Reasons why starting a business is a great idea

If you have a desire to start a business, you should explore this seriously and avert the risk of wondering what could have been. It is often said that some are born entrepreneurs and some learn to be entrepreneurs. Either way, all agree that business comes with immense challenges, particularly when starting and growing one from scratch. But being an entrepreneur comes with great benefits and advantages. This article seeks to highlight several entrepreneurial benefits that make business an idea well worth pursuing.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamAugust 30, 20160Comments

Initiatives & Movements SME News

The ‘Oscars’ of small business is back

The prestigious national awards programme recognises the tireless journey, hard work and outstanding achievements of small businesses and entrepreneurial success. It is a celebration of the most outstanding businesses and the mercurial individuals behind these successful and growing enterprises! Winning a South African Small Business Award is the ultimate recognition for every business owner and entrepreneur. It’s the springboard to personal and business success. The South African Small Business Awards culminates at the 2016 NSBC Gala Breakfast & Awards Breakfast. This is an exclusive event, celebrating the success of all participating businesses. With a luxurious breakfast and first-class entertainment, the morning is a memorable affair for all those attending. It also presents an opportunity to network with similar outstanding business people, captains of industry, leading entrepreneurs and the media.

ByMike Anderson: NSBC Founder & CEOAugust 9, 20160Comments

SME Events SME News

Entrepreneurial inspiration and innovation in the spotlight

Experience entrepreneurial entertainment at its finest. My Business Expo: Cape Town is set to showcase the very best in entrepreneurial inspiration and innovation at the unmissable Build a Business Live event, one of the big attractions on the day. Now in its eighth year and taking place in Cape Town on 25 August 2016 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), My Business Expo is Africa’s biggest and most successful business exhibition for anyone looking to start or expand a business. Tickets for My Business Expo are now available. Only pre-registration is free. Your free ticket to My Business Expo also includes free access to all activities on the day, including Build a Business LIVE.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJune 1, 20161Comment

Initiatives & Movements Small Business Friday SME News

Celebrating Small Business: Oembotu Travel aka ‘The Johannesburg Squirrel’

Many of us have heard the saying, ‘From humble beginnings come great things.’ This is most certainly the case for Henri Otou and his business Oembutu Travel - a concierge, transfer and tour service in the heart of Johannesburg. For as long as he could remember, Henri has always been passionate about driving people to places. In 2002 during the World Summit in Johannesburg he was given the opportunity by the French Embassy to drive French VIPs around Gauteng and the North West. Six years later, what started as a hobby turned into a business and Oembotu travel aka 'The Johannesburg Squirrel' was born.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamApril 29, 20160Comments

Money Matters

Effective debt collection

Article provided by Nedbank (SimplyBiz.co.za) It is one of the realities of business that, at some point, you are going to have customers who pay slowly, or not at all. This can place serious strain on your cash flow and reserves, if it is allowed to get out of hand. Depending on the severity of the situation, you may need to institute an increasing range of measures to recover the money owed to you.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamApril 12, 20160Comments

Sales & Marketing

Seven guidelines for increasing conversions on your new site

In today’s technologically driven marketplace launching a website is easy enough for virtually any size of business. The issue remains, however; how does one attract and convert more hits into meaningful actions, most importantly, sales. Forbes defines conversion rates as “the percentage of prospective customers who take a specific action you want. For example, the following are specific conversion rates that an organization may track:

ByNSBC Editorial TeamApril 11, 20160Comments

Business Success Personal Success

How to take care of your body as a busy business owner

A healthy body is a healthy mind. The body and mind work together to give you a healthy and fulfilling life. Therefore, one cannot do well without the other. However, many people neglect their physical bodies when they become engrossed with other aspects of life. This can lead to illness and the inability to run their businesses properly. Here are a few simple ways of taking care of both your body and mind as a business owner:

ByNSBC Editorial TeamFebruary 29, 20160Comments

Sales & Marketing

How to adjust your marketing strategies for the new year

With a new year comes new attitudes, and the need to find out how your business will deal with inevitable changes to the economy and the industry you work in. In order to prepare for the uncertainties (and excitement) of the year ahead, you will need to adjust your marketing strategies. Here are five guidelines…

ByNSBC Editorial TeamFebruary 15, 20160Comments

Sales & Marketing

What business owners need to know about SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of galvanising effective visibility of your website on search results, returned via Google, Bing, Yahoo and similar search engines, when someone searches for related search terms. It has become a bit of a science, that may require the help of a professional for consistent and most effective results. A professional SEO copywriter will understand the intricacies of creating quality content that is both engaging and crafted for optimisation purposes. With the use of researched and well-placed keywords, appropriate headers and other best practices, you can ensure your website ranks high up on search results. The top three pages are deemed to be the goal, as most people seldom go beyond clicking the top three pages of results.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamFebruary 9, 20160Comments

Sales & Marketing Social Media

How to save time on social media

Social media has become an important part of almost every business’ marketing strategy. It allows for direct interaction with customers, while helping one create highly targeted content. People undoubtedly reveal quite a lot about their interests through their social media accounts, making it easier for businesses to know who to target for their businesses, as well as learn more about their thoughts, interests and needs. However, there is a substantial amount of information available on social media, with people continuously updating statuses, sending messages and commenting. As a business owner, you are unlikely to have undivided time to effectively keep a close eye on your social media accounts. Large companies actually hire social media managers to monitor their accounts and interact with customers. But if you cannot afford to hire a full-time social media manager at present, you can save time in the following ways. In fact, even managers can apply and benefit from some of these tips for more effective planning:

ByNSBC Editorial TeamFebruary 1, 20160Comments