SME -thinking of selling
Mentoring isn’t just about helping startups achieve their goals and establish a profitable business or about guiding established companies to the next level – it is also a tool to use when thinking of selling up.If your current business is well established and at the right stage to sell on so that you can move onto a new challenge you obviously want to get the best price and terms you can. With many mentors being serial entrepreneurs they are well equipped to advise on the best platform to sell and the way to achieve the best price in the current economic conditions.
So if you are thinking of selling and don’t want to spend vast fees on professional advisers but feel you could benefit from the expertise of someone who has already built a profitable business and sold on for a great price you need to speak to Rockstar and they will put you in touch with a mentor who has experience in the same sector as your business.
UK’s credit rating under threat -Entrepreneurs are our future
With most economies in the world seeing little growth and now the UK’s credit rating under threat the role that entrepreneurs play in building businesses and creating jobs has never been so important. In the UK the government needs to offer positive incentives to aspiring entrepreneurs whose flair and innovation can help the economy grow.
With more and more people feeling the uncertainty of the job market a culture has evolved of “entrepreneurial spirit” and wanting have control over our own destinies. However, many Start ups have brilliant business ideas but no real business experience and benefit greatly from the guidance of a business mentor. The government acknowledges this and is offering limited mentoring schemes but most privately run mentoring companies have a greater pool of mentors to call upon for advice. In the case of Rockstar these will include business professionals from a wide variety of sectors including serial entrepreneurs, technology experts, marketing & media experts, fund raising and sales experts. With over 150 mentors to choose from Rockstar has a mentor who can help you to achieve your goals and help you to grow our economy.
Stand out from the competition in 2012
Do you want to stand out from the competition? Do you want to move your company on to the next stage but need guidance and a fresh perspective? Rockstar mentoring will give you the inspiration for identifying strategies and opportunities for growth. An empathetic and experienced mentor talking through issues with you is often wants needed to give you the vision and confidence to build your business.
All our mentors are experienced entrepreneurs who have built million pound companies and they are willing to share their knowledge. They have worked in a wide variety of sectors – Retail,IT, Banking, Manufacturing ,Media and many are serial entrepreneurs with the knowledge to help you on Business Plans, Financial Forecasting, Raising Finance, and Marketing. They all share vision, hands on experience and the motivation required to succeed in tough times.
Book a place at one of this month’s FREE SEMINARS and find out just how they can help your business.
Choosing a business mentor
There are several options available when it comes to business mentoring. However,there is a lot of difference between advice and guidance from an entrepreneur ,who has made a fortune by running a company with a major turnover, and advice from a person who has merely been given an induction course in mentoring and offers to pass on this small knowledge without charge. To really profit and grow your company you need to have confidence in your mentor and nothing gives that more than knowing they have experienced every pitfall and challenge you will face and have succeeded and prospered.
Rockstar charge a fee for their mentoring service because they know what they offer is invaluable support. Their mentors are leading business entrepreneurs with years of experience.Experience which they are able to pass on.
The Rockstar Group is the UK’s Number 1 mentoring organisation for business owners. Their mission is to help businesses at the SME level, Established and Start Up level, fast track their sales and profit growth through one to one mentoring. For Free Seminars click here.
With over 150 mentors to choose from, covering more than 25 different industries, Rockstar has a mentor who can help you achieve your goals.
I was inspired and motivated – the best three hours I have spent on my business in a long time
This is what one of the attendees to our recent seminar “Driving Sales to your Business”said after the January event. So if you want the same inspiration and are looking to fast track your business’s growth you need to take advantage of the remaining Free UK seminars running in February-you’ll understand then why he also said the following:
“I attended the Regus/Rockstar event last week and it was the best three hours I have spent (business wise) in a long time! Not only did I get to network with businesses that work in my region but I received an inspiring and motivational session that will help me as soon as I get back to my desk. Additionally I now understand how Rockstar can help me and others. The tie up between Regus and Rockstar is a great one as it’s all about supporting businesses and giving them a platform for growth” Marc Duke, Marc Duke Consulting
Look at the case studies on the Rockstar website- to see more people we have helped to become successful entrepreneurs. Come along to these Free UK seminars and meet some of our panel of 45 succesful experts They will share the business tactics and skills that have turned many businesses into profit and their owners into millionaires.
No matter what stage you’re at with your business – starting out, thinking of expansion, or considering selling- our mentors have the experience to help you make the most profit. We have 5 more Free UK seminars in February but places are limited so book now.
Are tough times one of the best times to grow your business?
The answer is YES. Many major companies have grown in tough economic times. Hard times are an opportunity to expand either through acquisition( by purchasing a business that has potential but needs new direction) or by attracting new clients(through offering a better service/product than they are getting from their current provider)
Acquisition has many benefits including:
- Reduced overheads and increased purchasing power
- Established customer base and loyalties
- Immediate cash flow
- Proven products and services
- Drastic reduction in startup cost
- Experienced and skilled employees
- In place operating systems
Growth through acquisition isn’t just the domain of large companies but also a chance for small and medium ones to achieve rapid expansion. However, the skill of identifying an “acquisition target” isn’t easy and specialist advice from a professional, such as a business mentor, can be an invaluable tool reducing risks. Their evaluation of the prospects and pitfalls might even tell you to walk away when you would have proceeded. Successful entrepreneurs, who have built a company in the same field as yours, have the experience needed to guide you through an acquisition deal
Growth through more customers means giving them a reason to come to you rather than your competitors. Although attracting new customers nowadays means every £ they spend with you needs to work harder and offer more return and better service, that isn’t the be all and end all. People like to deal with people –people they like and trust. It is very important at every stage of business to build a good rapport with clients. Again a business mentor or entrepreneur, who has knowledge of your area of business, can be an invaluable tool in helping you achieve success through an increased client base. Sometimes we are too close to our own companies to come up with new ideas and initiatives but an outsider with experience can see just what we should be doing to boost sales.
Make 2012 the year you become a wealthy entrepreneur through hard work and inspiration from a business mentor
How does an experienced business person become a mentor?
If you are lucky enough to have built a good business, sold it for a lot of money and now have a burning desire to help others do the same just how do you go about it?
Rockstar offers a unique programme for people with considerable business experience to become mentors and offers a fee for their invaluable skills. The aspiring entrepreneur and mentor are carefully matched so that the mentor chosen has a strong background and record of success in the Start Ups chosen field.In the early days of a business having an experienced professional to steer a new entrepreneur round the common obstacles they face can avoid wasted expenditure, time and stress. Many new ventures do fail within the first year due to costly mistakes caused by inexperience. However with the knowledge built up by a mentor over many years it can be a very different picture. To the mentor imparting their knowledge and experience is very satisfying and the rewards in seeing someone else make a go of a new business quite a thrill.
However it isn’t just start ups that use mentors – many SME’s realise that consulting a mentor at all stages of their business can avoid costly pitfalls and help in many areas of their business. A recent survey showed that SME’s prefer to receive advice and support from other experienced business people so if you have ever wanted to be a mentor now is the time.
Looking for finance can be one of the most daunting aspects of starting a business- especially for a novice entrepreneur. The most important sales tool you can have is belief in yourself and your business idea backed up with the confidence that comes from being properly prepared when doing your pitch for investment.
Many angel investors will pass on a seemingly good looking investment if they don’t have faith and confidence in the people presenting the proposal. Many investors will openly say they are not investing in the business plan but the person behind it because they can see the potential to succeed in that person.If you dont have the experience to write your business plan then a mentor could be invaulable.
However, you still need to be prepared and have given thought to your pitch for investment so that you can easily answer questions such as:
- What are your strategic plans?
- Who do you see as your competitors?
- What gives you a competitive edge over your rivals?
- What return will an investor get?
- What exit strategy do you foresee?
A full business plan isn’t always necessary for an initial meeting. In many ways a short and to the point executive summary highlighting the key points of the business and the investment opportunity will grab an investors’ attention more and a business mentor can guide you to write this.It is vital that the investor can see what is in it for them so a brief summary covering the business proposal, how much investment is needed, how it will be used and the ROI (return on investment) Most important is how much you have invested yourself- potential investors know that if you have a serious financial commitment in the business you will work harder to make it a success.
Inspiration to boost sales and survive a difficult 2012
Sometimes running a business can evolve into a situation where the day to day pressures stop you from seeing and planning long term goals because you have become jaded and it’s hard to stay positive. You lose the drive and spirit that first made you want to become an entrepreneur and succeed.
Inspiration from an outside source such as mentoring or workshops can reinvigorate not just the person running a company but the employees, the marketing strategy and most importantly sales. The guidance and experience of a business expert who has survived previous economic downturns will inspire and re motivate leading to a new enthusiasm. The prime aim of a mentor is to help your company grow and deliver sales and profits.
So how can you increase sales – well if you aren’t in a growth market the only way is by taking market share from competitors? Market research will help you differentiate your product or service from your competitors enabling you to see what your target market wants in order to buy from you. In the current climate value is probably at the top of most potential customers list but if you feel you can’t compete on price because margins are too tight then you need to offer added value in the form of service, reputation, reliability etc.
How do you reach these potential customers? Start with low cost marketing options such as social media, internet marketing, PR, referrals from existing customers, and networking opportunities such as free business workshops. Then look at more expensive options such as advertising and marketing events.
To monitor sales growth you need to set targets so that you can see what is working for you and delivering growth and what isn’t working. All marketing activity should have an identifiable code like a different phone number, promotional number or e mail address so that you can identify what marketing is drawing new customers in.
In what is undoubtedly going to be a difficult year seeking mentoring support is probably the best thing you could do to maintain or increase growth in your business .
5 steps to maximise success and boost sales in 2012
With 2012 nearly upon us many UK business owners will be wondering what trading will be like in the coming year. There are so many outside influences like the Euro crisis that will have a spin off effect but there are certain basic steps businesses should concentrate on to help maximize chances of success in 2012.
- Relationships/Networking – fundamental to the life blood of a company are the people who will use or recommend your services or products. Servicing both existing customers and suppliers and building relationships with new ones through networking events is a free form of marketing.
- Marketing – It is inevitable that most UK businesses will look at cost cutting in 2012 but in a downturn cutting marketing activity is not advisable. You need to maintain or increase your spend to stand out from your competitors. Customers are spending and you need to make sure you are their first choice – concentrate on not only offering great value for money, which will be most consumers’ priority in 2012, but also added value such as service, relaibilty and integrity. Also if you haven’t already embraced Social Media it needs to be an integral part of your marketing in 2012- it’s free, easy to use and sends a very personal message about your company.
- Business Plan– probably more than ever it needs to be a working, evolving plan that grows and changes with your business and the pressures it faces in the coming year. For example you may not have thought of expanding in 2012 but with some businesses struggling the opportunity could arise to increase your market share by acquisition. Have you thought where to go for private funding as inevitably your bank won’t help?
- Cost Cutting – keeping a tight control on costs will be vital in 2012 but not if it hurts your business. Consider all the options when looking at reducing overheads – it may be that a fresh pair of eyes in the form of a Business Mentor could actually save you money despite an initial outlay. The experience of a successful business person who has been through tough times in the past could be invaluable to SME’s and Start Ups.
- People – your employees represent your company and the impression they give to prospective customers is vitally important. Employees need to have a sense of pride in the company they work for. Creating that environment is largely down to management but by delegating and allowing employees to make recommendations on the day to day running of the company they gain a feeling of involvement and pride in the success of the company.
- Websites – make sure yours is really working for you and that it’s not just bringing traffic to the site but converting it to actual sales. Again there are specialist companies who will overhaul your site and make recommendations to achieve this. Is your site easy to navigate? Are your contact details on every page? Do you have the right keywords on your Home Page? Is the site constantly updated?
In a 2011 survey 81% of respondents said they liked to source information on line before buying and preferred to purchase from a business that had a website.
With 2012 nearly upon us many UK business owners will be wondering what trading will be like in the coming year. There are so many outside influences like the Euro crisis that will have a spin off effect but there are certain basic steps businesses should concentrate on to help maximize chances of success in 2012.
- Relationships/Networking – fundamental to the life blood of a company are the people who will use or recommend your services or products. Servicing both existing customers and suppliers and building relationships with new ones through networking events is a free form of marketing.
- Marketing – It is inevitable that most UK businesses will look at cost cutting in 2012 but in a downturn cutting marketing activity is not advisable. You need to maintain or increase your spend to stand out from your competitors. Customers are spending and you need to make sure you are their first choice – concentrate on not only offering great value for money, which will be most consumers’ priority in 2012, but also added value such as service, relaibilty and integrity. Also if you haven’t already embraced Social Media it needs to be an integral part of your marketing in 2012- it’s free, easy to use and sends a very personal message about your company.
- Business Plan– probably more than ever it needs to be a working, evolving plan that grows and changes with your business and the pressures it faces in the coming year. For example you may not have thought of expanding in 2012 but with some businesses struggling the opportunity could arise to increase your market share by acquisition. Have you thought where to go for private funding as inevitably your bank won’t help?
- Cost Cutting – keeping a tight control on costs will be vital in 2012 but not if it hurts your business. Consider all the options when looking at reducing overheads – it may be that a fresh pair of eyes in the form of a Business Mentor could actually save you money despite an initial outlay. The experience of a successful business person who has been through tough times in the past could be invaluable to SME’s and Start Ups.
- People – your employees represent your company and the impression they give to prospective customers is vitally important. Employees need to have a sense of pride in the company they work for. Creating that environment is largely down to management but by delegating and allowing employees to make recommendations on the day to day running of the company they gain a feeling of involvement and pride in the success of the company.
- Websites – make sure yours is really working for you and that it’s not just bringing traffic to the site but converting it to actual sales. Again there are specialist companies who will overhaul your site and make recommendations to achieve this. Is your site easy to navigate? Are your contact details on every page? Do you have the right keywords on your Home Page? Is the site constantly updated?In a 2011 survey 81% of respondents said they liked to source information on line before buying and preferred to purchase from a business that had a website.
WHO NOTICED ITS ACTUALLY 6 STEPS??
Rockstar Group 