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<div type="image" title="In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs" msid="113878163" hostid="261" sizebytes="45300" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Missing some action, adrenaline rush, and thrill in your life? Are the good old, albeit mundane money investment avenues like mutual funds and fixed deposits not making the cut for you? Want to experience a heart-pounding, financial rollercoaster that will constantly keep you and your portfolio on tenterhooks? Well then, welcome to the world of initial public offers (IPOs), especially those brought to you by SMEs, or <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Small-and-Medium-Enterprises" source="Orion">small and medium enterprises</keyword>. Truth be told, <keyword id="19938687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sme" source="keywords">SME</keyword> IPOs have been all over the bourses this year. So far, 2024 has seen 206 SMEs debuting on both BSE and NSE, out of which 146 listed in gains and 46 listed in losses. Odds seem good, right? In contrast, the year has only seen 63 IPOs from the elder brother i.e. mainboard, only 48 of which managed to post any listing gains. And getting an allotment has also been a major uncertainty, given the unusually high demand this year. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">So, what's an <keyword id="5559702" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="SME-IPO" source="Orion">SME IPO</keyword>, you ask?</h2>Think of a mainboard company as Shah Rukh or Salman Khan—well-established, financially stable, strong legacy of profitability, and fairly well-known. On the other hand, SMEs are your Prateek Gandhi (Harshad Mehta, Scam 1992), Siddhant Chaturvedi (MC Sher, Gully Boy) or Avinash Tiwary (Majnu, Laila Majnu). While they are doing super well, they are yet to make it big like the Khans. They’re currently underdogs, lesser known, but who knows? They can be the next big thing in the future! And SME IPOs are getting a stellar reception. In 2023, 182 such IPOs had raised a substantial Rs 4,967 crore. In 2024, more than 200 companies have already raised over Rs 7,500 crore, and we have four months to go. This, with one quarter of the year still remaining. <div type="image" title="In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region" height="900" width="1200" msid="113875643" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> But what does it take for a company to be classified as a small enterprise? The company has to have an annual turnover/income of up to Rs 50 crore, and for a medium enterprise to be called so, its annual income has to be up to Rs 250 crore. When such companies go public, in a bid to raise funds from investors and expand their operations, they launch an <keyword id="19898327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipo" source="keywords">IPO</keyword>, but not on the main exchange, but separately, on NSE’s Emerge and BSE’s SME platform. As of September 2024, <keyword id="4484133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-Emerge" source="Orion">NSE Emerge</keyword> has 147 listed participants, while <keyword id="1885131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE-SME" source="Orion">BSE SME</keyword> has 155 market makers. Mounting an SME’s IPO is comparatively less stringent than their mainboard counterparts, as far as regulations are concerned since their DRHPs (draft red herring prospectus) are not filed with SEBI. So, wouldn’t a lenient treatment make them inherently riskier? Why are they so appealing, you ask? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/a-company-with-8-employees-looking-to-raise-12-crore-ended-up-getting-applications-worth-over-4700-crore/articleshow/112824522.cms">Delhi firm with just 8 employees seeks ₹12 crore via IPO, gets ₹4,700 crore worth of investor applications!</a> Well, for one, some of them have delivered exceptional returns—we’re talking 100%, 200%. Consider this—Owais Metal and Mineral Processing, which launched its IPO in February this year, delivered a whopping listing gain of 201%. Another SME, Maxposure, whose IPO was out in January 2024, had earned its investors listing gains worth 317.40%! Apparently, higher risks also mean higher returns, and also super high investment. Most SME IPOs need a minimum investment of Rs 1,00,000 or more, as opposed to mainboard IPOs, where you can buy one lot of shares for anywhere between Rs 14,000-15,000. Even the minimum trading lot size for SME shares is about 10,000. In short, you’d have to potentially empty your pockets to invest in an SME IPO. And still, there’s no guarantee that the listing will fill your wallets. For all you know, your pockets before and after the IPO is listed might stay the same - EMPTY! There's also the question of whether or not these SMEs are able to maintain their listing day mojo, or do they just fizzle out thereafter? Data from Prime Database highlights more instances of the latter. As of August 2024, about 166 SME IPOs had made it to the exchanges. Around 72 of them, or close to 50%, could not sustain their momentum going ahead, and were trading below their listing day prices. Consider this. The post listing gains of Medicamen Organics, whose IPO came out in June 2024, earned its investors massive listing gains of over 300%, by listing at Rs 137.85, significantly higher than its price issue price, which was set between Rs 32-34. But as of October 1, 2024, the stock was trading at Rs 64.2. Talk about falls. Additionally, risks of pump-and-dump, and illiquidity, among others makes SME IPOs dangerous See, you're largely venturing into unknown, pitch-dark territories, without much light to guide you. For starters, SME IPOs face less scrutiny from market watchdog SEBI. This also means they are able to list quickly, just 3-4 months. On the other hand, mainboard IPOs can take upto a year before they are cleared for listing. Also, there is far less information and disclosures available about their financials, fundamentals and performance to investors for making an informed decision, as compared to mainboard stocks. Then there’s the issue of illiquidity. Once purchased, you might find it hard to sell off your SME stocks, since they are not traded as frequently in the market, which means lower liquidity. Trivesh D, COO, Tradejini explains that liquidity is a major concern for such stocks. “These stocks typically have a smaller free float, and are traded in lots, which can lead to volatility and sharp price swings. This means it can be challenging for investors to buy or sell shares without significantly impacting prices. Additionally, speculative trading practices, like 'pump-and-dump' schemes, can inflate stock prices, leaving retail investors vulnerable to sudden drops”. Recently, SME IPOs have gained notoriety for price manipulation via showing fictitious sales and revenue in their books of accounts, selling of promoter holdings at inflated prices, and being the facade for many infamous pump and dump schemes. This is where select people create frenzy, or mass euphoria over a particular stock or company, causing its prices to soar, and then dumping them, or selling their shares at this massive price to make a killing! Infact, it's not just the promoters, but also the investment banks floating these IPOs. At present, SEBI is investigating around 6 investment banks which have allegedly charged SMEs a staggering 15% of funds raised via IPOs as fee, as opposed to the standard 1-3%. In March 2024, SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch had also highlighted witnessing signs of manipulation in the SME space. “We do see signs of manipulation in the SME segment. We are able to see certain patterns.” Buch had observed back then. Adds Kresha Gupta, Founder &amp; Director, StepTrade Share Services, “Investing in SME IPO comes with significant risks, despite their impressive returns in recent years. Limited participation from institutional investors and public in some SME IPOs also mean that those companies may lack the support and stability that comes with larger-scale investments” “Additionally, many SMEs may not have strong fundamentals to justify their valuations. High P/E ratios can be misleading, and while some IPOs have delivered impressive returns, they often come with significant volatility, continues D of Tradejini. <h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7em; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; list-style: none; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So, should I stay away?</h2>Yes, and No. Yes, if you don't want to do your homework of researching the company thoroughly beforehand. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money suggests asking a couple of questions before investing your hard earned money: <ul><li>What is the company's financial performance over the past 3-4 years?</li><li>What is the company's governance structure?</li><li>Is the financial success driven by the IPO, or is it a result of consistent performance?</li><li>Does the company have what it takes to scale its operations to the next level?</li><li>Are the company’s promoters trustworthy, capable and experienced?</li><li>What is the level of participation by large, institutional investors?</li></ul> But staying away completely? Not necessary. Gupta adds that retail investors, in particular, should avoid viewing SME IPOs as quick money-makers based on their short-term performance, as this can certainly lead to poor investment decisions. “To mitigate risks, investors should always focus on long-term fundamentals rather than just short-term price movements. Key indicators include the participation of institutional investors like DIIs and FIIs. This often signals confidence in the stock”, she continues. A red flag you should look out for is if a company is only offering OFS, or Offer for Sale. This can indicate early investors looking to exit, potentially signaling weaker future growth. That's why it is better to look for companies which are raising capital for expansion purposes. This is a sign of healthy business growth prospects and improving fundamentals. In conclusion, backing the underdog, or SMEs, is not a bad proposition, but not without its risks. Investing in SME IPOs is like riding a unicorn—but you don't know whether you're riding it to rags or riches! So, take your pick.

SIMPLY PUT: Why investing in SME IPOs should not be on top of your adventure to-do list!

The <keyword id="19987636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bihar-government" source="keywords">Bihar government</keyword> is making serious efforts to give a fillip to <keyword id="23049947" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-scale-and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">small-scale and medium enterprises</keyword> which would play a crucial role in the overall <keyword id="352701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-development" source="Orion">economic development</keyword> of the state, a top official of the Industries department said. Around Rs 2,900 crore have been disbursed to nearly 74,540 beneficiaries under two schemes, one of which was launched only last year, for promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( <keyword id="19910977" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="MSMEs" source="keywords">MSMEs</keyword>) in the state, the official said. <keyword id="19903647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bihar" source="keywords">Bihar</keyword> has a strong MSME base. To promote innovation ecosystem and unlock the enormous entrepreneurial potential of the state, the Mukhya Mantri Udyami Yojana (MMUY) and <keyword id="23049946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bihar-Laghu-Udyami-Yojana" source="keywords">Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana</keyword> (BLUY) were launched in 2018 and 2023 respectively focusing on promotion of MSMEs in the state. "A total of Rs 2,697 crore was disbursed to 34,441 beneficiaries from 2018 till now under MMUY. Similarly, till date Rs 200 crore of the first instalment has been disbursed to 40,099 beneficiaries under BLUY", Secretary, Department of Industries, Bandana Preyashi told PTI. On the one hand, Bihar is getting big ticket investments for major manufacturing units and on the other hand, the state government is also enabling an ecosystem where the MSMEs can thrive on the ground level for the benefit of the rural economy, Preyashi said. The Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana aims to provide job opportunities to at least one member of poor families whose monthly income is less than Rs 6,000 a month, she said. The state government is providing Rs 2 lakh to each beneficiary in three instalments to set up and run micro and small industrial and processing units, Preyashi said. The government's objective is promotion of MSMEs through awareness, training and handholding support, the Industries secretary said. The state government is encouraging entrepreneurs and investors through the provision of a safe and sound work environment and basic infrastructural facilities which include land, roads, electricity, and water availability, she said. The Industries secretary further said, "With new policies of the state government, Bihar is witnessing significant investment promotion activities, reinforcing its position as an emerging business and industrial hub in the country. During the Bihar Business Connect 2023, 278 companies signed MoUs, committing to investments totalling Rs 50,530 crore." the secretary said. The state government has implemented the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (BIPP), Bihar Logistics Policy 2023, Ethanol Production Incentive Policy 2021 and Textile and Leather Policy 2022 to promote industrial growth and investment in the state. "Under these policies, stage-1 clearance was given to 481 applications, with a proposed investment amount of Rs 4,512.85 crore. A total of 175 units were given clearance for financial incentives with an investment of Rs 2,195.10 crore, an all-time high, since the inception of the state investment promotion policies," she said. In 2023-24, 255 startups were recognized in the state and a total of Rs 11.92 crore has been disbursed as seed funding to these startups. From April 2023 to January 2024, Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) allotted plots/sheds to 427 units having a total investment size of Rs 6,145 crore covering 492 acres of land and also creating 35,224 employment in the state, said the secretary. "Infrastructure development in industrial areas was given top priority. Funds of Rs 409.33 crore were approved under Part I and Rs 212.68 crore for construction of unity mall under special assistance to states in 2023-24. In the current financial year of 2024-25,149 units have been granted stage I clearance for a proposed investment amount in Rs 3,950.48 crore in Bihar State Investment Promotion Board", she said. At present, Bihar's proposal to establish a multi-sector Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Nawanagar and Kumarbagh has been approved by the Government of India. "Authorities concerned are also working on the establishment of Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) in Bihar that will help Bihari Exporters to expand their businesses to international markets", said the secretary. Bihar Chief Minister <keyword id="19907431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nitish-kumar" source="keywords">Nitish Kumar</keyword> on August 3 this year laid the foundation stone for Rs 1,600 crore cement grinding unit of Ambuja Concrete North Private Limited, a subsidiary of Adani group's Ambuja Cements, in Warisaliganj block in Nawada district. This is considered the largest investment in the state by a cement industry player. "The project is expected to create 250 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs on the site. The project will meet the growing infrastructure needs of Bihar. Adani Group has decided to invest additional Rs 5,500 crore in Bihar in various sectors, including cement manufacturing (in Muzaffarpur), logistics (near Patna) and projects related to agro-industry in Araria, Kishanganj and Begusarai. A total of 40,000 employment will be generated by these investments", said the statement issued by the CMO after the conclusion of the event on August 4.

Bihar government disburses Rs 2,900 crore to 74,540 beneficiaries for promoting MSMEs: Official

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 19 (ANI): The <keyword id="6375844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministry-of-micro" source="Orion">Ministry of Micro</keyword>, <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">Small and Medium Enterprises</keyword> launched a new initiative called the 'Yashaswini' initiative under the '<keyword id="22467687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Empower-Her-Udan" source="Orion">Empower Her Udan</keyword>' campaign on Thursday, July 18, to encourage and support women entrepreneurs across the country. Under this campaign, the first phase is set to start on Friday, July 19, in Jaipur. According to the Director of <keyword id="6358354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSME" source="Orion">MSME</keyword>, <keyword id="657556" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ankita-Pandey" source="Orion">Ankita Pandey</keyword>, around 600 women entrepreneurs in the state will be participating in the event, which will start at the <keyword id="14599491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajasthan-International-Centre" source="Orion">Rajasthan International Centre</keyword> today. Pandey said that the initiative is being introduced to provide a formal education for women operating commercial enterprises, along with creating awareness among them of all the <keyword id="7776964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSME-schemes" source="Orion">MSME schemes</keyword> they can utilise. "The initiative is to introduce formal education for the women who operate commercial enterprises, along with creating awareness among them to utilise all the MSME schemes,' she said. Pandey further mentioned that women can register at different stalls at the centre based on the skills they require to develop to run an enterprise, including training, capacity building, how to make full use of their capital, how to get market access, how to develop their product, and also how to do digital marketing. She also mentioned that this will not be a one-day event and that workshops will be organised at local MSMEs for further development. "This is not a one-day event; it will be a continuous process and training workshops will also be organised at local MSME organisations for further development in this matter," she said. <keyword id="22467688" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Minister-for-MSME" source="Orion">Union Minister for MSME</keyword> Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister of State for MSME Sobha Karandlaje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhajan Lal Sharma and State Cabinet Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will be participating at the event today.

MSME launches Yashaswini Initiative to support women entrepreneurs; First phase to start on July 19 in Jaipur

<ul><li><keyword id="186684" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iit-guwahati" source="Orion">IIT Guwahati</keyword> sets up a technology incubation centre to encourage its students to transform their business ideas into businesses.</li><li>The centre will provide technical support, business mentoring, and a soft loan facility.</li><li>The centre also focuses on the empowerment of women in terms of entrepreneurship; it has partnered with NSRCEL-IIMB for Women Startup Program (WSP).</li></ul>To encourage its student entrepreneurs, the <keyword id="666878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Institute-of-Technology-Guwahati" source="Orion">Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati</keyword> (IITG) has created a technology incubation centre (TIC), which will provide a place for students to transform innovative ideas into viable business propositions on campus. The centre will also provide technical support, business mentoring, and a soft loan facility (subject to availability). It aims to promote advancement in science and technology, traditional knowledge and biodiversity resources; facilitate a platform for entrepreneurship and incubating research mindset for the development of society; and create an interface among researchers, technocrats, and industries. “IIT Guwahati through the TIC has embarked on encouraging the students, faculty, staff and other entrepreneurs to provide necessary technological guidance and convert their ideas into products and technology that will be useful to the society and make the country Atmanirbhar,” said Prof. T.G. Sitharam, director, IIT Guwahati. These incubated startups will work in different sectors such as robotics, information technology, water, oil sector, biotechnology, machine learning, internet of things, renewable energy, home automation and logistics, among other sectors. The Institute said that its incubation centre is recognised by the Ministry of <keyword id="6464993" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="micro" source="Orion">Micro</keyword>, <keyword id="6372449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small" source="Orion">Small</keyword>, <keyword id="4022726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">and Medium Enterprises</keyword> (MSME), Government of India. The grant assistance from The <keyword id="694074" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="technology-development-board" source="Orion">Technology Development Board</keyword>, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, has also been approved to support startups, it added. It connects to a pool of experts in terms of faculties, funding agencies such as <keyword id="56072" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="oil-india-limited" source="Orion">Oil India Limited</keyword> (OIL) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), among others, and other financial institutions like Indian Bank and YES bank. The centre also focuses on the empowerment of women in terms of entrepreneurship; it has partnered with NSRCEL-IIMB for Women Startup Program (WSP). It has also partnered with Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) in building the ecosystem for startups to interact with the Indian Defence establishment. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/fintech-company-moneyplanned-raises-over-2-5-crore-from-inflection-point-ventures-others/articleshow/94298456.cms">Fintech company MoneyPlanned raises over ₹2.5 crore from Inflection Point Ventures, others</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/is-covid-19-finally-over-in-india-this-is-what-who-and-experts-have-to-say/articleshow/94298319.cms">Is Covid-19 finally over in India? This is what WHO and experts have to say</a>

IIT Guwahati starts incubation centre to help its students turn entrepreneurs

E-commerce giant <keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> on Wednesday announced it now aims exports worth $20 billion from <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> by 2025, thus doubling its goal. In 2020, Amazon pledged to enable $10 billion in cumulative exports from India by 2025. The company said that cumulative exports by the Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) via its 'Global Selling' programme are currently on track to surpass the $5 billion milestone. The programme took about three years to enable the first billion dollars, and the last two billion dollars have come in just 17 months, Amazon said during the '<keyword id="13813097" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="exports-digest" source="Orion">Exports Digest</keyword> 2022' event. "Enhancing the export potential of Indian MSMEs is a key government priority and efforts are being made to support Indian MSMEs for their success in international markets," said <keyword id="1658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narayan-rane" source="Orion">Narayan Rane</keyword>, Union Minister of <keyword id="916743" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="micro-small-and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">Micro Small and Medium Enterprises</keyword>. The global programme has witnessed good adoption among businesses of all sizes across the country and has grown to more than 1 lakh (100K) exporters since its launch in 2015, showcasing their products to customers worldwide through Amazon's 18 international websites. "We are scaling up our pledge to boost exports from India using e-commerce to $20 billion by 2025. We will continue to work with all key stakeholders to make exports easier for the Indian MSMEs," said Amit Agarwal, <keyword id="5868006" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="svp-india" source="Orion">SVP India</keyword> and Emerging Markets, Amazon. More than 1,000 Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling crossed Rs 1 crore in sales last year. In 2021, several Indian entrepreneurs and businesses emerged as globally successful brands, underlining the popularity of 'Made in India' products in international markets, the company said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/twitter-circle-is-a-feature-that-allows-you-to-share-tweets-with-selected-people/articleshow/91305472.cms">Twitter Circle is a feature that allows you to share tweets with selected people</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/australian-central-bank-hikes-interest-rate-for-for-first-time-in-over-decade/articleshow/91305045.cms">Australian central bank hikes interest rate for for first time in over decade</a>

Amazon promises $20 billion in exports from India by 2025

<ul><li>In January 2021, there were 624 million internet users and 448 million social media users in India and the number is growing with every passing day. </li><li>More than 32.3% of the entire population in the country uses social media. </li><li>To not engage in <keyword id="618493" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="digital-marketing" source="Orion">digital marketing</keyword> today is to lose out on potential customers and revenues. </li><li> <keyword id="236532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="arjun-nair" source="Orion">Arjun Nair</keyword>, Co-founder, <keyword id="6559242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="great-learning" source="Orion">Great Learning</keyword> shares a few marketing tips for SMEs. </li></ul>Affordable internet and smartphones thanks to the ‘Jio’ revolution, followed by the pandemic-induced lockdown have led to unprecedented digital adoption in India. The biggest winners have been the social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn which have become our virtual spaces for meeting friends, sharing opinions and developing our worldview. Social media has not only enabled people to stay in touch but has also opened new avenues for marketers to target their potential customers. Considering the amount of time we all spend on social media, tools like Google Adwords, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads and Twitter Ads understand our basic info, usage pattern, likes and dislikes extremely well and offer enormous capabilities to marketers to find and deliver the right messages to their target audiences. While large corporations have been leveraging these tools for years, it is time that SMEs up their game and learn how to market online. What makes digital marketing potent is its ability to target the right customers in cost-effective ways using deep analytics; something that SMEs with smaller markets can immensely benefit from. Digital Marketing provides them with an opportunity to launch personalized campaigns and tweak them at every stage based on the performance and insights, thus, making the effort meaningful and result-oriented. Here are a few digital marketing tips that can help SMEs make the most of their digital presence and accelerate business growth. Chalk out a digital marketing plan A well-defined digital marketing plan works towards fulfilling an organization’s marketing goals, provides a certain degree of protection and ensures efficient use of resources. In order to come up with compelling campaigns, it is imperative to build robust, data-rich digital marketing strategies based on specific marketing data points in reference to the target customer behavior. Personalization and automation can further fuel a campaign to make it impactful and effective to deliver the right messages to the right audience. Make the most of social media platforms <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">Small and Medium Enterprises</keyword> have suffered a huge blow since the inception of the pandemic last year. In order to boost recovery with limited resources, many businesses have opted to go for social media marketing. Social media platforms not only help brands to advertise and promote their products but have also proven to be one of the best ways to build a good rapport with the target audience and create an organic community. It is essential to have a fair sense of one’s growth patterns, trends, and insights to post relevant content on social media. One has to keep a track of all ongoing social media activities as well and participate in trends in line with business ethos. Interactive and engaging content goes a long way in catching the user's eye on social media platforms. Implement SEO The foremost step to leverage digital marketing as a tool for any business is in-depth knowledge and integration of SEO or Search Engine Optimization. It deals with encompassing the keywords that will drive the business’ website higher in the search results of leading search engines like Google, Bing and more. SEO enhances the online visibility of your business and accumulates quality traffic for your business. Content is the king Content plays a key role in all forms of marketing, and digital marketing is no different. Hence, businesses must mark their presence on multiple digital platforms through creative and engaging content to interact with their existing customers and to get new customers interested in them. Sincere and continuous efforts must be put into creating content that showcases the values of the business in a creative, convincing and fun way keeping the TG in mind. Irrespective of the format, it is essential that the content businesses put out carries a clear message to their audience. Creativity and design should not overpower the primary goal of the post. Seek regular customer feedback and testimonials Customer feedback is as valuable as the customer itself. It not only helps in improving market position but also builds business ratings. Constructive feedback helps businesses in keeping a tab on their product flaws and work towards providing better quality services. Also, potential clients often look for credibility when it comes to engaging with a small business's offerings. This is where testimonials play a big role as they offer new customers a sense of security and proof of your expertise. In January 2021, there were 624 million internet users and 448 million social media users in India and the number is growing with every passing day. More than 32.3% of the entire population in the country uses social media. To not engage in digital marketing today is to lose out on potential customers and revenues. Using the right digital marketing techniques, tools and strategies, there is great potential for SMEs to grow their businesses to the next orbit. So go out and give it a try!

Great Learning's Co-founder shares top digital marketing tips for small and medium enterprises

Automotive start-up EVTRIC Motors has unveiled its e-delivery scooter in the low-speed category at the EV Expo 2021 that will offer a range of 110 kms on a single charge. Showcased at the event held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi over the weekend, the scooter can clock a speed of 25 kms per hour. It features 12-inch tubeless tyres and a loading capacity of 150 kg. The three-day event is supported by the <keyword id="11755327" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministries-of-road-transport">Ministries of Road Transport</keyword> and Highways, and <keyword id="11821460" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="micro-small">Micro, Small</keyword>, and Medium Enterprises (<keyword id="6358354" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSME">MSME</keyword>), along with <keyword id="357266" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICAT">ICAT</keyword> (International Centre for Automotive Technology). The scooter can cover a distance of over 110 km on a single charge with two swappable lithium-ion battery options, thus avoiding a need for frequent charging, considering the requirement in the segment. Homegrown automation company <keyword id="11548787" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="papl">PAPL</keyword> recently launched EVTRIC Motors to fuel the ongoing electric vehicle revolution in India. "It is a popular opinion that EVs are not at par with the combustion engine products. This myth has been holding back the industry. Apart from this, there is a dearth of localisation factor in most of the products flooding the market," said Manoj Patil, MD and Founder, EVTRIC Motors. "EVTRIC Motors has entered the market with these challenges already addressed. Now customers will enjoy locally manufactured, quality electric two wheelers and experience the difference," he added. The brand also showcased its recently launched products -- EVTRIC AXIS and EVTRIC RIDE -- at the three-day event. In the first phase, the brand will deliver e-scooters across seven cities - Delhi, Gurgaon, <keyword id="2094" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pune">Pune</keyword>, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Tirupati and Hyderabad. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-is-now-using-chrome-as-another-security-layer-for-account-sign-ins/articleshow/84975356.cms">Google is now using Chrome as an added security layer for account sign-ins</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-allotment-status-of-glenmark-life-sciences-ipo/articleshow/84978486.cms">Glenmark Life Sciences IPO: How to check allotment status, listing date and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/freshtohome-and-bluestone-backer-iron-pillar-is-planning-to-bring-assets-worth-1-billion-under-management/articleshow/85161486.cms">FreshtoHome and BlueStone-backer Iron Pillar is planning to bring assets worth $1 billion under management</a>

Homegrown startup EVTRIC’s electric scooter can go up to 110 kilometres on a single charge, company claims

Mumbai, Feb 26 () All new floating rate loans given to medium enterprises will be linked with external benchmarks from April 1, according to the Reserve Bank of India.With respect to micro and small enterprises, floating rate loans are already linked with external benchmarks.In a circular issued on Wednesday, RBI said it has now been decided that all new floating rate loans to the medium enterprises extended by banks from April 1, 2020, "shall be linked to the external benchmarks".The move is aimed at further strengthening monetary policy transmission so that benefits of reduction in key lending rate (repo) can be passed on to medium enterprises also, the apex bank said.Floating rate personal and retail loans have already been linked to external benchmarks. RBI repo rate, treasury bill yields, and other market interest rate published by FBIL (Financial Benchmark India Private Ltd) are among the benchmarks.According to the RBI, subsequent to the introduction of an external benchmark system, the monetary policy transmission has improved in respect of the sectors where new floating rate loans have been linked to external benchmarks.Since February 2019, the RBI has reduced the repo rate or short term lending rate by 135 basis points. NKD CS ANUANU

Link floating rate loans for medium enterprises with external benchmarks: RBI to banks

The Covid-19 induced economic contraction will significantly hurt micro, small and medium enterprises across sectors, ratings agency Crisil said on Thursday. It said that India Inc is expected to head towards a 15 per cent decline in revenue and a 25 per cent fall in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda). For MSMEs, the rating agency said the fall in revenue will be steeper at 17-21 per cent, while Ebitda margin will shrink 200-300 basis points to 4-5 per cent as weak demand gnaws away gains from lower commodity prices. "A sharp decline at the operating level will also impact creditworthiness, aggravating the liquidity stretch these units have been grappling with, particularly on the working capital front," the ratings agency said. "In the process, average interest service coverage ratio could slide to 1-1.5 times from 2.4 times seen between fiscals 2017 and 2020, even after factoring in the benefit of moratorium on interest payments announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)." "Sans moratorium, the ratio would have gone below 1." Besides, it pointed out that challenges would be the hardest for micro enterprises, which account for 32 per cent of the overall MSME debt, and are facing material stress in terms of revenue growth, Ebitda margins and working capital stretch. "Previous downturns have shown that micro and small enterprises are unable to manage transient working capital challenges as easily as their large and medium peers. To that extent, the measures announced by the Ministry of Finance and the RBI, nudging banks and other institutions to lend more, will help them tide over tapered cash flows," the rating agency said. The bigger issue, however, is demand, it said, which needs to revive for growth to improve sustainably. "As for sectors, Crisil sees consumer discretionary, construction, and export-linked ones bearing the brunt. Small real-estate contractors into EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) projects, and ceramics and textiles makers have been significantly impacted so their credit profiles are the most vulnerable." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/what-is-garib-kalyan-rojgar-abhiyan-the-50000-crore-which-aims-to-provide-jobs-to-migrant-workers-in-india/articleshow/76443834.cms">What is Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan — the ₹50,000 crore which aims to provide jobs to migrant workers in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/from-pubg-t-shirts-to-bihar-love-for-heels-here-are-the-quirky-trends-that-define-the-way-indians-shop/slidelist/76439898.cms">From PUBG t-shirts to Bihar’s love for heels – Here are the quirky trends that define the way Indians shop</a>

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Great Learning's Co-founder shares top digital marketing tips for small and medium enterprises

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Homegrown startup EVTRIC’s electric scooter can go up to 110 kilometres on a single charge, company claims

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Link floating rate loans for medium enterprises with external benchmarks: RBI to banks

PTI

MSMEs to be hurt significantly by economic contraction due to coronavirus: Crisil

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