If you’re a business owner, you probably have several criteria that a work space needs to meet for you to consider setting up camp there.

It needs to be something flexible, in terms of access and in use of space. It has to be secure so you don’t have to add fear of theft to your already long list of concerns as a business owner. And it needs to be cost-effective – you can’t be forking out as much as you bring in, just on rent.

There is an increasing number of SMEs flocking to two particular types of work spaces that offer all of these: self-storage units and co working spaces.

Storage units are fast becoming a popular option for businesses in a vast range of industries. Far from being a place to store cardboard boxes and unused furniture, a storage unit can be moulded and transformed to fit the needs of an impressive range of businesses.

If you’re thinking, that’s good enough but I don’t think my business would work from a storage unit — then you might need to think again.

To really give you an example of how a business can use a storage unit as office space, here are 5 businesses that you can run from a self-storage unit.

Number-Crunchers

The first business that might have popped into your head probably wasn’t an accountancy firm, was it?

A self-storage unit can easily be converted into a sleek and professional office space for a smaller team of accountants to work out of.

To keep their work streamlined and organised, they can set up their day-to-day space with simple storage solutions to access important documents they need on a regular basis. To make sure the office space doesn’t become cluttered, they can rent extra storage space elsewhere in the facility to put excess paperwork in an archive.

When they want to meet clients, meetings can be arranged and conducted in on-site meeting spaces if the storage facility has this, or you can take the opportunity to pamper important clients with a cafe visit or a lunch on your account.

The space is functional and excellent for day-to-day work, and the rent is likely to save you a lot of money.

Repairs Services

A storage unit workspace is perfect for fix-er-up-ers in the line of repairs — electronic or mechanic.

The storage unit space can be modified to act as a fully-functioning workshop. With room to store equipment, protective gear, carry out practical repairs, and do administrative work, it’s an ideal work space solution.

It’s also an incredibly safe option when it comes to storing expensive tools compared to keeping it in the back of a van or in a garden shed. Most self-storage facilities come with an impressive range of safety features such as secure locks, unique entry codes and 24/7 CCTV.

If your business is seasonal or if you’re looking to scale it’s simple to upgrade/ downgrade your square metres so you’re only paying for the space you need.

Second-Hand Sellers

Second-hand product sellers are no longer confined to sell their wares at car boot sales, online, or in temporary high-street pop-up shops.

A self-storage unit is a fantastic, adaptable spot to sell all sorts of second-hand goods, whether it be re purposed furniture, vintage clothing, or unusual books.

Setting up shop in a storage unit can be easily done with demarcated spaces for a checkout and for displaying goods on rails or shelves.

And of course, if your second-hand store has an eCommerce store too, you can run the ship from a storage unit for a very competitive rent.

Another bonus for those selling vintage or easily damaged items is that storage units are not only secure from thieves, they are also secure from the elements. With great ventilation and climate control, your items will be kept in tip-top condition.

E-Commerce Businesses

As well as running a physical shop out of a storage unit, owners of eCommerce stores can use the space for the behind-the-scenes running of their business.

Having the space of the storage unit is essential for separating work and home life.

There’s space to take professional photos for your website without fear of pets or family members getting in the shot.

The work space is multi-functional, easily separated into an area for using the computer to manage databases and print off packaging labels; a space to organise inventory; and another space for packing up products, ready to send off.

If the store needs more room to breathe during peak business times of the year, they are not sucked into a restrictive lease. If they need more storage space or a bigger unit, they are likely to be able to liaise this with ease with the facility management.

Videographer/Photographer

A storage unit can be converted into a fully-functioning studio for those in the videography/photography line of work.

It offers an environment to have lighting, backdrops, tripods, and cameras permanently set up how they like it, without having to take it apart and rebuild it every time they have a guest over to their home.

Storage unit operating hours suit the often erratic and anti-social hours that videographers and photographers do, so they can work late to finish off those essential edits on their latest piece of client work.

They can live the dream of having their own personal studio without the crazy rental prices of city centre locations.

Volo Corporate Ltd is an established technology company that aims to make the world of online advertising more accessible to more people.

As a pioneering company behind the invention of new self-service advertising platforms that enable individuals with little or no prior marketing experience to run their own banner ads from scratch, Volo Corporate Ltd has demonstrated its commitment to lowering the entry barriers for aspiring marketers all around the world.

The online advertising industry is an industry that has been rapidly growing for the past 2 decades. And recently, in certain markets, online advertising spending has now surpassed the total dollars spent advertising on TV. It is this growing market opportunity that Volo Corporate Ltd aims to help its clients take advantage of.

The creators of Volo Corporate Ltd have worked tirelessly to develop a solution that provides valuable educational resources and technologies to people who are looking to break-in to the industry. On the one hand, the company gives its clients access to detailed educational materials – videos, articles and e-books – that enable Volo Corporate Ltd’s clients to engage in self-learning.

Additionally, the company has a help desk working 24 hours per day, 5 days per week, answering client’s questions and ensuring that every single client gets the most out of the program.

What should clients expect from their journey with Volo Corporate Ltd? Well that all depends on several factors, the most important of which is how committed the client is to learn the ropes of the online advertising industry. If the client simply wants to click a button and get results, the company is probably not able to help. However, if the client is willing to put in the time and effort to build competence in the field of online advertising, Volo Corporate Ltd can probably assist.

Volo Corporate Ltd should not be seen as a silver bullet for achieving success in online advertising. But it does provide the foundational knowledge and tools that can help aspiring marketers get their start in the industry.

The company’s development team is always working on new tools that will further enhance the suite of solutions that Volo Corporate Ltd provides to its clients. Moreover, it continues to be on the look-out for new affiliate networks it can latch on to in an effort to provide its clients with a much wider selection of inventory.

Setbacks management is one of the challenges that many companies face on a daily basis, and knowing how to deal with it is key for projects to be successful. That is the reason why the ability to develop a flexible scope management plan based on several scenarios is the most required in order to become a successful project manager. There are many online apps like Sinnaps that help to establish and manage the scope using agile methodologies which detect future risks that may jeopardize the project.

What is project scope?

The scope of a project is the clear identification of the work that is required to successfully complete or deliver a project. A successful project manager needs to perfectly understand what is required in order to reach the goals in a project and design the route to get there. It is also their responsability to make sure that the developing of the project sticks to the scope during its life-cycle, and the easiest way to do so is to define the scope of the project.  One of the project manager’s responsibilities is to ensure that only the required work (the scope) will be performed and that each of the deliverables can be completed in the allotted time and within budget.

The project scope statement

The documentation of the scope of the project will explain the boundaries of the project, establish the responsibilities of each member of the team, and set up procedures for how work that is completed will be verified and approved. This document, which outlines the goals, deadlines and relationships that shape the project, is called the project scope statement.

The project scope statement needs to include certain elements in order to lay the foundation of the project and minimize the risk of change orders and disruptions without overrunning the budget.  Sticking to the project scope is critical to success. In order to do so, the essential elements that must be included in the statement are:

• Business Case. The raison d’être of the project and the benefits expected from it.
• Project Description. A general outlook of the project’s final report.
• Success Criteria. The fundamental components to make the project succeed based on the instructions of the clients and stakeholders.
• Limitations. Any issues concerning resources or technology needed for the project
• Assumptions. Any supposition already made that may affect the final outcome.

Why is Project Scope Important?

Project scope is vital because it is the tool that project managers use to know in advance what time, cost or labor will be involved in a project. Every decision a project manager makes throughout the project will be based on the scope. And, if it needs to change, the scope will ensure the proper communication needed to success in every step of the way.

A distinct scope helps everyone to stay on the same page throughout the project, which helps manage the expectations of clients and stakeholders. Since this can be one of the most difficult tasks a project manager can face, a well-defined scope will help to avoid the most common problems: the budget falling short, the requirements constantly changing, or the final outcome not being what the client expected.

An effective scope management can help to face any of these issues and solve them successfully by clearly defining and communicating the goals to all parties involved in the project. Since the project scope helps to establish what is and is not involved in the project and dictates what is allowed or removed as it is developed, the scope management sets control factors that can be used to address elements that result in changes during the lifecycle of the project.

The benefits of a Scope Management Plan

When used properly, an scope management plan helps to effectively manage the main elements of any given project: time, schedule, budget, and quality. It can also provide other benefits such as:

• Saves time and money
• Helps prioritize
• Facilitates productive communications with stakeholders and their team
• Serves as a tool to manage client expectations, work load balancing, and team morale
• It is applicable to public and private organizations and projects

To easily benefit from the perks of an effective Scope Management Plan, the only thing you need is an online project management software like Sinnaps, which presents effective tools for you and your team to use when determining your project management scope of work and planning the scope of business management. Sinnaps offers tools such as a live in-chat feature and a project wall greatly benefit communication which is essential in the scope management process, test mode, critical path, KPIs and much more. Project management templates -including a scope plan template are also available, and they can be modified to your specific project scope checklist.

Russ Ruffino is a hot topic in the world of entrepreneurship, and for good reason. He went from a bartender that made $500 per week to a CEO of a massive company by thinking outside the box. Today, Ruffino and his team provide consulting and coaching services to teach other business owners and entrepreneurs how to take their marketing efforts to new heights.

Ruffino’s Approach Is A Bit Different From What We Learn Early On

Early in the course of starting a business, we learn that marketing is all about getting more eyeballs to see your ads. The idea is to send out as many ads as you can for as little money as possible, generating views for pennies. If you ask Russell Ruffino, a successful marketing approach works very differently.

If you follow Ruffino’s approach, covering a wide audience of people that aren’t necessarily interested in your products or services is a waste of time and money. Instead, he teaches the value of doing your research to get to know your audience and dialing down your marketing to ensure that the people that see your advertisement will have an interest in what you have to offer.

Once you know who your audience is, it’s time to use various tools that are available to get your ad in front of this audience. Russ often talks about the use of social media advertising, in particular, Facebook ads, to make this happen. After all, social media is used by the vast majority of populations in developed regions and the tools available to define an audience within a social network like Facebook are second to none.

Why This Approach To Marketing Works

At first glance, you may be thinking, “Why would I want to advertise to a smaller audience?” The truth of the matter is that the question is a very valid one. Nonetheless, there’s a good reason. Think about it this way:

Let’s say that you are a custom wedding dress designer and you go with the blanket ad approach. Later, you find that the vast majority of people that saw your advertisement were either already married, recently divorced, or not considering marriage. Only a small percentage of the eyes that your ad caught had any interest in what you were selling. Did it really make sense to advertise to such a broad audience or was the vast majority of the money spent on that campaign wasted advertising dollars?

Now, let’s say that instead of running a blanket ad, you define your audience. This time, you use Facebook and Twitter advertising tools to make sure that the people that see your ad are female social media users that have been in a relationship for 3 or more years, but are not married. This demographic of consumers would likely have a far higher interest in your custom wedding dress. You could even define the audience further to recently engaged individuals who would have an even larger interest. In this example, how many advertising dollars would be wasted in consumers that weren’t interested in wedding dresses? The answer… virtually zero!

The Key Takeaway

The key takeaway here is that Russell Ruffino is onto something. The reason his ad works is that he essentially went back to the old way of business that is more of a slogan today. The customer is always first. Often we think of this when the customer has a problem with our products or services. However, if you think outside the box and consider the customer as the first priority in phases as early as marketing, your business will likely thrive!

Finding the right method of promoting any cause can be a trying task. In the past, it meant haranguing shoppers as they walked past, cold calls and the thankless task of knocking on doors. With the advent of the internet though, the whole marketing paradigm has changed. Social media is a vehicle for reaching out to all parts of society – especially those of a slightly younger generation. That isn’t to say that there aren’t traditional marketing techniques that are still effective today, because that simply isn’t the case. Trial and error is often an inescapable part of marketing and having an awareness of marketing techniques both old and new is the best way to forge a profitable path forward for your brand.

Social media

The social media landscape is a difficult one to traverse. You can attack it from any number of angles – aggressive promotion of your cause with paid posts, attempting to craft viral content using humour, leveraging the platforms’ users’ tendency to value visual content by posting videos and images. Enticing social media users to both interact and promote with your brand by hosting competitions is another popular promotional tactic. It is important to reiterate how integral it is to your success to understand your target audience. With a burgeoning brand, it is absolutely essential. Once you have a firm understanding of exactly who your target audience is – and their likes and dislikes – you can hone your approach to social media and leave your scattershot strategy firmly in the past.

Promotional materials

In this day and age, where you can reach millions of people with a few clicks of a mouse, or a few taps on a touchscreen, any tactic that relies on an organic, boots on the ground approach seems like a relic of the past. The reality is that seemingly outdated techniques like customising and printing branded merchandise still have a place in today’s hyperconnected climate. Emulating the ubiquity of the Livestrong wristbands in 2004 is a challenge, but by harnessing the reach of influencer marketing channels, charity wristbands remain a viable method of creating awareness.

Networking

Traditional networking is a great way to cultivate relationships that benefit your brand. It is another example of a tried-and-tested tactic that remains viable in the internet age. An invitation to a business event represents an opportunity to create buzz for your brand, and one that should be seized with both hands. Connecting with people with synergistic aims can have extremely productive results.

Marketing isn’t an exact science – in spite of increasing attempts to rationalise every single strategy with hard data. With a new brand, trial and error is an important part of the journey. Over time, you’ll garner an understanding of the tactics that work for your brand and those that don’t. At a certain point, you’ll be able to put in practice what you’ve learnt and utilise only the marketing and promotional techniques that produce results.

We’ve all had bad managers. You know the ones—they inspire the stories you tell at happy hour and are the ghosts that haunt your every career move. Although you swear you’ll never be like them, how sure are you that their toxic ways aren’t tarnishing your own management skills? Sometimes we fall back on bad habits. What’s important is to put a stop to them immediately.

If you are a manager and looking for what mistakes to avoid, or an employee wondering if their manager is being a bit too much or not acting in the right way, read on to find out the most common mistakes employers and managers make. If you can learn about these here, rather than through experience, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble!

Not fixing problems with the office

A lot of leaders should be able to see a problem, and delegate to be able to fix it. A lot of managers are able to do this in business terms, but when it comes to fixing the place that their employees actually work, it seems to become a bit of an effort. Toilets will break, sinks will overflow, light switches won’t work, the AC will start blowing out cold air in the winter.  These are all problems that every office goes through at one time or another, it is up to the managers and office managers to fix these problems so that their employees can work in a safe and comfortable environment, make sure you do not ignore these problems as a manager and take control, companies like National Business Communications are able to help you sort out all of your telecommunications and utilities to make sure it isn’t too hard.

You’re all business, 24/7

If, between the hours of 9 to 5, you are on the clock, meaning you’re always the boss, not a friend, or co-worker or a sympathetic ear, then you’re not doing it right. Managers need to be adaptable to their situations and weigh up what type of boss they need to be on a daily basis. If you judge a situation wrong and act like a boss instead of lending a helping hand, you can easily alienate your employees and be seen in a bad light. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to ask how someone’s day is going, what plans they have for the weekend or how their family is doing. But this small gesture can make a huge difference in the eyes of your employees.

Lacking boundaries

Some managers tend to forget all about the professional boundaries that are in place. The second a managers becomes way too friendly with employees, the chain of command begins to crumble and boundaries become distorted. Managers can compromise their own integrity by becoming too friendly with employees. A healthy, mutual respect should be the goal of both managers and employees. Approachability is key, but not at the expense of professionalism.

Misunderstanding motivation

Do you know what truly motivates your team? Chances are, it’s not just money. Many managers make the mistake of assuming that their team is solely doing their job so that they can get paid at the end of the month. However, it’s unlikely that this will be the only thing that motivates them. For example, people seeking a greater work/life balance might be motivated by telecommuting days or flexible working. Others will be motivated by factors such as achievement, extra responsibility, praise, or a sense of camaraderie.