 Every year around this time we get a wave of negative news in the media with large corporations issuing retail sales warnings, making excuses publicly about Brexit, the election, weather, online sales, anything really to distract from their own incompetence in the run up to Christmas and New Year 2019. In fact last year December 2018 it was the exact same excuses with only exception being the recent general election.
Always ignore the 'nay sayers' and pro-actively look at what positive steps can be taken to ensure your business sales and profits rise or at the very least stay level with previous years. To help with this we've compiled a short list based on our extensive experience and industry wide knowledge. 1. Go where the money is - try to be fluid and adaptable and look to see what is selling and sell more of that and stock less of what is in less demand. If its a different product or service that you don't offer consider adding this. 2. Give the customer what they want not what you want - try to listen to them and understand them properly and give them what they are looking for. Your customer will tell you how to keep things going in your business. Don't be shy to ask them, actively ask for feedback. 3. Make an offer they cant refuse - when things are difficult for a client make sure you have offers and special deals like supermarkets do. This may mean you have to offer something at a lower price with the plan to sell another product/service that compliments that item which will make more profit. 4. Keep an eye on competition - try to make sure your business is not lagging behind on the four P's of the marketing mix - Product, Price, Promotion, Place. All four need to be excellent to ensure growth in a slowing economy. 5. Give away stuff to entice people to keep visiting - This doesn't mean give everything away at a knock down price, but more specifically could mean a good chance to clear out old stock items and have more space by getting rid of it at cost price. The customers get a good deal and you keep the cash-flow coming in. 6. Don't use bad economic conditions as an excuse - try to stay focused and think positive, don't listen to negative sources of information, look at the positive sources as well. Many large retailers have a positive outlook, its just that media outlets like to dwell on negativity as bad news sells better than good. Compare your business to the bigger companies and see what they are doing and what you can do as well. The Director / CEO that thinks and plans positively is the one that drives their business forward. By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting contractors and self employed people throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends.  Branch in Epsom, Surrey Every year around this time we get a wave of negative news in the media with large corporations issuing retail sales warnings, making excuses publicly about Brexit, the weather, online sales, anything really to distract from their own incompetence) in the run up to Christmas and New Year 2018. Always ignore the 'nay sayers' and pro-actively look at what positive steps can be taken to ensure your business sales and profits rise or at the very least stay level with previous years.
To help with this we've compiled a short list based on our extensive experience and industry wide knowledge. 1. Go where the money is - be fluid and adaptable and look to see what is selling and sell more of that and stock less of what is in less demand. If its a different product or service that you don't offer consider adding this. 2. Give the customer what they want not what you want - listen to them and understand them properly and give them what they are looking for. Your customer will tell you how to keep things going in your business. Don't be shy to ask them, actively ask for feedback. 3. Make an offer they cant refuse - when things are difficult for a client make sure you have offers and special deals like supermarkets do. This may mean you have to offer something at a lower price with the plan to sell another product/service that compliments that item which will make more profit. 4. Keep an eye on competition - make sure your business is not lagging behind on the four P's of the marketing mix - Product, Price, Promotion, Place. All four need to be excellent to ensure growth in a slowing economy. 5. Give away stuff to entice people to keep visiting - This doesn't mean give everything away at a knock down price, but more specifically could mean a good chance to clear out old stock items and have more space by getting rid of it at cost price. The customers get a good deal and you keep the cash-flow coming in. 6. Don't use bad economic conditions as an excuse - stay focused and think positive, don't listen to negative sources of information, look at the positive sources as well. Many large retailers have a positive outlook, its just that media outlets like to dwell on negativity as bad news sells better than good. Compare your business to the bigger companies and see what they are doing and what you can do as well. The Director / CEO that thinks and plans positively is the one that drives their business forward. By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting contractors and self employed people throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends.  The General Election, Brexit, Falling UK Sterling and lower consumer confidence across the UK has made a perfect storm of negativity with small to medium sized businesses seeing lowering sales and profit in last couple of months.
We've seen this is with many of our clients. (Why is your current accountant not telling you this?) And this worrying trend may last longer as the summer months arrive and peoples' focus switches to holiday and spending less money as they keep hearing about inflation and other scary words they don't understand. So with that in mind how does a small / medium sized business keep growing or, at the very least, keep the money coming same as previously? Well at Tax Affinity Accountants we've been helping business through many recessions / downturns and believe in giving useful real time support and advice to small and medium sized businesses. And with this in mind the tried and tested list below will help: 1. Go where the money is - be adaptable and look to see what is selling and sell more of that and stock less that which is in less demand. If its a different product or service that you don't offer consider adding this. 2. Give the customer what they want not what you want - listen to them and understand them properly and give them what they are looking for. Your customer will tell you how to keep things going in your business. Ask them, remember you have two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. 3. Make an offer they cant refuse - when things are difficult for a client make sure you have offers and special deals like the supermarket and larger traders do to entice them. This may mean offer something at a low price with the plan to sell another product/service that compliments that item and will make more profit. 4. Keep an eye on competition - make sure your business is not lagging behind on the four P's of the marketing mix - Product, Price, Promotion, Place. All four need to be excellent to ensure growth in a downturn. 5. Give away stuff to entice people to keep visiting - This doesn't mean give everything away at a knock down price, but more specifically could mean a good chance to clear out old stock items and have more space by getting rid of it at cost price. The customers get a good deal and you keep the cash-flow coming in. 6. Don't use bad economic conditions as an excuse - stay focused and think positive, don't listen to negative sources of information, look at the positive sources as well. Many large retailers have a positive outlook, its just that media outlets like to dwell on negativity as bad news sells better than good. Compare your business to the bigger companies and see what they are doing and what you can do as well. The Director / CEO that thinks and plans positively is the one that drive their business forward. By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting contractors and self employed people throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends.  A few months ago it was #Brexit hitting the UK headlines and now its Trump. The cartoon series The Simpson's, many years ago, predicted Donald Trump would be the President of America and joked that he will bankrupt the country. In the cartoon Trump calls America just another one of his ex-wive's. (they even flicked through different possible years in the cartoon in one spooky sequence).
And if your wondering what does all this mean to the UK economy and to your business, then your not alone. Speculation and peoples opinions are what effects business on an a very basic level. The UK has not yet even activated article 50 to start leaving the EU but the vote made the (GBP) Pound drop dramatically in value and UK public spending to slow. Who'd have thought that there were there that many Marmite lovers out there? Similarly the US election win of Trump doesnt mean he is the 45th President yet, but public and business opinion has swung already and made the GB Pound rise and become stronger against all currencies as the exchange rate investers shift from the Dollar back to Sterling. Far Eastern economies jitter and UK confidence rise thinking they will have have just found a better business partner than the EU. Brexit may mean better trade deals in the future with the US, Canada, India, China etc as we shift focus on building stronger ties with others rather than Europeans. But negatively in the short term it has also meant direct increase in costs for businesses, which may eventually mean more unemployment and less spending. Have you noticed how many recruitment agencies have been calling you to place their candidates recently? Across the pond, Trump promised lower corporation taxes and more investement in infrastructure and the economy. Although lacking in detail how he really plans to make 'America great again' (suggesting its not very great at the moment). And not to mention the huge (Berlin/Chinese type) wall against Mexico. That curiously seemed to go down very well with US voters. So with so much media trash being touted to sway public opinion. A clever entrepreneur will try to cut through opinion and see the facts only. Then try to foresee the rise and fall of public opinion before it happens. Letting this be his/her guide as to what to do with their business and ensure that it remains in an optimal position no matter what the economic situation prevailing. That is why at Tax Affinity Accountants in Kingston we recommend all our cleints worldwide who could be effected by Brexit and Trump or whatever happens next (bad news usually comes in three's doesn't it?) to keep a cool head and see the the wood for the trees. Focus on making your business better and stronger even more so than before. And just keep moving forward even if its only an inch a day, because that is how winners perform. And that is exactly what hugely successful multinational corporations already do. Look at the facts and view the visible signs to work out if The Simpson's predicted it right and Trump will make America another one of his ex-wives or if he will make make it a more profitable place to do business than ever before. Maybe your business needs to have a established foothold in the US while Brexit ping pong starts with the EU or maybe you just need to make sure you offer a better level of service today if your prices are going up in 3 months time. By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting business throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. |
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