There’s no question that spring is well on its way. Despite ups and downs, the weather’s a good deal warmer than it was a few weeks ago, the evenings are growing lighter, the snowdrops have come and gone, and even the daffodils are coming out. And the end of the tax year is looming.
Since before there were even humans, spring has always been a time for new beginnings. Even the timing of the new tax year is related to this, since it originally derived from the old date of New Year at the Spring Equinox — although the date has drifted a little since then.
It’s the time for new ventures, so do you have one?
Starting Up
Starting up a business is exciting, exhilarating and terrifying. You have a hundred and one things to sort out, from bank accounts to branding, but at the same time you need to find customers — unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to have brought a client-base with you from a previous position.
One important thing you can do at this time is get out and network. The way you go about it will depend on what kind of business you’re starting. If you’re B2C, it might be most important to find settings where your potential customers are, or post regularly on Facebook, but business networking can also be valuable. Not only are SME owners also potential customers (and know more potential customers) but you’ll also have experienced people to ask advice and bounce ideas off.
Changing Direction
Successful businesses can’t be static. If Richard Branson hadn’t been willing to diversify, he’d still be selling records from a boat in Little Venice instead of joining the space race.
Opening up a new area of your business can be almost like a start-up, with the advantage that you’ve already made the mistakes and identified the general tactics that work for you. You may still need to keep your original activities going, unless you’re making a complete change, but you should have systems in place for those. The new venture is a new beginning.
New Clients
Whatever stage you’re at, you always need new clients or customers (something the Resource Centre can help with) because it’s inevitable that some of your existing ones will drop out. Although the intensity can vary a lot, depending on your industry, a new client can be like a new relationship, to be nurtured and enjoyed.
And that’s definitely something for spring.