Ask questions. Get answers.

Alan, I would be also looking where my target market goes already within the local area. For example is it the local fruit and veg shop (if you sell healthy foods) or if they are time poor is it the local chicken shop? Once you have identified those people I would be doing some 'sneaky' market research - by this I mean, you have probably done your research, still you want to talk to these people about what you have to offer so you standing with a clipboard, while time intensive gives you the opportunity to talk to market outside of the places they are already frequenting. Reward their participation with a voucher or something similar.

As its food, can you set up a live demo somewhere... unboxing it and cooking it to demonstrate how easy it is? Where do your local rotary have their Saturday morning sausage sizzles normally? - they are great at defining high traffic areas for you.

One of the first questions I would ask is, are you profitable? Meaning, are you currently making more money than you are spending? If not, it isn't time to draw a wage. Keep in mind if you need to scale (add employees) they are the first to get paid and you are the last to get paid (as a founder / owner).

If your business is making a profit, do you have more than enough to keep the company profitable for 1 to 2 months and still have extra money left over? If not, keep not drawing a wage. If this sounds like a board game, you aren't far from the truth.

Lastly, if your business has met and exceeded both of those conditions it may be time to start drawing a wage. However, I would recommend starting small and gradually scaling it up to avoid having to ramp your wage back down.

If there is still too much "haze" around this topic, I'd recommend talking to an accountant or tax advisor.

My view is the culture of any business makes it.

If you have the right culture with a market need then you will have a great company.

A culture that supports the goals and values of the company you will have a great business that has cients that are raving fans and will sell the business for you.

IT professionals can claim a range of tax deductions for work-related expenses. Below is a summary of the most common:
 

• Work-related expenses
• Self-education expenses
• Car expenses
• Clothing bought to be used specifically for your job, e.g. a uniform 
• Work-related phone and internet expenses
• Tools and equipment used for work
• Professional association and union fees 

More background required please, Tiffany. What is your current strategy for attracting new business? Which tactics have been successful and which less so?

This is an interesting question and my first thought was 'Local SEO- affordable and effective'!
But then I thought, OK, ket's take another INDEPNDENT look at this, so I asked the new AI Chatbot GPT what it 'thought'. Here's the question and answer:

Sydne Business Web: What is the best way for a tradesman e.g. an electrician to find local work in Australia?

ChatGPT: There are several ways for a tradesman like an electrician to find work in Australia:

1. Networking: Leverage your existing network of friends, family, and colleagues to get referrals or recommendations for new job opportunities.

2. Online job boards: Websites like Seek, Indeed, and Gumtree offer a wide range of job listings for tradesmen, including electricians.

3. Trade associations: Joining trade associations such as the Master Electricians Australia can help you get connected with potential clients and job opportunities.

4. Social media: Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook can be used to connect with potential clients and showcase your skills and portfolio.

5. Local classifieds: Check local newspapers or online classifieds for job listings.

6. Direct outreach: Reach out to local businesses and offer your services as an electrician. You can also approach building contractors and offer your services for their projects.

It's important to have a professional portfolio and a well-designed website to showcase your skills and experience. Additionally, obtaining certifications and staying up-to-date with the latest industry regulations and standards can make you a more competitive candidate for job opportunities.

What do you think of each suggestion?

As both Greg and Jef mentioned, you need a plan in place before you talk to soeone from these companies.  They are "hard sell" sales people and will pressure you into a deal you're not happy with. "If you sign up today, I'll give you an extra 5% of the commission" type thing.

The only way to make this work for you is to offer a service that requires minimal manpower to provide.  Offering a massage for $30 is not going to help - your staff will get angry as will your other clients when they can't get a spot because you are full. Now, an infra sauna on the other hand requires minimal manpower to prep/clean and would still give a reasonable profit margin (assuming you already had the asset).

Offer something that requires them to buy something or return.  Using the massage example again, You voucher could be for $50 massage with a voucher redeemable for a second massage at $50.  This way your margin is higher and you are enticing them for a second visit, where YOU get all the revenue, not the group buying site.

Be aware, depending on which company is used, the % revenue they take can be from 30% to 70%, giving you the raw end of the deal.  

My last piece of advice is set a limit to the number of vouchers sold and stick to it.  Do not let them talk you out of it.  There is noting worse than waking up and finding you have sold 3,000 vouchers, in a service based business, knowing you can not fulfil them before the expiry date.  Asking for the deal to be stopped early will fall on deaf ears.

I've seen many businesses close after trying to provide these deals, but I have seen a few run very smart campaigns.  As long as you know what your usual cost per acquisition is and stick to that, you should be fine.  

There are a few time-tested principles that can persuade people to click on your ads.
 
First, you must know your audience so that your ad feels like it is speaking to them. They should be able to see themselves in your ad. This is by addressing their pain points or aligning it with their lifestyle, issues, hopes and dreams.
 
If possible, you should use the scarcity trick by making your offer, service or product scarce or rare, rather than one in dozen. Things such as limited-edition products or yearly offers are just some examples.
 
The third is employing the urgency trick where you compel customers or prospects to act quickly as time is running out. Think hooks where your offer is only available today, have an expiration day or will increase in price after a certain time.
 
Social proofing is also a great way to convince people to click on your ads. You can use testimonials, ambassadors, influencers, communities to demonstrate this. Psychologically, people like to imitate their role models and peers or be part of their social surroundings and activities.
 
Above all, your ad also must be simple to understand within seconds without overwhelming or confusing the reader or viewer. It should be consistent across all platforms and highlight the important points. A bonus point is if your ad is memorable, whether in a conventional way such as evoking an emotion or unconventional ways that become a talking point, like the “CU in NT” ad by Northern Territory tourism.
 
Whatever you do, always test your ads with a screen audience or A/B testing. It makes it easy to improve your ads on the fly and build on the next campaign.