Sneak Peek
Take the first steps to starting your own business with this practical course
Course Code: SGB1
Course Duration: 20 hours (minimum, self paced study, commonly 2 to 8 weeks, less or longer as you need)
The Small Business - Start Up short course is the ideal first step to start your own business. Designed by experienced business owners it provides a practical guide to getting up and running.
Using this course, you will discover:
- A framework for planning and starting a business.
- How to eliminate risks.
- Which functions a business needs to become successful.
If you have ever been curious about:
- How to turn your idea into a functional business.
- Why some businesses succeed where others fail.
- What is involved in running your own business.
Then this course provides answers to these questions and many more!
This self-guided course lets you work at your own pace, without deadlines or cut off periods. It also includes optional activities that are designed to enhance the learning experience and can be easily adapted to your specific area of interest.
All the work you do will be towards the end goal of assisting you in successfully starting your own business.
If you are interested in starting a small business, improving your knowledge and skills as an existing small business owner, or are simply interested in what is involved in small business start-up, then this is the course for you.
What You will Learn
Lesson 1 - Introduction: A Reality Check
- Businesses don’t need to fail
- Getting a product that is saleable
- Establishing management systems
- Finding potential customers
- Selling to potential customers
- Delivering the product
- Know your strengths
- Types of Businesses
Lesson 2 - The Product or Service
- Passion is not enough
- Consider your options
- Scale of Business
- What you might sell
- Supply and demand
- Understanding change
- Developing ideas for businesses
- Primary industries
- Manufacturing
- Professional services
- Future growth areas
- Time saver services and products
Lesson 3 - Systems for Managing a Business
- Cost of systems
- Compliance and procedures
- Business systems
- Total quality management (TQM)
- Innovation management
- Information technology
- Staff management
- Employee induction
- Performance management
- Financial management
- The simplest approach
- Planning in business
- Creating a strategic plan
- Risk
- Strategy formation and implementation
Lesson 4 - How to Find Potential Customers
- How can you become visible?
- Technology
- Media
- Trends
- How to attract attention
- Target marketing - strategies, market segmentation, etc.
- Competition
- Market research
- The marketing mix
Lesson 5 - How to Make a Sale
- What makes a good salesperson
- Who is the customer
- Making a decision
- Rational decisions
- Heuristic procedures
- Decision making processes
- Selling online
Lesson 6 - Delivering a Product or Service
- Presentation and packaging
- Ways of delivering products and services
- Virtual consulting
- Virtual education
- Mail order retailing
- Selling downloads
- Customer satisfaction
Lesson 7 - Pitfalls to Avoid / Rules to Follow
- Managing money
- Keeping cash flowing
- Persistence
- Doing market research
- Keeping up with change
- Sales focus
- Being different
- Niche products and services
- Business coaching
Final Exam
How does this course work?
Fully online, 20-hour self-paced course!
Enrol any time and start straight away.
Automated self-assessment tests.
Optional, practical suggested tasks throughout.
Certificate of Completion (you must pass the final assessment to be awarded the certificate).
Still Undecided... Let Us Help
We are experienced at helping people with course decisions and make career changes.
We have careers counsellors that can advise you for free.
We have written books on working in different industries.
We know how to provide the learning needed to get you started along a different career path.
Email us at admin@acs.edu.au | Call us (07) 5562 1088