Finding business ideas is easy enough. There are endless possibilities that range from products to services which are in need of improvement or modifications. Producing new, improved products or services than those existing is an advantage over the competition. However, prospective entrepreneurs often forget an essential component of their future businesses. They neglect checking if their ideas are feasible to attract a large and sustainable market by conducting marketing research. As a result, promising businesses often crash due to the entrepreneurs’ lack of business panache.

Marketing research for start-up companies and businesses are usually done in two ways: primary research and secondary research. Primary research entails the use of first-hand data in determining the existence of a market. Conducting surveys, focus groups, and interviews are popular methods of primary research. This means that personal contact between prospective consumers and the companies is necessary. Secondary research is a means to recycle and reuse filed data as a reference for improvements of the service or product.

Primary research is time-consuming but preferable for starting companies who intend to produce a new product or provide a new service. There are certain advantages in doing this type of marketing research. First, the feasibility of the product idea is tested. The appeal of the company’s idea is tested on an extensive or particular market. For example, a start-up homemade ice cream business needs to test a homemade ice cream’s appeal to an extensive or particular market. The survey is able to indicate preference for the product by different market groups: health-conscious gym buffs for its low-fat content, or homemakers for its freshness. This way, the company is able to identify what market to target or what marketing strategy to employ in order to attract the least responsive market. Second, the questions and research materials are modifiable to suit the companies’ needs. To illustrate, if the company needs to determine what flavors of homemade ice cream to produce most, a taste testing and preference rating survey is best. This way, the company is able to determine the flavor that “sells” best and the one that ranks least. This method protects the company’s capital by helping the company decide what flavors to produce or discontinue. Third, suggestions for improvement, competition advantages, and other factors are also available through primary research. Focus groups are usually preferred for this kind of study where consumers voice out opinions on the product’s strengths and weaknesses.

If you are not interested in flooring installation , then you have already missed a lot.

What do items in your home mean to you? Do you hold meaning in your possessions or do you prefer memories and photos to remember important times? Everyone is different. And this is often the differentiator on whether you decide to clean out and sell items in your home or not. Those who hold meaning in their possessions tend to hold onto more and have a harder time getting rid of things. People who rely more on memories and small keepsakes are more likely to be able to sell their unused items to make money back.

Every successful entrepreneur and business has a BRAND, The one thing you must have if you want to be successful is Branding that is consistent with you and your business.

Branding separates you from your competition and gives you credibility. It’s what makes people want to tell other people about you, and makes them want to invest and buy from you again and again. Without branding businesses cannot survive.

Your Visibility is more important than your ability. It is important to be visible. To increase your visibility Branding is important to the recognition of your business. People need to know who you are, remember you, prefer to buy from you and refer other people to you. See the following and you should aim for Brand Insistence and Brand Advocacy.

Always under promise and over deliver

Launch then link all elements of your business and any other businesses you have to that Brand. There should be congruence throughout your business so everything relates to everything else.

In other words your signage, websites, stationery, business cards and everything in your business should reflect your logo and slogan and have the same colors and text so they are uniform and people will remember you. It is best NOT to use your name.

Appearance is also a key element, you should dress according to the type of business you are in, and the type of image you wish to portray. Remember your appearance reflects your business, so dress accordingly in congruence with your business.

Using Hotmail, Gmail and other similar generic email addresses does not give status to your business, Use email addresses that reflect your business, preferably the same email address as your website. Before using your first name in email addresses consider that first names in email addresses tend to indicate a small company. If you are looking to appear as a big company use something more corporate.

What’s the best way to sell furniture? Many people rely on yard sales and platforms such as Facebook Marketplace or Craiglist to find a buyer. Lately, there are more easy and efficient ways to make some money selling your old decor. AptDeco is an online marketplace that specializes in buying and selling furniture. You can use AptDeco to sell your item, and they will handle pick up and delivery. Check it out!