Sources of Financing
Business financing has become a challenge for those aspiring to expand an existing business or start up a business. Among the most viable external funding sources available for the Nicos Canine Hotelbusinessinclude loan capital in the form of bank overdraft or bank loan, engaging external investors and convincing business angels to be part of the establishment.
Bank loan/Overdraft
Under a bank loan option, the business will be in a position to receive funding that is fixed over a period of time. The loan(s) will attract different interest rates, depending on the type and amount that the business will borrow. Reflectively, bank loans are repaid over a longer period of time and repayment schedules are fixed.
Besides the bank loan, the business has the option of acquiring financing through bank overdraft. Basically, bank overdraft is a short term loan. Bank overdrafts are a very flexible source of business financing since they can be used to handle temporary cash flow fluctuations in the business. Besides, bank overdrafts may offer the business a lifeline when it experiences temporary cash flow challenges.
Share Capital from Outside Investors
Another source of financing available for the business is the use of funds from outside investors such as contributions from family, friends, and interested investors who will be given shares in the company according to their contribution. The fund contributors will be allocated shares in line with the total capital that the company requires for the expansion of the business (Scarborough, 2012).
Cash Flow Projections
Cash flow projections are critical in estimating the net present value of the business against future projections. This is indicated in the table below.
Total revenue (P * Q) = total cost [Variable (C *Q) + fixed cost]
Price per unit of service (P) = 110$
Units produced (Q) = to be estimated
Total fixed cost = $34,000 (as shown in the table below)
Financial Projections
Before deducting expenses
Nicos Canine Hotel. Balance sheet statement. As at 31 December 2014
Nicos Canine Hotel. Income statement. As at 31 December 2014
After deducting expenses
Nicos Canine Hotel. Balance sheet statement. As at 31 December 2014
Nicos Canine Hotel. Income statement. As at 31 December 2014
Nicos Canine Hotel. Statement of changes in equity. As at 31 December 2014
Return on investment = Gains – Investment costs
Investment costs
Return on investment for the business
Gains $16, 000
Investment cost $12, 000
Gains – Investment costs $4, 000
Therefore, return on investment is 4,000/12,000 = 37.5%
Guerrilla Marketing Strategy
Marketing communication strategies are important in aligning a company towards the target market in order to achieve optimal sales. The main determinants of a successful Guerrilla marketing communication plan lie in the proper brand alignment and research on segmentation.
In the overcrowded dog boarding services industry, product positioning through a self explanatory logo is directly linked to the success in the short and long term especially for a new product. In order to achieve the desired goals, positioning ensures clear difference of the new product from the existing products.
Perceptions are unique ways through which clients internalize and interpret information about a product. The perception could be in relation to price, quality, and quantity.
Therefore, Nicos Canine business should introduce the aspect of appealing to the ideals of the target population by introducing a logo of a lovely picture of a German shepherd dog as the business image. Through the exaggerations in this logo, the target clients would be persuaded to try out the ideal dog boarding services.
Despite the crowded market, the product will be marketed as the first of its kind through the free budges that will be given to clients who visit this business. In order to achieve this aim, demographic differentiation will be based on income supported by strategic packaging and a series of relevant marketing campaigns as the best approach towards commanding a price premium.
As a result, the fair pricing mechanism among other factors will skew competitive advantage positively. This will be incorporated in the budges through the use of a $20 symbol to represent the cost of each dog boarding service (Scarborough, 2012).
The advertising and promotion plan will require the business to spend more than what its competitors will spend to enable it to gain a competitive advantage. Advertising and promotion tools are key elements of the marketing mix. Therefore, the business requires making sure that it has the best advertising and promotion strategies for its products.
This would enable it to compete with its competitors, as well as to gain a competitive advantage. The dog boarding business chooses to use sales promotion.
This choice was made since it helps the business to increase its sales volume within a short period. In this case, the business will apply sales promotion strategy such as the push up sales. This will facilitate in attracting and retaining new customers by issuing them with free dog boarding services for repeat clients.
Advertisements are very manipulative and use tactics that directly and involuntarily appeal to the mind of the target person. Despite ignorance of the same and disbelief of their effects, advertisements remain complex and significant in the choice of products owned by an individual.
Usually, advertisements appeal to memory or emotional response. As a result, it creates an intrinsic motivation response that triggers the mind to activate affiliation, self acceptance, and feign community feeling. In the end, advertisements succeed in appealing to emotions through capitalization on biases and prejudices of people.
Therefore, in response to an advertisement will emaciate from the bandwagon technique which heaps pressure on the mind to follow the perceive crowd through caricature posters placed in strategic places around the establishment (Shapiro, 2005).
The intentions of the company’s messages will be achieved through the constant and repeated airing of the advertisement in the free social media such as the Facebook page and a twitter handle. Through repetition, the Nicos Canine Hotel will be in a position to maintain familiarity in the conscious mind for its dog boarding services.
Therefore, in response to the advertisement will emaciate from the bandwagon technique which heaps pressure on the mind to follow the perceive message.
Communication activities, therefore, are taken to represent the official position of the business on its dog boarding services by the consumers. Communicative activities in this business will lead to doubled sales in the next decade since the products are branded and presented in persuasive ways that easily skew the minds of potential buyers.
Adopting a ‘First-Mover Strategy’, Nicos Canine Hotel will position its products as the first of its kind in the market through the moulded recycled waste paper in the shape of a dog. Through a defined delivery channel and strong media marketing, the company will revolve on quality maintenance to support the leading marketer status as the most cost effective dog boarding service provider (Cheverton, 2004).
In the process, focus will be directed to the most competitive price and what the customers are able and willing to pay. In order to cut a unique niche, the right audience (especially the male and female dog owners) will be captivated by the service options available, since their income cannot accommodate the expensive services provided by Nicos Canine competitors through the free dog badges given to every customer who visit the establishment.
Business Location
The dog boarding business will be located besides the Career Centre in the 1390 Keasey Boulevard within the city of Oregon since the target market surrounds this location.
Debt Financing Securing Plan
Full knowledge of the business costs will be instrumental in deciding the most cost benefits funding sources available for the business. This implies that financial planning at the company will ensure an easy cash flow forecast and managing internal funds flow.
Considering the nature of the business and industry, the most appropriate source of funding would be bank overdraft and share capital from external investors funding. Bank overdrafts will give the business leverage against temporary cash flow problems and under or overestimations. Besides, bank overdraft is a flexible source of funding for the company (Shapiro, 2005).
The payback period is the duration required by the business to fully recover the costs of its startup. A business manager may use discounted payback period so as to take care of time value of money. The decisive criterion is to accept a business with a shorter payback period.
This approach is useful because it tells the duration which a business ties capital. The payback period is obtained through a division of the initial investment cost by the annual cash flows. The calculations below indicate the debt financing plan.
Initial investment outlay $25, 000
Annual cash flow $15, 000
Therefore, the payback period is 25,000/15,000 = 1.6 years at a flat interest rate.
Conclusion
Through financial planning, the business may be in a position to correctly forecast the profits and manage assets and costs associated with running the business. In addition, financial planning facilitates pricing and managing of business assets since its variables operate with efficiency and optimal operation.
The business must review the required funds against the share contributions in order to estimate and draw risk and loss sharing balance. Besides, the business must review its network of interested investors against their contribution.
References
Cheverton, P. (2004). Key Marketing skills: strategies, tools, and techniques for marketing success. London: Kogan Page
Scarborough, M. N. (2012). Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach. NY, New York: Pearson Education.
Shapiro, A. (2005). Capital Budgeting and Investment Analysis. ND, New Delhi: Pearson Education India.