Let’s Learn the Nuances of Business Strategy How Do You Define Business Strategy? Business strategy is nothing but a series of decisions that are made by the management of a company in order to obtain or maintain a competitive advantage over a period of time. It shows the overall direction of a company. It is also future focused and contains long-term sustainable goals. For startups, creating business plans can be night marish and hectic, hence this short guide which throws some light on “How to use Powerpoint as an effective tool to showcase your bsuiness plan” to investors in a simple yet appealing manner. A great business strategy will encompass the following characteristics: A clear direction of where the company is going and concrete plans necessary to execute the decisions An unmistakable understanding of the company’s core competencies Will solve the marketplace demands and address real customer needs Will contribute to sustainable competitive advantage Will be properly documented but gives room for future change in accordance with the environment THE THREE BEST GENERIC BUSINESS STRATEGIES 1. COST LEADERSHIP This strategy is followed by market giants like Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, IKEA to name a few wherein, the companies focus on building a large market share by slashing the prices – mush lower than their competitors. Typically, such customers will be less loyal and more price-sensitive. The real challenge is to succeed at offering the lowest price, but still maintain profitability and a high return on investment. The company has to necessarily run a tight ship by controlling its operational costs to improve efficiency. 2. PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION This strategy requires the company to develop products that are “better than” or “more unique than” its competitors. The main focus is to differentiate itself from its rivals. The differentiation could be in the form of higher-end quality materials, excellent customer service, unique company image or branding, or other customer oriented values. Typically, companies going for this strategy can charge premium pricing since their customers tend to be more loyal and less price-sensitive. 3. MARKET SEGMENTATION This strategy simply focuses on a niche or sub-market to sell your products or services to. This is best suited when you are competing in an overly saturated market. For example the gift basket industry is highly competitive and over saturated. If you choose to enter the field, you might have to choose a product differentiation strategy combined with appropriate market segmentation strategy. Hence you might focus on selling high end products to the wedding market. A Wonderful Infographic from Americanexpress.com that clearly explains what needs to be done to experience an explosive business growth… WHAT TO DO WHEN BUSINESS IS SLOW Write a business plan If you have never written one now is the time to grab a chair and fabricate a really crafty business plan with your mission, vision, values and marketing strategy included. Rebrand Work on your logo, test new colors, change your site layout, breathe some fresh life into your branding strategy. SEND A THANK YOU NOTE TO YOUR CLIENTS FIND NEW VENDORS Read a book Discover guerilla marketing tactics and best keep business secrets by reading Cold Pitch Create a list of prospects using leading networks like LinkedIn and reach out via email Create a lead magnet A lead magnet is an opt-in gift that you offer visitors, whether online or offline to encourage them to be part of your tribe and purchase your product or services. Let’s understand what makes a company innovative? 48% – coming up with new ideas for products and services 33% –  listening to customers 33% – continuing to improve current product 33% – offering a unique product 28% –...

Everybody wants easy and quick money now a days but never understand that it is next to impossible and money earned such is not going to make you happy. How Do I Acquire the Millionaire Mindset? Even if your fore fathers had left a legacy to enjoy, you always have the responsibility of manipulating and multiplying it. So, what is the ‘X’ factor that makes only few people and their companies serve as index of stock markets? Read on : An in-depth, comprehensive guide on ending the year on a high note that will help you to get started and make meaningful changes from GroomandStyle.com, a healthy lifestyle blog. Start With This Book Read it as many times as you need to until you have internalized its lessons. Some of its important lessons include the following: Start thy purse to fatteningControl thy expendituresMake thy gold multiplyGuard thy treasures from lossMake of thy dwelling a profitable investmentInsure a future incomeIncrease thy ability to earn The Richest Man in Babylon (The Success Secrets of the Ancients – the Most Inspiring Book on Wealth Ever Written) by George S. Clason At this point, I have probably mentioned this book in a hundred different answers on Quora. I keep going back to this book because there are few other volumes that contain so much wisdom about wealth in so few pages. There is a reason why the book is still in print now, almost 100 years after it was first published. Its lessons are simple, timeless, and effective – as long as you actually put them into practice. Courtesy: Dan Kanivas, admirer of the millionaire next door? Here are Some of the Mindsets that Set Millionaires Apart from the Rest of Us Time Does not Equal Money Most people trade their time for money. Millionaires realize that building assets that work for them is the best way to make money. Often, millionaires own more than one business. They almost build them as a hobby. Opportunity is Everywhere Millionaires see opportunity every where. Every pain and problem is an opportunity to build a product or a service. When someone complains, it’s a potential money maker. Action is the Best Teacher Many get stuck in “student mode.” They read books, articles, and pay for online courses, but they never actually do anything. Millionaires are the opposite. They’ll learn the basics and then dive in. Most of their lessons are learned through experience. Mentors are a Life Hack Speaking of learning… millionaires often find mentors. They see the value in learning from others that have experience. This is a different quality of teaching than what is provided through a book or a webinar. This kind of learning is personalized, tailored specifically to them by an industry expert. Profit > Revenue Millionaires could often care less about revenue. They care far more about profit. Think about it: 10% profit on $100,000 is only $10,000. 50% profit on $20,000 is also $10,000. Which business would you rather own? (Yes, revenue does matter. A business with a 50% profit margin that only makes $10,000 a month is not a money maker) Money is a Tool, not a Goal Millionaires do not daydream about diving into a pool of money. It can buy fancy airplanes and cars, but for the most part, it is a tool. It is a tool to build things, repair things, and get things done. Determination Millionaires work tirelessly towards a goal until it is completed. They understand the “art of the finish.” Acquiring these mindsets is not entirely straightforward. There is no manual for how to do it. The best hack I’ve found is immersion. This illustration from...

20 Main Reasons for Startup Failure Entrepreneurs start a business with the single goal of achieving success. But we also see them fail miserably. 80% of startup companies witness closure since three years of commencement says a statistics. So, what should entrepreneurs do to be in that 20% population range of successful people? One good way to start is to learn from the mistakes committed by other startup companies. Research Giant CB insights has analyzed 101 failed startup companies and found out 20 important reasons categorically. CB insights is a company that focuses on business, investment and investment strategies. Also they supply valid information on startups and their founders, venture capital and Angel investment. These are the 20 main reasons for startup failures: No Market Need – 42% Ran Out Of Cash – 29% Not the Right Team – 23% Get Out-competed – 19% Pricing/Cost Issues – 18% Poor Product – 17% Need/Lack Business Model – 17% Poor Marketing – 14% Ignore Customers – 14% Product Mis-Timed – 13% Loose Focus – 13% Disharmony on Team/Investors – 13% Pivot Gone Bad – 10% Lack Passion – 9% Bad Location – 9% Not Financing/Investor Interest – 8% Legal Challenges – 8% Don’t Use Network/Advisors – 8% Burn Out – 8% Failure to Pivot – 7% SIDBI, a government based financial organization caters to the financial requirements of small and medium enterprises. It plays a crucial role in the growth of SME’s. Startup India and Standup India are the two movements initiated by the central government to enhance the spirit of entrepreneurs. Now, SIDBI has also started SIDBI Startup Mitra to associate startup companies with incubators and investors. It is quite difficult for the startup companies to get guidance and funding. These two factors are very vital for the growth of a startup firm.  Various investment agencies, angel investors and incubators have associated themselves with Startup Mitra which in turn facilitate the tie-up. SIDBI startup Mitra also paves way for startup firms to reap the benefits of government plans. The CB Insights tech market intelligence platform analyzes millions of data points on venture capital, startups, patents, partnerships and news media. Info Source: @businessfather India’s top 10 funded startups of 2016 Ibibo Group : $ 250M Investors : Naspers Industry :  Online Travel Company Snapdeal : $ 200M Investors : Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Iron Pillar, Brother Fortune Apparel Industry :  online marketplace BigBasket : $ 150M Investors : Abraaj Group, Sands Capital Management, IFC, Helion VC, BVP, Ascent Capital Industry : Online Grocery Shopping and Online Supermarket CarTrade : $ 145M Investors : Temasek, Warburg Pincus, Marche Capital Industry :  online auto classifieds platform Byju’s Classes : $ 75M Investors : Sequoia, Sofina Industry Byju’s mobile app has video lessons for IAS, CAT, GMAT, GRE, IIT-JEE & Class 6-12 and comprehensive study material Lenskart : $ 60M Investors : IFC, Ratan Tata, Kris Gopalakrisnan, IDG, Adveq Management, TPG Growth. Industry : Shop online for Sunglasses, Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses for men & women Mobikwik : $ 50M Investors :  GMO Payment Gateway, MediaTek, Sequoi, Tree Line Asia Industry : Online Recharge, Mobile Recharge & Bill Payments Lendingkart : $ 32M Investors :  Bertelsmann India, Saama Capital, India Quotient, Darrin Capital, Mayfield India Industry : SME-lending firm, Short-term loans for Small Businesses Nestaway : $ 30M Investors :  Tiger Global, IDG Ventures Industry : Marketplace for shared home, apartments, flats  rentals Droom : $ 29.8M Investors :  Lightbox, Beenext, Beenos, Digital Garage (Japan) Industry :  online marketplace to buy & sell used cars, bikes, scooters, bicycles, aero...

The Key Functions of a Finance Manager Finance manager is one of the important role-players in the domain of finance function. He must have a complete know-how on the areas of accounting, finance, economics and management. His position calls for judicious capability and analytical approach to solve various problems related to finance. A person who deals with finance related activities may be called finance manager. “Focus on a few key objectives … I only have three things to do. I have to choose the right people, allocate the right number of dollars, and transmit ideas from one division to another with the speed of light. So I’m really in the business of being the gatekeeper and the transmitter of ideas.” – Jack Welch The Finance Man Finance manager performs the following major functions Forecasting Financial Requirements It is the principal function of the Finance Manager where he is required to estimate the financial obligations of the business concern. He should evaluate how much finances are required to procure fixed assets and forecast the amount needed to meet the working capital requirements in future. Acquiring Necessary Capital The next step of a finance manager is to focus on how the finance is deployed and where it will be available. Investment Decision Best investment alternatives have to be considered to assure reasonable and stable return from the investment. He must be competent in the field of capital budgeting techniques to govern the effective utilization of investment. The finance manager must attach more importance to the principles of safety, liquidity and profitability while investing capital. Cash Management Cash management plays a major role in the area of finance because proper cash management also helps to meet the short-term liquidity position of the concern. Inter-relation With Other Departments Finance manager handles various functional departments such as marketing, production, personnel, system, research, development, etc. He must maintain a good rapport with all the functional departments of the business organization. “Rule No. 1 : Never lose money. Rule No. 2 : Never forget Rule No. 1.”― Warren...

This list of top ten ecommerce tips will give you a fair idea on how to boost your online sales by tapping the emotional triggers of the consumers. Lead Generation and Conversion What are the Emotional Triggers that Make Customers Click and Buy? “People shop and learn in a whole new way compared to just a few years ago, so marketers need to adapt or risk extinction. Brian Halligan CEO, HubSpot. Consumer behavior is a hotbed of psychological research as it ties together issues of communication (advertising and marketing), identity (you are what you buy), social status, decision-making, and mental and physical health. What makes them Click and Buy Online? Have you ever given a thought about why customers leave your site without buying? You’ll be amazed to know the reasons behind all the lost customers for trivial but expensive mistakes from your end. Ok! Shoot…Let us cruise through one by one… There has never been a better time to start an online business. But starting and running a successful online store is hard work with many steps and decisions that need to come together at the right time.  To help, we’ve put together a comprehensive resource list, hand-selected from our best content. This list will show you how you would research, build, launch and grow a profitable ecommerce business. 1. You Must Ask The Customer To Buy Now If you want customers to “buy now,” you should ask them to do so. Buy now is explosively powerful because shoppers are highly prone to making impulse purchases. Once you realize that this is common shopping behavior, you’re ready to ramp up your “buy now” strategy. Marketing researchers have discovered five major factors that cause a customer to “buy now”: 1. An overwhelming attraction to the product. 2. An intense need to buy the product at once. 3. Ignoring negative consequences that may arise from the purchase. 4. A feeling of excitement at buying the product. 5. Conflicting feelings of indulgence and self-control. 2. Use Models People Can Identify With If you’re selling clothing, jewelry, or accessories, one quick way to create a connection to your customer is to show your stuff on people they will identify with and like.  Personal Branding Photoshoot Ideas This doesn’t mean you need to book Russian supermodels; it’s best if they look like your customers. This might mean funky and cool, like So Worth Loving. 3. Social Links People are more likely to purchase something if it’s recommended to them by someone they know and trust.  Grow Your Business with Content Marketing So make sure that your product pages have links to Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+ so that your customers can tell their friends about the great product they just found on your site. 4. Drive Sales with Persuasive Video Marketing They are the stores that have created consistently great video content around their products without spending fortunes on production. You too can match the quality of most of these videos using a good camera and a steady tripod, or with a single videographer. If you have a good video marketing strategy, it’s possible that you too can build a seven-figure business based on Youtube marketing. Successful stores have created the videos that people use to consult whether or not they buy their products. Need to figure out how to properly brew coffee? Watch the videos of Transcend Coffee. Need to know how to prune a fruit tree? Check out the videos of GrowOrganic Peaceful Valley. 5. Build A Massive Following On Instagram Used correctly, Instagram can be a highly-targeted, visual advertising channel for your brand. In fact, in a recent study it was discovered that Instagram provides...