What's the biggest hook for catching investors? Customers.

Most entrepreneurs start with a great idea and some expertise in a particular area. They become successful entrepreneurs when they pair their great idea and expertise with money. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs lack the investment capital to launch their business. Fortunately, there are investors who do have the capital but do not have the “great idea” and are waiting for just the right “expert” to stand behind. In addition to being exceptionally capable at doing or making something, there are some things that a business owner can do to get the necessary financial backing to grow their business.

·         Client or customer interest. Getting the interest of clients can translate into getting interested investors. Not only do clients want a good price, but they especially want a high quality product. Clients want a product that is superior to its competitors; a product that has features that others are missing; a product that is better made and lasts longer. An investor wants to clearly see a quality product’s niche in a large marketplace.

·         Excellent service. Clients want good customer service, and investors want to see satisfied customers. As a business is starting up, there are bound to be hiccups. A good customer service plan is a plan that shows that customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance. Good customer service puts the person before the product. Correcting problems with the product in a friendly and timely manner will make the customer happy. A happy customer gives free advertising, and a happy customer is likely to become a repeat customer.

·         Quality product, quality team. Clients might not be interested in the details behind how their product is made, but they do expect a high quality product that does what it should. Investors, on the other hand, are very aware that good products are made by exceptional people. Because of this, investors expect a team of experts to make sure the desired products are delivered to the public in a timely manner. From concept, to production, to delivery, and into the hands of the customer, investors want to know that there is someone on the team every step of the way who not only knows exactly what they are doing but can claim that they are one of the best at what they do.

·         Flexible, proactive professionals. Clients and investors need business professionals who are flexible and good at solving problems. As problems arise or situations change, entrepreneurs need to adjust quickly. A team of experts who understands its product well has a better chance bouncing back more quickly than a less experienced and capable team.

·         Technologically savvy. Today’s marketplace also demands that entrepreneurs are technologically competent. Investors are going to expect potential business partners to implement the latest technological advances to run their business. Even a wedding cake artist needs to order supplies, keep track of sales and payroll, do taxes, advertise, etc. Clients expect the convenience that technology affords them, and investors know that today’s entrepreneur cannot own and operate a business without it.

Knowing what customers want and giving them something that exceeds their expectations again and again is the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Giving them what they want means providing a high quality product that changes as the customers desires and needs change. Investors will become business partners to the entrepreneur who can continually deliver what customers want.

Currently, Kowerk is helping over 100 local area businesses realize their business goals in West Palm Beach, Florida. Clearly, they are anxious to assist entrepreneurs and businesses at every stage develop and grow. Visit their blog at http://www.officespaceinwestpalmbeach.com/blog/ for more business tips and information. Where COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS NEEDS can be found.

10 Key Pitfalls Entrepreneurs Should Avoid to Maintain a Sustainable Business

Success of a business depends upon many factors. A crucial one of these is your attitude and vision as an entrepreneur. Starting up your own business is an exciting idea but also somewhat unnerving. You may be new to the game or facing new challenges. The question becomes: how does an entrepreneur make his or her business successful?

On the basis of studies conducted by the University of Tennessee and Gallup research, here is a list of key pitfalls every entrepreneur should avoid in order to make his/her venture successful.

1. Lack of Vision- Why do you want to start a business? What are your goals and priorities? You should have logical and sound answers to these questions. It defines your vision as an entrepreneur and gives direction to your venture. If you are unsure about your vision, your business has dim chances of survival.

2. Lack of Human Element in the Business- The human element of a business involves a sense of fulfillment for the entrepreneur and any contractors or employees. It can also reflect your clients' desires and needs. It tends to involve a "greater purpose", something more important than simple profit. It brings value to your services and client loyalty to your business. If a business ignores the importance of human element, the prospect of success is low. Sure, making money is a principal objective of your business; but when it becomes an obsession, human element evaporates from the business. The result is that customer, vendor, or employee relations may get impaired. This can kill your business. In order to avoid this, you must give due attention to customer expectations while making decisions and provide opportunity for yourself, your vendors, and/or your employees to meet a higher more valuable need while supporting your business.

3. No Research before Starting Business- It is recommended that you do some research about the area of business you want to enter. It will give you a better view of your particular industry and help you proceed carefully so that you garner positive outcomes along the way. If you take the plunge before doing any research, you might jeopardize your venture by starting up from the wrong location or launching wrong products and services with no demand.

4. Counter-productive Ideas- For the success of a business, you must have ideas that unify and make sense for your business objectives rather than ones that are counter productive. Having too many unrelated ideas is unlikely to give right direction to your venture.

5. Lack of Patience- Success is not an instant phenomenon. It takes time. You might have a great idea and expect success to follow immediately, but in business you have to be patient. It takes time for a business to settle and make a reputable place in the market. Give some time to your business by adopting a wait and watch strategy. If you give up early on due to lack of patience, your business can never flourish.

6. Bad Budgeting- Before starting up a business, you must keep aside your personal and family expenses and ensure that you have a separate budget for business. In the absence of proper budgeting, you might be compelled to take hasty decisions in order to manage your expenses. It can prove detrimental to the progress of your business.

7. Too Much Confidence- If you are too confident about your ideas and abilities in running your business, you may miss out on tips and advice from experienced mentors. He/she might give you some practical advice about running your business which can prove beneficial for you in the future. Also, knowing where your weaknesses lie can help you to hire or outsource to compensate for them.

8. No Knowledge of Market- It is recommended that you are aware of the market trends before you start your business. Be familiar with the potential market needs and your competitors in the market. It will help you assess the market well and do better business.

9. Obsession with Your Product/Service- Often, entrepreneurs get obsessed with their product or service thinking that it is perfect. They may ignore feedback from their customers which is harmful for the business. Your product or service is being used by your customers, so only they can tell you whether it is good or not. Assess the feedback of your clients or customers and determine if it points out a valid area needing improvement -- and then improve.

10. Desire to Control- In the beginning, you can manage various things without anyone’s help, but this is not possible when your business expands. You must accept this fact and hire an efficient team to do different kinds of tasks. If you desire to control everything single-handedly, it will take away your focus from more important things which are critical for a growing business.

No one can really predict whether or not your business will be successful. Avoiding these pitfalls can give you a head start and help you achieve the success you desire. For more information and business tips, please visit Kowerk's blog at http://www.officespaceinwestpalmbeach.com/blog/, where COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS NEEDS can be found.

Announcing the Campaign to Help Christos Pittis Develop a Professionally Based Video Studio

Help provide the funds to expand the capabilities of a professional to extract expert knowledge into video.

Nicosia, Cyprus  – January 12, 2015 – As author of the books “How To Get An Excellent Website At a Lower Cost” and “Accounting Skills a Business Person Must Have (Beginner’s Level),” Christos Pittis demonstrates the entrepreneurial savvy he has shared with thousands of professionals, start-up businesses and fellow entrepreneurs. Mr. Pittis is seeking the funds to expand his video studio in order to interview entrepreneurs and start-up owners and create entrepreneurship courses based on the knowledge gained from these interviews.

As a Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur and accounting teacher born in Cyprus, his academic credentials include degrees in Economics and Management, with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Mediterranean Institute of Management in Cyprus. In the business arena, Pittis has worked around the world in senior-level positions as a Business Solutions Consultant, including projects in Dubai, Cyprus, Lebanon and Egypt. He also played an integral role for seven years in the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision), and founded his own educational organization and a business-oriented blog.

He is married with two children, and lives in Nicosia, Cyprus.  Needed is the funds for professional production equipment and the ability to cover related expenses that will allow Mr. Pittis to produce video – echo sound filters, cameras, microphones, Teleprompters, and much more.

What You Get in Return:

1.Lifetime access to the course materials Mr. Pittis has already released on Udemy.com, the largest destination for online courses.

2. An illustrative pic of Mr. Pittis interviewing some famous entrepreneur or vc.

3. e-books written by the author himself for FREE

4. The opportunity to have a Udemy course developed for you

6. Host donor's name, photo and website address in the Hall of Fame section of my website

Thank you for considering this campaign.

To LEARN MORE about this project, or to help support this indiegogo campaign, please visit:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/create-video-studio

Contact

Christos Pittis

Nicosia, Cyprus

www.christospittis.com/