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Thousands of people dream about starting a business every day, yet only a very small percentage will ever turn their dream into a reality.

If you follow these 5 important tips then your business idea can get off the ground. Not only that, it can also succeed and become a sustainable venture for many years to come.

1. Get your head out of the clouds.

The first important lesson when considering a new business venture is to be realistic. Whether you are wanting to open a shop or an online venture you must be realistic. Without a realistic approach you are likely to fail. Far too many businesses fail in their first 3 years simply due to unwarranted expectations. Business owners expect their business to flourish quickly instead of having the patience to gradully build their brand and company.

You need to ask some serious questions before you start your business. Will it work? How much money do I need to get it started? What are the business risks? How much do i need to earn to survive? You must consider these questions carefully. If the responses are positive, go for it!

2. Market research.

You must carry out lots of market research before you start your first business. You do not have to pay a company to do it for you, you can do it yourself. Find out who your target customers are and ask them if they would be interested in your product or service. Avoid asking friends or family relatives as they are likely to tell you what you want to hear, as opposed to some truthful and honest feedback.

3. Don’t borrow money from a bank.

Unless you are absolutely 100% certain you have the next big thing, avoid the banks. Try instead borrowing from friends and family but make sure you limit the risks and the amount you borrow.

4. Avoid flash cars and fancy offices.

When I started my first business I spent the first 3 years operating from my cellar. This was great as it allowed me to operate with very low overheads. Far too many business start-ups get flash cars and nice offices when they really do not need them. If you do buy a flash car, pay cash for it!

5. Be patient.

Don’t rush your business. It must be an enjoyable experience. When I first started my business I wanted it to be huge as soon as possible; this as a mistake. I have now been going for 7 years and it is a successful venture and very profitable. I put the success to eventually realising that all good things come to those who wait. Be patient, be meticulous and be very careful who you work with!

Whatever you may call them, poly bags are here to stay; and for good reason. This light weight, water resistant, economical packaging option is now the modern way to display, ship, and protect your products. Depending on their purpose and usage there are a multitude of names available (i.e. plastic bag, plastic shipping envelope, poly mailer, poly pak, plastic mailer, poly envelope, heavy duty poly bags), the list goes on and on. Call them what you will but more and more companies are recognizing the value of upgrading their operations to include this brand centric, economically sound, eco-friendly poly bag option.

Companies have made the switch for many reasons, with each having its own motivations and goals in mind. But there are a few reasons they all share when making the change and upgrading their operation.

Reason #1: You can put your Brand anywhere. So you should!

A first of many reasons is that poly bags can be fully customized and used as a platform to market your brand(s). The packaging your product is displayed and arrives in is yet one more avenue to get your name out, and your brand recognized. This is a huge opportunity to differentiate your brand since many companies still use plain poly bags or bulky boxes that give no brand value. Packaging is the last thing a customer will see after making a purchase, it should make a statement.

Branded packaging is a strong advertising platform that many are not taking advantage of. Using custom branded poly bags gives you a larger advertising reach without a huge initiative or budget. By something as simple as their company name, logo, and website you give all who see the bag the necessary information to reach out to you.

Reason #2: What do you mean we can get better packaging for less money?

What do you and your competitors have in common? Well yes you probably have similar products. You also likely examine every avenue to save money and keep overhead to a minimum. A successful business is always looking to reduce costs, streamline processes, and increase efficiencies. An often overlooked opportunity is in custom packaging.

Would it surprise you to know that poly bags don’t register on a freight scale? Added freight costs, due to packaging, are virtually eliminated. Since the poly bags are customized to your products the packaging fits much better compared to a standard size box. You might as well eliminate the cost of filler or foam to fill the open spaces in a box. While you’re at it why not get rid of packaging tape as well. Since most poly bags have self sealing adhesives there’s no need for it anymore.

Poly bags also cost substantially less to make than corrugated boxes. Not only in terms of production and delivery to your warehouse, but in the man-hours to use (no box building required). For comparison, a corrugated box has approximately 17 motions to build and seal, a poly mailer has 3. In addition you don’t even need packaging or return labels since you can write directly on the bag if desired.

Reason #3: Will You Need This Planet When I’m done With It?

What does “Going Green” mean to you? For most it means you and your company are committed to being responsible residents on this planet. And you should be proud of that commitment. So why not display your efforts to produce and promote environmentally responsible products and operations. It may not be readily apparent but poly bags can help.

A majority of plastic shipping envelopes and poly bags are made with LDPE or Low Density PolyEthylene. You’ll know this when you see a small recycling triangle with a number four “4″ in the middle. This means that with the proper processes these poly bags are 100% recyclable. And many producers provide poly bags that are made with post consumer recycled (PCR) content. This is plastic that is already on its second life but blended to maintain many of the same qualities and standards of virgin resin. Using this environmentally friendly packaging option, your company can promote its environmentally conscious initiatives on the bag, website, products, etc.