Every business loses customers, and while this is never a happy occurrence, it’s always important to understand what went wrong. Some customers may have left your business because of a bad experience, while others may just need a reminder to come back.

When trying to win back lost customers, it’s important to tailor your approach to make it effective for different types of customers. You’ll need to try to address the problems that may have driven them away in the first place.

Being a business owner myself, I know all about winning back customers. Below, I’ll share some of my favorite strategies with you so that you can get back their business and retain it in the future.

Is Trying to Win Back Lost Customers Worth the Effort?

Fighting for lost customers is usually worth it, but it’s important to look at the cost of trying to restore their business versus the cost of finding new customers.

Depending on the size of your business and the strategies you want to use, it might sometimes be better to let them go. However, most of the time, it’s better to try to approach customers who already know of your business and try to get them to come back.

A customer who already knows your company and has used your service or bought your products is far more likely to do it again than a person who has never heard of your business before. If you can fix the problem that drove them away, you may win yourself a regular customer again.

Some customers don’t leave on purpose and just need a gentle reminder that your business is out there. For those customers, the cost of winning them back will be relatively low – an email, a text message, or a well-timed discount may be all that it takes.

5 Strategies to Win Back Lost Customers

1. Find Out Why They Left

To be able to accurately pinpoint potential problem areas within your business, it’s important to know why your customers are leaving.

Reach out to customers you haven’t heard from in a while. Try to start a friendly conversation and see if they would be willing to tell you the reasons why they left. Depending on the nature of your business, you may want to ask them for feedback instead.

It’s a good idea to offer them a little token of your appreciation for filling out a quick survey. One way to do this is to attach a discount code for their next purchase, giving them another reason to come back and try your services again.

Even if implementing these strategies doesn’t help you win back those lost customers, the information you get from a feedback survey can be valuable for you moving forward.

2. Act On Customer Feedback

Gather as much customer data as possible and learn from the responses to surveys you send out. If the quality of customer service seems to be a common pain point, invest in training your staff or hiring new employees to improve it. If the quality of your products or services is often questioned, try to find a solution.

Once the problems have been resolved or at least addressed in some way, you can reach out to the customers and let them know. This message can be sent out to your existing customers as well as those who left. Spin the messaging in a positive way. Instead of saying “Our wait times are finally shorter,” say “Our experts are just a minute away.”

3. Compare and Adjust Your Prices

If your prices are higher than your competitors’, you may find yourself losing customers. Scope out your competition and check whether they might be offering better incentives.

If you lost customers and you suspect that pricing may be the reason, there are at least three ways to approach this.

• Reach out to your lost customers and offer them a discount – I elaborate on this below. Even a one-time offer might be all it takes for some customers to come back.

• Adjust your prices – If your competition is offering similar products or services at lower prices, think about a permanent cost adjustment. Let your customers know when it happens. A message along the lines of “This product you liked is now cheaper,” can be a powerful way to lure them back.

• Highlight the value of your products – If lowering your prices is not an option, try to adjust the value of your product or service instead. Highlight the quality the customers are getting by shopping with you. Focus on the positives. For example, if your product is made using top-quality materials and is expected to last longer than that made by other companies, draw attention to that fact. It means the customers are getting better value for their money.

4. Use Special Offers

Reaching out with special offers to ex-customers is a very effective way to win them back. According to a study from Georgia State University, a telecom company saw success rates as high as 47% when offering discounts to 40,000 lost customers.

Don’t be afraid to go big on discount codes or special bundles. If the sale is considerable enough, even a disgruntled customer might want to come back, and that gives your business the chance to prove itself to them all over again.

Using the feedback you gathered previously is going to be helpful here. Tailor the offer as much as possible based on the reasons for leaving cited by your customers.

5. Work On Your Brand Image

It’s not just better prices that may draw your customers away. If your business doesn’t appear to keep up with the times, they might go somewhere else that’s more “shiny and new.”

Check out the websites of your top competitors. If yours needs a refresher, work with a professional to establish the way to do this. Offering an enjoyable user experience makes it easier for consumers to shop with you.

This is also a good time to hire a designer to make a new logo and various assets for your website and your newsletters.

You can also start providing value to customers without trying to lure them into making a sale. Consider adding a blog to your website and notify customers who are on your mailing list that they can now read these blog posts for free.

This strategy will work best if you’ve gathered some data from the customers who left, but even if you’re going in blind, it’s worth a try.

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When you think of reducing labor costs, you probably picture hard layoffs, which can have an even bigger impact on your business. However, cutting labor costs requires a delicate balance between saving money and not making processes harder for you and your workforce.

Luckily, there are many ways to address labor costs without the need to downsize. We’ve laid out eight of these key strategies you can use to reduce labor costs for your business.

8 Ways to Reduce Labor Costs

1. Improve Staff Retention

It’s no secret that hiring new employees is a costly expenditure. In fact, studies estimate that the cost of replacing a worker can range anywhere from 30-150% of their salary – depending on skill level.

To reduce turnover and increase employee longevity, work to enhance the wellbeing of your employees.

A few easy ways to do this include:

• For hourly shift work, ensure employees have adequate rest time between shifts.

• For office work, be flexible with working arrangements where possible.

• Ensure your business is a place people feel valued for their contributions.

• Allow employees to give honest feedback and work to implement processes that enhance their working experience.

2. Use Technology to Increase Productivity

There are many platforms and mobile apps for business owners that can help improve productivity. From streamlining and automating financial services to making project management a breeze, using technology can make your staff more efficient.

You can use technology to automate repetitive tasks like logging issues, recording customer information, or calculating payroll – among many other things. These can free your employees up to focus on big picture success. In doing so, you’ll increase efficiency and improve productivity.

3. Outsource Work

Sometimes you might need work that’s not covered by your regular employees, such as social media management, video editing, or even office cleaning. Many of these may be one-off projects or only require a few hours of work a week. This is especially true for new start-ups or small businesses.

In these cases, it usually doesn’t make sense to hire a full-time or even part-time employee for these roles. Instead, you can use a freelancer or contractor that works with you for the duration of the project or as an ongoing retainer. You won’t need to pay taxes or provide benefits for freelancers, which can save you labor costs in the long run.

4. Cross-Train Staff

While having specialist staff is important for certain tasks within a company, it can also increase labor costs. This is especially true during slower periods where specialists may have less work to focus on. It’s therefore a good idea to train up staff in other areas, so they can hop around as business needs fluctuate over time.

Most employees are happy to learn new skills on the job, as it helps them in their personal and professional development.It makes them more well-rounded employees and can increase job satisfaction by providing variety and interest to their roles. Ask your staff if they have specific areas within the business they’d be keen to learn more about – often they already have tasks in mind!

5. Incentivize High Performance

Offering incentives is a great way to increase performance amongst your staff. This might include bonuses, commissions, or some other perk like an extra paid day off. Incentives work by rewarding high performers and motivating lower performers to pick up the slack.

While these incentives do cost you money, they can be worth it by increasing overall productivity, which can help you increase profits overall. Plus, unlike salaries, these are only paid out to the staff that have brought in the most revenue.

6. Streamline Processes

Any system that is clunky and overly complex can slow employees down which raises labor costs. Finding flaws in the processes and removing obstacles can help improve this. Don’t be afraid to try new methods or scrap old systems that no longer fit your business.

The best way to do this is to periodically review all aspects of your business and ask yourself if there is any way to improve the process. This can be everything from production and effective stock management to retail or office management.

Don’t forget to document the processes and get feedback from your staff that work in those roles daily – they may have great suggestions to fix bottlenecks or ongoing inefficiencies.

7. Avoid Overtime

The exact laws and regulations surrounding overtime vary depending on the state or country you live in, but generally you’ll have to pay above and beyond for overtime. One easy way to cut labor costs is by ensuring your employees aren’t working overtime, whenever possible.

This might mean readjusting schedules, bringing in a freelancer or part-time staff to help manage workloads or working with individual employees that are using overtime the most. While there may be legitimate needs for overtime occasionally, try to introduce an overtime cap so employees won’t be tempted to take advantage of the increased pay.

8. Use Non-Monetary Perks to Drive Recruitment

Most employers believe that above-market salaries are the only way to draw in high-quality talent, but this is far from the truth. More and more prospective employees are looking at non-tangible benefits when job hunting. This might include businesses that offer:

• Work that aligns with their values

• Flexible working arrangements

• Good office perks

• Room for upward mobility

• Personal development

• Challenging and varied work

If you can find ways to showcase these aspects of your business, you may help draw in valuable employees without having to match the salaries of big corporations.

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Germany is swiftly moving away from using cash, with many citizens now preferring to use cashless payment methods. Recent data from Deutsche Bundesbank shows a continuous rise in payments using credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments using smartphones and wearables.

In order for your business to take advantage of this rapid surge in online shopping in Germany, it’s important that you let your customers pay the way they want. I’ve recently expanded my business into the German market and I compiled a list of the most popular payment methods that you should consider using.

5 Top Payment Methods in Germany

1. PayPal

PayPal dominates the online shopping rankings in Germany. According to a recent report, 57% of German consumers chose PayPal instead of one of the other competing mobile payment options. On the whole, 75% of survey respondents chose one of these digital payment methods instead of alternatives that are slowly fading in popularity, such as cash in advance and prepaid cards.

Similarly, Statista found that PayPal and similar options were chosen by 50% of shoppers, versus just 17% for debit cards.

2. Mobile Wallets

Google Pay and Apple Pay are among the top mobile payment options chosen by Germans, followed by Payback Pay, Barclays bPay, and Bitpay.

Payback Pay is available in a few other European countries, but is most prevalent in Germany, where 23% of survey participants chose it as their favorite method. It could easily be bundled together with Google Pay and Amazon Pay, however, because it simply works as a connection between the customer and one of those two mobile wallets.

Google Pay maintains a slight lead over Apple Pay, with 40% of German customers who use it when shopping.

3. Debit and Credit Cards

Debit cards are a popular payment method in Germany. Data by PCM shows that around 121 million debit cards were in use in Germany at the end of 2021. Debit cards are sometimes referred to as Girocard or EC-Karte, although these are blanket terms – Girocard is a German debit card brand.

Girocard is co-branded with Mastercard (Maestro) and Visa (V-Pay) in order to work worldwide. These cards are the most common by far – up to 88% of debit card payments are carried out by Girocard.The remaining 12% of card payments in Germany are carried out using standard Mastercard and Visa cards.

German shoppers have a marked preference for paying with debit cards. When it comes to credit card options, charge credit cards are fairly common. These cards can be used throughout the month and only charge the account after 30 days.

4. SOFORT

SOFORT is among the leading payment methods in Germany, with many consumers turning to it instead of traditional bank transfers. It allows customers to connect directly to their bank instead of needing to input credit or debit card data on a checkout page.

It has an added security measure that helps prevent fraudulent transactions. Before the payment goes through, customers need to confirm it through two-factor authentication.

Apart from SOFORT, German shoppers often pay with Giropay, which is a similar bank transfer service.

5. Cash

Despite the rise of cashless payments, cash continues to be one of the favorite payment methods in Germany. A 2021 report by the Deutsche Bundesbank found that German citizens paid in cash for around 58% of their total purchases. However, this is a huge drop from the previous study in 2017, when Germans paid for 74% of their shopping in cash.

Germany beats all other countries in the eurozone when it comes to how much cash Germans carry in their wallets at any given time. In 2021, Germans carried around €100 on average, and this might not change anytime soon – the vast majority of Germans (69%) intend to keep paying with cash in the future.

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Whether you’re just diving into the world of ecommerce or looking for ways to expand, finding products that sell well is always a challenge. With so much competition, it can feel overwhelming to know which products work best. Luckily, we’ve done the hard research for you.

From trending products to evergreen essentials, we’ve compiled the most profitable and popular products that customers are looking for online. So, let’s dive in and discover what products you should consider selling to grow your online business.

25 Trending Products to Sell Online

1. Skincare Products

The skincare industry is growing rapidly and generates nearly $100 billion globally. With the rise of social media and influencer marketing, there is a high demand for quality skincare products.

Many consumers prefer to purchase skincare products online due to the convenience and wider range of options available. However, it’s important to ensure that the products you sell are safe, high-quality, and have the necessary certifications (which will vary country to country).

Whether you’re looking to dropship or create your own products, it’s good to note the biggest trends in skincare including:

● Vegan skincare products

● Beauty subscription services

● Sustainable skincare products

● Anti-aging products

● Men skincare

To successfully sell skincare products online, it’s important to have a strong digital presence and create an engaging brand image. This can be achieved through a well-designed website, social media platforms, and email marketing campaigns. Plus, because skincare is so personal, getting customer reviews can help boost the legitimacy of your products.

2. Dog Toys

The online dog toy market continues to expand and grow, with no signs of stopping. In fact, the global pet toy market is set to grow to nearly $3.7 billion over the next decade. Just in the US, “Dog toys” average around 110,000 monthly searches. While generic toys are common, finding a target market to cater to can help make this product sell well.

Related searches show that consumers are looking specifically for:

● Squeaky toys

● Plush toys

● Dental chews

● Indestructible dog toys

● Interactive dog toys

● Toys for aggressive dogs

You may want to create a blog with tips and advice related to owning a dog to draw in new dog parents through search engine optimization (SEO).

Topics like dealing with aggressive behavior or how to socialize puppies are commonly searched and allow you to promote your business in an authoritative and helpful way, while also recommending your specialty toys.

3. Athleisure Clothing

The athleisure market is expected to continue to grow, with consumers looking for high-quality and stylish clothing that can be worn both for exercise and everyday activities. In fact, the keyword “athleisure” sees around 33,000 search queries a month.

Athleisure clothing might include:

● Leggings
● Bras
● Running shorts
● Pullovers and sweatshirts
● Baseball caps

Athleisure can be a hard market to tap into, with so much competition. However, if you can find a unique selling point (think unique patterns, sustainable materials, or custom colors), you’ll be well-placed for success.

Partnering with influencers can be a great way to show off your products in a visual way. Instagram and Youtube influencers would be ideal for athleisure marketing, either through brand partnerships or affiliate programs.

4. Tumblers

While tumblers have been a consistent product amongst outdoor enthusiasts for years, they have always seen a surge among mainstream consumers. This is in part because of their attractive ability to keep drinks cold or hot for long periods. Additionally, they are seen as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic which is a major selling point for many consumers.

Specific searches for tumblers include:

• Glass tumblers
• Stainless steel tumblers
• Aluminum tumblers
• Custom tumblers
• Tumblers with straws

Because there is high competition, it’s important to set your business apart. You could offer personalization options like custom designs or monograms or offer bulk discounts for companies that may want to buy a high volume for their staff. Showcase these aspects through social media and paid search ads for the farthest reach.

5. Phone Cases

With around 6.8 billion smartphones in the hands of customers around the world, phone cases are something that practically everyone can use. In fact, there are 289,000 monthly searches for “phone cases” in the US alone. While there is a lot of competition, there is also a lot of room to distinguish your brand and find a specific target market to appeal to. To find your niche, it’s crucial to understand what’s trending. People online most searched for:

• Recycled phone cases
• Waterproof phone cases
• Wallet cases
• Clear phone cases
• Colorful phone cases

Social and search ads are perfect for marketing phone cases as you can set hyper-specific parameters. Facebook, for instance, allows you to target ads at people with specific phone models through their “behavior targeting” options in the Meta Ad Manager. This helps ensure that your target market is reached, without overspending on ads.

6. Headphones

The global market for headphones is estimated to top $18 billion in 2023. While manufacturing your own might be a challenge, there are ways to dropship or buy wholesale from established companies.

Some common related searches for headphones include:

• Wireless or bluetooth headphones

• Noise canceling headphones

• Waterproof headphones

• Gaming headphones

• Best headphones for working out

• Cheap headphones

Depending on what type of headphones you decide to sell, your marketing strategy will vary. For instance if you plan to sell gaming headphones, consider teaming up with video game streamers in a form of influencer marketing.

However, if you plan to sell a variety of types, using SEO and search ads to reach a wider audience might be the best way to approach it.

7. Dashboard Cameras

Dashboard cameras (also known as dash cams) have steadily grown in popularity over the last five years. This is mainly due to their benefits in providing video evidence in case of car accidents, preventing fraudulent insurance claims, and monitoring driver behavior.

There are nearly 20,000 monthly searches for “dash cams” and the industry is estimated to grow 18.3% over the next decade.

There are an array of options including:

• Front-facing cameras

• Dual cameras

• 360-degree cameras

Because dash cams are mainly used to show evidence for insurance or police claims, the best way to market them is to promote their value. You can post example footage on Facebook and your website to let potential customers see their value. Also, you can get customer testimonials on how having a dash cam has helped them.

8. Camping Gear

During and post pandemic, camping surged in popularity as people sought refuge in the great outdoors. Some predicted this hobby would level off, but it continues to hold steady, with nearly 44,000 searches per month in the US. In fact, in 2021, camping gear amounted to just under $4 billion in sales.

Common gear includes:

• Backpacks

• Coolers and cheese

• Sleeping bags

• Airbeds

• Stoves and fuel

There are a ton of camping wholesales you can work with, whether you want to dropship or hold your own inventory. Facebook and search engines ads are great at targeting customers that may be newer to the hobby, without strong brand alliance yet.

9. Jewelry

Jewelry is a great product to sell online. The global jewelry market is valued at $294 billion. From basic earrings to luxurious engagement and wedding rings, this market encompasses a wide variety of price points and types. Plus, many customers value artisan jewelry from small sellers, making it a great product for less established businesses.

Here are some popular search terms:

• Costume jewelry

• Custom jewelry

• Men’s jewelry

• Piercing jewelry

• Handmade jewelry

Because jewelry has such a wide range, it’s crucial to define your ideal customer and target them specifically. Since jewelry is so visual, marketing through social media like Instagram and Facebook is a great option. You can also use the shopping tools on these platforms to make selling even easier.

10. Health Supplements

The global market for health supplements hit $310 billion dollars in 2020 and continues to steadily rise. The market is competitive, but many brands have found ways to niche down and find a market.

There are a ton of different health supplement companies that allow you to create private label brands based on their formulas. All you have to do is market them. However, with supplements, it’s important to check the validity of claims, especially if you’re dropshipping.

Common health supplements include:

• Protein Powder

• Collagen

• Multi-vitamins

• Ashwagandha

Find your market and make your branding stand out. Then, use digital ads to target your specific audience. Also, getting social proof – either through online reviews or by partnering with other businesses like gyms or health stores – can increase your reach and your reputation.

11. Baby Clothing

Because babies grow so quickly and go through a lot of clothing, it’s a great online market to be in. Baby clothes have a monthly search volume in the US of 165,000 – so there are plenty of customers waiting to buy from you.

Whether you plan to create your own or buy wholesale, there are a ton of options out there.

Some major consumer trends for 2023 when it comes to baby clothing include:

• Organic baby clothing

• Bamboo baby clothes

• Unisex baby clothes

• Designer baby clothes

• Custom baby clothes

Since your target market will probably be parents or other caregivers, creating a blog with helping parenting advice can be a great way to reach new customers through SEO. You may also want to consider setting up a community group online through Facebook or another platform where parents can interact with each other and your business.

12. Scented Candles

Scented candles are a hugely popular product to sell online with 33,100 monthly searches in the US alone. The searches also tend to peak around the holiday season in November/December when people often buy them as gifts or for themselves. Because it is such a wide and popular niche, there are a ton of ways to distinguish your brand.

Related top searches for scented candles include:

• coffee-scented candles

• Soy candles

• Scented candles for men

• Fall scents

• Non-toxic candles

These can help you get a better idea on how to niche down in this market. When selling candles, it’s important to use social proof to help expand your brand. Get friends and family to provide feedback and reviews when you first get started and then incentivize customers to do the same.

13. Specialty Teas

Tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world and has a strong, consistent market. In the US, there are nearly 355,000 searches for “tea” online a month. Globally, the market is expected to grow 5% by 2025, with a projected value of $268 billion dollars.

Because it’s such a wide market, there is a lot of space to make a name for yourself, by finding something that sets your brand apart.

That might include offering:

• Unique flavors

• Organic teas

• Teas for detox or weight loss

• Iced and bottled varieties

As with any business, you’ll want to position yourself and your brand as leading experts. That might include providing tea resources and tea education through content marketing, partnering with tea experts online, or even getting your tea certified by an industry leader.

14. Kitchen Gadgets

Kitchen supplies are always in demand, and growing. With nearly $15 billion in worldwide revenue and an average 2.6% growth, selling kitchen supplies online can be a lucrative business. However, because there are large industry players that control much of the market, it’s important to define your niche and speciality.

Some of the top trending kitchen supplies include:

• Portable blenders

• Air fryers

• Electric scales

• Coffee pod machines

To cut through the noise of the big chains and establish a loyal customer base, you can partner with influencers to endorse your products. You may also want to sell through Youtube, showing your products in use and publish recipes on your site for customers to try at home. This is a great way to show what your product is capable of and get buy-in.

15. Healthy Snacks

Specialty snacks are a growing market, especially as more people embrace healthy eating and are looking for alternatives to processed chips and cookies. The speciality snack market is worth roughly $19 billion, with North America and Asia being the two biggest players.

There are a ton of options for selling healthy snacks. You can choose to create your own snacks (but be aware of strict health regulations for selling homemade food), buy wholesale, or choose to create a private label with dropshipping. While there is a lot of competition, if you can carve out a niche market, you can be successful.

Target a niche market such as:

• Keto snacks

• Gluten-free snacks

• Allergy-friendly snacks

• Vegan snacks

• No/Low sugar snacks

The biggest hurdle to get over when first starting out is to get customers to take a chance on your products. Get customers to review your products with incentives like free samples, loyalty points, or discounts. You can find potential customers in community groups online, where your ideal customers are most likely to hang out – health forums, vegan groups, etc.

16. Stationery

Despite our world increasingly conducted online, there is still a huge market for stationery supplies like notebooks, pens, notepads, and more. Each month, there are roughly 67,000 searches for “stationery” online, in the US alone.

Related searches for specific stationery products include:

• Personalized stationery

• Branded stationery

• Planners

• Invitations

• Pens

• Notecards

While major retailers often take the lion’s share of the stationery market, there has been a major push toward smaller, more personalized brands – especially online. Places like Pinterest and Instagram are great for posting content and sharing user-generated content. This may simply be pictures of stylish calendar books, cool designs, and more.

17. Blue Light Glasses

Blue light emitted from digital screens like phones, TVs, and computers can cause eye strain, headaches, and disrupt sleep patterns. This has led to a growing demand for blue light glasses with 185,000 monthly searches for them.

Since there are many blue light sellers online, find ways to set your brand apart.

This might include offering:

• Unique styles and shapes

• Prescription and reading lenses

• Blue light glasses for kids

Selling blue light glasses online offers a wide customer base, including people who work in front of computer screens for extended periods, gamers, students, and anyone who spends a lot of time using digital screens.

18. Tote Bags

Tote bags may be a very unassuming product on this list, but don’t let that fool you. There are around 89,000 online searches for “tote bags” a month. A main reason is that they have been touted as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics, though they have been a staple across the world for decades.

Common searches for specific tote bags include:

• Recycled totes

• Organic cotton totes

• Leather totes

• Beach totes

• Custom totes

One way to sell totes is to start a print-on-demand tote business with unique graphic designs. You can bulk buy canvas totes from wholesalers for relatively cheap and then add custom prints when people order them.

Since it’s a visual design, you can use social sites like Pinterest and Instagram to advertise to potential customers and even sell directly to them through those sites.

19. CBD Products

CBD (cannabidiol) is a byproduct of the hemp plant that has exploded in popularity in the last decade. It reportedly can help a number of health conditions, although the research is still out. The industry went from $108 million in 2014 to an estimated $1.6 billion in 2021.

While it is legal in many countries – including the US, the EU, and Canada – there are a lot of rules and regulations about selling it online. This includes ensuring it is hemp derived (as opposed to cannabis derived) and has limited THC content.

You can look up a reputable dropshipper or wholesaler for a safe supplier to ensure your products are in compliance with the laws.

CBD is commonly sold in a number of products, including:

• Gummies

• Tongue drops

• Balms

• Lotions

• Food

This can be a lucrative market, but be aware there are also restrictions on how and where you can market CBD. Social media sites tend to be most strict around CBD promotion, though it is allowed on Facebook. The best way to market it is using SEO and building educational content on your site to draw in customers through search results.

20. Fitness Equipment

During the pandemic, many turned their homes into fitness spaces while the gyms remained closed. Even post-pandemic, people continue to focus on at-home workouts, especially as many are still working from home.

The most popular fitness products searched include:

• Resistance bands – 74K monthly search volume

• Dumbbells – 83K monthly search volume

• Hula hoops – 24K monthly search volume

• Yoga mats – 16K monthly search volume

• Kettlebells – 11K monthly search volume

YouTube is a great place to promote fitness equipment. You can partner with existing fitness YouTubers or create your own channel of workouts. It allows your customers to see the equipment in action and give them ideas on how they can use it at home.

21. Socks

Socks may not seem like a lucrative business venture, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Experts estimate that the sock market is valued at nearly $42 billion globally. Everybody needs socks and they’re an essential part of peoples’ wardrobes. The key is finding a niche that works for you. Common related sock searches include:

• Colorful socks

• Bamboo socks

• Compression socks

• Hiking socks

• Dress socks

• Fuzzy socks

Once you’ve narrowed in on your niche market, the best way to get the word out is by finding online communities where your target customers hang out.

For instance, if you want to sell compression socks for travel, find travel groups and forums to promote your products. You can also sell directly through social media with Facebook, Instagram or Google shopping tools.

22. Coffee

The global market for coffee is expected to top $500 billion in value in 2023. It’s a great product to sell online as it has a wide customer base and a ton of options for finding a specific target base. It’s something you can do by either roasting at home, buying wholesale, or even finding a dropshipper.

Some ideas for specific products related to coffee include:

• Flavored coffee

• Instant coffee

• Fair trade coffee

• Single-origin whole beans

• Coffee subscription service

Coffee is one of those products people have a lot of opinions on. To capitalize on this, get customers to create user-generated content you can share far and ride. You can also work to build brand loyalty by creating a rewards program, offering email discounts, and getting customer reviews.

23. Home Organization Products

Home organization has shot up in popularity over the last several years. This is thanks in large part because of the numerous organization gurus that have gone mainstream. People need all sorts of home organization tools to help them make their homes look perfect. Plus, while there are some major industry players, the online market is still steadily growing.

Some popular search terms around home organization include:

• Kitchen organizers – 41K searches a month

• Office organizers – 35K searches a month

• Closet organizers – 30K searches a month

• Pantry organizers – 10K searches a month

To market your organization products, you can use social media to create satisfying videos. On TikTok and Instagram, in particular, organization videos garner huge followers, which can help promote your products. You can also use email marketing to send out home organization tips and tricks to new and existing customers to help them get the most out of your products.

24. Binoculars

Binoculars are a great multi-use tool for a wide range of customers that use them for a variety of activities. There are nearly 245,000 monthly searches in the US for binoculars. While competition in this market may be tough, having high-quality, reliable binoculars can help set you apart. Also work to define your ideal customer and market specifically to them.

You can target:

• Bird watchers

• Astronomers

• Sports fans

• Kids

• Hikers

With such a huge market, social proof is key. Get customers to provide feedback and reviews on social media, Google, and other review sites. Find ways to appeal to your niche audience and create a community online for users to share their experiences.

25. Custom T-shirts

Custom T-shirts are a booming ecommerce product. They are cheap and a staple in many people’s closets, making them a great evergreen essential. The industry is worth over $4.3 Billion today, with an expected growth of 11% in the next decade. Selling custom t-shirts online can be done in a variety of ways. The easiest and most affordable is printing on demand.

There are a number of ways to differentiate your business from your competitors.

Trends in the custom t-shirt market include:

• Funny t-shirts

• Vintage t-shirts

• Graphic t-shirts

• Corporate/Club team t-shirts

Because what’s most important is the design and style, showcasing these elements visually works best to reach new customers. Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok provide great avenues to show off your styles and build a following.

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Organizations that want to take advantage of upcoming social, economic, and technological transformations must do more than simply create great products. To ensure your enterprise goes from strength to strength while making the most of potential disruptions, you’ll need to future-proof your business.

Read this guide to better understand what future-proofing your business means and find out 7 actionable strategies that you can use to ensure your organization is ready for tomorrow’s world.

What Is Future-Proofing?
Simply put, future-proofing is the process of anticipating future events and developing plans to minimize the fallout from unforeseen circumstances while taking advantage of opportunities.

This type of strategic planning looks at ways to ensure that a business prospers in the long term. It considers the company’s strengths and weaknesses, while ensuring that the entity is able to overcome potential threats and take advantage of future opportunities.

Future-proofing is imperative for ensuring that your organization is prepared for a variety of unforeseen events, like technological developments or economic shifts. This is especially important when you’re running a business during times of constant change.

7 Ways to Future-Proof Your Business

1. Perform a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis

When you’re tackling a complex problem like future-proofing, it’s sometimes best to go back to basics. Performing a SWOT analysis to understand your enterprise’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a great place to start.

This helpful tool can help you to figure out what your company is doing well right now, where it can improve, and how you can prepare for the future.

It’s likely that you’ve carried out a SWOT analysis at some stage during your business journey, but it’s helpful to revisit these evaluations every once in a while. The constantly changing business landscape means that new challenges and opportunities arise all the time and you want to ensure that your organization is equipped to take advantage of them.

2. Consider Your Customers

Customers are the lifeblood of any business. To ensure that your operation is able to grow, you need to understand what your customers need and want now, as well as how that might change in the future.

Implementing a tracking system to monitor customer behavior will give you better insight into how your buyers interact with your brand. It can also help you to identify shifts in how they shop or the products or services they’re buying. This information is extremely useful when it comes to predicting how these metrics might change in the future.

3. Keep On Top of Tech

Identifying and harnessing technologies that may improve your employees’ and customers’ experiences goes a long way to ensuring your enterprise is future ready.

Take a look at your operations and figure out where you can introduce automations. Using solutions that take care of routine tasks will free up employees’ time and enable them to focus on more impactful strategic tasks that move you towards your greater business goals.

For your customers, you’ll want to focus on deploying programs that create frictionless shopping and checkout experiences. For example, giving your customers a range of payment methods to choose from makes checkout easy and reduces cart abandonment.

4. Diversify Your Business’s Offerings

When you were first starting out in business, you may have been given the following advice: Do one thing and do it well.

While it is wise to choose a niche and develop products or services that delight your target audience, diversification can often mean the difference between success and failure when change sweeps through an industry.

That said, you don’t want to go too broad. Monitor consumer behavior trends and identify opportunities that are relevant to – and can potentially augment – your existing operations. For example, Amazon created Amazon Logistics to ship packages and freight to decrease costs, reduce their reliance on third-party providers, and speed up delivery times.

5. Go with a Growth Mindset

As much as you can strategize and project, the future is unfortunately uncertain and even the best laid plans can go awry. In these instances, it’s your ability to respond to the unforeseen circumstances that makes all the difference.

Having a growth mindset – and imbuing this into your business culture – ensures that you’re able to use challenges to develop. Viewing novel problems as an opportunity to learn is a great way to ensure that you and your organization are able to evolve.

A commitment to continuous learning will ensure that your business is able to tackle and take advantage of unpredictable difficulties to ensure your business thrives.

6. Structure for Sustainability

Like agility, sustainability should be a golden thread that runs through all of your business practices.

Enhancing sustainability status can be challenging for a going concern. Again, it’s important to establish an overall sustainability vision, identify long-term objectives, and break these down into more manageable goals.

Your plan should balance people, profit, and the planet. Actions like creating an inclusive business culture, attracting new investments, and minimizing carbon emissions are a few examples of items that can be included in your sustainability strategy.

7. Protect Your Business from Payment Fraud

Ecommerce sales drive billions of dollars in payments every day. With all of that money flying around, it should come as no surprise that online sellers are a favorite target for cybercriminals.

Fortunately, there are a variety of tactics you can use to detect and prevent ecommerce fraud and keep your customers’ data safe during transactions while minimizing the cost to your business.

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Who doesn’t love a wedding – romance, flowers, dresses! No wonder you want to be a wedding planner. The joy of being part of a new couple’s big day, however, can be overshadowed by the stress of planning someone else’s wedding.

You need to set up your business correctly from the start and make sure that you are well prepared to plan amazing weddings while watching your own profits grow. We have all the secrets to share with you and help you create the business of your dreams, planning the weddings of your clients’ dreams.

Steps to Start a Wedding Planning Business

It’s tempting to just jump right in and start with the fun stuff like choosing venues and vetting caterers, but for your business to succeed, you need to do some initial planning.

There are some bureaucratic processes to get out of the way as well. Work your way through the following steps, taking the time to make smart decisions and set yourself up for success.

1. Choose Your Target Audience and Services

Sit down and think about your ideal customers. Do you like the idea of planning a big flashy event with a lot of decor? Or are smaller, more intimate meetings more attractive to you? Are you more interested in helping budget-conscious brides and grooms or those looking to splurge? Maybe you like to travel and want to focus on destination weddings. The possibilities are endless.

Try to narrow down your target audience as much as possible – this will make it easier to market to the right customers. Keep in mind, however, that just because you focus on one type of customer does not mean that you will not also attract others, so you don’t need to feel that you are limiting yourself.

You will also have to decide what kind of services you want to offer. Some popular options to consider include:

•All-in planning – this means being involved and planning the entire shebang from start to finish. You’ll provide guidance and assistance in finding the ideal venue, vetting and selecting the vendors (for everything from invitations to caterer to decor), dress-shopping, and more.

•Day-of only – some couples want to plan their wedding themselves, but will want to hire someone to manage the big day itself. This can include managing all the details of the day, such as making sure that the venue is set up, that the flowers have arrived, that the witness is not too drunk, etc. You would also be there to solve any last minute problems that arise.

•Customized – you can also offer to create custom packages based on what your clients want and need. This can be a combination of helping before the event and managing the day itself.

Obviously, the more involved in the process you are, the more you can and should charge. You’ll need to decide on a base price for each type of service you offer as well as prices for any extras.

2. Write a Business Plan

Whether you are the only one reviewing your business plan or you are using it to get financing from investors, don’t skip this step. Creating a full-fledged business plan will require you to think strategically and create a roadmap for your business and its growth.

A business plan is not set in stone, and you can always go back and revise it if you need to make changes. In fact, it’s a good idea to check your business plan from time to time and track your progress or make adjustments.

Your business plan should include sections like:

•Business summary

•Market and competitors analysis

•List of services

•Marketing plan

•Financials/budget

You can also include a section listing your favorite providers. You can add to this when working with different suppliers and identify the ones you like and want to continue doing business with.

You can also take advantage of this opportunity to find the perfect name for your business, which you will need for the next step.

3. Register Your Business and Other Bureaucracy

The rules may be different depending on where you live, but you will probably need to take some steps to officially register your business. You will most likely register as a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company, both of which require a bit of paperwork.

You will have to make sure that no other company already exists with the name you have chosen, then you can register it and make it your own. It might be useful to consult a business lawyer at this stage to make sure that you have ticked all the boxes and that you have created your business correctly.

If you are in the United States, you will also need an EIN (employer identification number), especially if you plan to hire employees, even later. It is very easy to get it on the IRS website. This number will also be used when filing taxes and opening a business bank account.

Now is the time to also check if your local municipality requires a particular license or registration. It is also a good idea to take out insurance to cover yourself in case of unforeseen situations.

4. Set Up a Payment Infrastructure

A very important step in setting up your wedding planning business is determining how you will be paid. Some customers may be perfectly happy to pay you in cash, but this may be inconvenient for you. Many customers will appreciate the possibility of paying with a credit card, a digital wallet or one of the countless other payment options available today.

5. Define Your Brand

The wedding planning space is fairly crowded and you’ll definitely need to come up with unique ways to differentiate yourself. Your brand is what will get you noticed, so you’ll want to put some effort into designing it in a way that best represents you and what you can offer.

Some important factors to consider when building your brand include:

•Your unique selling points that clearly differentiate you and make you better than your peers. This may be some specific specialty, like outdoor weddings, or it could be certain packages that you offer, just to name some examples.

•The visuals and logo that will define your brand. You can easily find inexpensive designers on a site like Fiverr to help you create a logo on a budget. You’ll also want to choose colors and images that best represent the style and vision of your business.

•The content and voice and tone that you use in communicating with your audience. Do you want to be humorous and playful? Sophisticated and serious? The choice is yours, just be sure to be consistent with whatever tone you choose.

6. Create an Online Presence

Once you’ve got your brand and your logo and you know the services you want to offer, the next step is to start building your online presence to let people know that you’re open for business.

A website of your own is a must-have, as are social media accounts, especially on Instagram, Pinterest, and probably TikTok (although that might depend more on your target market). Your website is the perfect place to showcase your services, testimonials from prior happy clients as soon as you have them, price lists, etc.

You might want to consider including a blog section on your website where you can share wedding planning tips and other useful tidbits. You can also highlight particular venues or caterers and get them to reciprocate and feature you on their websites.

Keep your social media pages updated with lots of pictures and content showing off your talents and giving potential clients a taste of what they’ll get when they hire you. Learn which hashtags are trending and participate in conversations on other people’s pages too.

Engaging with your followers is a great way to build community, so make sure you always respond to any comments. Ask questions and encourage people to join in the conversation.

7. Promote Your Business and Start Planning Weddings

You can get a lot of free organic traffic from your social media accounts, but you should also consider investing in paid advertising to really get the message across. You can play around with Facebook and Instagram ads and Google ads yourself or you can hire a professional to work on it for you.

Word of mouth is also a great way to promote a wedding planning business. Happy customers will tell their friends, and people who get married tend to have many other friends at the same stage of life. Also ask your family and friends to spread the word about your new business.

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Winning new clients takes a lot of time and effort. The last thing you want is for that relationship to fall flat and all of your work to be wasted because of a simple – and avoidable – miscommunication.

No matter what kind of business you have, you want to make sure that the relationship is set up to succeed. That’s where onboarding comes in. This process formalizes your relationships with your clients and helps you to set goals and expectations for both you and your client.

A solid onboarding process has big benefits, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. All you need are a few simple steps that will help to set you up for success.

Whether you’re looking to refine an existing strategy or if you’re starting from scratch, we’re here to help you figure out the best onboarding process for your business.

What Is Client Onboarding?

Client onboarding is the process of starting your working relationship with a new client. This involves providing them with relevant information about your business and collecting the key information you need in order to provide them with the best service.

Of course, a potential client probably knows a lot about your company by the time he decides to work with you. However, the integration process is the time to formalize your working relationship and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

The onboarding process gives you the opportunity to clarify important details about the project, including what needs to be done, how long it will take and how much it will cost.

Why Is It Important to Have a Good Client Onboarding Process?

A good client onboarding process will set the tone for an excellent working relationship. Don’t think of it as a nice-to-have item, but rather as a must-have item in your business strategy.

Relationships are dynamic and even the best-designed plan may eventually require changes, but setting expectations during the onboarding process can save you headaches later.

The formalization of your working relationship is an opportunity to define the parameters to make sure that you and your client know exactly what to expect.

Here’s how a solid client onboarding process can help your business:

• Longevity: A working relationship with clear expectations on both sides is much more likely to last than a poorly defined relationship. If the beginning of the partnership is difficult or chaotic, clients are much more likely to look elsewhere.

Efficiency: By gathering all the information you need about the client from the start, you will be ready to get to work immediately and you will no longer need to come back to them to ask more questions. You will know exactly what you need to do and how to do it.

Customer satisfaction: Seeing an action plan and understanding the work strategy you intend to use will give your clients peace of mind that you know what you are doing and you will be able to meet their needs.

Convenience: Once you have refined your onboarding process, it will be easy to replicate it and adjust it if necessary when you find new clients to work with. This will save you a lot of time, which you can then spend on acquiring even more paying customers.

Compliance: Depending on the industry in which you operate, there may be legal regulations that you must comply with. Including all the necessary legal documentation in your onboarding process will help you ensure that you are fully compliant from the start.

5 Steps to Onboard a New Client

Client integration is about establishing a happy working relationship. The best way to start this type of partnership is a smooth process.

Although every business will need something slightly different to ensure the best experience for their clients, there are 5 steps that should be included in every onboarding process.

1. Gather Information

To offer your client the best service, you must clearly understand what he needs. The most effective way to find out their needs, desires and expectations? Ask questions!

Think about the most important information you need to get to work and create a questionnaire to send to your client. Include basic things such as contact information as well as more in-depth questions about timing, goals, and other information relevant to your type of business.

Let’s look at some practical examples. If you are an accountant, you will need to understand how your client’s business is structured, the assets they own and the accounting approach they have used in the past. As a copywriter, on the other hand, you would want to know the company’s messaging goals and how they envision their brand voice.

2. Send a Welcome Pack

A welcome pack is a great way to provide a potential client with information about your company, increase their confidence in your expertise and encourage them to use your services.

Once you’ve gathered information about the client, their business, and the outcomes they’re looking to achieve, you can use this to personalize their welcome pack. There are a few assets that you can use to do this:

• Case studies: Include examples of projects you’ve executed for similar businesses in the past, highlighting the results that you helped those clients achieve.

• Resources: Sharing articles you have written about best practices and general approaches to the types of work you will undertake will help them increase their confidence in your abilities.

• Projections: Mapping the expected results of a project – based on the previous results you have achieved – using visual tools such as graphs, charts and tables, can greatly help a client understand how you can help his business.

You will also want to include all the basic information about your business in your welcome pack. A simple document that describes your opening hours, contact information, location and frequently asked questions is all you need here.

3. Hold an Onboarding Meeting

Once you have gathered the information you need, you will want to have a face-to-face consultation with the client. This is an opportunity to establish a friendly working relationship and pave the way for open communication in the future, and this can be done in person or by video call.

As with all other aspects of the onboarding process, the structure of the initial meeting will vary depending on you, your company and your client. However, there are a few items that you will probably want to have on your agenda:

• Clarify the scope of work and agree on goals: Review the information that your client shared during the research phase to make sure that you agree on what needs to be done. Be specific about what is included in your services and the results you plan to achieve, aligning them with the client’s needs.

• Set the cadence for communication: Discuss the communication methods that work best for each of you. It is important to agree on how updates will be provided (for example, regular meetings, emails or even SMS) as well as how often they will be shared. Regular and scheduled updates will help you keep your client informed and confident in their choice to work with you.

• Finalize payment terms and details: Give the client information about how you charge for your services (for example, a payment plan based on milestones or initial project fees) as well as all the options you have for them to pay.

However you choose to structure your meeting, the most important thing at this stage is to take detailed notes. If you are organizing a video call, it may be a good idea to record it. This will allow you to have all the information you need to develop your work plan.

4. Finalize the Contract

Once you have an idea of what the client wants – and how you can help them – you will want to formalize your relationship with a contract.

It’s crucial to do this early; you certainly don’t want to waste time going through the entire onboarding process only for them to then say they’ve changed their mind.

You can choose to make a long-term commitment (such as a freelance mandate contract) or something less permanent (for example, a project-based contract). Either way, you don’t necessarily need a long contract filled with legalese, but you should have at least a basic agreement that both you and the client sign.

Include the details you collected during the research phase and the onboarding meeting, as well as the project cost and payment terms. If you are not quite sure what this chord should look like, you can find many models online.

5. Assess and Refine the Process

With each new client you integrate, you should take the time to think about how the process will go. This will help you decide which elements of your system are working well and what might need improvements.

Here are some questions that you can ask yourself when evaluating your onboarding process:

•Did the client skip any questions in the onboarding questionnaire? If so, why?

•Has the client been given all of the information they needed about the project or do they still have a lot of questions?

•Were there any major delays during the onboarding process?

•Is there any information that I still need from the client?

You can also ask the client for feedback on the process. Don’t just ask general questions like, “What did you like and didn’t like about the process?” Instead, try to collect much more specific feedback, for example by asking them to rate certain aspects of the process on a scale of 1 to 10.

Your goal in getting this feedback is to improve the process in the future, so the more actionable information you can gather, the better.

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The beauty industry is booming. Customers are ready to pay a high price for the latest trends and revolutionary new products. As an entrepreneur and beauty lover, this represents an exciting opportunity to sell makeup products that you love and believe in. However, the beauty market is also ultra-saturated with brands and products.

With such high stakes, it is important to set up your business correctly from the start. How can you create a successful makeup business that stands out from the fierce competition? Fortunately for you, this step-by-step guide presents everything you need to know to develop and launch a great business.

We have put together this simple guide to start your makeup business.

1. Fund Your Makeup Business

Owning a makeup business can be expensive. From the cost of ingredients to packaging and manufacturing, the costs add up quickly. Your first step is to create an estimate of the capital you need. This includes everything from hiring design experts to creating a website to making the product itself.

Once you know how much money you need, you can determine where you will get the financing. You can choose to pay for everything out of pocket, in which case you would use your savings and the income from your current job. You can also contact your friends and family and ask them if they would invest in your business. You will need to clearly agree on their level of involvement in the company.

You can also apply for a business loan. You can get a loan from your local bank or an online lender. It is important to shop around for the loan with the lowest interest rate so that you don’t end up in debt. There are also grants to companies, both from the government and from local organizations. You do not have to repay the grants, but you will need to meet certain criteria to be eligible.

Finally, you can use a professional credit card to pay for your expenses. Credit cards tend to have high interest rates, so this should be a last resort. However, they can be easier and faster to obtain than loans, so this is an option to consider.

2. Manage the Inventory

There are many concerns about beauty products when it comes to labeling, ingredients and shelf life. You will have to keep a close eye on your packaging and your inventory to manage everything.

Start by checking that you are labeling your product packaging correctly. Are the claims of your products supported? For example, you must obtain certifications to affirm that your product is organic. If your product contains common allergens, you will also need to disclose this on your packaging.

Speaking of packaging, it is important that your packaging correctly represents the personality and brand of your product. Appearances aside, you should also make sure that your packaging protects the product itself and includes the appropriate applicators. Clearly label the expiration dates, ingredients and instructions for use.

Finally, beware of common beauty inventory problems. For example, heat and humidity can damage your products, so you should store them in a temperature-controlled room. Some ingredients, especially natural ingredients, have a shorter shelf life, so you can keep a limited inventory on hand. If you store the product yourself, you should also organize everything in such a way that you don’t lose inventory or find it difficult to fulfill orders.

3. Make It Official

You will need to make sure that you are operating your business legally at the local, state and federal level. First of all, register your business with the state in which you live. If you are planning to operate a sole proprietorship, you may not need to register. However, the creation of an LLC (limited liability company) or a company can separate your personal assets from the business.

Most states allow you to register your business online. It usually costs about $125 to register an LLC, but the fees may vary.

You will probably also need certain permits and licenses to sell your product, depending on your location and where you plan to sell. To find out what is required, check the U.S. Small Business Administration guide and your State Department’s website to learn more about federal and state permits. Call your county clerk for local requirements.

Finally, you will need a federal EIN (employer identification number) from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Go to the IRS website to apply online. You will not necessarily need an EIN if you do not have employees and you operate as a sole proprietor, but it may be useful to have it when opening business bank accounts.

4. Set Up Your Storefront

You can choose to sell your product online or in person. If you sell homemade products, you can sell them at your local farmer’s market. However, if you have a manufacturer who creates and stocks your product, it might be more efficient to sell online.

Either way, it is important to have a professional website. Here you will present your brand image, your products and your story. This is a way for you to strengthen your credibility with your customers and encourage them to buy your products. You can pay a web designer to create your website or use a website builder like Squarespace or Shopify.

You can also sell in a physical store. In this case, you will have to find and decorate a showcase. You can also contact beauty chains like Sephora and see if they will offer your product. Often these stores will only take established brands, so you can try this later.

5. Put Together A Business Plan

With your product and your brand image in place, it’s time to put everything on paper. Your business plan is where you define your business, explaining your products and processes. You can turn to this document in the future to guide your decision-making. You can also modify it later as things progress.

Your business plan will include:

• Business name

• Business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, or partnership)

• Executive summary

• Company overview

• List of products and pricing

• Analysis of the competition

• Description of your target market

• Startup costs

• Earnings projections

• Marketing strategy

6. Build Your Brand

With so many beauty products and companies on the market, your branding is a way to really distinguish your company from others. Your brand and your brand image are what create an experience for your customers.

You present your brand through your:

• Logo

• Design guidelines

• Packaging

• Brand voice

• Copy

• Brand values

At this point, you may want to hire someone to help you with your branding. Design professionals can create color stories, packaging models and stylize logos. Photographers can help you create an aesthetic and tell your story. Copywriters can help you create the brand values, the voice in which you speak to your customer and the slogans.

This step is important because this is how you will convince customers to buy your product rather than the competition. This is how you will present your brand’s story to the whole world. You will use the guidelines you create in this step to share them on social networks, lead your team and even manage your business.

7. Create or Source a Unique Product

There are several ways to get products for sale. Naturally, this is one of the most important steps, because it is your opportunity to create or choose a product that distinguishes you from other makeup businesses. When selecting products, ask yourself why a customer would choose to buy them from you rather than from someone else.

You can either resell products from other brands, or make your own. Dropshipping can be a practical solution, but you can choose to affiliate with makeup brands and sell their products, which is another way to get products quickly. Beware, however, of MLM systems that have high start-up costs and make it difficult to make a profit.

White labeling is another option: it is when you buy generically manufactured items and package them with your own brand. It’s a quick way to get started and it’s ideal if you have an idea for something new, such as natural beauty products for redheads.

You can also make your own products. It’s a little more difficult and time consuming, but it’s a good opportunity to be creative! You can make some products at home, such as lip balms. You can also make makeup by creating your own formulations in a facility. You will need to contact the manufacturing facilities and go through a sampling and testing phase to make sure you get it right.

The Pros and Cons of Starting Your Own Makeup Business

In any commercial enterprise, it is important to weigh the potential advantages and disadvantages. One of the main reasons to start a makeup business is profit. The beauty industry has been growing steadily, so you can earn a good part of your money. The profit margin is high, with some earning up to 80%.

However, the competition is tough in this industry. If you are unable to differentiate your product and market it correctly, you will probably find it difficult to make sales. It can also be expensive to get started, as you will need financing for branding, packaging, products, manufacturing, etc.

Still, selling makeup can be fulfilling. You can provide products that make people feel beautiful and confident. The beauty industry also has high rates of customer loyalty – when a customer finds a “Holy grail product”, they tends to stick to it for years.

The post How To Start A Successful Makeup Business In 7 Steps appeared first on Ghanavybes.com.

Starting an entrepreneurial business can be both exciting and challenging. Women in business bring a unique perspective, a wide range of skills and a growing entrepreneurial spirit. This article aims to inspire and guide women entrepreneurs in their search for the best business idea.

So, if you want to start a business but don’t know where to start, consider the top 16 business ideas for women below.

Let’s discuss each business so that you can make the right decision carefully.

1. Travel Agent

Consider working as a travel agent. A travel agency is a private retailer that provides travel and tourism-related services to the general public on behalf of suppliers. Travel agencies can offer outdoor leisure activities, airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, travel insurance, package tours, insurance, guides, public transport timetables and car rental services. The salary varies from 29,000 USD to 58,000 USD per year, but it all depends on the experience and the number of clients. You can either start your own business or work for any agency.

If you are thinking of starting your own travel agency, it is imperative that you create a travel agency application. Having your own application means more commissions on portals, secure transactions, establish solid communication with your customers with interesting features such as push notifications and video streaming to give your prospects an overview of the exotic destinations you offer.

2. Fitness trainer

Many people exercise to stay healthy. If you are an exercise enthusiast, becoming a fitness trainer could be a satisfying career for you. This is a great business idea for women. You not only earn money, but also stay healthy. You will need a diploma, certification and some experience before taking a step to become self-employed as a personal trainer. At the beginning of your exercise sessions, you will not earn much money. But as soon as you find a good number of students, you will also start getting sponsorships. The hourly rates for a fitness trainer vary from 10 USD to 50 USD per hour.

As a fitness trainer, you don’t have to limit yourself to only clients who can come to your gym, your home or any other favorite place. You can create a fitness app and serve clients who can’t leave their homes, are in another part of the world, or simply can’t fit into your schedule. Create your own fitness app.

3. Digital Marketing

Women entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to enter the digital marketing landscape by creating their own digital marketing agency. With the right tools and the right knowledge, they can provide services to companies of all sizes, helping them to buy ads on Google, Facebook and YouTube. Not only is it an opportunity to take advantage of the booming digital marketing market, but it also offers women entrepreneurs a flexible way to work and earn money from home.

In addition, companies need help in digital marketing to understand complex algorithms and strategies in order to maximize their advertising expenses. By offering these services, women entrepreneurs can capitalize on this need for support and become invaluable assets for any company seeking to reach its target audience through digital marketing. All we need is a unique digital marketing company name, and they’ll be up and running in no time.

4. Legal Services

If you have the necessary legal education and licenses, such as a lawyer or paralegal, starting a legal services business is an achievable goal. Women in particular can have a better understanding of family law, due to their own life experiences, and can offer valuable information on cases concerning child custody, divorces and gender discrimination issues. In addition to family law, there is also a growing market for legal services for immigrants, which allows entrepreneurs to offer assistance with immigration laws. To make the process even simpler, a woman entrepreneur can start her own business without acquiring an office by creating a legal services application. This application could provide various services such as consultations and other online legal resources.

5. Podcast Production

As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, the podcast production service is aimed at creators who are looking to share their voices without delving into the technical intricacies of audio production. This endeavor requires a mix of technical audio editing skills and a creative ear for storytelling, ensuring that each podcast episode is engaging and professionally produced. By offering specialized services, from content development to marketing, podcast producers can help creators make their mark in the vibrant podcast landscape, transforming ideas into audible realities that captivate listeners around the world.

6. Personal Shopping Service

The personal shopping service offers a tailor-made fashion experience, aimed at customers who are looking for the expertise of people with a keen eye for style and trends. This business thrives on personalization, transforming the purchases of a task into an organized journey that reflects the personal style and preferences of the customer. The expansion into virtual services expands the reach, allowing personal buyers to advise clients from afar, highlighting the value of tailor-made fashion advice in today’s fast-paced world.

7. Data Entry

One of the easiest ways to start your own business and earn money from home is to become a data entry specialist. All you need to get started is basic keyboard skills and internet access. With a little practice and concentration, even a complete beginner can learn to become a successful professional in data entry. There are many resources to help you learn the ropes, such as tutorials and online courses. With the right combination of technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit, you can earn a living through data entry.

8. Cake Making

If you are a smart cook and just like to cook, cake making is your business idea to work on. You can easily excel in the food industry if you have made up your mind. The demand for cakes usually increases on special occasions, such as Halloween and Christmas. Thus, you can earn a lot of money on such occasions. The good part is that the demand for cakes will not decrease out of season because there will be birthdays every month, this can guarantee you a regular income throughout the year. A baker earns about 25,000 USD per year.

This activity, however, is not limited to your baking skills. You will also have to manage logistics, keep an eye on orders and track deliveries.

9. Soap Making

Organic products are the new norm of life. As the storage space for organic products has increased, people no longer know what is authentic and what is not. So the best thing to do is to learn the soap making process and get started. Setting up a part-time or full-time business takes time. We also need money. A clear plan is essential for success as a soap making entrepreneur. Some state permits and licenses are probably necessary to operate a handmade soap business, don’t forget to get them. Soap manufacturers earn between 22,000 and 38,000 USD per year.

10. Interior Designer

If you are a creative person and would like to decorate rooms, interior design could be a profitable business idea for you. Interior designers make interior spaces functional and beautiful. The interior designer determines the space requirements and selects the essential and decorative elements, such as colors, lighting and materials. They must be able to draw, read plans. You can have a geolocated office where you can talk to your customers, show them your fabric samples and work samples. The average salary of an interior designer is about 51,000 USD per year.

11. Social Media Manager

Social media managers are responsible for representing a company on all social channels. They respond to comments and create content. These experts provide tips for improving an organization’s online presence. Almost all companies have recognized the value and the impressive benefits of social media marketing, thus opening up a large number of options for you. Social Media Manager earns an average salary of about 63,294 USD per year.

There are countless tasks on a social media manager’s list that become repetitive, whether it’s gathering a report of all the comments on posts, a list of new subscribers, managing prospects and adding them to CRM software, or other things of this kind.

12. Life Coach

Do you like to help people? If yes, then you might be interested in becoming a life coach. The stress that everyone experiences on a daily basis can be heavy to bear. For some people, the burdens become extremely heavy on the head, sometimes enough to cause serious emotional problems.

You can help people through life coaching. If you are a certified life coach, you can earn more money. As a life coach, you can charge between 70 and 260 USD.

13. Proofreader

A proofreader ensures that the written content is free of any typographical, grammatical, spelling, punctuation, syntax, formatting errors. The proofreader uses his judgment, skills, knowledge and experience to verify that the work of the author, the editor and the designer/composer is satisfactory, noting the changes. People want to be sure and confident that their important text is free of errors and find it worthwhile to choose a professional proofreader. A proofreader can earn between 25 and 44 USD per hour.

14. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is the practice of writing for money while working alone and without being employed by a company or organization. Freelance writers create written text that their clients need, whether they work from home or from a rented office space. Most freelancers charge according to the amount of work they will have to devote to the project. However, the way they charge for the content of its average range will vary. The salary of a freelance writer ranges from 24,000 USD to 115,000 USD per year.

15. Sell on Amazon

Amazon is a platform where anyone can open an online shop. Even if it seems complicated to do, it is simple and straightforward. You can find great deals on products in offline or physical stores and resell them on Amazon at a higher price. Online sales revenues continued to grow significantly. Amazon sellers earn about $10 million a year.

If you are having difficulties starting your business on Amazon, we have the right solution for you. Appy Pie Academy offers a fantastic course where you can enroll for free and learn how to start an e-commerce business.

16. Owning Rental Properties

Passive income from rental properties is an interesting business idea. Rental properties include houses, cars, furniture, weather conditions, dishes, quilts, party chairs, repair machines, party supplies, electronics, etc. It’s better if you choose products that interest you.

It is very important, in this job, to have an organized structure and the best way to do it is to create an application. You can use the directory function to create lists or even create an online store for your properties and let your app users choose what they want to rent from you!

Conclusion

Have you found something that interests you? Choose from one of these innovative ideas for small businesses that you like. Entrepreneurs must first examine their passion and skills. So you should focus on your skills and the type of things you like to do. This can be a great opportunity for you to come up with good business ideas. Combine your skills or your passion with one or more of them to create the opportunity that suits you best. Being your own boss gives you the freedom of choice and the opportunity to juggle your commitments.

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The real estate market is constantly evolving. Currently, the threat of a “real estate crash”, a spike in interest rates and a fall in housing prices is looming. Despite this, however, it is still the perfect time to break into the real estate market.

The last few years have led many people to pursue stable and stable careers despite the economic challenges. Real estate is a great recession-proof career path, because today’s buyers and sellers need help in today’s market. Inevitably, they will turn to experts like you to meet their real estate needs.

Here are some real estate business ideas and tips to consider if you are looking to start a career in the field

1. Real Estate Development

Real estate developers are responsible for supervising the new construction or renovation of residential or commercial properties. Job responsibilities may include securing financing, working with construction companies to ensure timely project completion, and marketing the new development to clients.

If you are interested in real estate development, start by taking on a role as a spatial planning project manager. The average salary for a spatial planning project manager is $99,100, and salaries are expected to increase to $112,100 over the next five years.

If you are looking to start your own real estate development company, your net income can be largely influenced both by the project and by the market in general. Assuming that you can sell a property in full occupancy, you can get a return on investment of between 16% and 20%.

2. Property Management

The need for a property manager often arises when the owner does not have the time or expertise to manage his real estate. A property manager usually works full-time and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of properties, including, but not limited to, residential, commercial or industrial properties. Property managers meet with potential tenants and show them properties, collect monthly tenant fees, pay bills, arrange repairs and maintenance, comply with fair housing laws in the region, and more.

In recent years, the average property manager grossed in $54,183 in the United States. Although this is the average, the salaries have reached $79,000 depending on the level of education, certifications, experience and type of property of the manager for which he is responsible for managing.

3. Home Cleaning And Staging

Preparing a house to show to real estate agents’ clients involves cleaning the house so that it is ready to “move in”, as well as making it presentable for potential buyers. Home staging aims to transform a house into an attractive and inviting environment in which potential buyers can easily imagine themselves living. Those in the home staging industry say that home staging can increase the seller’s profits by $10,000 to $75,000.

On average, a home stager can earn between $300 and $800 for a two-hour consultation at the potential client’s home. If the client wishes to proceed with home staging services, the potential to earn an additional $1,000 is the minimum threshold. A home staging project can cost between 5,000 and 10,000 dollars, depending on the size of the house, its location and the expertise of the home stager.

4. Residential Real Estate

Helping others buy or sell a house, also known as residential real estate, is a common real estate business idea. Residential real estate agents help sellers market their properties to potential buyers and help buyers find the right properties that fit their needs and budgets. The residential real estate sector continues to grow every year and offers great opportunities for experts in the field.

To become a residential real estate agent, you need to be well versed in administrative work, research and marketing, and check your state’s licensing requirements to ensure compliance. On average, residential real estate agents earn $50,000 per year.

5. Commercial Real Estate

Like residential real estate agents, commercial real estate agents help with the purchase, rental and management of properties for companies. Because the commercial real estate market is more data-driven, this career involves more research to identify trends. In addition, commercial real estate deals more heavily with leases than residential real estate.

A career in commercial real estate is an attractive option for many real estate professionals because of its financial benefits. The average annual salary of a commercial real estate agent is $94,383—almost twice as high as that of residential agents. However, the licensing requirements are usually the same as those of residential real estate agents.

6. Real Estate Investment

Another common real estate business idea is to invest in a pool of real estate properties through crowdfunding or real estate investment trusts.

Real estate investors can earn between $70,000 and $124,000 a year—and even more, depending on the number of deals you strike and the time you invest. Salaries also depend on the area of real estate in which you invest.

For example, rental real estate investment usually brings in a lower salary of between $27,500 and $121,000. Home flipping costs an average of $62,900 per flip. Short-term rentals pay you between $35,120 and $61,097. The wholesale makes you between $21,500 and $98,500. Essentially, the more work you put into your career, the higher the salary you will reap.

7. Real Estate Coaching

For experienced real estate professionals, real estate coaching can be a rewarding and lucrative career path. As a real estate coach, you can help new agents get the best possible start in the industry by providing them with professional feedback and information. This career path also offers flexibility—you can accept as many or as few clients as you want.
Real estate coaches usually charge between $400 and $500 per month for one-on-one sessions. Depending on your level of experience and the number of clients you have, you can earn between $69,337 to $103,606 annually, with an average net salary of $86,0022.

Why Real Estate Is A Lucrative And Worthwhile Industry For Entrepreneurs

• High Earning Potential: It’s no secret that owning real estate can pay off over time—about 90% of millionaires are real estate investors. By buying a property, you can continue working on your current business, while letting the investment generate a profit for itself by appreciating the value, developing it or renting it out to tenants.

• Flexibility And Independence: As an entrepreneur, if you are looking for a place to host your next business, investing in real estate can offer a cheaper and long-term solution than renting with the added advantage of flexibility. Instead of paying money every month to an outside source, owning a property allows you to pay yourself rent and make modifications/renovations to adapt the property to the needs of your business.

• Tangible Assets With Potential For Appreciation: When you invest in real estate, you own a physical property with the potential to increase in value over time. As inflation increases and areas develop, the value of your property is likely to increase as well—when it comes time to sell, your investment will bring you a higher profit than the cost you paid.

• Opportunity For Personal And Professional Growth: Owning a property can create growth opportunities, as it offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to earn passive income through syndication agreements, which can help cover mortgage payments or be used to invest in something new. In addition, if you need an influx of liquidity for your business (or for personal reasons), your investment is a tangible asset with accessible equity for the financing you need.

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