of judgment when under the influence of drugs can easily result in workplace accidents.

This is why the Department of Transport requires employers to test their employees for alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace. Many employers conduct post-accident drug testing to ascertain if employees involved in an accident were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  

Not just serious workplace accidents, employers or supervisors should also keep an eye on the incidences of minor yet mysterious injuries. People showing up at work with strange bruises, cuts on the arms, and other signs of mysterious injuries may indicate active drug use.

Poor job performance

Drug addicts often find it hard to focus on the job at hand. Workers under the influence of drugs can make too many mistakes or simply fail to do complex tasks. 

Productivity loss and increased healthcare costs due to workplace drug abuse cost US employers close to $25 Billion per year.

If some workers have consistently poor job performance despite having adequate job skills, be sure to investigate if they are under stress, unwell, or using drugs.

Poor relationships

Frequent mood swings can make some people high on drugs quarrelsome. Frequent arguments with coworkers, supervisors, and even customers, or inability to get along, may at times be due to drug abuse.

How to find out who is using drugs in the workplace?

Organizations can train HR managers and/or supervisors in identifying the potential signs of drug abuse in the workplace. But, mere knowledge of drug abuse in the workplace isn’t helpful. Employers need to develop and implement a drug-free workplace policy to:

  • Identify drug addicts in the workforce  
  • Communicate the consequences that would follow if someone tests positive for drug use
  • Discourage drug abuse in the workplace
  • Provide support to workers who want to fight dependence on drugs

Random drug testing, periodic drug testing, and suspicion-based drug testing are among the most common methods used by employers worldwide to identify workers who abuse various illicit substances and prescription medications.  

Random drug testing is conducted on an entirely ‘random’ set of workers to discourage drug abuse in the workplace. Periodic drug testing involves screening employees once or twice each year. Suspicion-based drug tests are administered when an employee’s behavior, job performance, relationships at work, and physical appearance point towards possible substance abuse.

The laws governing workplace drug testing vary across countries and states. So, it is a good idea to check with an experienced employment attorney before enforcing a new drug screening policy.   

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15 leadership behaviors and traits of successful leaders

15 leadership behaviors and traits of successful leaders

by | Apr 10, 2022

Business Tips

15 leadership behaviors and traits of successful leaders

April 10, 2022

Effective leadership behaviors every leader should be aware of

Are you a good leader? A bad boss? Or a meek manager? Do you possess the necessary leadership behaviours to be successful? Oh, and are effective leadership behaviors and attitudes instilled from birth or developed throughout the years?

If these questions bother you, you’ll probably find the answers below where we’ll go through the leadership traits and behaviors that set apart the good from the bad leaders. No, it’s not necessary that you possess all of them, but a big portion yes.

Also, the good news is that you’re not doomed if you’re not, let’s say, a natural public speaker. Because with work you can improve that and eventually become comfortable at speaking in front of big crowds. Now, there are some people who seem to be born leaders – their charisma is bigger than life – but even they work on improving their leadership behaviours.

Take Obama for example, put aside his policies, the man was predestined to be a leader. Yet, during his campaigning and later as President he sometimes struggled to communicate his vision and knowledge to the public. For that, he was trained and mentored by his communication team.

 1. Self-awareness

 2. Sympathy

 3. Critical thinking

 4. Good communication

 5. Perseverance

 6. Desire to pass the torch

 7. Curiosity

 8. Emotional intelligence

 9. Storytelling

 10. Interest for their team

 11. Humility

 12. Assessment

 13. Stoic mindset

 14. Self belief

 15. Integrity

 16. Conclusion

So what are leadership behaviors?

Simply put, leadership behaviors are sets of characteristics and actions of a good leader. Through this leadership behavior they are able to influence, motivate and guide a group of people. Each leader has a unique set of leadership behaviors and traits. For instance, some have a natural charisma, but lack confidence; others are super confident, but lack tact.

15 effective leadership behaviors and attitudes

Let’s see how many of these effective leadership behaviors you can identify with, and which ones you should work on improving. These leadership behaviors are most seen in successful leaders, from every day small business owners to Gandhi, Oprah and beyond.

Self-awareness

According to Jasmine Chen, Founder of LIFE Intelligence, one of the most important leadership behaviors is self-awareness. That involves both internal and external self-awareness. Internal self-awareness is seeing yourself clearly: understanding your strengths and weaknesses, why you act the way you do, your biases and triggers. External self-awareness is seeing yourself the way others see you: are you really coming off as funny, or arrogant? Are you presenting yourself as polite, or a pushover?

Here’s the problem: self-awareness becomes even harder to grasp as one gains power as a leader. Typically, the more power one has, the greater the chances that they will soon overestimate their skills.

In one example, a seasoned CEO, the grandfather of the company, decided to hold a town hall. But, rather than allowing attendees a chance to speak, he ended monopolizing the conversation with 90 minutes of monologue. While his attempt at mentorship came from a good place, he lacked the self-awareness to realize that his employees were feeling disengaged, obligated to sit through a talk while feeling disenfranchised by a less-than collaborative event. This is a classic example of how expertise and authority can get in the way of self-awareness.

Sympathy

The overused ideas of a leader always tend to lean in terms of strong, powerful, smart and so on. However, there is one major part of a leader that seems to be left out, sympathy. To actually have true passion and understanding for those you are in charge of makes a huge difference in productivity. If you are a leader that dictates rather than understands your employees then respect will not flow as naturally, says Steve O’Dell, the Co-Founder of Tenzo

Critical thinking

Leadership should always be based on a person’s ability to think critically. How do you as a leader handle difficult situations? How do you break bad news to someone? These types of questions are only solved through deep critical analysis of situations. If you have a leader that overlooks the deeper outcomes of interactions then a lot of details will be lost in passing. There is a reason why schools want to focus so much on critical thinking, and it is because it is what shapes our youth to become powerful leaders, says Jack Klauber, CEO of Everyday Dose

Good communication

As Gerald Lombardo, the Co-Founder of The Word Counter puts it, a good leader must have great communication skills. Leading is dependent upon being able to reach people and connect with people in a way that makes you trustworthy and reliable. When you’re a leader you need to be a resource that pours into others with guidance and direction. The flip side to good communication is knowing when to listen and how to decipher messages correctly.

Perseverance

Great leaders persevere in the face of adversity. My business, Snow Monkey, was created because I’m not one to back down from a challenge—when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease during college, there were few sweet treats available that could accommodate the dietary needs of an athlete with Celiac. I took matters into my own hands and created Snow Monkey, a plant-based, high-protein ice cream alternative.

That same drive that led me to create Snow Monkey and bring it to market was tested again when I found that many investors were hesitant to work with a female, 20-something first-time founder. Instead of giving up, I launched a Kickstarter campaign to gain capital and proof of concept. It was fully funded within 24 hours. The challenges of being a business owner never stop, but a true leader knows that no obstacle can keep them from their goals, says Rachel Geicke, Founder of Snow Monkey.

Desire to pass the torch

As a professional development trainer and college professor of management, says Stacy Roberts, President of SMR Leadership Solutions, I found that a quality that good leaders have is the desire to pass the torch.

They mentor, groom, and prepare their followers to grow and develop so the company, vision, and mission will continue once they’re no longer there. Succession planning is crucial to the legacy of an organization and I’ve seen many in leadership positions fail to cultivate the next leader to take their place.

One of the best managers I ever had told me, “Stacy, I want you to grow here. I want you to be ready to take my place one day and I’m going to make sure when the day comes, you will succeed in securing and excelling in my role.” Guess, what? She followed through and I’ll never forget her.

Curiosity

There are, according to Amie Devero, President of Beyond Better, so many well-discussed leadership behaviors that make good leaders, and trying to come up with one less obvious one may prove daunting. In my work as an executive coach and strategy consultant for the founders and leaders of high-growth startups, I inquire into this question on a regular basis.

Maybe the thing that comes to mind first is a deep sense of curiosity about themselves and others. Leaders are relentlessly curious, and tend to be adaptable enough to recognize opportunities to both grow themselves and their teams – as well as noticing subtle changes or behaviors that they can learn from. This proves true whether trying to grow one’s team, or adapt the strategy of an organization – or transform oneself to better serve an organization and its customers.

Without having that motivating curiosity, people (and so, leaders) become stale. They fail to notice the moments when an employee needs support, or acknowledgement; they often can’t see the ways they must themselves improve. That lack of curiosity means they simply cannot hear and utilize the constant feedback that’s available.

Emotional intelligence

In the words of Valeria Lo Iacono, owner of Symonds Training  emotional intelligence is an important trait of good leaders. People with high emotional intelligence have good awareness and control of their emotions and abilities, as well as a good understanding of other people’s emotional states.

In a leader, this means that they will:

  • Know their strengths and weaknesses and therefore be able to delegate effectively.
  • Avoid making impulsive decisions and lashing out at other people in anger.
  • Have better communication skills as they understand other people’s point of views.
  • Have great negotiation and persuasion skills, thanks to their ability to grasp other people’s emotions.
  • Lead a happier, more satisfied and more productive team, as their team members will feel valued and appreciated.

Storytelling

A storytelling skillset is an underestimated leadership trait, but it’s for strategy execution and to inspire others.

I personally learned it when I was working for a client and noticed something special. A senior manager had his team and colleagues respect and admiration. After I spent a few days with him, I realized what was his secret: storytelling.

He experienced one of the worst crises in the 1980s in his home country, Peru. He quickly shared his thoughts and inspiration.

After more than four years, I still remember how skillful he was to deliver much more than information through storytelling. He was capable of turning a dark mood into a combative one or lifting people’s moods with a humorous anecdote. Since that day I noticed that storytelling keeps showing like a distinctive trait among every good leader I have met, says Yker Valerio, Founder of Bon Vivant Caffè.

Humility

According to Capri Wheaton, CEO of Thryft Corp, great leaders possess a substantial amount of humility. Humble leaders create unparalleled levels of trust and transparency within their organization. Humble leaders achieve greater success by fostering safe, collaborative work environments. When a leader acts with humility, that sets the tone for the entire organization.

Assessment

Most lists of leadership-traits talk about communication, respect, gratitude, and so on. But one game-changing leadership trait that is often overlooked according to Jason Fonceca, Co-Founder and Director of Ryze, assessment. Good leaders must have superb assessment skills because they’re the ones leading. If they lead in a poor direction, it’s vital that they can assess the situation and adjust.

They need to assess their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their team. They must assess their mistakes and amend them. Not to mention weigh all the paths, tools, and resources available and select ones that fit. Leaders must constantly assess progress, growth, and momentum, then speak up if things are off-track. They have to assess opportunities that may be disguised as bribes or distractions. Assessment is an invisible skill so many leaders neglect, don’t let yourself be one of them.

Stoic mindset

Staying motivated and not letting what they cannot do interfere with what they can do is an important leadership behaviour, claims Christian Bolz, CEO of Retail CRM Cloud. Some may call this a stoic approach since you doing what you currently are able to do for your business, rather than worrying about things that you cannot affect.

This idea also trickles down into the work mindsets of employees and pushes them and yourself to innovate and move with the possibilities at hand. This has been a defining principle during the pandemic to uplift my spirit and the people working with me.

Self belief

Successful leaders believe in themselves, says Outstanding Food CEO, Bill Glaser. You can’t expect others to follow you when you’ve barely been able to convince yourself. Before I became comfortable building businesses, I would decline opportunities because I was afraid. My fear of failure was holding me back, and it prevented me from finding success earlier in my journey.

Thankfully, my business mentors, peers, and self-study through influential books by thought leaders taught me to invest in myself and trust myself to reach my full potential. That self-confidence helped me become the best leader I could be, and now I’m passionate about sharing my wisdom with young aspiring entrepreneurs who might need a similar push into the light.

Integrity

As per Deepak Shukla, Pearl Lemon’s founder, integrity is a trait that all great leaders possess. Great leaders do what they say they will do and will live by their word. Integrity is what makes a leader responsible and answerable to their team. This relationship is the foundation of trust between any leader and their team, and is crucially important for any business.

Conclusion

These effective leadership behaviors and attitudes show the clear distinction between a mere boss and a good leader. A good leader is aware of the importance of teamwork, but is not afraid to make a decision that’s opposite to the rules and expectations. A good leader helps their team to grow and appreciates their feedback and effort. A good leader owns their mistakes but never apologizes for their passion.

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Ways to improve your business mind and become more business minded person

Ways to improve your business mind and become more business minded person

by | Apr 10, 2022

Business Tips

Ways to improve your business mind and become more business minded person

April 10, 2022

Ways to make your brain stronger and more business minded

Have you ever found yourself admiring successful business leaders, asking yourself how are they managing to be so powerful and fearless? I guess your conclusion is that they are just born with a business mind and that there is nothing you can do to be an outstanding business leader.

Guess what? You were wrong but you came to the right place to find out how to become business minded.

Having a business mind is having the ability to understand emotions, rationalize them and move past them. The only difference between your success or failure is your inner belief. To have a business mind means to continually improve your mind to solve any problems and to become a person who knows all the risks that come with every investment.

How to become business minded

To understand how to empower your business mind better, follow these tips that will help you become a stronger and fearless entrepreneur.

Find your motivation

You should start by finding the reason why you want to achieve this. We all dream of being successful but we know that nothing is achieved overnight and that winning always takes time and hard work. Therefore, ask yourself what are your personal and business goals, find what motivates you, and be ready to get through the ups and downs. So make sure you remain motivated and always remember why you started doing this in the first place. 

Remember, you are just one person and you cannot make everything happen in your company for a short period of time. Even though success is good enough motivation itself, when we are encouraged by others, our motivation becomes even greater.

Balance your life

Sometimes you’ll have to make great personal sacrifices for your business. You won’t have enough time to spend with your family and friends or have time to do your favorite activity.

That said if you don’t satisfy your personal needs, you will definitely start to be unhappy which leads to a lack of motivation and losing interest. So make sure you are achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Try to make your family and friends understand why you are not spending so much time with them. Handle all those social issues quickly and with care. As you become more experienced and patient enough, you will have time to spend with them in the future!

Don’t rely on emotions when making decisions

It’s true that emotions are instincts that guide us through life. But since they can strongly influence our judgments and choices, you have to be aware of how emotions affect your decisions. To become business minded, you must learn how not to rely too much on feelings, when making business decisions.

Try to use your mind sharpness and create logical analysis before any decision. For instance, you met a salesman, a friendly and funny person who promises fast delivery and maintenance for a year. However, his store is just too expensive and your budget cannot handle that amount. It might sound funny, but that happens more often than you think. For that reason, remember to always be rational and find the most reliable sources to buy from. Don’t let your emotions make the decision for you only relying on the convincing digital skills of salesmen.

Improve your leadership capabilities

First things first – leaders drive businesses. To be more business-minded, is to be more leadership minded. No matter how motivated and invested in your business you are, you cannot build a successful business by yourself.

There are mechanics of leadership that must be understood. The same skills that make you a great employee are not necessarily the same skills that will make you a great leader. Executive coaching is beneficial because it will give you the skills needed to take you from a motivated entrepreneur to a true executive-level leader.

You can begin by understanding yourself and pursuing continuous learning opportunities. Self-awareness helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Continuously seek knowledge through reading, management courses, and seminars to stay updated. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and never stop refining your leadership abilities.

Accept things as they are

Another tip on how to be business minded is accepting things as they are. The truth is that the good and the bad things happen at the same time and you have no control over everything. 

For example, you may create a new product, and make an excellent deal with a big client, but your machines broke for good. You will be angry and maybe afraid that you may lose everything. In those moments, a business mind would accept things as they are and will find a way to solve the problem without overreacting or giving up.

Evaluate the situation, accept things as they are, make sure you always do your best work, and explain everything to your clients. If they want to break the contract, accept it. Something better will come anyway! The world will not end if you fight until the very end!

Always be prepared for the worst

Analyze the market at all times, and be prepared even for the worst. It may sound pessimistic, but having a plan B, will give you an advantage over your competition. While others are shocked by the current situation, you will continue as nothing happened. A business mind must think outside the box and predict bad scenarios. If you know where you can go wrong, you can build tools that will help you handle those situations better.

On the other side of being a step ahead, to have a business mind also means to be able to predict future trends so you can keep the door open for big opportunities.

Conclusion

Having a business mind is not something you are born with, instead of that your business future is only in your hands. You can become business minded with hard work and by investing in yourself. As you grow personally and professionally you will develop your own ways to handle tough situations, but implementing these tips will definitely give you strong fundamentals of your career as an entrepreneur.

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Business entity: Why your business should be owned by one

Business entity: Why your business should be owned by one

by | Apr 10, 2022

Business Tips

Business entity: Why your business should be owned by one

April 10, 2022

Is your business owned by a business entity

Business entity meaning and why should your business be owned by a business entity

Business entity is a very important advantage for businesses particularly established ones.
However, before we delve into the benefits of having your business owned by a business entity, let’s understand what business entity’s meaning is. 

Business entity’s meaning is referring to the type and structure of a business and not what the business does. Simply put, a it is an organisation that has been created by one or more individuals with the purpose to conduct business activities. Therefore business entities can engage in all kinds of trade or take part in similar activities. 

There are several types of business entities. However, you must analyse and choose the best type to own your business, if you want to make the most of it.

Business entity types, their meaning and should your business be owned by one

A vast majority of all business is owned by a business entity. This is because having your business owned by a business entity has its advantages, especially for activities like enterprise software development. Moreover, the type of business activities you do, influence what would your most suitable type be.

The types of business entities are sole proprietorships, corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLC) and limited liability partnerships (LLP).

Sole proprietorship 

Although it is officially recognised as a business entity, a sole proprietorship is not a special business structure that needs to be registered to conduct business. Therefore, one becomes a sole proprietor automatically when they conduct business outside of any other business entities. 

Therefore, this is usually used by freelancers and other service professionals. 

 

  • The biggest advantage of sole proprietorship as a business entity is that it is super simple to manage. 
  • The biggest disadvantage of sole proprietorship is that you are personally responsible for all your business debts and liabilities. Moreover, having no real separation between yourself and your business affects your access to getting finances (loans).  Additionally it makes it harder to build business credit too.

What are partnerships in business

There are two types of business partnerships as business entities: general partnership and limited partnership. 

A general partnership is like a sole proprietorship except that there are two or more business owners/partners.
Moreover, partners are actively involved in the business and share both profits and losses. Also you don’t have to register a general partnership. However, a big disadvantage is that all partners are personally responsible for the financial obligations of the business.

Furthermore, a limited partnership is a registered business entity. Additionally, a limited partnership can have two types of partners. One is a general partner that assumes liability for the business. The other is a limited partner that only acts as an investor. Moreover a limited partner does not assume any personal liability for the business.

Corporations

Corporations are business entities specifically created to do business. It is a separate entity from the individuals and people are not personally liable for business debts. Therefore, business experts would advise to have your business owned by a business entity that is a corporation. Especially, if your business is well established.

Moreover, corporations are taxed and are solely responsible for their actions. This is their key benefit, to avoid personal liability. However, the main disadvantage of this business entity is that they require extensive record keeping.

Limited liability company

Limited liability companies are the most popular business entity nowadays. Therfore, most business owners would advise to have your business owned by a business entity that is LLC. Why?

Because they bring both the advantages of corporations and partnerships together. Moreover, in LLC’s the profits and losses are passed down to the owners without taxation. Additionally, the business owners are also protected from personal liability for the business. If you want to learn how to register an LLC, we recommend consulting the experts at Business Nerd.

Why should you have your business owned by a business entity

Assess your legal liability

Depending on the nature of your business, you must assess how important it is for yourself to be legally protected from liability. As we discussed the business entity meaning, now you must review your situation.  Consecutively you can choose and apply the best business entity for your case. Moreover, you should see if you can afford the risk of liability. However, if you cannot don’t choose sole proprietorship or partnership.

What are your tax implications

Each business situation is different, so are their goals and tax opportunities. As a savvy business owner you are constant looking to reduce your costs and that includes tax implications as well. Additionally, corporations are a business entity that has by far the most tax options available. Therefore, if minimising tax is your goal, review your tax situation carefully. Moreover, speak with a professional tax advisor and then choose your company structure.

Administration and formation costs

Business is all about doing maths and getting positive results. Before choosing a business entity to own your business, calculate all the costs and advantages. If the tax advantages are less than the costs of doing business as a corporation, then a corporation may not be the best choice for you. 

Maximise the flexibility of your business

Having your business owned by a business entity that is an LLC or a corporation offers you maximum flexibility for your business. Moreover, these two structures work independently of the business owners. Therefore difficult situations that may arise between the owners. This can be due to them not having the same goals or financial situation. However it will not affect the business as it is an entity that does not affect personal liability.

Know your future needs

Think about the business in the next 5 or 10 years. How do you envision it? Where would you want it to be? Therefore, consider all possible scenarios, even such as sell off or death of a business owner. Morever, in order to have your business survive through ages you must be prepared in advance.

Now it is possible to answer this question: Why is your business owned by a business entity?

Because depending on the type of business you’re doing and if you’re not a freelancer, then the benefits of having a business owned by a business entity far outweigh the disadvantages. 

The meaning of a business entity is exactly this, to give you advantages and a better way of conducting your business activities.

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