Tendering is the process of creating a formal offer (or ‘bid’) to supply goods, services or works as requested by a government agency or private organisation. Procurement and tender specialist Celia Jordaan also sees tendering as an opportunity to work out what you do well in your business and use that to your competitive advantage. Through her...
A false sense of urgency, manipulative tactics or any kind of aggression should be red flags when someone is trying to sell you something. Learn more about high pressure sales tactics and how you can avoid issues within your small business. Some sales training can involve not taking “no” for an answer, overcoming all objections or creating a sense...
Are you finding it hard to work out how much you should be charging for your services? One of the most common questions we’re asked by new business owners is how much should they be charging per hour for their services. There are a number of factors to consider when setting an hourly rate. Here are our top tips if you are running a service-based...
In today’s competitive markets, you can’t afford to lose sales through poor customer service. Wow your customers with our tips on how to keep them happy.
While some businesses have their peak season over the Christmas and New Year period, other businesses experience a lull or schedule a shutdown. If December and January are usually quiet for your business, you can plan ahead to make the most of your downtime. At the end of a busy year, it’s important to take some time to relax and recharge when...
How can you impact your profit as a small business owner? For most small businesses, making a profit is one of the most important goals. Profitability relies on a simple accounting equation: Income – Expenditure = Net Profit In other words, net profit is your business's profit after all business expenses have been deducted from your revenue...
Crowd Source Equity Funding is a relatively new way to raise the funds needed to expand your business or to kick start a new venture. First things first. CSEF stands for Crowd Source Equity Funding. It’s a relatively new way to raise funds to expand your business. CSEF is evolving here in Australia with the introduction of the Corporations...
Our Small Business Commissioner, David Eaton, is calling on small business tenants and landlords to work together during this difficult time.
The way you’re feeling can often be aligned with how well your business is doing. The thought of whether you can pay the bills or wages, or whether your business can actually continue, are burdens that can weigh heavily on any business owner. There are a number of ways you can manage any stress and anxiety you are feeling. Unfortunately due to...
Landing a big client is generally cause for celebration as a small business owner. If you’re signing a contract to supply a client with your products or services, you might be asked to commit to an exclusivity clause. An exclusivity clause means you are being asked to restrict your supply of products to just that client, industry or geographical...
There’s more to offering a discount than simply reducing your prices. Offering discounts is a popular promotion technique to help increase sales and attract new customers, particularly if business is slow or you’re just starting out. Before you start offering discounts across the board, some careful planning, and considering other ‘value add’...
Withholding retention payments in construction can affect subcontractors’ cash flow and profitability. Often used in the construction industry, retention is a fixed percentage of the total payment due for a contract, withheld for a period after the work is completed. It’s there to make sure that the contractor or subcontractor properly completes...
