Run Your Own Business? Here’s How to Make Your Life Easier

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Hi lovelies,

No matter what industry you’re in, running your own business can be difficult. With long hours and complete responsibility, it’s not surprising that business owners feel the pressure. However, there are ways to make your life easier.

By working smarter, not harder, you can increase your downtime, operate more efficiently and increase productivity. In turn, you’ll be happier at work and be able to grow your business at a faster pace. 

Plan in advance
When there’s lots to be done, it makes sense to just get on and do it. Indeed, working hard is a key part of being a successful business owner. However, working without a strategy can limit your output and mean you miss out on important areas. 

By planning your day in advance, you can determine what tasks are really important and which ones can wait a little longer. Ranking tasks by importance and urgency is a good way to see what really matters and it will help to ensure that core business functions are always prioritized. 

Take a break
No-one can work 24/7 without suffering ill-effects, so don’t think you’ll be any different. Whilst starting a business does require long hours and almost constant availability, it’s important to schedule breaks too.

Whilst you may not want to take a full day off, ensure you have some downtime throughout the week. Business owners can often miss out on time with family and friends, so remember that your personal life matters too.

When you are at work, don’t try to work straight through. Not only will you lose focus, it will take you longer to get things done too. Instead, take a break every hour or two or schedule a break in between tasks to ensure you’re adhering to your schedule. 

Use automation
There are numerous ways to automate your business functions, and these are often the best way to make your life easier. With dedicated options for start-ups and SMEs, automating your advertising, bookkeeping or marketing is simple and straightforward. 

When you use Google Ads automation for enterprise agencies, for example, you can plan your PPC campaigns well in advance and monitor performance as and when you need to. Managing online marketing manually can be time-consuming, so why not take advantage of automation tools to streamline your workload?

Be prepared to say no
When you’re launching a new business, it can be tempting to say yes to every offer or proposal that comes in. However, you can’t please everyone all of the time. Furthermore, not every offer you receive will benefit your business. 

Learning how to say no is an important part of being a successful business owner and it will certainly make your life easier in the long run.

Enjoy yourself
Running your own business gives you the freedom to be creative and follow your dreams. Despite the difficulties and setbacks you’ll face, remember to enjoy your journey and make the most of being your own boss! 

We’ve Gone App Crazy

Hi lovelies,

iOS app development companies are in high demand, and it is not difficult to see why. You only need to look at the dominance of Apple products to see that there is a massive market out there for iOS apps. 

When it comes to iOS apps, the standards tend to be higher. This is because mobile app developers need to adhere to the strict standards that are in place. The Apple App Store has very stringent guidelines in place regarding user experience, as they want to create a premium app store. A lot of people also prefer the improved security of the software and the firmware when it comes to iOS. iPhone app development can accommodate features such as integrated data handling systems, measures implemented against the loss of data security, data encryption, and measures implemented to prevent data duplication. Of course, security is something you need to carefully discuss with your app development team – don’t just assume that because it is an iOS app it is going to be secure. You need to make steps to reduce identity fraud like never before. You also have a great platform to grow with iOS apps, as they offer great scalability, which is important for most businesses. All in all, Apple offers many benefits, however, other operating systems have their advantages too, which is why you need to discuss what operating system to use with your app developers. Their expertise is invaluable

In-App Ads

App developers may recommend that you use in-app ads as a way of making money from your application. If you are a regular app user, you will know just how common these ads are. They provide a welcomed alternative to charging outright for your app, which can put people off.

The best business app developers know how to incorporate in-app ads without having a negative impact on user experience. They do this by selecting the best type of ads for your application. We are going to take a look at five of the most common ad types in further detail to give you a better understanding. Firstly, we have banner ads, which aren’t a popular choice with most app development firms. These ads are placed at the bottom or top of the app during use. Banners can be somewhat irritating to the user, as they are distracting. If your developer is advising this approach, make sure they have a good reason why. After all, it does work in some cases! Another popular ad type is advanced overlay, which involves interactive adverts when transition points are used, i.e. when there is a natural pause in the app. Next, we have capture form, which involves offering incentives for users who enter their mobile number or email address, meaning these ads rely on user opt-ins. You also have notification ads, which is when a notification pops up in the smartphone’s status bar, and interstitial ads, which are very popular, as they are designed to generate clicks without causing frustration because they appear during natural pause points.

Factors Impacting App Store Ranking

Ranking highly in the app store is of huge importance for app development firms. They want to ensure that as many people as possible see your app and engage with your brand. So, what factors really influence your app store ranking? Firstly, we have positive ratings. Basically, the better the app; the more exposure. If an app has a five-star rating, it is going to be featured much higher in the app store than an app that only has a two-star rating. This highlights the importance of developing a winning app using the assistance of experts in mobile app development. The number of downloads you receive will also impact where you feature in the app store. Of course, this is somewhat of a catch 22, as you need exposure to get downloads. Developers will use alternative methods to increase downloads while your app is still working its way up the app store rankings. Your targeted keywords also play a big role. You need to select your keywords wisely, as you are restricted to a limited character amount when describing your app in the store. Finally, your title is also important. Titles with keywords in them result in apps ranking 10.3 per cent higher on average.

Things Your Small Business Needs

Hi lovelies,

When it comes to running a successful small business, the truth is a success is relative! It is always essential to think about what your version of success is and try not to compare that with other freelancers or small companies. You are unique, and your selling points are different, and what you need in terms of cash per month is different too. 

The next thing that you should be aware of is that there are some things that all businesses need.

Cash 
The reason that so many small businesses close month on month is that they just can’t manage their money. When a lot comes in, they spend too much on new stock and don’t put enough away. And, this isn’t all about profit either - it is a lot about just merely not having cash to hand when you need it. If you aren't great at cash planning, then you are going to find yourselves closing shop very early. So, invest time in cash flow planning and always put some of your profits into an account to save for a time that you need it. 

Mailing List
If the world of social media when kaput tomorrow - what would you have left? Your mailing list. There are many software choices that you can use to manage your mailing list - you should look to find one that you can control with ease. It is always worth remembering that you need to have your address on each newsletter that you send out. If that isn't something you are comfortable with then, you might like to invest in a business address with physical office. So you are protecting your home address but still compliant with the rules. 

Talent
No person is an island, and some projects are just too big. When you are starting out, it might be helpful, and something that helps in the long run, to think about recruiting some freelancers to help when you take on larger projects. You can use online software like Trello, or Evernote to keep track of who is doing what, and when work has been submitted - and neither of them takes too long to master. This also means that you will be able to work at a much faster rate and produce a more diverse project outcome. 

Marketing Maketh The Company
Your marketing should always be driving your message. Who you are, what you do, where you can be found, and how you can help people. And, don’t worry - every business has more than its fair share of marketing faux-pas. You have time to learn how to get it right, and if you really can’t get to grips with it, there are thousands of freelancers and small companies that are fantastic at it. 

Peaks and troughs. There will be moments that everything becomes clear, and it feels like smooth sailing, and there will be moments that you feel like you aren’t getting anywhere. Both of those are essential in a small business. And, typically the harder stages are the ones where growth is happening!

Photo for collaborative post by Remy Baudouin on Unsplash