August 2022

Financial Guide For Small Business Owners

Finance & Business

As a professional business owner, you have a lot of work to do. But in the hectic everyday life between customer meetings, project planning and other appointments, financial planning easily gets lost. However, you have to keep your business finances under control so that the balance is right and your budget stays within limits.

Draw up a budget

In order to optimally manage your company’s finances, it is important that you draw up a budget plan. It helps you plan ahead for how much money you can spend and save.

A simple approach is to first record all sources of income. Include all purchases, sales and investments. You also need to include loans and forms of savings. You can then offset your expenses. This includes fixed costs as well as ongoing costs for materials, construction, marketing or travel.

Wholesale Business: Benefits of Trading Wholesale

Business

Wholesale refers to the purchase of goods from manufacturers as intermediate trade, which are then resold to retailers or other forms of trade. There are also a few wholesalers who already sell directly to end consumers. The wholesale trade stands in the trade chain between manufacturer and retailer. He is an important link as he can buy large quantities from the manufacturer and distribute them to many different retailers. Due to the large purchase quantities, a wholesaler buys particularly cheaply. He passes this price advantage on to the retail trade, which can then also buy more cheaply from the wholesaler.

Advantages of wholesale trade

For the manufacturer of a product, the effort is usually too great to sell the products directly to the retailer. The manufacturer has to deal with too many factors, which the wholesaler largely takes care of for him because he specializes in it:

Logistics Neither manufacturers nor retailers use their logistics centers to receive products from the manufacturer or to deliver them to the retailer. The wholesale trade takes on this task. In addition to the transport from the manufacturer via the wholesaler to the retailer, the entire production to make goods coming from the manufacturer ready for retail sale is the responsibility of the wholesaler and its logistics.

Bulk storage While the retail trade usually only has limited storage contingents, the wholesale trade can temporarily store bulk goods. This offers retailers the advantage of being able to get new goods quickly when they need them.

Opening up the market Thanks to the close contact between wholesalers and retailers, wholesalers can collect and process information about the purchasing behavior of retail customers. With this information he improves the market balance among the manufacturers.

Assortment design Often the retail trade does not have to deal with the assortment design of the products at all. This task is also mostly taken on by the wholesaler, which significantly speeds up the retail ordering process.

Regulations on trading with end users

Wholesalers and retailers don’t want to destroy each other’s business. Therefore, retailers only sell their goods to their customers in commercial quantities. An end consumer can also purchase large quantities from wholesalers. However, the search can be difficult for an end user, as many wholesalers only sell to tradespeople and bulk consumers (clubs, schools, canteens and universities). However, the Internet offers the possibility of finding wholesalers for end users as well.

The online age has also arrived at wholesale

The days when orders were placed by phone or fax and the wholesaler sent out hundreds of catalogs every year will soon be a thing of the past. Wholesalers are also switching to online trading. Proprietary platforms and programs make it quick and easy for the retailer to do business with the wholesaler.

The 5 Best Ways to Start a Wholesale Business Today

Wholesale is the most common business structure in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, there are approximately 3.2 million wholesale firms in America today.

There have been a lot of changes in the wholesale industry over the years, and it is important for businesses to adapt to these changes. To help you get started, here are 5 ways you can start a wholesale business today:

1) Start a direct-to-consumer company

Direct-to-consumer companies are an affordable, low cost and scalable way to start a business. They provide opportunities for brands & entrepreneurs to reach new audiences. An example of a business that offers wholesale products is Highland Cabinetry which offers wholesale kitchen cabinets directly to consumers.

2) Start a drop shipping company

Drop shipping is a business model based on selling products from a website and then sourcing the products from the manufacturers. The business owner purchases the product at wholesale price, then is able to ship it to the customer and sell it on their site at a profit. Drop shipping provides an easy way to start your own online store without having to invest in inventory, human resources, or physical storefronts.

3) Get your products from wholesalers or manufacturers

You may be feeling the pinch of supply chain issues that have suddenly sprung up. On top of this, you’re spending a lot more on your products because you’ve been forced to do so. The solution? Find wholesalers and manufacturers who can help you find a new supplier.

4) Sell on Amazon FBA or eBay FBA

If you’re looking to sell on Amazon or eBay, there are two ways to go about it: You can choose to sell your products on the platform yourself or you can become an Amazon FBA seller and let Amazon handle the fulfillment process. Learn how this could be right for you.

5) Create your own product brand

Branding is essential to the success of any company, product, or service. It’s important that the branding and marketing strategy is consistent with the company’s mission, vision, and values.

Why SEO Strategies Should Focus on Gen Z Behaviors and Preferences

Finance & Business

Nowadays, strategies for Search Engine Optimization or SEO are also focusing on the behaviors of Gen Zers since sooner or later they will all become the adult consumers. Even at an early age, Gen Zers take after the millennials who taught them to be tech savvy that they now have massive influence over Internet trends. Savvy online retailers therefore are aware of the importance of SEO strategies aimed at building relationships with both millennial and Gen Z customers.

That is so be cause these new breed of Netizens have always relied on technology ever since they can remember.

Who Exactly are the Members of Gen Z?

Gen Z is short for Generation Z, formerly identified as centennials; born between the years 1997 and 2012. This means that the oldest Gen Zers to date are now 25 years old and likely to be employed. That also implies many of them were born to millennial parents, whilst growing up with ideas and awareness, shaped and influenced by the Internet and social media sites.

What Research Studies Say are the Prominent Behaviors of Gen Zers?

Google, which has the most useful insights about the behavior of Generation Z in relation to SEO strategies, revealed the following peculariaties about Gen Z search habits:

Even if a website appears as one of the top results in response to a query, a Gen Z will not waste time waiting for a site to load. If that is the case, the site will likely be pushed down in a lower page since Google gives priority to websites that provide exceptional user experience.

Another important aspect that Google found out, which SEO strategists must take into consideration is the way centennials perform browser searches. Gen Z prefers using the long-tail approach to avoid having to wade through broad information. Long tail keywords can bring forth the most relevant and subject-specific answers

That being the case, this breed of Internet users are more inclined to type in complete sentences when launching a query/ At the same time, they are known to frequently use “cheap,” “how-to” and “best” as part of their long-tail key phrases.

The long-tail practice became more pronounced when voice assistants like Siri and Alexa came along, which made full sentence voice queries easier to launch.

When choosing a digital media content from which to find out answers, Generation Z searchers prefer those presented by way of YouTube video materials. Apparently, Tik Tok has become aware of this because this Gen Z-focused social media site is now considered a legitimate marketing platform.

Still, the millennials remain as the most active players when it comes to ecommerce. They now represent a large chunk of today’s major decision makers with regard to financial matters. You can expect them to have adopted some of the behaviors demonstrated by Gen Zers, but are more likely to use different sources of information before making important decisions.

SEO strategies therefore also need to be reviewed and updated in order to keep up with the behaviors of the emerging generations of Internet and mobile device users

Cash ISA, Stocks, or Bonds: What Is Worth Your Investment?

Business, Investment

Bonds and stocks offer an opportunity to invest directly in a preferred company or issuer. There are different opportunities for returns with both stocks and bonds, but it is important to consider the existing risks. By looking at the key difference and common components, you direct your money in the right direction over a period of time.

What is Cash ISA?

A cash ISA is a type of savings account that you can use to invest your money. They have a lot of similarities to regular savings accounts, but there are some key differences. One difference is that you don’t have to pay any tax on the interest you earn. This means that when it comes time to withdraw your money, you will get the full amount back, without having to pay taxes on its earnings. Find the best cash ISA for you – check best fixed rate isa here.

What is a share?

A share is a security that represents ownership of a corporation in connection with rights. Unlike bonds, when you buy stocks, you become a shareholder

in a company of your choice. This means that you as an investor own a smaller or larger part of it. If a public company has 1,000 shares issued and you buy 10 shares from them, you own 1% of the company. Issuing shares provides companies with fresh equity. The development of your company is reflected in the share price over a longer period of time. Investors can tell from the share price whether things are going well or not as successful as expected.

The share price is determined by supply and demand. This means that If there are a higher percentage of investors who want to purchase shares, the demand and thus the price of the shares will increase. If, on the other hand, there are only a few or no interested parties, this leads to a drop in the price. In addition to a long-term price gain, you increase your return by receiving a regular dividend. You can keep shares in your portfolio for as long as you want. Unlike bonds, there is no fixed term.

What is a bond?

A bond is interest-bearing security. In technical jargon, a bond is referred to as a debt security or an annuity. Behind this is the granting of a loan to a company (corporate bond) or to a state (government bond). In return, investors receive fixed agreed interest, which the company pays in certain periods of time (usually annually). In this way, investors obtain outside capital. Unlike buying shares, you don’t become a partial owner with bonds. In return, you benefit from fixed interest rates and a previously known term. Bonds are issued by issuers (the companies behind them or the state) at a specified nominal value (i.e. 100%). At the end of the term, you will receive your investment amount back in full.

Example: You invest €10,000 for a term of 5 years and benefit from 2% interest every year. After the time has expired, you will receive your money in the amount of €10,000 credited to your reference account. There may be fluctuations in the price during the term of the bond. As a rule, the price rises when the general market interest rate falls and vice versa. Issuers do not redeem bonds before maturity. If you would like to get your invested money back early, you can only sell it via a stock exchange. The return on bond results from interest payments and possible price gains.

What do stocks and bonds have in common?

In addition to the different maturities, interest payments and purchase options, both stocks and bonds also have similarities:

Investment in a preferred company

Irrespective of whether you inject money into a company in the form of equity or debt, as an investor you can expect positive developments in the future. Do not lend money to the issuer without certain creditworthiness requirements. As the owner of shares, you can also expect an attractive return for yourself.

Trading is possible on the stock exchange

Stocks and bonds allow trading on one or more exchanges. Shares can be traded at any time. If you don’t want to wait for bonds to expire, you can sell them beforehand, provided you find a buyer for them. Supply and demand determine the price and thus the traded rate in both cases.

Regular earnings

Shareholders can look forward to a regular dividend in addition to a price gain. The amount of the dividend is based on the profit development of the company and varies from year to year. With bonds, you benefit from constant interest rates over a specified term and thus enjoy a regular source of income for your assets.

Custody in the depot

To store stocks and bonds, you need a securities account, which you can open at your bank. A fee is charged for custody. When buying and selling stocks or bonds, the bank collects order fees. Depending on your wishes, as an investor, you can opt for a custody account with comprehensive advice options or with transparent online custody account management. Each time you open a securities account, you specify a reference account for debiting all fees and for crediting dividends and interest.

Conclusion: What Is Worth Your Investment?

Diversified investment in low risk securities is the best way to go for many investors. While they maintain Cash ISA, they also consider low risk investment, a mix of stocks and bonds. A financial adviser can help draw out a good diversified portfolio with low risk.