Entrepreneurship | BizSieve.com

Innovative Behaviors Small Business Owners Need In Order For Their Startup To Succeed

Innovation seems to be the hot topic of the year. From the latest Kickstarter project to new technologies, everything is being labeled innovative and world changing. However, innovation is not always about changing the world or creating the next big trend. It often starts as a simple change that might not even be noticed. This is especially common in the small business sector. Though small businesses were once thought of as rigid and less than innovative, this is far from the truth. Most flourishing startups include some level of innovation. These nine behaviors are ways to ensure that innovation drives your startup or small business to succeed.

1. Be Open to New Ways of Conducting Business

The most innovative small business owners are those that are willing to try new ideas. When you continue to do things the same way, it is easy to fall into a routine. When this happens, innovation is unlikely. From finding new ways to attract clients and customers to changing your standard workflow or business model, each method could offer new and innovative ways to push your startup to the next level.

2. Understand Your Customers

Most major innovations in the past decade were not a matter of simply creating something that others had not thought of before. It was the result of knowing the market, knowing customers and acting on their thoughts and opinions. At the end of the day, customers are what will decide the success of your startup. By truly connecting with them and getting to know them, you can improve innovation within your company and always ensure that you are aligned with the interests of your target audience. This has an added benefit of strengthening your brand as well.

3. Analyze Everything

Innovation is not always about overcoming failure. Sometimes, innovation is a product of success. A major aspect of cultivating innovation within a small business is analyzing everything. From the efficiency of payroll to employee or customer ideas on how to improve the business, considering every idea and weighing the benefits can lead to surprising results. If you are not always tracking and honing your business endeavors, you are missing golden opportunities and chances for success.

4. Create Solutions Not Products and Services

Innovation is about changing existing methods, creating new solutions and solving problems in previously unseen ways. While most small businesses focus on providing a product or service, innovative business owners are providing solutions. In many ways, this leads back to understanding your customers and market. If you see a common problem, you might be able to exploit it for short-term success. However, creating a solution will providing long-term results. This is the essence of innovation.

5. Be Proactive

Innovative businesses are not simply following business trends and keeping the business afloat. They are leading the way, charting new paths and creating tomorrow’s trends. Instead of reacting to market trends or other common issues, be proactive. Market research, trends analysis and constantly working to improve your business are great ways to ensure that you are a leader and proactive in your market.

6. Communicate Openly and Often

Innovation is often the result of looking at something differently than the competition. This means that the more angles and opinions you receive on a given issue, process or product, the greater the chance for innovation to occur. A great way to improve the number of inputs available to your business is to encourage open communication. From clients and customers to your accountant or employees, each thought that they have could be the next big step for your business. By encouraging and promoting open communication, these thoughts can be shared, adapted and applied to your business to help push it toward further success.

7. Never Settle

For the innovative entrepreneur, nothing is ever good enough. This does not mean that you should never acknowledge your own successes or should devote every second of your day to your business. It simply means that innovators realize that there is always room for improvement. When your business stops striving to improve, it also stops innovating. Experiment, communicate, analyze and use every tool that you have available to push your business forward and innovation is sure to follow.

8. Be Resourceful

Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking that innovation involves complex laboratories or massive investments. Not only is this untrue, it is actually the direct opposite of most cases. Small businesses are prime candidates for innovative discovery due to the lack of funding, size and stability that many larger businesses enjoy. This forces business owners to think of new ways to accomplish more with less. An innovative business owner does not merely invest money into problems—they invest minds as well.

9. Know Your Market and Your Competition

Sometimes innovation does not come from the inside of the business. Competitor successes and failures can be a valuable source of information for the innovative small business. Technology has made it easier than ever to keep in touch with peers, competitors and other sources of market information. Whether you are following major industry names on social media or networking at the local chamber of commerce, every piece of information you gain about the efforts of other businesses can help to spur change and innovation within your own business.

Innovation is not an event or process; it is a mindset. With the increasingly competitive nature of business in the digital world, small businesses are leading the way for innovation and driving new market trends. These 9 behaviors are ways to integrate innovation into any small business and improve your chances of success.

About the Author: Willie Pena is a freelance writer, video producer, visual artist, and music producer. He prefers the Oxford comma. In addition to writing for firms such as IBM, Colgate, Transunion, Webroot and a multitude of private clients and websites, he also shoots, directs, and edits the hit celebrity web series “Teens Wanna Know”. Catch his rare blog posts on williepena.com, and connect with him on Google+, LinkedIn.

Do You Have What It Takes To Become A Medical Transcriptionist?

Medical transcription services are an important part of keeping the healthcare industry organized and documented. The medical transcriptionists that are in charge of putting together each detailed and accurate patient report are trained to have specific skills that will make them successful in their field. Transcribing the illegible handwritten notes or hasty audio recordings of a physician into precise records that document patient visits, diagnoses, treatments, procedures, medications, etc. can be a challenging task. However, the expertise and abilities of a medical transcriptionist will allow for getting an efficient job done that all healthcare professionals and patients can rely on.

Knowledge of Medical Terminology and Research Practices

Even though transcriptionists aren’t required to go through years and years of med school, they are still expected to be versed in terminology that is commonly used in the healthcare industry. This will allow a medical transcriptionist to do their job in a more timely fashion if they aren’t having to look up every other word. Doctors are known for using abbreviations and codes in their notes, and it will be up to the transcriber to translate those correctly. Advancements in the medical field are constantly being made, so it’s important for transcriptionists to hone their research skills and keep up on the latest terms and technologies and be able to find hospital and physician names quickly.

Proficient in Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation

An accurate report largely depends on its grammar, spelling and punctuation. Without these skills and a good command of the English language, a transcriptionist can’t expect to flourish in their career choice. Having a dictionary on hand can be useful, but it shouldn’t be relied on so heavily that it takes time away from typing up the necessary documents.

Advanced Typing Skills

Healthcare facilities needing medical transcription services are looking for someone that can get the job done flawlessly in a short period of time. They often require a very quick turnaround, and slow typing speeds won’t cut it. A medical transcriptionist must be able to type at higher speeds while maintaining an error-free document.

Concern for Detail and Accuracy

Medical transcriptionists cannot get away with playing the guessing game. They have to understand how important their job is to the healthcare process and uphold a professional level of responsibility that will ensure accuracy in every report. Typos or neglecting to verify unfamiliar terminology could result in misguided care of a patient.

Capability to Maintain Focus Without Guidance

Many physicians and healthcare facilities are choosing to outsource their transcription needs to save on overhead costs. This means it’s possible for a medical transcriptionist to take advantage of the perks of working from home, but it also takes a lot of self-discipline and focus. Deadlines must still be met no matter where reports are being put together, and it can take a great deal of motivation to stay on top of the job when you’re left to your own devices. Transcriptionists can’t let distractions get the better of them because this is where many mistakes can be made.

Jobs in the healthcare industry are always in demand, but it is vital for a medical transcriptionist to possess all of these skills if they are looking to have a truly rewarding and accomplished career in the medical field.

About the Author: Tiffany Olson makes her home in Northern California and loves to blog on career related topics, especially those in the healthcare field. When she’s not writing you’ll usually find her at the library reading or in the kitchen cooking.

3 Reasons Why Your Business Shouldn’t Be Without PR

The world of public relations is one that is sometimes misconstrued and some people struggle to differentiate between this and marketing. However, both departments fulfil distinct roles and are equally important to the plight of a business. Whilst marketing concerns itself with trying to sell, and make people aware of, your products and services; public relations overseas the whole company and is tasked with building bridges with the people that will be interacting with your brand.

Any small business will be wondering if they really need to fund and grow this area of their company or whether they can do without PR altogether. However, there are many reasons why you should look to either form your own department for this area of business or, better yet, outsource it to an agency that could really get things moving in the right direction. So why should you not be without PR?

You’re Practically Invisible If The Public Have Never Heard Of You –

It’s great if you have the best products and services around but if nobody knows about your business then this is largely futile. It’s so important to let your consumer base get to know the brand behind your products so that you can begin to build relationships with them for the future. Unless you really connect with them through your PR you will struggle to have them coming back time and time again to the products you sell.

PR can build brand loyalty and put your business at the forefront of the market in which you operate. You want your customers to immediately think of you in relation to anything which you sell.

Your Reputation Could Take a Serious Hit –

Another job of public relations is to manage the reputation of the company so that any potential disasters are dealt with swiftly and effectively without damaging the business’s name. If you don’t have the procedures in place for this then your brand’s reputation could take a serious hit and the future of your company could be put in doubt. At times when disaster has struck there is the need for a measured and tactile approach as well as a timely response and these things can only come from prior planning.

Having an experienced and knowledgeable PR company to advise you in situations like this will be invaluable in your attempts to rebuild or keep intact the opinion that the public has of your business. And with the rise of social media there are increased risks of misadventure meaning every company needs to be prepared for the worst.

You Will Struggle To Grow As A Business –

The ultimate goal for any business is likely to be to make a profit and grow into a bigger company. However it’s very difficult to do this if nobody is working at building relationships with the general public. When it comes down to it; it is going to be your customers who decide how much you can expand and just how successful you can be, and so failing to address them directly through your PR is missing out on a great opportunity.

The more that people can learn about and relate to your brand the more likely they are to continue using it and fund your growth. The relationships that you have with your clients and consumers should be some of the strongest your business forms, and without doubt the best way to do this is through a well thought-out and consistent PR strategy.

About the Author: Chris Mayhew knows the importance of PR from his time working in the marketing industry. He would recommend that anyone looking for an agency to outsource their public relations to looks not further than Eclat Marketing.

Do You Really Know The Rules Of Business Etiquette?

You may know the rules when it comes to working in an office, but this doesn’t really mean that you know the common business etiquette you need to follow in your workplace. Knowing the business etiquette well means making yourself look serious and responsible enough, and also straightforward when it comes to doing your duties. This will make you feel more comfortable in your work environment and won’t lead to any misunderstandings.

First, business etiquette must not be mistaken with office policy that every company has. Unlike the requirements that apply to some specific behaviour you need to follow when in your workplace, business etiquette is a whole system of common rules that are required in any work environment. These rules help you deal with the awkward situations with some tact and diplomacy that can really make your elegant and sophisticated part of your personality stand out.

Second, unlike most people’s beliefs, business etiquette is not related to being perfect and pedantic but to behaving intelligently and diplomatically in your work environment. And this means saying the right things in the perfect timing, picking the right clothes and making the right decisions when necessary. If we need to put that in other words, this means that you need to behave in the best way you possibly can. That is the reason why many people, often without even realizing it, show some disrespect towards their job and their position and become a pain in the back for their colleagues and bosses.

Here are a couple of several mandatory rules you need to follow in order to fit in a normal business environment. These rules always impress professionals and are a religion to all proven careerists. Check on how well you know business etiquette and what you need to change in order to have greater success in your job:

Going on time for a business appointment means you are late. What do we mean by that? If you have an appointment with a potential customer, you are the one, who is supposed to be waiting for the other person to arrive, because you are actually depending on that person on becoming a regular customer of your company. This also applies to all cases when you get a certain fee for this appointment or are supposed to provide your partner with certain resources.
You are supposed to use your cell phone or other mobile devices when you are out of the reach of the person next to you. Otherwise you break their privacy and concentration on what they are doing. In addition, you are also supposed to turn your cell phone off when you have a business meeting or another appointment. If you are expecting an important call, find a way to redirect your calls or ask somebody to take a message for you.
Avoid making friends. Business environment is primarily formal, which means that you are not supposed to become too close with your business partners or other co-workers. Any emotional attachments and engagements in your job can be risky to your career, so you better think twice before starting a relationship with a colleague or a business partner. Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to ignore any friendly contacts with your colleagues but you better stick to the rule “do not mix business with pleasure” when communicating in your work place.
Avoid using your social network accounts when in the office. This includes avoiding surfing on the Internet for purposes not connected to your job, using your Facebook and Tweeter accounts and your other messengers while working. Every big company has some technical supports specialists whose task is to monitor the efficiency of the employees. Which means that you don’t need to put yourself in trouble just because you are risking being caught. Leave social networks and surfing on the Internet for your leisure time and do your job the way you are supposed in order to have success.
Be careful what you wear. The truth is that your outfit is very important when it comes to business environment. Neat and strictly business appearance will make a tremendously positive impression. So, keep to more standard business clothing in neutral colours and you won’t have to be worried about anything.

About the Author: Morgan Johnes is a manager in BinaryTribune. He really knows how to behave in the office. Here are few simple tips taken from his practice.

How To Promote Your Business With Calendar Printing

Despite the fact that we live in an age of technology, many people still like to have a calendar on their desk or wall so that they can keep track of appointments. It’s much easier to just pencil something in as it comes up than it is to boot up a computer, open a program, and make a note. So, it’s not surprising that printed calendars are still popular. If you are a business owner, you should take advantage of that popularity. So, here’s how to promote your business with calendar printing.

Pick a Printing Company:

There are many professional printing companies available. A quick search of the Internet will give you dozens, or even hundreds, of results. However, not all printing companies offer the same options, features, or prices. So, you need to pick one according to your needs and your budget.

Start by determining how many calendars you need. Some printing companies will give discounts on larger orders. So, if you are ordering your calendars in bulk, choose a company that has that sort of offer. Some companies also offer free shipping on larger orders. You should watch for those deals as well, if you want to get the most advertising for the least possible investment.

It’s also important to pick a printing company that offers the type of calendar that you want. Are you looking for a small desk calendar, or a large wall calendar? Would you like some of each? Those are all good questions to ask yourself, as you are choosing a calendar printing company.

Consider Your Calendar Images:

?You also need to consider your calendar images. You should try to customize your calendar to appeal to the majority of your clients. So, ask yourself whether your clients are business executives, or more casual. Are your calendars going to primarily wind up in offices or homes? What ages and genders are you trying to appeal to? Once you have those answers, you can choose a theme and photographs for your calendar. Your chosen printing company may offer such images, or you may have to supply them.

Make Your Calendar Handy

You should also make your calendar handy. For example, be sure that there are big enough blocks that each of your clients can write in their appointments. Clients won’t look twice at a calendar that has no room for them to write in their schedule. Large blocks will encourage use. The more your clients use the calendar, the more they will look at your company’s name, logo, and contact information.

Make Your Information Memorable:

The most important thing to remember about custom calendar printing is to make your company’s information memorable. Be sure that the company’s name, logo, and contact information are prominently displayed. You may also want to include a catchy saying that will make your clients think of you. Many people will also display their calendars in such a way that their friends, family members, and business associates will see them. So, the more memorable your calendar is, the more clients it will bring to you.

Featured images:

License: Image author owned
License: Image author owned
License: Image author owned

About the Author: Guest post by David Dobson – Using my 30 years of experience in the printing indusrty to pass on business marketing