Right Foundations Are Important In Business Development

"Have you ever wondered what you would do with ten thousand shillings?", was the opening remark for the Kyusa business development training module. Participants came up with several business ideas that they could start with as little as ten thousand shillings while two totally had no idea besides being amazed at the fact that some one could start a business with ten thousand shillings. It is interesting the answers that came up. We were able to see that business is not a monster that only the people with muscle can conquer but it is all about putting what you have to use. It is a matter of focused and creative thinking. The other question is “now that you have all these ideas what are you going to do?”

In one of the participants words, “I am so grateful to Kyusa because for me I never knew I could do business but now I see that it is possible”. One of the points that the facilitator stressed is Goal setting and meeting targets in business. It is a very common practice for small business owners to work without setting daily or weekly targets. A person wakes up and just goes to work whether or not he sells, it makes no difference. The participants were admonished by stressing the fact that targets help you push yourself to work and achieve. Its important to set goals and work towards achieving them for success.

The first step to getting a business off the ground is getting started. Many people have brilliant and viable business ideas but they are only ideas until someone puts it into practice. Any successful business person will tell you that the key to succeeding in business is getting started and keeping at it until you reach a break even point. Research has shown that a lot of businesses do not make it past their first year and this can be attributed to poor planning and management systems.

In starting up a business, there are key issues that need attention. One of them is Management. Under this is Job Descriptions, Terms of Pay, Purchasing Procedures, List of Equipment(Assets) and  the second key issue is Marketing. Marketing has to do with being able to define your service or product. One of the things that came up under marketing is Risk Management. This is an issue that is highly neglected until the problem occurs. This provoked a discussion among the participants about different case studies and scenarios that could risk different businesses which included everyday examples like oil burning, an electric shock and the like. How prepared are you when such things happen?

The planning for any successful venture must focus its greatest efforts on laying the right foundation. Just like it is in building, so it is in business planning. When you take the time to lay the right foundation for your business, you can guarantee its success both in the short and long term. More than having a brilliant idea, you must put in place the right management systems to ensure the smooth running of the business more so in the initial stages. More importantly, your passion and commitment is what will keep you going during the low and dark moments of your business growth. For every valley, remember that there is a mountain top that awaits you.

Professional Etiquette

By Racheal Kizza

Business professionals are expected to understand etiquette and professional protocol, and while the standards have changed over the past century, there are still many rules of common professional manners. You can have the resume and the degree, but if you don't have the manners, you probably don't get the job. Your academic knowledge and skills may be spectacular, but do you have the social skills needed to be successful in the workplace? Good professional etiquette indicates to potential employers that you are a mature, responsible adult who can aptly represent their company. Not knowing proper etiquette could damage your image, prevent you from getting a job and jeopardize personal and business relationships.

Etiquette is the proper mode of conduct or procedure within a certain social realm. Being aware of certain conventions will give you a professional and attractive look. And though practicing good etiquette alone won't get you up the business ladder, it certainly will give you a boost. Professional etiquette is based on the expectation of respectful, cultured behavior, including courteous manners, appropriate image, and appropriate communications.

People’s backgrounds, cultures, religions determine whether they will take on a certain form of etiquette.  It is rude to talk loudly on the phone even if it’s a taxi or office space but how many of us catch ourselves doing it on a daily basis? It is rude to talk while having food in the mouth, but people do it always. How many of us catch ourselves using office printers to print and photocopy their own documents and not office documents? All this is to be considered under professional etiquette and there is need for people to constantly evaluate themselves so they readjust where necessary.

Etiquette is acceptable conduct in a given setting or society. There is universal etiquette which applies to all people regardless of color, race, tribe or nationality for example honest, respect, accountability, loyalty, et cetera.

Introductions are popular but how many follow the three basic rules; a smile, handshake and eye contact. Good social skills include having a firm handshake, smiling, making eye contact and closing the meeting with a handshake. Many a times when people are being introduced they fail at one of the basic rules hence failing at professional etiquette. It is a general rule as introductions are being made, the lesser authority is introduced to the greater authority and if the lesser authority is seated he/ she should stand up. Make sure to look people in the eyes and smile in order to seem confident and approachable. If you are seated while being introduced to someone, stand to greet that person and shake his or her hand. Have a firm handshake, but avoid death grips. If you are given a name tag, put it high on your right shoulder; that way, while you shake hands, people can follow the line of your arm straight up to your name without having to scan your chest.

Observation and paying attention to detail is part of etiquette for this helps when it comes to respecting other people’s cultural and religious values. For example in India, handshakes are not popular but a nod of the head is used when being introduced. This will cause a problem if the person being introduced to   the Indian doesn't know the culture. Knowledge is power and there   is know grace in being ignorant. In the end respect is built .In an open place environment or work place, respecting people’s beliefs, culture and religion are important. Case in point respecting office space, furniture, fellow employees.

There is a saying, ‘Image is everything’, and in order to fit in a certain environment you need to dress and act like the people in that environment. Though I would caution the ladies to keep the makeup minimal, should not reveal too much when it comes to dress code since less is classy. For the gentle men; the hair should be neat and well kept  the belt should match with the shoes and also they should keep to darker shades of suits.

Just one etiquette blunder could cost you your dream job! To build good relationships with customers and clients, employers want their employees to have good business etiquette skills. In today's competitive job market, employers are very choosy in who they hire. To keep pace with the competition, you need to avoid making any etiquette errors.

Professional etiquette is associated with business competence because it enhances the ability to connect positively and develop rapport with people-very important for business success. If you don't understand and exhibit expected etiquette, employers are likely to assume you are not professionally competent. They won't want you working with their clients or customers or representing them or their organizations. You could be seen as a liability who could cost them business. Peace and tranquility is bred when there is respect for professional etiquette which builds a harmonious environment.

Building Strong Networks and Partnerships

As human beings we have been created with a need to relate and work with other people. Human beings are communal beings. I heard someone say; “alone is not good for you”. People do all kinds of crazy things when left to themselves.

Just like in our personal lives, even in business no one is an island. We all need people in our lives so as to thrive. We partner and form collaborations with people and companies for various reasons. However the art of networking is a skill that we all must cultivate on a personal level. In order to get what we need, we must be willing to let go of what we have. This is the underlying principle of networking. Through networks we learn to share and exchange vital information, services, resources so as to build strong coalitions.

Our ability to successfully build networks and partnerships is dependent on our ability to create win-win situations. Although human nature is naturally greedy and selfish, we can choose to unlearn these patterns of thinking and living so as to embrace new paradigm shifts that are relevant for the 21^st century citizen.

Successful networking is all about building intimate sincere relationships based on mutual generosity not duplicity and is based on the realization that each of us can’t achieve their career goals on their own. You have to network your way to success. Networking can make a huge difference if you focus on being useful and building mutually beneficial relationships rather than networking for personal gain.

Transparency among partners is the basis for a solid and honest relationship. This principle cuts across and relationship that involves human beings be it personal or business. Trust will often times supersede the legal confinements of the business environment. When we trust someone, we easily go the extra mile. There is a huge sense of security that comes with knowing that someone has your back covered. Before we build networks and partnerships, we ought to work at winning people’s trust and confidence.

Your level of commitment to do a partnership will determine how much good you get out of it. To successfully build strong healthy partnerships, you must be willing to readily respond appropriately and in a timely manner to varied needs. It is only wise to weigh the cost before you commit. It is more expensive to break a commitment than to turn down an offer. It not only breaks the trust between the parties, it ruins future opportunities and stains your reputation.

Like any other business, successful networking begins with thorough preparation. Set time aside to practice and perfect your elevator and investor pitch. Remember you are not trying to sell your product with your pitch; you are trying to sell your credibility as a person. Your personal brand is an authentic way of communicating who you are and what you are all about so invest in it.

Know Your audience, Pin their Interests

By Racheal Kizza

We all know good writing when we see it, and we cringe when we see terrible writing.

Effective business writing skills can help you win that million dollar contract, earn a promotion, resolve a dispute, or generate a significant increase in new business leads. Poor business writing, on the other hand, can never be undone; it can cause you to lose business to your competition and could even cost you your job.

Professional writing is the use of clear language to convey information in a way that is easily understood by the intended audience; the audience in this case could be a group of people or person.  The audience in any form of writing is crucial because it enables the writer know who they are writing to and what style of writing to use.

Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you want to achieve. Take a few minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and to imagine what this person’s world is like.  What does his typical day look like? What are his unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping him up at night? The more thought and research you invest in defining your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful your written communications will become.

There are three kinds of audiences: primary, secondary and intermediate .Primary audiences are people who make decisions on the basis of the document. Secondary audiences are people who will be affected by the actions the primary audiences are going to take in response to the document. Intermediate audiences are responsible for evaluating the document and passing it on to the right people.

There are false assumptions made regarding audiences for example that the person who will first read or edit the document is the audience, audience is a group of specialists in their field, audience is familiar with the subject of the document, and audience has time to read and also has a strong interest in the subject of the document. The writers must do away with these assumptions and write something that people can readily understand. As they write, there is need to edit and also ask for a professional opinion.

Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. Write as though you are having a conversation with one specific person—your ideal customer. Keep this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!

Punctuation too in any form of writing is crucial because not only does it add meaning to statements but also it must be used appropriately. Don’t rely on on-screen editing. Print out your document and read it aloud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech you need to rewrite your piece to make it more conversational and to flow better. By reading your document aloud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected, for example, “echo friendly” when you really meant “eco friendly.”

Therefore basic professional writing skills must be learned by all people so that one is not good at speaking and an amateur at writing .  These are skills  which can be learnt and there is always room to add on a particular skill.