I firmly believe in surrounding yourself with things that bring you joy. I read that big-hit decluttering and minimalising book from a year or two ago which said anything that didn’t give you joy you should throw out. I threw out the book. I find collecting something, namely gathering items we have a deep appreciation for from a certain niche can be a fun hobby and add a layer of magic to your home.

Collecting as a Hobby

You may enjoy collecting beautiful antiques, or perhaps genuine artifacts from a prominent period of history. You may decide to follow one artist and collect many original printings of his or her artwork, or perhaps you just enjoy collecting trainers. Books are another fabulous thing to collect, especially if you are looking for a certain set, first editions etc.

A collection is often quite a fun thing to build because it helps you delve into the life of a true enthusiast, respecting and finding the total value of a certain industry or niche you care about deeply. It can connect you to other people who share your love, and serve as an important and passionate project. For example, I am looking to collect all 68 Chalet School books (a childhood favourite). Some are now very rare but there are still groups dedicated to the books and finding them.

Find Appropriate Transport

Transporting your items is essential when adding them to your collection, especially for items that are fragile or yield some historical value. You may decide to research the best furniture delivery companies to help you, and to build a connection with them, having them transport your most coveted acquired pieces. Transporting items with historical or personal value will always be the greatest threat to them outside of a home fire, and so ensuring you have this squared away could be considered the final priority to keep.
Imagine having finally tracked down a perfect piece of furniture for it to be damaged in transit, *shudder*.

Storaging your Collection

Just like adequate transport, we must consider the environment we hold our belongings in, even when stationary. Considering factors like temperature, ventilation access, light levels and many other small variables in a storage room could be very important when it comes to high-value historical items such as original paintings.

Learning the most appropriate storage requirements for your hobby may come as a somewhat intense requirement, but doing so could potentially help you preserve your most favored items. After all, items with historical value, properly preserved, may be a great investment for later on down the line. There are many reported cases of those in middle-age selling their premium comic book collections and toys for gargantuan amounts without them realizing, good fortune alone ensuring the items were held in good condition. I’m sure there are sci-fi toy and miniatures that Roy now wishes he’d kept in the box!

Presentation

A great and very fun habit of those who steward a collection is to present them in a personal space most pleasing and respectful to their existence. Let’s take the trainer example. Vintage sneakers may be preserved wrapped in dust-busting cloth and placed in a dark, cool place, but the habit of crafting special lit wall-mounts of compartments is likely a dream for anyone who cares about stylish kicks. You are allowed to have fun with your collection, you’re the one investing in it after all. I like to see things backlit for example. I can’t imagine spending time collecting something precious to me than locking it/them away for safe keeping. Where’s the fun in never seeing them?

If you think starting a home collection of any kind is for you and would be fun, make sure you consider storage, presentation and so on.

Take Care of Your Staff

First of all, when it comes to small businesses the satisfaction of your staff is absolutely crucial. Therefore it’s essential to take care of them in as many ways as you can. Such care may include having a strict policy about bullying and enforcing this, as well as offering additional bonuses for work well done and targets that are reached.

You can show your staff that they are appreciated by making a necessary activity such a training a bit more of an enjoyable experience. This is something you can do by using an outside catering company to provide delicious snacks and treats come training day. Alternatively, you may even try taking them off-site for a day to a convention centre, or even a hotel where you can combine fun and work, a strategy that is a sure-fire way to get you some kudos with your team.

Make Use of Tech and Social Media

Next, to survive in the world of SMEs, it’s vital that you keep your costs as low as possible while ensuring that you connect with and successfully market your brand and product to your target demographic. Luckily, you can do this quickly and cheaply by using social media and various IT tech to your advantage.

If you choose to promote items on your social media platforms, it’s free to set up, and you can reach a broad audience. You will always add a human element to your brand and create a positive reputation.

There are also some fab apps that you can use to create visually exciting and dynamic content to feature on your social media accounts. Something that will help your SME grab the attention of the demographic you are hoping to connect with.

Treat Your Business Customers Well

Lastly, it’s pretty significant to remember that the customer is the lifeblood of the SME. What this means is that the focus of your service, and product should be on what the customer experiences and gains by using it.

With that in mind, rigorous product testing, as well as AB testing for your online presence is a smart move. You will be able to see what options your customers will be most pleased with, and respond to most effectively.

Also, providing top level customer service at not just the point of sale but also before and after can help to create a positive relationship that can be leveraged for repeat sales and even promotion by superfans later on.

It is vitally important that your business be easily contactable and available at all times, something you can use social media to facilitate. Although, it’s always a smart idea to provide alternative methods as well such as email, helpline phone numbers, written addresses, and even website chat boxes if you want your SME to thrive in the long term.

Be transparent and consistent in how you run your business, be true to your brand values, go above and beyond for customers and treat your staff well. That is how you run a thriving small business.

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Original content here is published under these license terms:		X

License Type:	Read Only

License Abstract:	You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). No other copying or use is permitted without written agreement from the author.