As a new business owner, determining how to allocate your budget is one of the most difficult (and important) decisions you will have to make.
How you spend your money now can determine the growth trajectory of your business for years to come.
Smart entrepreneurs understand that allocating money effectively can be the difference between a company’s success and failure. If you’re a new or aspiring business owner looking for ways to make your company stand out, here’s a guide to where to spend your money when you start a new business.
1. Marketing and Branding
Spending on market research is an essential step for all new businesses. While market research can be costly, it is a necessity to understand the market demand for the industry you are in. As misreading demand is the top reason why new businesses go under, it’s clear that investing in market research is a must to understand customer needs and be successful in your industry.
Additionally, investing in branding is crucial to get your business’ name on the map. Regardless of how amazing your products or services are, people need to know they exist in order for your business to succeed. Spending on social media and other digital marketing channels is a popular way to increase brand awareness and attract new customers.
2. Insurance
It’s true now more than ever that spending on insurance is crucial for companies to succeed long-term. With so much economic uncertainty, having a contingency plan to help with emergencies is a necessity for businesses to have peace of mind that they will survive the current health crisis.
Whether you’re spending on health insurance or disaster insurance, it’s clear that insurance is a necessary spend now to keep yourselves afloat in the case of future financial hardships.
3. Strong team
Your company is only as good as the people who work there, so spending money on acquiring and retaining top talent is a key factor in determining your business’ success. Although hiring is a tiresome process, it’s worth taking the time to find a person who is the right fit for your company, both in terms of their experience and personality.
It’s also important to be spending money to have people on your payroll who are professionals in the field of finances, such as a CFO or accountant. Hiring someone savvy at this position is crucial since they will be helping you set up a financial plan and be the one who most understands the financial economics of the company.
To be successful in your industry, you need to focus on the long-term outlook of your company. While it can be tempting to spend on flashy new technology or awesome office space, it’s important to be focusing on what’s really going to fuel the growth potential of your company. To learn more about what new businesses should be spending money on, take a look at the infographic by JW Surety Bonds below.