photo credit: Svadilfari

Starting your own landscaping business is a great way to earn money. But before you pull the trigger, there are some important things you should consider.

Obviously, you should already have some experience before starting a business in this field. This sort of activity involves your own creative ideas on what lawns should look like. Additionally, you should have some knowledge about gardening. If you don’t, you might consider working for some entrepreneur and gain some experience and ideas first, not just about landscaping and gardening, but also about running a company.

Once you start your enterprise, you will need to start finding new clients right away. Develop a detailed business plan, raise some start-up capital, and then advertise your services. The more you advertise, the more clients you will begin to attract. Setting up your own website is an inexpensive way of getting the word out.

Make sure you satisfy all the clients that you get. The more professional you are, the more popular your service will be. Low prices are also important, especially when you’re just starting out, but don’t ask too little or your company might not survive. It could take you a while to find the ideal price you can charge.

After a few months you will probably need to hire some employees so you can expand more rapidly. Some of them will handle the work while others will answer the phones and help with your marketing activities.

If you do things the right way, landscaping is an amazing and fulfilling way of earning a steady income. Good luck in your efforts!

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photo credit: Mulad

Staying afloat during an economic downturn is difficult, but it’s not impossible. Starting with the Great Depression, including the ten economic downturns since the National Bureau of Economic Research shows our economic slumps have been cyclic. The last five downturns have been shorter in duration than their predecessors. But speculate as they may, no one can predict when the economy will rebound. What you can be certain is that it will. Can you hold on? Will you be ready for the upswing?

Businesses, old and new, have not only succeeded during a downturn, they have come out of downturns much stronger.

How did businesses do it? Simple, they maintained good marketing programs, projected stability, provided quality products and services, knew their customers and how the downturn affected them and managed expenses. These companies created business stability and staying power until the economy turned upward again.

Marketing during economic downturns is a must for your business stability and ongoing success. But it has to be done sensibly, with a plan. You have to measure and manage your results, control your expenditures, monetize and market your web site. This does not have to be expensive.

What can you accomplish during a downturn?

- Win business from weak or failing competitors.
- Make stronger market in roads.
- Show market strength and staying power.
- Position your business to be ready for the upturn as soon as it starts. Waiting till the upturn starts may be too late.

What to do:

- Upgrade and monetize your web site. This is the cheapest source for increased revenue.
- Don’t lower prices, add value.
- Control your advertising campaigns. Don’t stop advertising just advertise smarter.
- Advertise where you can measure results. Know the numbers. Measure your ROI.
- Take care of employees and current customers. Your biggest assets. Monitor their reactions and needs.
- Go the extra mile with customer services and support.
- Reduce expenses and conserve cash but do it with a plan.
- Review and revise your business plan to match current economic conditions. Have a contingency plan.
- Diversify and share expenses through Strategic Alliances.

During tough times difficult decisions have to be made that can significantly increase your stress level. It is important to recognize this. Monitor your stress and don’t overreact. High stress levels tend to lead to making bad decisions.

Most importantly, stay positive because better times will come. History proves it.

For more information on succeeding in a down time visit http://www.bizstrategies.biz/economy-planning.html

Biz Strategies, Inc. provides online business consulting for developing business strategies; including business development plans, writing business plans, business funding, web site strategies and marketing programs. Their coaches draw on anywhere from 20-40 years of experience to prepare their clients’ for a whole new ball game.

Learn more at http://www.bizstrategies.biz

Before embarking upon any business, a good entrepreneur will need to “blue-print” win-win-win business & marketing strategies to ensure business continuity and growth.

This is the most crucial component of your business … even before you start. It provides the fundamental framework & blue print of your business in 5 sections, mapping out your business goals, marketing strategies, operations framework, organization structure, and financial viability.

There are many complex Business Planning Software sold in the market, which you may or may not need depending on the scale of your business. A simple checklist as below is a good start for you to build upon. One major benefit for crafting your own business plan from scratch helps to tune your thought process in exploring the essence of your business.

SmartBiz Plan For Small Businesses & Start-ups

1) Goals with a Timeline – Measurable, reasonable and achievable over a set time period

2) Your Marketing Plan with a Timeline

* Viability studies – Porter’s 5 factors, P.E.S.T. analysis, S.W.O.T. analysis, Target Segment analysis, Product Life Cycle analysis, Value Proposition of products, Competitive Advantage Model, Product Growth Directions, BCG Matrix
* Marketing Planning – Marketing Mix (4Ps) strategy, Internet Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, Marketing Implementation plan, Marketing Budget plan
* Monitor & Review plan

3) Your Operations Plan with a Timeline

* Business Structure, Scope, Regulatory Issues, Plant & Equipment, Production Arrangement, Distribution & Warehousing Arrangements, Credit Terms, Quality Control, Location, Business opening hrs, Commencement Date
* Stand Operation Procedures (S.O.P.) for each business function
* Monitor & Review Plan

4) The Organisation Plan with a Timeline

* Organisation Structure, Skills required, Talent management strategy, Business Succession plan
* Monitor & Review Plan

5) The Financial Viability Plan with a Timeline

* Financial Statement Forecast, Breakeven Analysis, Capital Spending plan, Required investments and spending, Ways to raise $, Additional $ source
* Financial Contingency Plan
* Monitor & Review Plan

It is important to note that a well crafted SmartBiz Plan is the first step to solicit funds from Bankers or Venture Capitalists should the need arise. Your new or existing business must be planned adopting the broad basis in consideration of sustainability, scalability and contingency. Sustainability implies consideration of realistic sustainable longevity of the business. You should also plan well ahead for your business growth, ensuring that the business is expandable via scalability, like the famous “LEGO” blocks. Contingency is the most ignored part of most businesses, be it in unforeseen man-made emergencies like terrorism, or natural disasters and calamities like hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, or simply, unexpected financial crisis.

Hence, the rule of thumb to drafting a good business plan is to adopt a conservative approach both in planning financial and manpower resources. However, also learn to strike a balance and permeate that innovative and curious mindset when drafting your business plan.

Yoshiko Choy is an entrepreneur and a management consultant in business & marketing with 17 years of experience in Large Locals, MNCs, consultancy firms. She holds an Executive MBA with California State University. Practicing what she preaches, she is also an avid online marketer specializing in niche marketing & niche content websites. Get the latest reviews and updates on niche marketing, visit http://onlinenichemarketing.org Also read about business & marketing management at her http://businessfast4ward.com