Common Mistakes in Business and How to Avoid Them

Common Mistakes in Business and How to Avoid Them

Common Mistakes in Business – Starting a business involves a lot of steps, and errors are always bound to happen along the way. In the case of startups, if one isn’t very careful, errors can occur which could have grave effects on the business on the long run. Now no one is perfect; everyone has the tendency to make mistakes in spite of our meticulous preparations.

So, what are the kinds of errors entrepreneurs must avoid? Business News Daily asked entrepreneurs and owners of businesses for tips. Their responses included things like delaying in starting out, employing friends and relatives rather than professionals, and etcetera.

If you’re thinking about débuting your business, ensure that you avoid these important errors.

Do not nurture a Fear of Failure.

Starting out with a fear of failure could be detrimental to your business. Failure is important for your success, and embracing your fear is good for your business. How you recover from failures and learn from setbacks is a vital element for great success.

Don’t misunderstand your market

One massive mistake entrepreneurs make when launching their business is misunderstanding their target market. Whether you are miscalculating costs, or your target market is altogether wrong, or you misjudge the frequency of demand and supply, misinterpreting your market can kill the business before it begins.

 Don’t waste too much time before you launch

One mistake many entrepreneurs make is waiting too long before launching out. I suggest that you launch your business as soon as you can. Otherwise, your target audience can be altered in the delay process, and a lot of other things can go wrong. Do not necessarily wait for things to be perfect: once you have made foundational plans and you have a projection for the future, you can launch. You can refine things along the way.

Don’t create products without a purpose

One error people fall into is designing a product that actually meets nobody’s need. Then they explore the error further by building the product instead of advertising the product. In my opinion, the best method to use is to first consider ‘how to develop an effective sales and advertisement system’, rather than just ‘how to develop a good product’. You can then start working on both ‘projects’ simultaneously.

Branding!

One massive mistake I see happen every now and then is that people tend to underestimate the worth of a brand, and those who are involved in branding. Most times, entrepreneurs assume that a simple emblem or logo does the trick; but a brand is a more comprehensive and concise definition of the business. It also serves to remind you of what you represent, and what you want your business to be like in future.

Don’t assume you know everything

You will not do yourself any good if you just assume that you know it all, or that just because you’re an expert, you have all it takes to run the business well on your own. Several entrepreneurs make this mistake.

Do not be Materialistic

Some pay and acquire expensive offices and properties that have no effects on the clients. I have seen a number of organizations – whose clients never come to their offices – spend outrageous amounts on high-class buildings, properties and expensive furniture and fittings, when they should have spent such money on better things.

Don’t be too slow

I learnt this through experience. As a one-time startup owner, I at some point took too long before making certain decisions. It took me a long time to realize the business relationships to drop and those to strengthen. I was slow in realizing that certain customers weren’t willing to meet my asking price for certain products, and that some of my financiers had lost interest in investing in the business, and etcetera.

Get the wages right

It can be detrimental to pay yourself too much or too little. Now deciding on the wages of an employee or a partner in business can be easy. So consider taking a fixed portion of the revenue as your own pay. Whatever you decide, know that one function of a good management system is determining the pay of both your partners and yourself.

Embrace Contracts

Several entrepreneurs make the mistake of failing to execute contracts and projects. When relevant systems, mechanisms and agreements are lacking, even the most pleasant and important business relationships can be grounded.

Do not make employments too early

Now, this is arguably the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make. They hire full-time workers when a part-time worker would serve the business better; or they employ full time workers when they would need contractors to do the job required. These days, running a small business effectively can be achieved with part-time workers, contract workers, and a number of other professionals.

Work with your budget

This is also one big mistake entrepreneurs make. A lot of them spend a lot on product development and leave only little money for marketing and advertising. Their stance is, “if you develop it, they will patronize it”. They fail to realize that, no matter how good you think your product is, people will not buy it if they do not know that it exists.

Maximize criticism

Another mistake people make, is listening to cynics and pessimists who do not believe in you and would do anything to have you shelve your dream. Sure, you cannot always stay away from them. In fact, the more innovative your business concept is, the more you are likely to encounter these naysayers.

Be accountable. Have a team

As the owner of a startup, it’s quite easy to fall into the temptation of doing things ‘one way’, or to concentrate on just one thing, oblivious of the fact that there might be more profitable and effective ways of doing those things, if only you got relevant other people involved. It will be helpful to have a team member or partner you can integrate at such times.

Don’t be lazy

Diligence pays. A lot of entrepreneurs launch businesses without really knowing the dynamics of their target market, and determining if their concept will endure uncertainties or just pass away. By being diligent to carry out extensive feasibility studies and other market analytics, you will save yourself from wastage of capital and resources.

Do not be too engrossed in your own concept

It is quite easy to get wrapped up in your own concept and fail to comprehend the financial sides to it. Keep yourself from falling into costly errors by starting out with a strong P&L and cash flow system that distinctly explains your business configurations and how they will work out both for now, and for the future.

Do not be Greedy

We love to just do things our way and have all the profit to ourselves. But owners who decide to keep the profits and restrain the freedom of their workers will find it difficult to thrive in this fresh move of millennials finding their way into the workforce.

Photo Credit: http://www.publishyourarticles.net/