We know you want your business to be successful. But, running a business isn’t always easy. Here are 7 steps to help run your business effectively, so you use your valuable time for the right tasks.

1. Price your goods or services right

Whether you’re selling a product or offering a service, setting a good price is important. It can be a tricky task, but getting it right is an important step. Pricing your goods effectively means you can cover your production costs and, if you fulfil your sales forecast, break-even overall and make a profit.

2. Keep costs low

Along with setting the right price, keeping your costs low helps keep your business running. If your business is new, you don’t want to spend more than you need to. As you grow, you can keep this mindset and be effective about what you choose to spend your money on. When you’re careful about your costs, you’ll be able to make better decisions about what to invest in.

Start by budgeting, forecasting and analysing your expenses to see where you can save money.

3. Know when to grow

If you’re running a business alone, it’s tempting to try and do everything yourself. But, sometimes it’s more effective to outsource jobs to someone else.

For example, if you’re creating a website or branding your business and don’t have expertise in that area, instead of spending time on the process you could hire a professional. Or, if your business is growing, you may need to hire staff to help fulfil demand.

4. Chase up late payments

Not getting paid on time is disruptive, but also stops your business from being effective. The best way to avoid late payments is to set your payment terms on your invoice, including interest on any cash that becomes overdue.

But, if you do get paid late, don’t be afraid to follow up. Sending a polite reminder including an invoice with your interest added will hopefully get you paid. It’s also important to track your invoices so you can see clearly when you need to chase a payment.

5. Prepare for tax

While tax is no business owner’s favourite thing, it is important to plan ahead! Set aside money to pay your taxes, and make sure you know which taxes could affect your business.

6. Work on your management skills

Part of having an effective business is hiring the right people and managing them in the right way. Getting the most out of your employees will not only help your business grow but can also help their personal development.

7. Manage your finances

Managing your finances with accounting will help you have a good overview of your business performance. By tracking your finances you’ll be able to make strategic decisions so you can run your business effectively.