Managing a business is not a piece of cake and requires many tried and tested ideas and strategies to increase the consumer base. It won’t be a bad idea to dig out studies regarding why some businesses succeed, whereas some fall short of their limelight. According to the BLS, in 2019, only twenty-five percent of companies made it through a decade or more than fifteen years. But approximately twenty percent of new businesses couldn’t survive during the first two years and forty-five percent during the first five years, and sixty-five percent during the first ten years. Companies go through ups and downs. Most of the time, your business may face downfall because of a bit of flaw that can occur in any operation.
Managing to survive the first business years is no less than an achievement for many business owners. However, they are still prone to mistakes and downfall. Often, we see people posting about their businesses and asking people to support them. Still, they vanish into thin years after some time. Try recalling any new business that you came across a few months ago, and search for it again. If that business or brand had survived, you would find a better rating on their page, and in case of failures, you won’t see any updates since the last time you visited their page. A business requires strategies and calculated decisions to make it to the following year.
Anyone who has established a business starting from scratch will tell you that the initial days are still etching in their minds. They will recall all the obstacles and hurdles they have faced right in the beginning and how they managed to survive those roadblocks. The first year for many owners is enjoyable. Still, the enjoyment soon becomes pressure when the consumer base starts to develop, and there are few setbacks.
This article will focus on some fatal flaws that business owners make, sabotaging their business growth.
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Not having a plan
Having a fantastic idea regarding a business gives us that adrenaline rush where everything is possible. Business administration requires a roadmap to follow. Due to time constraints, many business owners enroll in online MBA no GMAT programs when they get into business to understand the basics and effective planning strategies. One might assume that we refer to a business plan or a bank fund plan. However, we are underlining the need to have a written plan. It includes the current stage of your business and its capital, as well as a recorded strategy that provides a thorough growth plan for your firm. It can also serve you like the checklist of your business achievable, including short-term and long-term goals. Setting your business benchmark makes it easy to fulfill your targets and assess its progress.
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Incompetent marketing
Your firm will most certainly experience severe difficulties. No matter how powerful and solid your financial reserves are, if your marketing game is not strong. You have set up your business, have gathered all the essentials required, but the next big step is to have a consumer base. Your consumer base depends on how you market your brand and product to your target audience. One of the common blunders that a business makes in its initial year is not knowing its target audience. Suppose you are operating your business in the cosmetic industry and pitching your product on a forum that promotes food. In that case, you can connect the dot to assess the results. Unproductive marketing tactics will only cause you to invest money with little to no return on investment.
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Ineffective people dealing
Businesses strive for their customers, and your consumer base will only grow if your people dealing skills are outstanding. Entrepreneurs or business owners are either too busy to attract more customers or looking for means to expand their business. Doing so often results in losing their potential customers. Newly set companies require to interact with their customers in the beginning to understand their preferences and choices. People skills involve dealing with your customers and employees alike. Even a mere act of caring can make a significant difference in your people dealing skills.
Many businesses fail to grow past their initial years because their customers and employees are not happy. People dealing is one of the most crucial factors in every business’s growth. Communicating with people and employees can give you insights into creating effective growth strategies for your business.
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Adaptability and flexibility
Do names like Orkut, yahoo, or Kodak ring any bell? These names were famous back then, but we don’t see them existing anymore. Marketing and business trends keep changing and striving; a business must have flexibility in its strategies. Changes in the business industry are fluid. Having rigid strategies with no room for changes will soon let your business collapse. Many food joints like McDonald’s or KFC are still up and running besides being years old. The reason they still have their consumer base flourishing is their flexibility to accommodate new changes. Future planning is critical to the success of any business enduring changes. You may project your next five years’ plan to keep in mind the current changes or trends, but leaving enough room to welcome incoming changes in your business will help boost its growth.
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Lousy communication
Managing or setting a business requires many essentials like proper infrastructure, hiring employees, and devising appropriate strategies and plans. Be it an entrepreneur or settled business owners; they cannot progress while lacking effective communication. Listening to what your employees and customers have to say is critical for your business’s success. Your communication determines your business’s next course of action. Failing to communicate your goals clearly to your employees or clients may cost you a potential deal or a nearing success target. Staying open to ideas and communication is vital in boosting a business and its success.
Conclusion
Small businesses are rapidly emerging and gaining success, but they are also facing many failures. These failures can stem from any single mistake made by the owner or an employee. Many new startup owners fail to use readily available financial data to determine their shortfalls or make adjustments in their plans. Thirty percent of businesses fail to produce a financial report in their first year because they cannot track their expenses. Running a business without having a plan or proper documentation may sabotage many future goals or create roadblocks projecting extra financial details. Business needs to make well-thought decisions to avoid mistakes leading to potential business losses.
