subject: Attention Entrepreneurs: Self-learning Necessary [print this page] The Skills You Need to Learn Upon Opening Your Own Business
Upon opening your own business, unless you have a bulk amount of amount of capital to back the company (i.e. this is your second business of VC funding), you are going to have to save money wherever you can and whenever you can. At first, you are going to have to replace various vendors by learning a good amount of business strategies and traits yourself. For the most part, this learning can prove to be quite challenging and fun, however there are going to be some facets to the business learning process which are going to prove quite mundane. There really is no substitute or method to get around this learning as you have to save money (all small business do) and the best way to combat small business expenses is to learn how to do many aspects which encompass a business without the assistance of others.
The self-education of things such as accounting, marketing, advertising, HR, sales and proper sales techniques, industry related trades and more is usually an intimidating challenge. Conversely, with the web a few seconds away, you have information that would not have been available fifteen years ago. Use the web to your advantage and, in time, you will find articles and business tips as to how to save your young company money via self instilled knowledge. Make sure to get as many books as you can on as many subjects as possible. Please understand that I am not referring to the really basic book series which are written at a 3rd grade level. Though, the one exception I would give regarding the purchasing of series written as simplistic as described above is the accounting aspects which will be required for you to become familiarized with.
Otherwise, your research must be more comprehensive than this type of book. If you don't like paperbacks, you could always buy a Kindle or Ipad. These are great mechanisms for today's readers. Before actually starting the business, when you look at your desk, you ought to see a pile of books; if you don't, there is a problem. That is, unless you are one of those people who are greatly organized. I am not one, though luckily I now have an iPad so that cleaned up some of the mess.
Business aside, learning new skills keeps the brain thinking and stirs the business imagination. Before you do this research, you may have had a plan of attack which now is entirely different and seemingly more effective.
Now, it's time to discuss learning sales skills; sales is quite challenging for a lot of people as the thought of rejection is not pleasant. One of the more important skills you must learn are sales and sales techniques. Yes, sales acumen does partially step from personality, though less than you would think. There are many great books which can teach you certain facets of sales which will give you a great advantage. One of the popular sales guides is Dale Carnegie's The Sales Advantage.
When it comes to hiring, learn how to be self sufficient as recruiters cost a lot of money (this advice is coming from a recruiter). Finding basic employees, if you do your research and put in time, is not amazingly difficult. Only use a recruiter if the job you are looking to fill is at the executive level and is specific in nature.
When it comes to advertising, you must become very familiar with Google's Pay-Per-Click advertising program. If you are just opening a website, SEO is not going to work for you. To begin a SEO campaign, your firm and subsequent website must be established. This could take years. However, through your research, you should have learned this as well as how to utilize Google's Pay-Per-Click.
Now, if you are to follow the aforementioned advice, certain business advantages will come to fruition. First, you are now more self-reliant than ever, you have knowledge that most people lack, you can save yourself some money and have a better idea as to how to approach your new business.
