Browsing CategoryBusiness

The 7 Most Important Investments You’ll Make in Your Business

Your business is an investment. No matter what kind of business you’re starting, you’ll need some capital to get it going, and in most cases, you’ll go a period of weeks (or months) without generating any revenue. In fact, the average cost of starting a business from scratch is $30,000—and even though there are some business models that can be started with just a few hundred dollars, it’s still important to pay close attention to where your money is going. How much you spend doesn’t matter nearly as much as how you spend it, so it’s important to optimize your…

How To Start Your New Toronto Business Off Right

Starting up your business in a bustling and diverse, metropolitan area like Toronto can be challenging, primarily owing to the sheer amount of competition found in a big city. Businesses are always vying for their clients’ attention. Chances are there is also someone else pursuing similar activities to you that already has a loyal following, that has already taken some necessary steps toward establishing themselves in the same industry. If you’re in an industry that runs off subscribers, like a publishing house for example, your ability to market yourself determines your success almost as heavily as the quality of the…

Are Tradeshows Still Worth It? The 5 Advantages to Know

  Today’s era of connected technology has given rise to the dominance of online marketing and advertising. Advertising space is plentiful and inexpensive, and there are countless inexpensive platforms to harness when promoting the visibility of your brand. By comparison, many traditional marketing and advertising strategies seem almost obsolete. For example, tradeshows cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to attend (not to mention days of prep time and attendance), and on the surface, don’t seem to offer the volume that online marketing can. However, there are some significant advantages to tradeshow marketing that you can’t get with any other medium,…

How Does A Sales Personality Test Work?

Ever since the 1980s, companies in the sales industry have been utilizing what is known as a sales personality test to help them determine the best candidates for a given position. These tests have provided transparency and direction to an elusive hiring process that has failed many sales enterprises in the past, leaving them with ill-suited employees – causing wasted time and lost revenue.  However, many managers who haven’t used these tools before are not sure they want to trust a ten-minute test over their own judgement during an interview. While the test can be implemented in addition to an…

Starting Your Own Van Rental Business Today: Here’s How

So, you have been thinking of embarking on a new business and your friend suggested that since you have a van and some extra cash, a van rental service would be the way to go. Before you jump into any decisions, here are a few things you need to know. This is not a comprehensive list and so don’t be surprised if you encounter things I haven’t written here. KNOW YOUR INDUSTRY Your knowledge of the business is critical. You should do thorough market research. The market for van rentals is big but there is a lot of competition. You…

Power Play – 6 Ways for Businesses to Lower Their Utility Bills

Just like an individual wants to save as much money as they can on their bills, so does a business. Companies can end up spending quite a bit of money a month for their utility expenses. However, there are ways for businesses to reduce the amount they spend monthly. Before you can understand how companies can become eco-friendly and sustainable, you need to see ways they can reduce their energy usage; you need to see what options are available to lower their utility bills to a reasonable amount. Keep reading for the top six ways for businesses to lower their…

4 Ways to Make a Positive First Impression in a Business Meeting

It’s unfortunate that something so insignificant usually has such a large impact, but first impressions tend to set the tone for future interactions in the business world. Are you confident that you’re getting the art of the first impression right? Helpful Tips for a Positive First Impression Whether you want to or not, you form first impressions about everyone you meet. From a blind date to a random stranger on the subway, you can’t stop yourself from forming opinions about people. “In forming those first impressions, we automatically attend to and parse relevant information about somebody, based on how important…

Sales Success: How to Hit Quota this Quarter

If it were easy, everyone would do it. Working in sales is a challenge, and quotas are provided as a means to push results towards a predetermined goal. If you’re consistently meeting quotas, you’re barely beating the odds. According to CSO Insights, just over half (57.1%) of sales reps hit their goals each year. Fortunately, there are proven ways to put yourself in this majority. Here are some tried and true methods and qualities that can help you achieve sales success and virtually ensure that you will hit your sales quota this quarter. Disciplined Prospecting If you want to make…