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19 Jun

Here’s How Small Business Owners Can Avoid Detrimental Financial Missteps


Photo Credit: Windows via Unsplash

If you’re a small business owner, then you know that financial management is crucial to the success of your enterprise. However, even the most seasoned business owners can make financial mistakes from time to time. In this article, Creative Juices takes a look at some common financial mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them.

Not Registering as an LLC

One of the first things you should do when starting a small business is to choose a legal structure for your company. This will determine how much personal liability you have in the event that your business is sued. One of the most popular legal structures for small businesses is the limited liability company (LLC). An LLC offers its owners limited personal liability in the event that the business is sued, so it’s usually a better option for entrepreneurs than a sole proprietorship.

Having Lots of Debt

Another common mistake small business owners make is taking on too much debt. While it’s true that some debt can be beneficial for your business (e.g., taking out a loan to purchase inventory), too much debt can quickly become crippling. This is because you’ll have to make regular loan payments, which can put a strain on your cash flow. 

Furthermore, if you default on your loan, your creditors could come after your personal assets, including your home and car.

Inadequate Invoicing

Another mistake small businesses make is being inefficient with their invoicing. This can lead to late payments and cash flow problems. To avoid this, be sure to send invoices as soon as possible after a service has been rendered or a product has been shipped. You should also include clear payment terms on your invoices (e.g., “payment due within 30 days”).

Subpar Budgeting

Poor budgeting is another mistake small businesses make. A budget is crucial for ensuring that your expenses don’t exceed your income. Without a budget, it’s very easy to overspend and find yourself in financial trouble down the road.

If you struggle with the financial aspect of your business, consider this option: go back to school for a degree in accounting. Having a more thorough understanding of how to manage your accounting and taxation will allow you to make better financial choices for your business. 

Combining Finances

Mixing business and personal finances is another mistake small businesses make. This can lead to confusion and make it difficult to track expenses for tax purposes. Be sure to open a separate bank account for your business and use it exclusively for business expenses.

Inadequate Marketing Campaigns

Marketing can make or break your business because, even if you have the best product or service on the market, you will fail if no one knows about you. So, dedicate some real time and money to strategic marketing campaigns. If you aren’t sure how to choose where to put your marketing dollars, work with the marketing professionals at Creative Juices. Marketing experts have seen it all and they will know how to guide you to build your  business. 

Inefficient Inventory Management

Poor inventory management is another mistake small businesses make. This can lead to lost sales and cash flow problems (since you’ll have money tied up in inventory that isn’t selling). To avoid this, be sure to keep track of your inventory levels and only order what you need when you need it.

Hiring the Wrong People

Hiring the wrong people is another mistake small businesses make — one that can be very costly in terms of both time and money. Be sure to take your time when hiring new employees and only hire people who are a good fit for your company culture and who have the skills and experience needed to do the job well.

Not Having Enough Insurance Coverage

Not having enough insurance is another mistake small businesses make — one that could prove financially fatal if something goes wrong (if one of your employees gets injured on the job or if your office catches fire, for example). The Hartford recommends that you purchase adequate insurance coverage for your business — which may include property insurance, liability insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance — and review your policy regularly to ensure that it still meets your needs.

Avoid Financial Pitfalls

As you can see, there are many common financial mistakes that small business owners make — but thankfully, there are also ways to avoid them! Start by establishing a strong budget and keeping to it. This will prevent you from making really detrimental mistakes. And be sure that you’ve chosen the right business structure, as that can make a big difference in many ways. By applying these simple strategies, you can help ensure that your business remains on solid financial footing for years to come.

Uncategorized
01 Jun

Turn Your Entrepreneurial Dreams Into Reality (Even With a Limited Budget)

Image via Pexels

If you’re ready to start your own business but feeling overwhelmed by the thought of all the expenses involved, don’t let a shoestring budget stop you! You may need to exercise some creativity and a willingness to roll up your sleeves, but adopting a frugal mindset and implementing a few keep strategies will put you on the path to starting a business with little to no money down. Today, Creative Juices shares some practical tips to help you get started!

Settle on an Idea

The first task is to find the perfect business idea. Here are a few ways to do just that:

  • Think about what you’re good at and passionate about, then brainstorm ways to turn those into a business.
  • Look for inspiration in everything from online research to conversations with friends and family.
  • Identify a problem in your community or industry, and come up with a solution that addresses it.
  • See what’s working for your competitors, and find ways to improve or fill gaps in the market.

Look for Funding

You’ve got an amazing idea for a start-up but need funding to bring it to life. These tips will help position you to get the money you need:

  • Research various funding methods like loans, crowdfunding, and venture capitalists to find the best one(s) for your business.
  • Figure out what your credit score is and how it applies to your overall financial standing. This will help you determine what types of loans to pursue.
  • Create an engaging pitch that clearly explains your plan, team, and vision for the future in a way that captivates potential investors.
  • Focus on building connections with mentors, investors, and advisers; these people can offer support and guidance throughout your journey.

Embrace the Administrative Tasks

Starting a business comes with plenty of menial tasks. Here’s how to manage the administrative side of things:

  • Take the time to gather information on the legal, financial, and regulatory requirements that apply to your business.
  • Create an organizational system for storing and managing essential documents like tax forms, permits, and licenses.
  • Don’t forget to market! Spreading the word with flyers is a great place to start. If you aren’t sure where to begin, this site may prove to be helpful.
  • Consider getting help from lawyers, accountants, and business advisors to ensure you cover all your bases.
  • Develop a routine for keeping track of ongoing administrative tasks like bookkeeping, tax filings, and legal compliance. Doing so will save you time and help you avoid frustration in the future.

Yes, you can make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality if you exercise a frugal mindset and some creativity! Remember that success is not measured by how much money you invest but by your ability to adapt, hustle, and innovate. Go out there, take those first steps, and use the tips and resources above to make wise decisions. Don’t be afraid to take risks, make mistakes, and grow as an entrepreneur!

If you’re looking for an experienced graphic designer, call Creative Juices at 310-791-5803 for a free consultation and estimate.

Uncategorized
13 May

Refreshing Your Company’s Brand: Tips for a Modern Upgrade

A company’s brand is the way it is perceived by customers and clients. It is the image a company presents to the world. A solid and distinct brand is essential for companies that want to stand out and attract new customers. However, brands can become stale and outdated over time, and a refresh can help companies regain relevance and re-energize their customer base. In this article, Creative Juices explores some techniques for refreshing your company’s brand.

Benefits of Brand Refresh

There are many reasons why a brand refresh may be necessary. One of the most common reasons is that a company has grown, changed, or evolved over time, and its brand no longer reflects its current goals, values, or offerings. Additionally, brands may start to feel outdated or stale after several years. A refresh can help spark new interest from customers and help a company stay competitive.

Company Logo Redesign

Your company’s logo is one of the most visible parts of your brand. It is the face of your company and should reflect your brand’s personality, values, and goals. Updating your logo is an effective way to refresh your brand and attract new customers. Consider hiring Creative Juices to create a new logo that reflects your brand’s updated image.

Employ Graphic Design Professionals

Again, hiring a graphic design service to create new visuals for your brand in addition to updating your logo. Creative Juices can also aid you in developing a unified visual identity that emphasizes your brand’s message and captivates your intended audience. With their knowledge of color schemes, fonts, and imagery, a graphic designer can boost your brand’s appeal.

Maximizing Your Brand’s Reach on Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your brand and reaching new customers. When refreshing your brand, consider expanding your social media presence by marketing your brand on different platforms. Use social media to share your brand’s story and values, promote new products or services, and connect with customers.

Create a Fresh Slogan

Your brand’s slogan is a short and memorable statement that encapsulates your brand’s identity and value proposition. As part of your brand refresh, consider developing a new slogan that reflects your updated brand message and resonates with your target audience. A catchy slogan can make your brand more memorable and increase customer engagement.

Content Creation Strategy

A strong content creation strategy is crucial in maintaining a consistent brand identity. This means investing in services such as social media management, copywriting, and email marketing that are in line with your brand’s messaging and appeal to your target audience. By doing so, you can refresh your brand while reinforcing its identity.

Website Update

Your company’s website is the online face of your brand. It’s essential that it reflects your updated brand image and messaging. As part of your brand refresh, consider updating your website by refreshing its design, incorporating new messaging, and ensuring that it’s easy to navigate. Make sure your website reflects your brand’s personality and adds value to your customers.

Update Your Marketing Materials

Once you’ve refreshed your brand, it’s important to incorporate your new branding into all of your marketing materials. From business cards to brochures, your marketing materials should reflect your brand’s new visual identity and messaging. Consider creating a tri-fold brochure to showcase your brand’s offerings and values.

In conclusion, a brand refresh is a great way to re-energize your company’s image and attract new customers. By establishing a content creation strategy, marketing your brand on different social media platforms, incorporating your new branding into your marketing materials, and more, you can ensure that your brand stays relevant and engaging. A refreshed brand can help you stay competitive and drive business growth.

Image via Pexels

Uncategorized
10 Jul

5 Trending Logo Themes

Is Your Logo Up To Date?

Image is everything in today’s online business world. How do you keep yours up to date?

Start with your logo. Maybe it needs a make-over.

The following logo design ideas are all the rage today. If you need a logo, keep this in mind. If you already have one, you may want to spruce it up.

  1. Minimalism – simple is in. As they say, less is more.
  2. Hand-Drawn – very popular in today’s restaurants and eateries. Chic and unique.
  3. Line Art – a modern look that stays in style
  4. Negative Space – takes advantage of positive and negative space for an unusual and trendy look
  5. Vintage – for a nostalgic look from the past

Your logo is a huge part of your company’s brand and it should be given quite a bit of thought.

Click here for more information on logo design.

Branding Graphic Design Logo Design
05 May

6 Important Reasons to Update Your Website

 

Website help needed!

Website design is constantly evolving. You want a design that will help your audience convert to paying customers.

You also want a website that is up today’s standards and not stuck in the past.

Here are some of the website design trends happening in 2017:

  1. Full Width Images and/or Video Sliders. Studies show large images make people stop and notice. The image must be exceptional and unique (avoid stock photos). This contributes to a high conversion level.
  2. Split-Screen Layouts. This allows your audience to go to where they will be most likely to convert.
  3. Monochromatic Colors. Your CTA (Call To Action) button will stand out if you use a bright spot of color on an otherwise neutral or contrasting color palette.
  4. Simple Navigation. Make it easy for people to find what their looking for. Avoid deep menus that require a lot of clicks.
  5. Video. A level of trust is needed to convert your audience into clients. A video will allow you to personalize your brand. You will see more and more videos on the home page of websites today.
  6. Responsive Design. A responsive web design is one that fills all screen sizes optimally. This is a must as an increasing number of people use their mobile devices to search up websites.

These are tips to keep in mind, whether you’re needing a new website or revising an existing one. Don’t let your business get left behind.

Contact us for a free quote today!

    Branding Design Graphic Design Website Design WordPress
    18 Nov

    Don’t Forget Email Marketing

    Email Marketing

    Studies have shown that email is more powerful than social media when it comes to reaching your audience.

    Your email list is your most precious asset. Entice your website readers to sign up for your mailing list.

    It’s vital to put an email subscription form on your home page, your about page, and every blog page.

    Helpful email rules:

    • Make your email mobile-friendly.
    • Style your email with your company logo and matching colors.
    • Entice your reader in the subject line.
    • Start off with a personalized, friendly greeting.
    • Introduce yourself and get to the point.
    • Write in your own voice.
    • Add visuals but keep the number of images low.
    • Include relevant links but limit the number, otherwise, it looks spammy.
    • Don’t forget a specific call to action.
    • Close with a polite thank you for reading the email.
    • Edit and proofread your email carefully before sending.

    Follow these simple rules and you’re on your way to email success!

    Also, check out these useful articles on email marketing…

    Five Email Marketing Best Practices

    How to Brand Your Emails So that You Look Like a Pro in the Inbox

    Email Marketing Marketing 101
    16 Jun

    The Importance of Social Media Marketing

    8 types of social mediaSocial Media Marketing is the most popular way to get your business seen in today’s world. You must have a social presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn at the very least. There are many other social medial outlets which are constantly changing, including Snapchat, Instagram, WhoSay, Periscope and much more. It’s better to have a strong presence in a few social outlets than to spread yourself too thin.

    You need to spend time daily marketing on these networks. That means coming up with fascinating content that people will want to read on a regular basis. That can be a challenge.

    Some ways to get your name out there in social media land are:

    • Reviewing Products
    • Bookmarking or promoting other people’s sites that are related
    • Joining social and interest based networks
    • Create videos for YouTube
    • Publish your own books

    I’ve curated the following articles for some helpful tips on promoting your business.

    8 Types of Social Media and How Each Can Benefit Your Business

    How Often Should You Post to Social Media

    Sensible #SocialMedia Marketing Checklist for Business

    LinkedIn For Business

    Expose Yourself To Marketing

    How to Write a Professional Email That Gets a Reply

    Amazing Benefits of Instagram for Your Business

    Email Marketing Helpful Hints Marketing 101 Online Marketing Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
    16 Apr

    Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?

    Mobile Phone Optimized WebsitesGoogle is about to update their algorithm again which will affect how they analyze your website. Having a mobile-friendly website is vital to your success online.

    Mobile-friendly websites will soon rank higher on Google’s search engine results pages (SERP). If your site is not mobile-friendly it’s likely to become less relevant and disappear from prominent search results.

    Studies show that time spent daily on a mobile device has increased more than 5X from 2011 to 2014. Searching, browsing and shopping are all going mobile. 40 percent of all search queries are from mobile devices. And that number is growing.

    If your website isn’t optimized for mobile users, you’re probably losing business. In fact, with a mobile optimized site, you can expect to convert up to twice as many people as you would without optimizing for mobile customers.

    If your website looks good and works well on smartphones and tablets, you can expect up to twice as many conversions compared to a less-than-optimal display. That’s because customers who search for you on their mobile device expect a webpage specifically designed for smaller screens, like smartphones and tablets. Otherwise, it’s just too hard to use your website and customers give up. The result: no conversion.

    It’s crucial to your business that your website is easy to read, navigate and click on all devices, especially mobile.

    Enter  your website into Google’s Mobile Friendly Test and you will find out if your site is okay.

    Graphic Design Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Website Design WordPress
    11 Mar

    Print Marketing Still Has Value Today!

    Don’t ignore print marketing.

    Print is still aliveIt may be “old school” but many people still rely on printed materials to get their news and make their buying decisions.

    One of the ways I get new business is to send out persuasive sales letters to new businesses that have a DBA (doing business as) in the local newspapers. I find it in the classifieds section. I’ve been doing this for many years and it still works.

    Of course you have to start out with a professional sales letter. I keep things simple. All text, few graphics. You have to say what you do explicitly and show the reader the benefits of giving you a call.

    Inside each sales letter I include my business card with my catchy twisted pencil logo. Hopefully the pencil will never go out of style. Did you know they still use pencils in elementary school?

    Business Cards are still a powerful social media tool.

    We may be in the midst of a digital revolution, but the mighty business card is still being used daily. Yes indeed, people hand out business cards all the time. It’s easy to do and stackable too. And if you’re completely digital you can always scan a business card into your smartphone for easy access.

    So make sure your business cards shows the real you. Your brand image should be consistent across all media. Really.

    And of course don’t forget all the important information for your business cards:

    • Name
    • Address
    • Telephone Number
    • Email Address
    • Website URL
    • Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Names

    Here’s a summary of why you should always use a business card as a marketing tool:

    • Easy to hand out at events and in person
    • Shows your brand and all the important info a client needs to find you
    • Can be wild or classy, being memorable is important
    • An inexpensive way to advertise your business
    • Can also be used to win free lunches at some (old school) restaurants

    Brochures are hanging on

    Don’t rule out full color brochures either. They work great as a “leave behind”. This is especially true at trade shows and business mixers.

    Postcards, Catalogs and Door Hangers are still in the mix.

    Check your daily mail and you’ll find them all. Let’s keep the post office in business.

    So while you can see the digital age is taking over marketing, there will absolutely be a place for print for quite some time. Printed materials are tangible. There’s less competition in print than online so you’ll stand out.

    By combining print marketing with online marketing you’ll have a stronger presence and perhaps drive more traffic to your website.

    Branding Graphic Design Marketing 101
    20 Aug

    6 Reasons You Must Redesign Your Website

    Is your website looking old and stale?

    Website DesignIs it responsive to the various tablet and smart phone sizes or does it look strange and unprofessional?

    Technology is constantly changing and so must your website. You cannot just let it sway in the online breeze.

    Here are some tips on what makes an attention grabbing, quality website:

    1. Make it easy to read. Are the fonts large and clear? Is the content easy to skim? Use headlines and bulleted items.
    2. Create a unique experience. What makes your site stand apart from the competition?
    3. Include a search box visible on all pages.
    4. Eliminate animated graphics. Flashing, garish graphics are quite annoying, slow down your site and should be avoided.
    5. Simplify your navigation. Get to the point. Allow the user to find what they want immediately.
    6. Choose your design layout and color scheme wisely. Consult with an expert for best results.

    Remember that viewers decide in an instant whether to read your website or click away. Make sure your site really grabs and keeps their attention.

    What are your pet peeves about websites?

    Advertising Branding Design Graphic Design Helpful Hints Logo Design Marketing 101 Online Marketing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Website Design
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