It really doesn’t matter what your company does or how it does it. Most businesses have five things in common. They are five other businesses that support the activities you engage in. Without them, it would be difficult to continue trading. And even if your own company is part of one of these sectors, you’ll still need some support from a third party. Freelancers, self-employed, small companies and big corporations all need these essential businesses:
Property Management
Without a place to trade from, your company cannot expand. Sure, you might start up in your garage or home office. But if you’re selling stock or hiring people, you’ll outgrow your accommodation pretty quickly. A good property management firm not only handles your rental fee, but they’ll cover your maintenance and cleaning too. After all, you’re not likely to want to clean the windows on the tenth floor yourself!
Marketing Agency
Without promotions and publicity, nobody will know your company exists! Marketing agencies usually specialize in one or two key areas. Some agencies, like the one set up by Sabri Suby, combine creative services with digital marketing services like SEO. It’s worth approaching a digital marketing agency that has a track record of results. Your leads are hard to come by and valuable to you. You need to make sure they’re good enough to convert.
Accountant’s Firm
Sadly, we all succumb to the tax office’s beckoning. Every year every business, freelancer or consultant must file their returns. The more you earn, the more complicated this becomes. Using an accountant to manage your books and produce your returns for you can save you hundreds of hours. Most importantly, their filing is more likely to be accurate and accepted. Best of all, they’ll know the ins and outs of the system to ensure you’re not paying more than you should be each year.
Legal Firm
If you sell your own products and services, you must ensure you have the legal backing you need should anything go wrong. Customer complaints are one thing, but if someone sues you, then it is essential you have a legal team on your side to fight your corner. Every small business and consultant should have a lawyer available to advise them periodically. They should look over your contracts and any product patents you wish to file.
IT Experts
The world runs online these days. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us don’t really know how it all works. And if your tech fails how are you going to take care of your customers? Even the phone can be connected to the internet, so no part of your communications are safe if your IT goes bad. Few companies have an IT team in-house, but you’ll need someone with enough know-how in the wings. They should be the first point of contact for your third-party IT service provider.
Every business owner needs a little help from time to time. Beyond the obvious hires, you will also need the services of third party companies to ensure you are trading legally and within your tax code! Which businesses does your company rely on the most?
