About DBS - Part 2

HOW TO GROW YOUR CUSTOMER BASE

At the heart of a successful business are satisfied customers. Growing that customer base is a challenge. But it can be done. Here are some tips that you can adopt to help your business grow. 1. Focus on the right customers and do everything you can not only to keep them but keep them delighted. They can be great endorsements for your business. 2. Stay connected with these customers. Offer extra value – go beyond the boundaries of your own products or services. 3. Ask for referrals and testimonials. Graciously accept their appreciation but also ask if […]

IS YOUR BUSINESS LOCATION NEIGHBOURHOOD-FRIENDLY?

Choosing a location for your business generally has three main considerations – proximity to customers, suppliers and employees. Other issues are easy transport and parking facilities,proximity to competitors and affiliated businesses which could impact your business. Depending on the nature of the business, you need a location with ready access to enough potential customers. How many people actually pass by? How many would walk in? Foot traffic can make a difference and even the side of the street on which the address is. Unless you provide only services, you will need to depend on suppliers – distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers […]

Choosing the right brand colours

The human mind is highly responsive to visual stimuli and colour is one of the major defining factors in that response on both conscious and sub-conscious levels. Colour is an important element in a brand’s visual identity. Think of iconic brands whose logos have withstood the test of time. Certain colours are immediately associated with various brands. Think Apple, FedEx, American Express – their consistent use of the same colours exponentially increases people’s recognition of these brands. While choosing a colour scheme for your brand, various factors need to be considered. Some colours have natural connotations and it’s a good idea to be aware […]

Keeping your home-based business legal

Starting your own business may be triggered by a new year resolution – or there may be other considerations that may prompt you to start anew. It’s an exciting milestone – which might however become a ‘millstone’ if you don’t take some simple precautions to protect yourself legally. Here are some basic guidelines: Pick the right business name Make sure you do an internet search for your business’s name and clear the trademark. Consider paying a service for a comprehensive name search to make sure you are not going to impinge on another company’s trademark. The last thing you want to do is to […]

GOODBYE TELEGRAM, HELLO TWITTER

CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF TELEGRAM IN INDIA. This was among the last telegrams sent from the Central Telegraph Office (CTO), Mumbai. Thousands of people crowded telegraph offices around India to send their last telegrams as the government shut down the 163-year-old service on July 14, 2013. It marked the end of an era.The telegram is now part of India’s history. But if we could re-wind, what stories that slip of pink paper would tell! There is this telegram from a worried father to an acquaintance in Gorakhpur: “Send Devdas’s temperature. Do you see him daily? How long suffering? Gandhi.” […]

TEST YOUR BUSINESS IDEA

So, you have a brilliant idea for a new product. But the idea is only the first step. It’s the spark that lights the fire. Just as a spark won’t burn in a vacuum, your business won’t survive without customers. To make sure your customers will be as excited as you are about your idea, hit the books, the streets and the stores to examine the market you are about to enter. Identify your market It is important to test your business idea and make sure there’s a viable, sustainable and growing market for it before you invest time and money launching it. […]