Category: Business Strategy

Forecasting upcoming sales in your Spa business is a critical constituent of starting up and running a business; it is a fundamental constituent of your Spa business plan. It’s doubtful that your Spa business will be dead on but you ought to be able to make credible, evidence-based projections in order to plan your Spa business strategy.

The quantity of money your Spa business will achieve each year depends on how many sales of its products or services – but before you start off the process of actually making these sales you should create a sales forecast. The sales forecast for your Spa business will stand on its own virtues – it will of course be a part of your overall Spa business plan.

So why do you need to forecast sales?

A sales forecast is necessary in order to

1. Plan cash flow – that you will need to add into your business plan when seeking funding, and to avoid sudden cash flow problems by establishing if and when you will need to inject capital or have access to funds.
2. Manage Cash flow – innermost to the success of your business, it is essential that you appreciate how sales forecasting contributes to the computation of the cash flow forecast.
3. Plan future resource requirements – for example, you may want a new mechanism which produces more goods.
4. Plan marketing activities – this will obviously have a knock on effect to the quantity of sales you make as well.

Whatever the situation, it is crucial that you research your projected sales regularly and realistically, and take appropriate action to have another look at your strategy. Your sales forecast is the point of reference alongside which you should constantly gauge what in fact happens in your business with regards to sales and the important thing is to appreciate the variances and why they arise, and to incorporate what you have learned into coming forecasts.

What components do you need to think about?

Your sales forecast should show sales by month for at least the next 12 months, and then by year for the following two years. Three years, in total, is generally enough for most business plans.

Things to think about

1. Is there an customary market for your product or service?
2. How extensive is the sector?
3. Is this an escalating/contracting market and if so; by what %?
4. What are the most important considerations for this market?
5. What may possibly affect it in future?
6. How do recurring factors affect purchases of your product or service?
7. What trends or fashions are related to the sector?

Who are your customers going to be?

1. What % will purchase?
2. Why will they finish trading from someone else to buy from you?
3. What is your pricing plan and how will it influence sales?
4. Can you in fact make available the products and services that you are predicting?
5. How many competitors do you have?
6. Your business will not be distinctive; what happens when new competitors come into the market once you have done the footing to raise market awareness?

The whole planet is your marketplace with the invention of the world wide web – but what products/services can you persuade somebody to buy Virtually every business has some competitor(s) – how can you hoover up your competitors customers? How can you avert your competitors taking your customers? Can you adjust your product prices up or down to match new customers – can you easily add or adjust the services you offer to new and existing customers to boost your turnover and profits?

Preparing your Spa business forecast

You need to make certain future assumptions for your Spa business in order to create a sales forecast

1. Sector increase/decline by a certain percentage e.g. 5%.
2. Personnel increase to increase production or sales – maybe 25%.
3. Different location – more customers – 30% increase in sales.

Preparing your forecast

You should prepare a sales forecast for each item you sell,and forecast:

1. By volume
2. By value
3. By a combination of both value and volume.

So what are the pitfalls when forecasting sales?

1. Make sure your forecast is based on verifiable,realistic and unbiased info.
2. Don’t be tempted to overlook your study if it showed bad results.
3. Don’t make projections solely on historical results. Put your business under a microscope – try and imagine what might have an effect on your sales in the future – good or bad.
4. Make sure you understand your capacity limits. Can you produce the amount of sales being forecast with the equipment,personnel and monetary resources available to you?
5. Does the pricing policy you have used in working out your sales forecast relate to what is really achievable?, or conversely, have the prices been set too low or too high so that either way your forecast is potentially unrealistic?
6. If you have just started up in business, your business may take longer than you believe to get established, and have you set accordingly realistic sales targets?
7. Have you allowed for the possibility that high sales based on an initial promotional surge may drop off, leading to a need for more intensive marketing and higher ongoing expenses once preliminary interest has peaked?
8. When you make clear your sales forecasts to prospective investors – are they believable?

July, 23, 2014 : Company Profiles and Conferences presents a Company Report on “Entech Solar, Inc. – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review”, who help you to formulate strategies to drive your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.

Entech Solar, Inc. – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review provides a comprehensive insight into the companys history, corporate strategy, business structure and operations. The report contains a detailed SWOT analysis, information on the companys key employees, key competitors and major products and services.

This up-to-the-minute company report will help you to formulate strategies to drive your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.

Scope

– Business description A detailed description of the companys operations and business divisions.
– Corporate strategy GlobalDatas summarization of the companys business strategy.
– SWOT analysis A detailed analysis of the companys strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.
– Company history Progression of key events associated with the company.
– Major products and services A list of major products, services and brands of the company.
– Key competitors A list of key competitors to the company.
– Key employees A list of the key executives of the company.
– Executive biographies A brief summary of the executives employment history.
– Key operational heads A list of personnel heading key departments/functions.
– Important locations and subsidiaries A list of key locations and subsidiaries of the company, including contact details.

Highlights

Entech Solar, Inc. (Entech Solar), formerly WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp., is a US-based developer of solar energy technologies and sustainable daylighting solutions. The company designs, manufacturers and markets concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar modules, which produce electricity from sunlight. Its proprietary and licensed technologies include Entech Collimating Skylights, SolarVolt Module, and Entech Solar Space Technology. Entech Solar offers engineering services for custom photovoltaic system designs for the end customers, project developers, integrators and PPA providers. Its major customers are American Electric Power Company, NASA, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S.

Reasons to Buy

– Gain key insights into the company for academic or business research purposes. Key elements such as SWOT analysis and corporate strategy are incorporated in the profile to assist your academic or business research needs.
– Identify potential customers and suppliers with this reports analysis of the companys business structure, operations, major products and services and business strategy.
– Understand and respond to your competitors business structure and strategies with GlobalDatas detailed SWOT analysis. In this, the companys core strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are analyzed, providing you with an up to date objective view of the company.

The best way for a business to thrive is either through expanding its product line, or through product innovation/ invention. Innovation-driven businesses-especially- must constantly innovate or upgrade their products in order to stay competitive. Innovation-driven businesses are entities known for their diligent entrepreneurial and pioneering activities, founded on new product/s (NPD) or service inventions.

Of the industries that fall into the category “innovators”- office equipment, cosmetics, computer software, food technology, telecommunications, customer service upgrades, gaming technology, and pharmaceuticals- are just a few.

Business leaders, within innovation-driven industries, understand all too well how important it is to have systematic methods of consumer intelligence gathering, and also a timely method of responding to the ever-changing needs of the customer-base, effectively preempting the competition. Therefore industry leaders have implemented “Commercialization” within their organizations, as they have determined that the traditional “Marketing” frame-work ‘does not fit’ a core business strategy dependent on New Product Development or emerging technologies.

The new method therefore is for a Commercialization department to be established; under which the traditional functions of a Marketing department would fall. Some innovators, however, either do not have a Commercialization department, or have not properly integrated the frame-work into the daily operations of their companies.

Paul Patterson, author of:”Beyond the Beaker – How to Achieve Successful Market Adoption for Emerging Technologies”, has experienced this phenomena first hand: “Many research facilities, universities and investors are developing commercialization departments in order to enable more effective market adoption of their emerging technologies. In most cases however, the commercialization system has been incorrectly adapted by these entities, as evidenced by their production flow charts that incorrectly represent commercialization as an arrow pointing to the word “Market”. These organizations are not aware that Commercialization is as equally complex a process as technology development.”

A correctly implemented Commercialization system is based on the following fundamentals:

1. Constantly update knowledge base with customer intelligence and paradigm shifts. Assess if the company has the skills, technology, accumulated experience, and methodologies to respond swiftly with product changes or NPD’s.

2. Companies could investigate how their business customers are creating value, and whether the competencies of the company allow the development of products that would be useful to their customers’ new value-creating direction.

3. The implementation of one of 2 product development approaches: “compression” or “experiential” strategy.

4. Considering off-shore sourcing for supplies and raw materials by setting up a manufacturing plant in the targeted country, could benefit profit margins, as well as relationships “all around”. A company might be able to negotiate tariff barriers by this move: by buying from local suppliers/ producers as well as offering employment opportunities will open the doors to further concessions within that country, and might improve the host country’s relations with the parent country.

Commercialization is truly a complex process as highlighted by Paul Patterson in “Beyond the Beaker – How to Achieve Successful Market Adoption for Emerging Technologies”. However if the process is properly implemented, commercialization could possibly improve the outlook of a global business venture.

One of the biggest challenges facing everyone who wishes to own a dollar store is exactly how to build store sales without going broke in the process. While there are many fairly costly options, few low-cost options seem like they would be worth the time and expense to implement. After all, what good does it do to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on advertising and marketing if the results dont grow dollar store profits beyond the costs involved? Well there are some proven ultra-low cost marketing options that do get results. If youd like to know more, then read on. In this article I present 5 proven low-cost marketing strategies when you own a dollar store.

Strategy #1 Join a local business group. If you own a dollar store youll discover networking with other local business owners and managers can provide rewards beyond your wildest dreams. Sure it takes time to attend meetings and you must be willing to mingle and get to know others, but the results can be remarkable. Join only one group to start. As you become familiar with that groups participants you might add another business group to the mix.

Strategy #2 Establish a marketing exchange with local businesses. Get out there and meet your neighboring business owners. Once again a little time is required. However as you introduce yourself and exchange business cards youll soon meet others who also desire to build their businesses. Work out an exchange where each business helps the other by providing flyers or other promotional materials. Youll gain new shoppers, sales and dollar store profits.

Strategy #3 Turn you employees into sign-holders during slow times. One of the biggest challenges for those who own a dollar store is staffing at the right levels. Why not add a marketing activity so employees can help you build sales and dollar store profits during slow times? Have an inexpensive sign made for your business and let an employee hold that sign so it can be seen by passing traffic. Youll quickly have a store filled with first-time shoppers. Be sure to check local ordinances to make sure this can be done in your locality before you start.

Strategy #4 Establish discount programs for near-by churches. This idea costs little more than time unless the churches choose to take advantage of the discount offer. For churches with food closets and other aid for those in-need, now is a time for most when theres huge demand and fewer contributions. Churches will likely be looking for grocery items and everyday consumables first. Imagine the traffic when your generosity is announced during a service.

Strategy #5 Add upcoming sale inserts into t-shirt bags used to package all sales. Save your advertising dollars by publicizing upcoming events on inserts you place in bags customers receive with their purchases. While some advertising and promotion is still advisable, this strategy can reduce your total cost and will still generate the traffic, sales and dollar store profits you seek when you own a dollar store.

To your dollar store success!

Facebook Strategy; Lead and Sales Generation OK so heres an important re-cap on the basics; 1. We need fans to take action 2. Commenting/ sharing/ ‘liking’ will increase the exposure of promotions and offers made, but more importantly it advertises your Facebook site from fans to fans 3. Facebook friendly calls-to-action, 3X more likely asked to comment,7x more likely to share 4. FB monitors engagement score and will promote more if more actions 5. If you have under 1000 fans then it may be necessary to invest in Facebook ads as research shows; 185% increase in traffic after crossing 1000 fans (social justification)

Now we know from fundamental sales principles that people buy from those who we like or aspire to be like. For business Facebook marketing, this means we endeavour to create what are termed ‘super fans.’These fans will endorse your products to others through word of mouth and Facebook media, but how do we get them to this enthusiastic state ?….

2 Major Types of List building;Indirect and DirectIndirect; Become human, this means you need to be visible, interactive and show some personality. This could mean displaying pictures of what is happening in the business, we encourage videos of office systems, challenges (maybe a huge amount of work to do), or just some good hearted character on display. We often say to clients; dont underestimate the power of theEngagement score, which Facebook analytics keeps and will promote your posts more often when this is high. So; Images, eg Pets, teamwork etc that fans can identify with Behind the scenes look Generally showing up and being active in social visibility (usually daily) AND importantly a call to action on these posts, which can also lead to an opt-in for list email which as we know means opportunities for sales Direct; This is where contests, webinars, videos, ebooks and other giveaways entice the fans to add their details to the lists, we indicate that best practice is a balance between direct and indirect, keeping in mind that fans should beentertained, educated or empowered ! eg. Click like if you believe this! The following post could be improved by asking fans what their preferences are or what the best point is in the e-book

An example we often use is a sign-up for premium members area. This will use a call to action, ‘SIGN UP NOW for instant premium members perks,availabletoday only.’Then we offer great content;Podcasts, Cheat sheets, Guides, Free chapters, MEGA 3 part video series! Discount downloads etc [Just set a standard of over delivering ! This will mean guaranteed success] Make sure you use; Custom and Normal Applications to utilise (try shortstack.combelow) Promotions Facebook Ads Offers (once you have enough fans) TIPS AND TRICKS; PODCASTs/ WEBINARs ; We find these convert very well as opt-ins, and have been consistently the preferred method of content delivery. TRY; Including the date and title in your cover page, but no calls to action (then click to listen through an App) TRY; Adding descriptions to photos; drives out into newsfeed, e.g. -For more tips and tricks signup here- Always include hotlink!

Once through the App, this allows for traffic directed to website/ newsletter/ subscriptions etc