Productivity

Every day entrepreneurs have to meet face to face with customers, suppliers or investors in order to maintain or grow their business. It`s important they should always keep a good image, since in many cases this may be a determining factor of doing business.The question is: how many times have you made judgments of a person just by their appearance? The personal image of someone can project confidence and trust, which often leaves those who don`t care about image out of business.Here are some tips on how to leave a positive impact on those around you through your image.

• One of the first things is to keep your clothes ironed and in excellent condition, as this will denote how careful and dedicated you are, and therefore with everything around you.
• Shoes are also a critical piece of outer wear for anyone, so make sure they are clean, shined and in excellent condition; if the heel or sole of the shoe is worn, send it to repair as soon as possible.
• Accessories are a fundamental part for a business role model, so it is recommended that they are of a decent and presentable quality.
• If you wear glasses, remember that they represent much of your personality; however, the most important aspect is that you go to a specialist to advise you with the kind of face you have and choose the glasses with which you feel most comfortable.
• Moreover, a black jacket is a basic item for most business owners, as this combines well with almost any clothing; it is a very versatile garment for both men and women.
• Men should be aware of facial hair, to keep this tidy and well managed. This reflects well on those making first impressions.
• Finally, never forget that what matters most is to gain trust from your customers and to show a good attitude about everything.

Digital marketing strategies have evolved over time; companies now are not only looking to sell a product but also fill it with valuable information to its users. This is what we call digital content marketing. However, this term does not refer only to notes written, but may also enter infographics, interviews and video tutorials and more.It also offers an important growth opportunity to develop videos of your web content strategies to promote your brand or company.The first advantage of integrating video and animation is that today people who are surfing the Internet have somewhat neglected the reading portion and have quickly become a highly visual public.Added to this, the videos tend to generate human value, allowing the link between brand and user to become more solid and durable.There is no better tool to tell a story than a video; we have stories, books and magazines, but nothing can be better to capture or document an event than video. This is because the visual things attract more viewers and ultimately make it easier for you to capture the audience.In addition, there are numerous free tools that let you create and publish videos for free - such as YouTube or VimeoVine, so you can spread them through these options and automatically redirect a link to your official site.What's more, it is expected that by 2016 videos on the web will be responsible for generating 55% of total Internet traffic, hence the importance of creating and innovating in this area.

If you have recently started your business, you may have some difficulties in managing issues related to personnel. One of the most complex points is when a person believes that they should be paid more, and therefore asks for a pay rise. Here are some clues to these situations.

Have clear market salaries

The first thing to know is how much to pay your employee and what they would expect if they were working for another company. There is no exact number, but you can get an idea by talking to contacts in other companies, looking at job ads or having a conversation with a recruitment agency. It is important to know as a starting point if your employee is claiming under or above the average wage, or if your salary is the usual amount.

Listen to your employee

Before making any decisions, take your time in a long conversation with that person. Hear what they have to say. Chances are, their main motivation for asking for a raise is the money, but they may have other issues that maybe you can easily fix. If you cannot offer a raise right now, improve other aspects by sitting down and chatting with your employee confidentially.

Analyse all aspects of the situation

What can happen if you accept the pay rise? There may be a domino effect with other employees also asking you for one, which may or may not be fully acceptable in your budget. On the other hand, if you do not agree, you may find that your employee will be discouraged, or even decide to leave to another company. No one is indispensable but some people are more necessary in an organisation than others, and may have an impact.

Never give in to blackmail

One of the arguments that you can find in these situations is that if you do not give the increase, the employee will leave. This can also be interpreted as blackmail. Usually yielding to this type of confrontation is not very helpful, because you can give a person the feeling of omnipotence, which can generate more conflict in the future. If it reaches a breaking point like this then it is better to let it go.

Is it deserved?

If you ask for a raise, maybe it's because you have failed to reward those who are more committed to your business. It's hard to be objective in these matters, but look at the work achieved by each, and seek to give raises to those who really are providing value to the company. If they see that their work is rewarded fairly, it`s an incentive to continue on that positive line, and peers may also become more motivated.

Looking for alternatives

If giving an increase right now is too risky given the financial situation of your company (very common in businesses just starting), look for alternatives to reward those that deserve it. For example, you can think of basing it on the results of the company or having strategic objectives incentives. In some cases, with key employees, you can even imagine sharing the capital of the company. In this way, everyone works toward the same goal: increase the value of the company.

One of the challenges for startups and companies today is to facilitate the coexistence and collaboration of several generations in the same virtual workspace. The question is: how to make different ways of thinking follow the same direction?Today, at least four generations share the same workspace: Millennials, Generation X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists. Each has features and diametrically opposed conceptions of the world, but at work, they must combine their skills and talents for the success of the company for which they work.This raises the importance of such mechanisms as so-called 'mentoring schemes', which aim to build synergies between members of a company which strengthen their organisational culture. Also, it transforms differences into a competitive advantage and not a source of conflicts.The foundation of mentoring is to promote mutual learning; i.e. the more experienced colleagues infuse their knowledge younger staff, while they inject freshness and the desire to evolve.Overall, mentoring programs offer the following benefits:- Transfer of knowledge, values and efficient practices.- Accumulation of intellectual capital.- Speedy integration of new talent.- Retention of the human factor.- Cohesion of equipment and training of leaders.- Increased productivity.Therefore, it is essential that companies invest in a trained mentor, who not only has credentials in human management but who knows in detail how to advise businesses and industry.The tutor must work with those responsible for human resources in companies and preferably show the following qualities:- Listening.- Assertive communication.- Deep knowledge of guidance and motivation.- Knowledge of various industries.- Commitment to human development.- Experiences for sharing.If you have problems in your business to create bonds among your employees from different generations, you must remember that if your staff are not aligned with the values and goals of your company, it will struggle to succeed. This is because in the end its production capacity depends on the people within it.

Today, work type and working environment have changed a lot. therefore, it is necessary for teams within a company to collaborate in new ways. This helps employees subjected to high amounts of stress to create and implement different things.According to experts, currently for a company to be successful, there is a need for innovation; however, the fact that their workers are not creative could stop their growth.Fortunately there are techniques that help improve the mood and performance of workers, which are directly related to fun, because when a person enjoys their work, they turnabout proposing new things.To do this, companies must make their employees feel confident to innovate and create fun in their environments.In the market there are already companies that do not require their workers to abide to a set schedule to work; i.e., they do not start and finish at rigid times every day, but are left to organise their time to work as they see fit, in order to meet their objectives.There are also companies that offer their workers a playroom in order to enable them to overcome stress and thus coexist with each other to achieve and establish new projects.Another way to achieve a friendly atmosphere is decorating the office with bright colours and funny pictures, in common areas where everyone can see them.The HR department from time to time should implement some dynamic activity with all members of the company, as this will be vital to promote integration and creativity of workers.Remember that the conduct in meetings where all your employees participate could enhance the sense of teamwork, generating an atmosphere of trust where you can be more fun and so innovative.

When starting a business, an entrepreneur may not always have an office to conduct operations, since this would mean paying monthly rent, plus all the services like water, electricity and telephone, among others. One option to solve this problem is to work from home; however, doing so implies certain responsibilities and rules to establish from the outset, to maximise time and not fall into the routine.

1. For starters, someone who works from home should enjoy what they do, so it is important to fully believe in the project or task in which they are involved.
2. Personal image is another aspect that should not be neglected, since you must constantly remember that even spending a lot of time at home means you can`t spend all day in panamas. If so, then this situation will eventually be counterproductive to your motivation.
3. Establish work schedules and respect others around you, as if this is not done, you`ll gradually lose the personal life and everything becomes work.
4. Choose an area to work that is away from distractions like television. This will be helpful to avoid pausing while working, so it's easier to concentrate on customers or suppliers.Talking about your business some of the time with your family and friends can be a good option to vent your problems; however, if you want solutions, it`s better to surround yourself with entrepreneurs or a coach you occasionally can contact about business.
5. If you have people working with you, the best way to avoid problems in the future is to establish rules from the start, because if not, it will invade the space of your family, which in the long term will be annoying for everyone.
6. Finally, organise your time developing methods and organise processes to help you avoid deliveries outside of your work time and make your work more efficient.

Having decided to be your own boss, you have to do away with the job search and all the stress that employees undergo. This kind of thought brings out the entrepreneurial spirit in you. However, the decision is yours when it comes to the kind of business you want to go into. You can choose to set up a limited company or to register as a self-employed sole trader. Here are some questions you need to answer to help you with the kind of business that is best for you.

What industry will you be working in?

The industry you get into plays an important role in how clients view your business. In some industries, it`s very common for freelancers to be sole traders. On this basis, clients are usually very happy to deal with them. For instance, writers or artists may decide to form limited liability companies. Clients prefer to deal with bigger organisations that are registered. The main reason for this is due to their transparency as the details of the company is displayed publicly in the company house.

How much paperwork do you want to do?

Whether you are a sole trader and the owner of a Limited Company, or you are a director of a Limited company, you`ll have to complete a self-assessment tax return with HMRC every year. The difference is that there will be extra paperwork for the director of a Limited company. The penalties for wrong filing of paper work are usually higher for the directors of a company than it is for sole traders. Limited companies must produce Year End Accounts (also called statutory or annual accounts) and also send HMRC a Company Tax Return and Companies House an annual return.Both limited companies and sole traders must register for VAT if their estimate for annual takings is estimated to be up to £81,000 at the year.

How much responsibility do you want?

As a sole trader, you are entitled to all the profits as long as you have paid tax and National Insurance contributions. However, you are responsible for the losses your business incurs. For this reason, you might lose all your assets if you eventually run into debt.If you form a limited company, you will be taxed for any money you withdraw from the business. More so, you have to record what you want to use the money for (e.g. salary or loan). As a director, tax and both employee and employer`s NI contributions will be deducted from your salary by PAYE. This means that you`ll pay more NI this way than you would as a sole trader. However, the benefit is that your personal assets are all protected against any debts your business may incur. Again, your legal liability is limited as well.

How much money do you need?

It is much easier for a freelancer to work for a big organisation or apply for business loans if he chooses the limited liability route. The Limited company gives you an edge due to its legal and financial protection.

Don`t forget you can change your mind.

If your decision is to form a limited company, we can help you with that. You will receive a certificate of incorporation indicating the registration date and the company number.However, if you choose to be a sole trader, you will need to register for self assessment with HMRC by 5th October following the end of the tax year. Contact us if you need more advice or information on registering as a sole trader.It is very possible to shift to the structure that suits you if the nature of your work or that of the clients you hope to attract, changes.For more information on this matter and lots more tax and financial news, see Your Virtual Office London blog today!

When you start a business, and also later when you are consolidating, there is a question you'll have to ask often, and that is whether a task requires outsourcing or needs to be done internally. This is an important topic, because it has a lot to do with choosing the priorities of your business.

The classical company integrating system

Until recently, companies tended to integrate all possible functions. Obviously, that was a more pronounced trend in medium to large companies, simply because they had more resources and many of the support functions of the core business had a sufficient volume for one or more jobs, (payroll, travel organiser, equipment cleaning, photocopying service, a lawyer, an accounting department and many more.)

The trend: specialisation

Over the years, things have been changing gradually. Some services were outsourced before others. For example, instead of having a person on the payroll dedicated to organising trips, many companies chose to have a contract with a travel agency. In some cases, the agency placed one of its employees in the offices of the company, in others, it was all done remotely. As a result, not only did the company save resources, but benefited from the expertise of a specialist travel company.This same phenomenon has happened in many other support functions. Over time, companies have realised that it was more interesting to devote resources to core business activities (producing and selling, basically), while it saved time and worked better having specialised suppliers outsourced.

When to outsource and when not to?

The question is not whether to outsource some services or trying to do everything in procedure. Many functions have no other option to outsource because you have a sufficient volume of activity to have a person dedicated to it, albeit part-time. Then, even if you had the time, in many other cases you would be paying much more with outsourcing, and not benefit from specialisation with these companies.The real question is when you have to choose to outsource and when not. You should analyse which are the most strategic functions of your business. Essentially, you should take maintain a direct and immediate control over what constitutes the heart of your business. On the other hand there are many support functions that today cannot be outsourced because the volume of work involved is too small to interest a foreign company, even with new technologies emerging every day.

A recurring question

The issue of outsourcing activities or not is a question you have to ask regularly. The environment changes, your business changes, your priorities change. At some point you may decide to rethink an internal function you had outsourced because you decided it is more strategic now than in the past, and vice versa. Companies are living structures, and the model is changing constantly. There is no right answer forever. Everything is about adaptation.

To think that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have the infrastructure and financial characteristics necessary to export their products is overkill for some people, if not a pipe dream. However, despite the difficulties and scope, it is possible to achieve.In the first instance, it is prudent to note that within the SME segment, midsize companies (a workforce of between 51 and 250 employees) are more likely to export. This is because its corporate structure is better defined and allows them to envision a brighter future compared to small businesses.Here we present some concepts and practices to be considered by small and medium scale businesses to make their products penetrate foreign markets:Creating quality export products. The basic principle of an exporting firm is a product for its quality and freshness. To ensure these qualities, businesses must implement quality systems, whose functions in simple terms are eliminating unnecessary activities and the tuning of key production processes.Production capacity. Companies can capitalise in the SME segment by being more flexible and to more smoothly modify their production lines. This is important because when exporting products, companies must ensure double coverage: the domestic market and external.Leverage corporations. SMEs can place their products abroad with the support of exporting firms. This will provide access to distribution channels and marketing independently.Knowledge and expertise. Companies with export potential should have updated information on the behaviour of foreign market information. Also, to acquire the corporate, financial and legal expertise to deliver your offers in completely different national contexts.A great way to help SMEs comply with these requirements in foreign trade is outsourcing. Entrepreneurs in the small and medium sector have several options available. To choose the best option, you should explore and analyse each alternative according to the demands of their initiative.

For an entrepreneur, networking (i.e. creating a network of personal contacts) is very important for long term success. Even if your project is 100% online, you should not reject the idea of personally meeting other professionals - it has many advantages for the new business owner. Its important you network the right way, Forbes produced some tips on networking.

We trust who we know

One of the main benefits of networking is to enter a circle of trust of like-minded people. It's very simple: between a stranger and a person you know, the chances are you're going to trust the one you`ve made a connection with. Therefore, in the medium term, having a wide network of contacts will improve your chances of getting customers, partners, strategic suppliers, and various collaborations.

It is very easy to build a network

Anyone can network; it boils down to motivation and perseverance. Look to directories for similar companies to your own. Commit to visiting relevant industry exhibitions or conferences and lectures about your own business line. Opening the doors to communication often opens the doors to success, so share stories and gain valuable knowledge from others who have experience too. Make sure you take their contact details down to create a bond of trust. You never know when you might need their advice!

It is timeless

A network of contacts is always useful. This is because even if you change your occupation, many of the people you've known previously will remain of interest. And eventually others also are changing in their respective careers, so you'll have access to other sectors very naturally.You don`t have to go looking for a short-term outcome with networking. Just know what you're doing and let collaboration opportunities arise between people.

A source of motivation

Starting, consolidating and maintaining a business is a difficult task, especially if you undertake it alone. It is normal to pass through phases of discouragement. Having a network of contacts allows you to exchange these times with others, see that you are not the only one with concerns. It offers a change of scenery, advice, and to help recover lost motivation.