当企业失败时, 这通常不是因为它已经无法生存, but often the result of the founders becoming so fatigued by problem solving, 为了自己的理智，他们决定让它安乐死.
但事前警告就是事前准备. You may find it reassuring to know that many of these challenges are the same in every single business.
1. 你没有任何过程
在你创业的早期阶段, you think process is something that established businesses need to consider – not little start-ups. 你需要担心挣到足够的钱来维持这个月, not waste your time and energy on bureaucratic box-ticking exercises that don’t make any extra profit, 正确的?
这是一个合乎逻辑的假设，但这是短视的. 许多初创企业都经历了惨痛的教训. Like when a client doesn’t pay an invoice and they have no contract to protect them. 或者当客户花了几周(甚至几个月)的时间!)寄给你启动项目所需的东西. 在此期间你也拿不到钱. These are problems that might have been avoided with a robust Onboarding process, 水密条款. Maybe you’re a salon owner who’s suffering lots of last-minute cancellations, 但是你们没有退票政策和存款计划?
突然之间，这些过程开始转化为额外的利润. 或者缺乏.
2. 客户没有支付他们的发票
我们都有过这样的经历. You know they’ve received the invoice, but the due date has passed and it hasn’t been paid. You can’t keep emailing reminders every week for the rest of eternity (and you need/want the money!)那么你能做什么呢?
If more than 30 days have lapsed without payment and you’ve given plenty of warnings, then issuing a ‘Letter Before Action’ is the last chance saloon for them to pay up before making a Money Claim in the Small Claims Court. You should send this final warning via Recorded Delivery as evidence in case you do end up in court.
3. 设定价格
你怎么算出向你的客户收取多少费用? 你可能是新人, 但是你可能在你的领域有多年的经验, 你应该收取你的价值. A good way to calculate your pricing might be to start with what you want/need to earn each week and work back from there. But don’t forget to account for 10+ hours per week where you won’t earn anything, 因为你在做市场营销/管理或勘探工作.
So, 假设你每周需要600英镑, and you’re working 40 hours per week – taking off 10 hours for admin, 30个小时，每小时收费20英镑.
4. 与合适的客户合作
Every business owner has had a nightmare client at some point, but it is possible to avoid attracting low-worth clients who demand all your time and want to pay as little as they can. 如果客户付不起你的钱，你可以离开. You don’t need to lower your pricing to match their budget (unless you really want to).
By setting clear boundaries from the outset, you’ll naturally attract a higher calibre of client. 如果你在周六晚上开始回复Whatsapp的信息, the client will continue sending you Whatsapp messages on a Saturday night…
5. 网络!
人脉是一种很好的省钱营销方式, 有许多免费或低入门价格的活动, 不需要做出很大的承诺. 如果你时间充裕/资金匮乏(很多创业公司都是这样)!)，那么这是不需要动脑筋的. 但你如何让它为你工作?
首先, try not to turn up and list every product and service you offer in the hopes that something sticks. 也, 你是来建立关系的, and build trust in your expertise so that your network will feel confident in referring you to their network. 这不是十大网博靠谱平台销售，而是十大网博靠谱平台被信任和喜爱.
6. 你的想法太多了!
As an entrepreneur, you’ll be pretty good at spotting commercial opportunities. 可能是一个 有点太好了 在这, 这可能会导致你被拖向各个方向, unable to execute one particular project very well because your time and attention is being split into too many pieces.
如何避免这种情况? 看看PFE - 努力换取利润. 你所付出的努力能产生多少利润? If there is something else that can generate more profit for effort in the same or less time, 然后扔掉它，走开.
7. 为你的网站带来流量
你把所有的钱都花在了一个光鲜亮丽的专业网站上, 但似乎只有你妈妈看到了, 你爸爸和你奶奶……
这是一个不幸的误解，一旦一个网站发布, 它会以某种方式, 仿佛被施了魔法, 接收交通. Traffic only comes to your website if someone or something is sending it there. That’s usually in the form of paid ads (Facebook / Google) in the early days. 没有某种形式的付费广告, you’re unlikely to get more than a handful of visitors a month in your website’s first year.
8. 你的营销奏效了吗??
如果你还没有这样做的话, ensure that Google Analytics is installed on your website and learn how to interpret the data. You’re going to need it if you want to measure whether your website and marketing efforts are generating any meaningful results!
9. 在社交媒体上发布什么?
Nearly all the small business owners we meet tell us “I can’t think of anything to post!因此，他们最终只是列出他们的产品和服务.
But nobody ‘opts in’ to seeing posts by a business page, to become captive for being sold to. You don’t need to write your content as though you’re a FTSE100 multi-national corporate brochure. Be authentic, and let people see the realness of your small business.
10. 不要做一个忙碌的傻瓜
作为一个小公司, you’ve probably wasted many hours sat in meetings that have generated zero value. 这可能是一种前景, where it has become quite apparent within ten minutes that they are not a good fit. 也许他们没有预算支付给你, or they’re not in a position to proceed for several months – and you just wanted an hour of your day, 再加上一个小时的旅行, 6英镑买咖啡，4英镑停车费, to find out something you could have discovered in a ten-minute phone call.
Be scrupulous with your time and filter your leads from afar before making a journey. 使用发现调用来确定预算, 项目时间框架, 以及对潜在机会的概述, 只有那时, 你应该安排一次面对面的会议吗.
小企业学院
This post is brought to you by Nikki Hesford following her talk at our in store event on 11th November. 妮基是 小企业学院, an organisation dedicated to helping small businesses and start-ups find their feet.
If you’re considering starting your own business or just want some tips on how to make your organisation more efficient, 看看我们帮助西北地区初创企业的计划吧. Don’t hesitate to contact our business team if you have any further questions: business@wearesync.co.uk
