 Image credit: CoWomen on Pexels Redesigning your office is an excellent idea for many reasons. By improving your office, you can boost staff morale and improve the efficiency of your operations. You can also seek to make eco-friendly adjustments and create a more professional look. When it comes to redesigning your office, these five applications can support your planning.
1. RoomSketcher The RoomSketcher application is an easy to use floor plan and design app. Using RoomSketcher, you can make 3D floor plans and design the ideal layout for your office space. You can virtually decorate with the app so you can get your ideas together before you implement them for real. A basic RoomSketcher plan is free, while extra features can be accessed on the paid version. 2. Planner 5D With the Planner 5D app, you can design the floor plan of your office, including any type of interior layout. You can use either imperial or metric measurements, and design realistic images to support your plans. There are plenty of options with the Planner 5D app, including:
3. Magic Plan Magic Plan is a fantastic tool for redesigning your office space. The application allows you to create beautiful diagrams in a number of minutes. It’s simple to use, just aim your device, snap your photos and get the floor plan and dimensions you need. Magic Plan comes with over 1,000 objects to incorporate as part of your design, including stairwells and furniture. Further features of Magic Plan include:
Want to improve the color schemes and decor in your office? Looking for ideas to get inspired? Pinterest is an excellent place for interior design photography, and there are plenty of office design examples here too. Whether it’s type of furniture, artwork, use of space, or color, Pinterest has got plenty to get inspired. When you’re lacking creativity and ideas, Pinterest is the place to be! 5. SmartDraw SmartDraw allows you to create floor plans, no matter which type of business you are. There are many pre-designed templates to choose from to speed things up. Features of SmartDraw include:
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 Image credit: stokpic on Pixabay Business relocations can occur for a wide range of reasons. Perhaps you're upsizing to a bigger store. Maybe you're downsizing in response to COVID-19 and an increased reliance on remote working. Or it might be that you're starting a whole new life in a new city or country. Whatever the reasons, it's imperative that the transition runs. Otherwise, the business dream could turn into a nightmare. You've probably never completed this assignment before, which is why it's easy to forget key features. Here are five that you must not ignore, #1. You Don't Have To Replace All Items When making a fresh beginning, there is a temptation to start over. However, it would be a little counterproductive to spend money needlessly. After all, the whole purpose of the relocation is to boost your bottom line. Even when dealing with huge items, expert machine movers can transfer equipment to new locations. The moving costs are a fraction of replacing the items. Moreover, any employees following your business to the new setting will be familiar with the products too. It also removes fears of delayed deliveries, allowing you to maintain productivity throughout.  Image credit: geralt on Pixabay #2. You Can Still Leverage Success From The Old Location In addition to carrying over physical items from the old venue, you can look to leverage online success from the previous chapter. Rather than designing a brand new website, editing existing pages is quicker, cheaper, and more effective. Service pages, blog posts, and site features are already indexed for SEO. So, adding the new geographic keywords should give you far quicker results. The fact you can make good use of your testimonials and reviews is a bonus. #3. You Have To Create Positive Surroundings After moving into the new business premises, you will have to accept that it can take time to achieve the perfect surroundings. However, creating a positive vibe is an immediate priority. From improving the design of your office to creating a reception area that sets the right tone, you will see a big impact. It can influence productivity and employee-client interactions. If you want the next chapter of your business journey to start on the right foot, you must not ignore this. Furthermore, you should stamp out any source of wasted capital.  Image credit: 089photoshootings #4. You Only Have To Replace A Percentage Of The Workforce
Employees will continue to provide the backbone of your business in this new era. Once again, you don't have to forget everything that went before. Depending on the distances involved, it may be convenient for staff members to follow you to the new setting. Even if this isn't possible, many jobs from admin to customer care can be completed remotely. Managing a remote team takes some getting used to, but can transform the future of the company. #5. You Have To Be Organized Good organizational skills are essential at all stages of the business journey. Still, the need to maintain control is even greater at this time. Aside from updating your website and arranging movers, you'll want to find printers for new business cards and letterheads. Likewise, all utilities, including issues like internet and data management should be done in advance. Otherwise, increased stress levels could lead to very serious consequences. You've got this, but only if you put the right preparations in place. Now is the time to do it.  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels If you have a small business, making sure you can sell your product is key if you’re going to continue growing your business and trying to get a piece of the market share. Below, you’ll find some pointers that can help your business to start selling more - and fast.
1. Become More Active On Social Media Start by getting more active on social media if you don’t currently have a social media plan. Choose a platform where you’ll find your target audience and work on building a page. This page should have your information, the same branding as your site, and be updated regularly. Remember, it’s not just about selling here, it’s about being social! Get involved in discussions, provide advice, and try to give value to people. It may take time to get some followers, but you can also pay for ads to see if you can build a following faster that way. Depending on your audience, this can be a lucrative and mostly free way to market your business. 2. Know Exactly Who You’re Targeting You can't really focus on getting more sales if you don’t know who you’re trying to sell to. You can’t just hope that anybody interested in your product will buy it. You should have an idea of the age of your audience, as well as their hobbies, family status, job, income, and other relevant things. Make sure you sit down and come up with some consumer profiles so you know who you’re talking to and get an idea of what they will respond to. 3. Use SoftwareThere are various pieces of software that could help you to sell more. Salesforce is a helpful piece of kit, but many business owners get put off, as they don’t want to take their foot off the pedal and focus on something else when they want to grow their business. This is why teams like Magicforce exist. They can help you to implement this software so you can make more sales without taking your focus away from what you’re good at. 4. Try A Rebrand Perhaps your brand isn't really working for you in the way it should be. If you didn’t consider your audience beforehand, then it could be that you haven’t branded your business in quite the right way. A rebrand can be time consuming and expensive, so you should make sure this is definitely the right decision before going ahead. It’s not something you should take lightly, but if it’s the right decision, it can make a huge difference. 5. Write Better Copy Is your copy working as hard for you as it should be? Descriptive, enticing copy is a must if you’re going to sell products. If you can’t write it, find somebody who can. 6. Take Better Pictures Your pictures need to be accurate but high quality and show your product in the best possible light. Again, you may need to find someone for this. 7. Set A Solid, Realistic Sales Goal If you don’t have a solid, realistic sales goal, then what are you even aiming for? Come up with one that motivates you!  Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels If you’re a business owner organising an office relocation, you’ll more than likely want a smooth-running experience without any difficulties. Whether this means downsizing or upsizing your office, it’s vital to prepare and communicate with others to avoid any unwanted stress and disruption to the process. It may initially seem like a challenging task, but by taking proactive steps, you’ll be able to have a successful office move all while saving money. Here are six money-saving tips that every business owner should consider when moving offices.
Plan Ahead of Time Planning an office move shouldn’t be a last minute decision. To make sure you’re getting the best deal, you should ideally plan your move six months ahead of time. This will also give you time to set a realistic budget and to outline out all of the necessary expenses involved with the move. Find a Reliable Moving Company Once you’ve planned out all the logistics, it’s time to find a reliable moving company who can make your office relocation happen, such as with Two Men And A Truck. To get the best value for money, make sure to research what each company can offer in terms of your needs, always stay within your set budget, and don’t be afraid to negotiate pricing with service providers. Avoid Moving in Summer Most companies tend to relocate offices in the spring and summer. However, demand increases during these seasons, meaning prices for moving services will also rise. Likewise, real estate also begins to rise in price during the warmer months. To save on costs, consider relocating your office during autumn, winter, or early spring. Communicate To prevent any fees and confusion with others, ensure to review your commercial property lease. Leaving early could cost you your deposit, and you could be liable for any damage to the property if it were to occur during your move. Once you have a confirmed moving date, you’ll need to give official notice to any internal and external parties about your upcoming office move, and create a list of people that you will need to send your new office address to, such as banks, insurance companies, and your internet service provider. Organise Furniture/Equipment Start decluttering items that your office doesn't use as soon as possible. You can do this by making an inventory list to determine what you need and what can be disposed of or donated to a registered charity - you may even be eligible to get a tax-write off. Think old phones, printers, office supplies, or even office furniture that’s in need of a new home. Making this checklist and disposing of unwanted items in the property can also help you to avoid any fines. If you’re concerned about your valuable assets, you may want to consider insuring these items to financially protect yourself from any unforeseen accidents during the big move. Reduce Packaging Costs To save on your packaging costs, get the whole team to chip in with DIY packaging or consider purchasing used packing supplies and boxes. While this can be perceived as a team-building exercise, it’s only fair to reward your employees for their efforts afterwards!  Image credit: Alex Knight on Unsplash When people think of Artificial Intelligence (AI), they tend to think of movies where AI goes wrong and threatens the universe. Thankfully, the reality is far more boring.
AI is a range of systems that can perform tasks that generally rely on human intelligence to complete. This can include things like analysis and problem-solving. Marketing Marketers are beginning to use AI for a range of marketing tasks. From automating PPC campaigns to curating content and running chatbots and online chatroom software to engage customers. Amazon is one of the leaders in utilizing AI and use it for a number of things, including product recommendations. Cybersecurity Some companies are using AI to continuously analyse their IT network and identify traffic that deviates from normal activity. When abnormal or suspicious activity if identified, it can then work to protect the network. Cybersecurity is a priority for organizations of all sizes and a successful attack can be devastating both in terms of reputation and financially. Automated Recruitment HR and recruitment can be a very labour intensive process. With unemployment rising in the wake of COVID-19, there are hundreds, even thousands of applicants for every job. AI automation can be used to find and analyse candidate applications. Market Conditions Predicting changing market conditions is extremely difficult. The sheer amount of information that needs to be processed is impossible for a human to do. Instead, large investment firms and hedge funds use AI to analyze and predict the market. Health Care Machine learning is being adopted in the healthcare sector. With it, doctors can detect if a patient with an existing condition is deteriorating and intervene before they need hospital care. The pace of machine learning in healthcare is also leading to the earlier detection of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The sooner a condition is diagnosed, the more successful the treatment methods can be. This saves lives and saves money. Software Vulnerability Testing Software needs to be airtight when it comes to security. Any vulnerability can make it susceptible to attack. Companies are using AI models to detect vulnerabilities and predict attacks. Behavioural Analytics Using AI to identify negative behaviours is a controversial use of the technology, but nevertheless, some companies are finding it invaluable. It is used to identify bad behaviour within the workforce, it can even predict if someone is unhappy in their job and is thinking of leaving. Automated Accounting Today’s financial transactions take place online. The Fintech sector is incorporating AI into its products in order to automate things such as expense reporting, bookkeeping and data entry. Conclusion Businesses have barely scratched the surface when it comes to implementing AI. The sheer number of potential uses for it is difficult to imagine. As technology improves and the cost reduces, more and more industries are going to start using AI in many areas of their business.  Image credit: Aymanejed on Pixabay As a business owner, it’s crucial to retain existing clients, but it’s also beneficial to look for ways to attract new customers. If you’re looking to secure new commercial contracts or reach out to new sectors, here are some effective strategies to try. Targeted marketing
Conducting business with other companies is very different to offering products and services to consumers, and your marketing strategy should reflect this. Outline your key objectives and tailor your campaigns to reach the target market. Think about the kinds of clients you want to attract, the way you want to sell your brand and the types of products and services you’re offering. Conduct market research and utilise feedback. Up-sell your USP and highlight the value your business offers to others. Use examples and case studies to support claims about specific products and make your marketing more impactful. For ponds and water features, for example, don’t just speak about the benefits of butyl tape. Provide prospective clients with images of finished articles, testimonials from previous clients and facts and figures that back up quality, durability and performance-related claims. For technological gadgets, send out prototypes and share video clips of the invention in action. Creating the right first impression First impressions count in business, and it’s estimated that you have around 7 seconds to set the right tone. When meeting clients or discussing potential deals, partnerships or orders, use your own experiences to ensure you get off on the right foot. Be punctual and professional, make the most of the time you have to sell your brand without being overly aggressive or persistent and encourage follow-up conversations. Build on reviews and feedback Reviews can be extremely valuable for businesses looking to improve customer service, attract new clients and build an excellent reputation. Use reviews you receive from commercial clients to make improvements and don’t be afraid to shout it from the rooftops if you have got brilliant feedback, which could help to persuade other businesses to choose you. Take both negative and positive feedback on board, address any concerns promptly and use reviews as a means of promoting the products and services you offer and separating your business from rivals that may be on the shortlist of clients you’re hoping to work with in the future. Encourage referrals Most of us feel more confident when buying from a company that has been recommended by others. This applies to customers visiting shops or using a website to buy products, as well as B2B clients. Referrals can be incredibly influential. If you have happy clients, encourage them to share their experiences and recommend you to other businesses they may already work with or contacts that might be interested in the products or services you offer. Competition for new clients is fierce. As a business owner looking to secure new deals and impress new clients, it’s crucial to implement targeted ways to market and promote your brand, to utilise reviews and feedback to encourage referrals and to ensure you create the right first impression.  Image credit: Rudy and Peter Skitterians on Pixabay If you’re looking for new suppliers for your business but you don’t know where to begin then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re looking for suppliers for your products or for essentials for your office, you need to ensure you’re finding businesses you can trust if you want to run your business efficiently. From helping you to produce high-quality products to ensuring you’re keeping your employees safe, the more you’re doing to find trustworthy suppliers the better. With that in mind, here are just some of the reasons you should consider finding reliable suppliers for your business:
You Can Have Confidence In Your Products One of the best reasons to find reliable suppliers is that it will give you confidence in the products that you’re selling. Having high-quality products is what will set your apart from your competitors so if you’re choosing reliable suppliers that you can trust, you know that you’re going to be offering your customers the best possible products. For tips and tricks when it comes to finding suppliers you can trust, you can visit this site here. You Can Ensure You’re Keeping Everyone Safe If you know you’re working with suppliers that you can trust, you can be sure you’re keeping everyone within your business safe at the same time. Whether this means they’re using safe practices within their work or they’re creating products that are safe, your employees and customers safety should be your top priority. If you’re unsure whether or not they have safe practices, you can speak to your suppliers and ask to visit their premises. They will be able to reassure you that you’re working with a business you can trust, as well as give you an insight into what they do as a business and how they operate. For more tips and tricks when it comes to keeping your employees safe, you can visit this site here. You Can Build Strong Relationships Building strong relationships as a business owner is incredibly important, especially when it comes to your suppliers. By choosing suppliers you can trust, you can be sure you’re building strong relationships with people that are going to help your business grow. Whether that’s someone who offers HVOF or someone who supplies hi-vis jackets, building relationships is essential. You Can Save Money Where Possible Finally, by working with reliable suppliers for your business, you can open up your business to saving money. Whether that means you’re saving money as a result of strong relationships or you’re saving money by making bulk orders, there is a lot of value in having strong relationships with reliable suppliers. With lots of great reasons to find reliable suppliers for your business, you can be sure you’re doing the absolute best for your growth. What other benefits could it bring? Did we miss anything important off of the list? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.  Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels For your business to thrive, your office space must be a hub of creativity and hard work. The problem is, it’s impossible to achieve greatness without the right environment! If you want productivity levels to soar, think about how you might improve the functionality and design of your office. In many cases, improving your office is rather a case of health and safety.
1. Consider lighting According to a study in PR Newswire, ‘workers in daylit office environments reported an 84 percent drop in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision.’ The study concluded that improving natural light in an office environment resulted in improved productivity and wellness levels. To improve your office environment, it’s advisable to optimize natural light as much as possible. Perhaps your office doesn’t get much sunlight during the day? In this case, daylight bulbs or full-spectrum daylight bulbs are a worthwhile investment. Daylight bulbs are designed to mimic natural night, while full-spectrum bulbs are often used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. 2. Create more space The coronavirus pandemic means that social distancing is now a necessity. To improve your office design in a post-COVID world, you need to create more space. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but here are a few viable options! Declutter to make room: Start by decluttering your office, get rid of any items you don’t need. Whether you sell things or donate them, you’d be surprised how much space you have after a clear out. When you are disposing of your items, ensure that you recycle as much as possible. With a little more floor space, you’ll be able to create more distance between your staff workstations. Invest in a storage solution: Another option is to invest in a storage solution. There are plenty of storage containers you can hire at affordable prices. By using a storage solution, you’ll free up space on site, and you won’t need to get rid of anything. 3. Ergonomic seating Modern office designs simply must involve ergonomic seating; it’s essential to keep your staff safe and healthy as they work. Ergonomic chairs support the spine and prevent injuries. While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to purchase ergonomic keyboards. These keyboards help the user to place their hands in a natural position; this means less straining and less chance of typing related ailments. 4. Quality renovations Working conditions have a direct impact on the productivity of your staff. Staff are far more likely to produce creative work in an attractive and comfortable environment. With this in mind, consider whether your office space is in need of a renovation? When you are choosing your contractors, it’s essential to choose a quality service. Many businesses prefer companies who prioritize sustainable building methods and materials. For a quality ceiling renovation, rockfon.co.uk have plenty of great options. 5. Consider color schemes The colors that we are surrounded by influence our mood, emotions and energy levels. Due to this, it’s important to choose the right colors when designing an office space. For a few ideas to get you started, consider these options: Blue: Blue is generally seen as an ‘intellectual’ color. It is often associated with communication, logic and trust. All of these associations make blue the perfect color for an office environment. Yellow: Yellow represents positivity, creativity and energy. We need all of these things to create a productive office, (so get painting those walls yellow)! 6. Apps to support your design Need a little help to get your design ideas flowing? Several apps can help you there! Room Sketcher: RoomSketcher is a floor planning and design app, perfect for helping you plan out your office. Using this application, you can make 3D floor plans and virtually decorate your office. RoomSketcher is ideal if you want to try out a few design ideas before making any purchases. Planner 5D: Planner 5D is another top floor plan tool, here you can create any type of interior layout you wish. Whether you want to create a 2D or 3D plan, planner 5D has the tools you need. It’s simple to create realistic images and play around with texture and lighting. Hopefully, a few of these ideas will be easy to implement at your office. You might find that it takes a little time to redesign your office to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions. If your staff are still working from home, now is the perfect time to get those renovations sorted before they return!  Image credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pexels Staff productivity levels should be a priority for all business owners. Sadly, the vast majority of companies continue to suffer from insufficient results in this key area of daily operations. Whether those lulls in production have been caused as a direct result of Covid-19 or existed long before the pandemic doesn't matter. Either way, it's vital that you stamp out those problems ASAP. The first step to overcoming those problems is to identify the root causes. Here are some of the most common issues to consider, along with the easiest ways to battle them. The road to restored productivity starts here. Inadequate Recruitment & Training It's impossible to achieve the desired levels of productivity if you have failed to assemble a strong team. Therefore, successful recruitment drives should be the top item on your agenda. If you want employees to perform well, it's important to recognise the human elements too. In truth, analysing the right personality traits is perhaps even more crucial than before as teams include remote workers. When employees don't have the attitude and drive to back up their skills, unlocking their full potential is impossible. Worse still, their lacklustre performances can spread to others. Building a quality team that's built to perform is one thing. However, you must also ensure that staff members continue to grow and develop. Investing in the best staff training modules to learn new techniques or familiarise themselves with new software is key. Inferior Tech Facilities They say that a bad worker blames their tools. However, even the best employees will struggle to produce the goods if they aren't supported by the right equipment. From machinery to POS terminals, or office computers to vehicles, only the best will do. It's not only about possessing the right assets and infrastructure, though. It's equally important to ensure that all facilities are maintained to optimal health and reliability. Visit https://www.concise.co.uk to learn about how managed IT can transform your approach. It's great news for the firm and its staff. Aside from cutting out various tech-related disruptions, it aids the team's ability to stay on task. There's nothing worse than spending time trying to troubleshoot and correct issues. When those issues are handled in an automated manner, your team can focus solely on the tasks at hand.  Image credit: Joshua Woroniecki on Pexels Poor Teamwork & Collaboration Teamwork makes the dream work. When individual success isn't met with collective triumphs, it will show. As an employer, it's your job to ensure that all team members are on the same page. Team building sessions and group activities are a great way to promote camaraderie. Meanwhile, it's important to build a working environment that is conducive of good collaboration from all times. Whether it's in-house team meetings or video conferencing, short and sweet discussions are for the best. Moreover, tech features like team messaging Apps can serve you very well. Perhaps most importantly, you must stamp out any potential issues, such as workplace bullying. Meanwhile, using the right tech to support collaboration is key. Cloud computing is one key feature. But the ability to track client interactions and let colleagues pick up the conversation is equally crucial. Unsatisfactory Leadership As well as good working relations with colleagues, workers deserve a positive employer-employee bond. So, developing your leadership skills through improved body language and communication is a must. If you cannot express messages well, you can't expect teams to perform. The reality of the situation is that you are unlikely to handle many of the interactions personally. Supporting yourself with great team leaders that can maintain productivity in tough situations will make life a whole lot easier. Be sure to give them the authority needed to complete their work too. When supported by regular reporting and analysis, productivity should remain at the highest level. And when it does drop below the desired levels, you'll be in a position to spot and rectify the situation at the earliest stage. In truth, that preparation is as significant as taking the right precautions.  Image credit: Free-Photos on Pexels Inadequate Safety As already mentioned, human responsibilities are a crucial ingredient in the recipe for success. If employees are worried about any aspect of their health and safety, it'll affect their work ethic. So, for the sake of productivity and profitability, as well as human care, you must get this right. Conducting a full and thorough risk assessment of workspaces is vital. Check out https://www.thsp.co.uk to learn more. Meanwhile, security systems and emergency protocols should be in place too. Even when they aren't needed, their presence can make a significant difference. In today's climate, safety and security aren't limited to the physical world. All data and cybersecurity features must satisfy the latest demands. After all, almost half of all recorded attacks target SMEs. You cannot afford to let your employees fall victim. No Incentives Motivation is a very powerful tool in business. Frankly, you'd be very naive to think that employees will work to their full capacity without an incentive. Engaging work and achieving greatness for the company do have a positive impact. However, personal incentives will always be top of the agenda. The most obvious incentives are financially inspired. Creating a clear path to promotion will spur ambitious workers to want and achieve more. Additional steps may include bonuses or sales commissions. Likewise, perks relating to travel or lifestyle elements can have a big impact on the mood. If you can inspire staff members to actively want to work harder, they will. Better still, hard work is contagious and will inspire colleagues to follow in their footsteps. The benefits for the entire team and, therefore, your bottom line cannot be ignored.  Image credit: Geralt on Pixabay The Final Word
A hardworking team won't guarantee business success, but it'll certainly give you a better shot at success. So, taking the necessary steps to cut out the sources of poor productivity levels is something that all employers should want to do. Whether you're working from home or commercial spaces, paying attention to this part of the kob should pave the way to productivity. What more could any entrepreneur ask for?  Image credit: Kaboompics.com on Pexels Creating a new business can be such a rewarding experience, but a large amount of time, money and energy can go to waste if you fail to introduce your brand in the most effective manner. You can’t simply expect the customers to pour in as soon as you open your doors for trading if you haven’t done anything to spread the message about your products or services. Luckily it needn’t be a difficult task to hit the ground running when you open your new business, as there are a few brilliant ideas and concepts that will work perfectly to attract an audience. So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best top tips and tricks that you can make the most of today! Take Your Message To Social Media
Social media is one of the very best places for a new brand to market their products and services, as you can build a huge following in preparation for the big opening day to ensure there are queues around the block. Social media users often spend around 2-3 hours each and every day scrolling through the various popular sites, so you’d be a fool not to cash in on such an expansive advertising opportunity. Whether you choose to use organic growth methods through making connections and networking, or opt to delve into the world of algorithms and cookies to utilise specific social media marketing techniques, there’s no time like the present to get online and spread the word about your new brand. You can even create a daily countdown post to signal how long is left before your business opens, as this can build up a huge amount of suspense amongst your followers and friends! Meet Potential Customers Face To Face Taking your brand to the streets to actually market your ethos in purpose might just be the perfect way to generate a buzz, as there are many effective ideas that you can make the most of which involve meeting potential customers face to face. Arranging an event that can attract a great crowd such as a dance performance, food festival or even a fancy dress competition could be the ideal solution, as you can get your brand name out there in a fun and eye catching way. People are bound to take photographs at your event when they are enjoying themselves, so be sure to feature your logo all around to get a little more publicity even after the event has finished. If you’re unsure about what might work, contact an event agency to go through your options - their team of creatives is bound to come up with some amazing ideas to fit your needs. Introducing your new business to the world has never been so simple when you are able to make the most of the top tips and tricks detailed above. Experiment with social media marketing and plan a fun event to meet your potential customers face to face before opening your store!  Image credit: Burst on Pexels Right now, increasing numbers of people are deciding to set up their own small businesses. This is understandable. The coronavirus pandemic has seen hundreds of thousands lose their day to day jobs and the job market isn’t exactly bustling with new options for us to apply to. Many of us are looking for ways to make money in order to pay our bills and keep our lives on track. Nowadays, setting up a small business is easier than ever. All you have to have is something to sell and a website to sell it from. So, people are getting innovative. From selling face masks, hand sanitiser and other products that are in high demand right now to make some money until things get back to normal, to starting a small business with intentions for things to be longer term, setting up a company of your own could be the best thing you can do right now. Of course, if you’re going to set up a company, you’re going to have to really focus on security now. People are more desperate than ever, or simply recognise that new companies are cropping up and they’re more vulnerable, and this has led to an increase in crime, theft and more recently. So, here are a few ways to protect your new startup!
Physical Security First things first, let’s focus on physical security. Chances are you’re operating your business from home right now. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely free from risk of theft or attack. If you have stock in your home, you’re going to have to protect it. There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself from theft of stock. First, you may want to invest in security solutions from Securafit. There are multiple options you might want to consider. First, you should consider having some sort of CCTV system installed. Not only will this deter criminals from attempting to steal any of your stock with the threat of evidence of what they’re doing, but it will capture evidence of any crime that anyone does attempt to commit. Nowadays, you can get high quality systems at a really reasonable price. It’s definitely more than worth the investment. Plus, it protects your home from other domestic issues, such as burglary too! Next, you mighty want to invest in intruder alarms. This way, if someone does enter your property, an alarm will be triggered, alerting you to the issue and encouraging criminals to scarper before they’re caught. Digital Security Digital security is at the forefront of most business’ minds right now. Cyber criminals are aware that more and more businesses are operating from home and that new start ups are emerging on a remote basis. They are also aware that this means many businesses are vulnerable, as people are often working on insecure networks and may be prone to falling for phishing and other scams. Make sure to work with a competent IT solutions team to keep all of your data, documents and files secure! Keeping your remote business secure really is important, whether you’re planning on operating for the short term or the long term. Hopefully, some of this information will help you to achieve this and protect your profits!  Image credit: Fauxels on Pexels Good, or mediocre or great, all of these terms can be so hard to quantify when it comes to measuring a business’ success. Of course, we may consider that a business making wild profits to be great, but what if those profits come at the behest of an unhappy and unmotivated workforce? The video game industry is a good example to use here, as the largest entertainment industry in the world, vastly bigger than Hollywood itself. Video game companies known for huge, acclaimed video games, such as Rockstar and their Red Dead Redemption western series, make upwards of billions of dollars from monetizing their games and drawing large crowds again and again.
However - they are also met with continual complaints about working conditions and crunch culture. Their reputation is regularly damaged by testers going public about the difficulties they endured and the lack of respect they were given. This isn’t just a set of allegations against one company, but much of the industry. Is it right to grade these hugely profitable businesses ‘great’ if this is the cost? It’s worth thinking about. With our following metrics, we believe even a small business can become ‘great’. Here’s what that might look like: Excellent Branding Excellent branding is a worthwhile use of your time. It helps you stand out among your competition, presents your business clearly and effectively to members of your audience, and also helps you celebrate your presence. Video production services are becoming more and more popular when it comes to great branding, as being able to promote your products using excellent short films or instruct your consumers through the same measure can be a phenomenal tool. Not a bad place to start, we’d say: Workplace Satisfaction Workplace satisfaction means something. It’s not something you curate for an award. It’s not something you develop to hire more desirable staff (although this can be a natural consequence). Instead, workplace satisfaction is a tool you can use to more easily celebrate your culture, enhance productivity, enjoy running your firm, and live through the ethical guidelines you promote. It’s really not hard to see how following this kind of approach will help you become more and more interesting to conscious consumers, as well as helping your workplace culture thrive. Golden Customer Support Customer support is more than simply something you have to ensure in order to make your customer engagement relatively simple and smooth. It can help you learn more about your clients, their needs, and also will help you generate goodwill. If you find it important enough to care for your clients in the best manner, word will spread. You can win awards for your excellent treatment. And, moreover, customers will be more interested in coming back and interfacing with your systems. That in itself is an extra utility you can use to benefit your brand, and you’ll achieve this by being helpful. Not a bad improvement to make, we’d say. With this advice, we hope you can more easily understand that which makes a good business great.  Image credit: athree23 on Pixbaby The value of effective marketing has always played an integral role in modern business. However, the combo of social distancing limits and the fact that consumers have less money put you under even more pressure. Still, it is possible to keep achieving great things.
Understanding the challenges and building a strategy that keeps them in mind is vital. Here are five key steps to success. 1) Gain Online Visibility In An Offline World Making people aware of your company is the first step to success. The trend towards researching companies with local online searches starting long before Covid-19. Nonetheless, the pandemic has seen even more people use the digital channels like Google maps. Therefore, it's vital that local SEO and your Google My Business resources are used. When your company ranks at the top of the local listings, consumers will assume that your business is trustworthy and capable. 2) Remember That Content Is King Awareness is one thing, but engagement is another. If consumers are going to check out your business ahead of visiting the store or making an online purchase, you must set the right tone. Improving your digital content will strengthen the bond, boost your brand image, and edge clients towards a sale. The fact that this is more cost-effective than many other tactics is a bonus. You can leverage more success by using affiliate marketers and social influencers to reach new audiences. 3) Make Store Exteriors Stand Out The days of people casually walking in and out 50 stores on the high street or shopping mall are gone. If you want to attract passing traffic, you'll need the shop front to do the hard work for you. Using 3d production services for window displays is a particularly wise move. When coupled with better shop signage, your store will stand out from the crowd. Quite frankly, getting people through the door is the toughest challenge of all right now. Make the entrance more appealing, and traffic will soar. 4) Know Your Audience Some of your marketing endeavors will always fall on deaf ears. Sadly, if you persist with the current methods of appealing to the masses, big problems can follow. Identifying your niche can direct everything from target marketing PPCs to the choice of wording on ad materials. Essentially, you need to know that your brand will be shown to the right people, in the right places, and in the right way. When all of the boxes are ticked, the effectiveness will be far greater while it'll be easier to see what works. 5) Focus On Upselling Whatever you do in business right now, the chances are that your active customer base will fall. Therefore, it's essential that you maximize the potential earnings from each client. Investing in staff training modules that encourage sales teams to upsell bundles or extra products can work wonders. If trying to secure bigger transaction values, it may be worth adding the option of repayment plans. This does require credit checks, but the possibilities to grow your client base are incredible.  Image credit: LYCS Architecture on Unsplash As machinery deteriorates, or new employees join the business who have little knowledge about the safety needs of your business. Coupled with other elements that are out of your control, such as damage to the company from bad weather or criminal activity, keeping the workplace safe is an ongoing battle.
According to RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) 69,208, injuries occurred in the workplace. With the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) declaring that, from 2019 to 2020, 111 workers were killed at work. Do not think because an accident hasn't happened to you that it can't happen. – Safety saying, early 1900's With these sobering facts about the potential risks of workplaces causing injuries and deaths to transpire, it's ever so important to mindful of how we operate our businesses, and below features ideas of how you can do it. Workplace Assessment Depending on the size of your business, and the number of employees you have, shall determine whether an assessment conducted by you shall suffice. Or whether your business would benefit from a professional workplace assessment, from an external company, to identify what areas of the business need improving. Mandatory Staff Training Staff training is a necessary element for creating a safer workspace. To ensure staff use best practices, prevent accidents occurring and know what to do if an urgent situation unravels. Training should be relevant to your company. For instance, in businesses operating heavy machinery, PUWER regs must be followed, and part of the training program should revolve around how to use this machinery safely. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) PPE is essential in the workplace where staff are exposed to harmful or dangerous gases, chemicals, materials, bacteria, animals or heavy lifting. Examples of PPE include steel toe capped boots to prevent workers from hurting their feet if they drop something heavy on them. Steel capped boots are appropriate in businesses such as delivery companies transporting bulky goods and construction sites. By identifying what PPE is necessary at your workplace, you can provide staff with equipment to keep them safe and protected. Open Discussion It's essential to be open to workers suggestions about health and safety hazards around the business. Because employees have insight into processes within the company which you might not have experienced. Opinions and ideas from staff can also support you with instilling actionable strategies, to ensure your business takes steps to become a safer environment for all. Safety in the workplace across the world has been and always will be an ongoing issue, and no business premises are 100% safe. Several internal and external influences could compromise the safety of a company at a moments notice. Which is one of the reasons why safety in the workplace should be something that's worked on continuously. Only then can your business limit the risks of potential dangers harming the workforce. By continuously looking for ways to protect workers rights and develop a safer working environment for all, you can prevent the likelihood of;
 Image credit: markusspiske on Pixabay Working from home is quickly becoming the new normal, and that makes it more important than ever to create a working space that’ll help you do your best work. Whether you’re working from home for your employer or even running your own business, a good work space can make all the difference when it comes to finding success. Here’s how to create the best possible space and ensure it serves you well for years to come. Read on to find out more. Find the Right Desk and Consider a Standing Desk First of all, you’re going to need a great desk. This is what you’ll be doing your best work on so it needs to be up to the standards you set for yourself. The right desk will depend on your personal needs and preferences. But if you want a desk that’s going to aid your health while you work, you should definitely consider a standing desk. They’re becoming more and more popular. Set Up a Two Monitor System If you want to be efficient and productive in your office, you should consider setting up a two monitor system. Doing so allows you to use screens for different purposes and reduces the need to be switching in and out of windows and tabs all the time. If you think that’s something you might benefit from, be sure to set your computer up this way. Have High Speed Internet Installed
The last thing you want in your home office when you’re trying to conduct business is for your internet connection to let you down. That’s why you should push the boat out and have a high speed internet setup installed. Even if you have to pay a little extra for that high speed internet connection, it’ll be worth it because we all rely on the internet when working each day. Deck it Out with the Right Office Furniture It’s obviously very important that your office has all the necessary furniture. First and foremost, you’ll need a very comfortable chair; you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting there so invest in a great one. Places like Civic Australia supply all the furniture you need, so find what you’re looking for and make your setup as comfortable as it can be. Add Some Plants Finally, you should think about adding some plants to your home office. That will bring some life and vitality to your office. And simply having some greenery around you can make a big difference to your environment. It’ll also act as a nice form of decoration in your home office which is never a bad thing. A good home office will provide you with the foundations you need to find success in your career or with your business. If you follow the guidelines set out above, you’ll be able to provide yourself with a home working space that works for you and delivers everything you need it to.  Image credit: StartupStockPhotos on Pixabay You have to take steps as a business to help you improve things moving forward, and this means thinking about the important elements of the business. There are a lot of things you can do that will make a big difference here, whether it’s enhancing productivity or marketing better, and it is essential that you make the most of this right now. As a modern company, there are a lot of factors you need to account for when running a business. It is important to ensure that your company is perfectly equipped to handle changes and that you can make the right decisions to stay successful. So, this means you are going to need to think about the right ways of being able to do this right now. Make sure you focus on doing what you can to make the most of this, and try to make sure these are the steps you take.
Keeping up with the Times It is really important that your business does as much as possible to keep up with the times, and there are some amazing ways you can go about achieving this. Try to think about what your competitors are doing well, and look at whether you can improve this moving forward. You have to make sure you factor this in right now, as well as doing what you can to keep up with the times. You are going to need to work on making your business as modern and relevant as possible. Listening to Your Staff You also need to make sure you do your best to pay attention to your staff and make sure you listen to the feedback they give you. Employee engagement is absolutely essential for helping your business grow, and this is something you need to make sure you get right as much as you can. Try to do as much as possible to listen to what your staff have to say, and use their feedback to make the business better. Staying On-Brand If you are serious about achieving success as a business, then it is important to ensure you stay on-brand. You are going to need to do as much as possible to focus on the best ways of doing this, and it is important to ensure your business is always looking to stay focused. You develop a brand over a long time, and it ties into your business reputation, so this is something you are going to need to get right as much as possible. Being Ethical An ethical business is a successful business in 2020 because people are constantly looking for things your company is doing well. Your reputation is everything, and this is something you are going to need to focus on as much as possible. Try to think about what it takes to get this right, and there are so many steps you can take to be a more ethical business and build a brighter future. There is a lot involved in being a successful business owner, and you are going to need to think about the best ways of achieving this moving forward. There are a lot of elements that are going to play a part in helping you to make the most of this, and it is so important to do as much as you can for the future. Do what it takes to put your company in the driving seat, and work on this as much as possible.  Image credit: The Coach Space on Pexels Launching a product is a milestone event in the life of your firm. Even if you’re a relatively mature firm with a product library, each new addition to that family counts. For this reason, knowing how to launch with style, and get noticed, is important. It can serve as a refreshing point for your brand, while also giving you the chance to grow further and with confidence.
But simply hoping to do this well is one thing, and achieving those results is another. For the most part, there are many variables that contribute to your success here. Cultural trends, price fluctuations, competitor activity, all of this can influence your end result, and it’s almost impossible to predict this with complete accuracy. However, launching with style, and launching effectively need not be opposed. There’s every chance of hitting this out of the park, if only you took the time to understand what you have to offer and how you could best promote it. So, how can we get started? With the following, worthwhile advice: Video Promotion Excellent video production can help you design a snappy advertisement, or a promotion for your social media fields, or an unveiling that works for you. Visual mediums like this can help you express your product in its full glory, with all the bells and whistles. Furthermore, this can help generate hype, as the use of flashy imagery and music can bring a larger-than-life quality to just about anything. When you take the time to collaborate with a studio offering this kind of utility, you’ve taken the strongest, most exciting first step. Influencer Additions Influencers are all the rage and show almost no signs of slowing down in modern times, which means that they serve as a great brand opportunity. For instance, energy drink companies are partnering with high-profile video game streamers to give a sense of energy and enthusiasm to their brands. Social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and others have their own form of advertisements through which you can promote, and you may even simply take out ads with these platforms to raise your profile inteh first place. Launching a product through this avenue could help you generate more hype and buzz than you had ever imagined possible. Real Celebrations Celebrate your product! If you can’t stand behind it, no one can. It’s important to really show what people can appreciate about your product, how it can work, and why people should get excited alongside you. This can be seen in your promotional material and copywriting, your branding, or just when and where you decide to release. For instance, throwing an event can be a means in which to bring people together and show them why they should support you, or it can generate hype that may ultimately end up being covered elsewhere. Real celebrations work, because everyone loves to celebrate. With this advice, launching a product with style will be a great use of your time.  Image credit: StockSnap on Pixabay As a modern business, you need to understand what brings you success, as well as how important it is to run the company more effectively. In 2020 and beyond, there are so many ideas for things you can do to help your business get better. And this means you are going to need to think about the things you have to change to help make your business better.
The key to think about when it comes to improving the way you run your business is to make connectivity a priority. There are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind if you want to achieve this, and making the right business decisions moving forward is crucial. Here are some of the best things you can do that are going to allow you to boost connectivity and make the best business decisions. Embrace Social Media Social media is the best tool your business has these days when it comes to marketing and connecting as a business, and this is something you need to make sure you get right. Try to make sure you utilise social media as much as you can, and use this opportunity to try to expand your business overseas where possible too. Social media allows anyone, anywhere to connect and communicate with your business, and this is something you need to make sure you get right. Make sure you think about what it takes to get this right, and there are so many advantages to achieving this as much as possible. Go Mobile As a business, you need to look at some of the best ways in which you can go mobile and try to make the best decisions as a business. There are so many great things you can do to make the business more mobile-oriented and achieve better connectivity as a brand. One of the key things you need to make sure you get right here is to use a QR code maker for faster and quicker connectivity to the business and your website. Be Reachable As a modern business, it is important to make sure you do as much as possible to improve how reachable your business is. This is something that all companies need to get right, and it is vital that you enhance your customer service skills, and allow plenty of ways for customers to communicate and connect with your brand. The more you can do to achieve this, the better your connectivity will be, and there are so many things that play a massive part in the process, and you need to do as much as you can to make the most of this right now. The more you can do to make the right business changes and achieve greater connectivity, the better it will be for the company. You need to think about the best ways of running a business effectively, and the different ways in which you are able to take your business to the next level. This is something that can make a huge difference to the process moving forward, and you could well get the best result out of your company as a result of this.  Image credit: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash Wouldn’t it be great if you knew exactly what questions a hiring manager would be asking you in your next job interview? We can’t read minds, unfortunately, but The Muse has the next best thing: a list of more than 40 of the most commonly asked interview questions, along with advice for answering them all.
 Image credit: StartUpStockPhotos on Pixabay It’s no secret that many freelancers run their businesses from home. After all: it’s cheap to do, convenient, and makes perfect sense. You’re likely reading this today because your business has grown and needs to operate out of an office. Congratulations! If you’ve found a suitable office to lease, you might be wondering how to get it all set up. Here’s what you need to do for a smooth and successful move from your home to your first office premises: Get your utilities activated before moving
It makes sense to have your electricity, gas, and water supplies activated and operational before you move into your new office space. And if your business relies on the Internet, having a live Internet connection activated is also a good idea. The last thing you want to happen is losing out on potential new customers and sales because of lengthy downtime. When you get everything set up before moving, you can get to work once you’ve organised your office. WeFlip can help you set up your utilities and find you the best deals. Setting up your utility suppliers is much easier these days, even for commercial consumers. Make sure someone’s got your back Today’s digitally switched-on world means that your customers will expect you to respond to their queries as soon as you get them. But, what happens if you have a major IT malfunction in your new office and can’t do anything online? With that in mind, it’s worth considering working with an IT solutions provider. If you’re not an IT expert, for example, you don’t want to waste time and money trying to fix any technical problems yourself. Many firms that can give your business the support it needs and manage any IT crisis if they ever happen. 1st IT work with a range of companies, including those that have just transitioned from home-office to commercial premises. Sort out your insurance When you run a business from commercial premises, you must have the right insurance in place. For example, if you employ one or more people, the law says you’ll need to have employers’ liability insurance with at least £5 million coverage. You should also organise other insurance products, such as public liability insurance. It’s another essential insurance product to have, especially when you have visitors at your office premises. Hiscox is one of the UK’s leading business insurance providers and can offer you the right cover for your needs. Don’t get caught out with no valid insurance cover for your business or you could face steep financial penalties. Move into your new office during the weekend Last but not least, you want to make sure you cause little disruption to your business during your office move. That’s why it’s a good idea to move your possessions into your new office during the weekend. Doing so enables you to complete your move without any interruptions. Plus, you can move equipment, furniture, and paperwork at your leisure. Good luck!  Image credit: Anna Shvets on Pexels COVID-19 has undoubtedly made it challenging to go about your typical life and routine. It’s more imperative now than ever to take measures into your own hands to stay healthy and well during these uncertain times.
It’s better to be proactive than it is to make poor choices and put yourself at risk for becoming ill. Take the following tips into consideration as you begin to explore how you can maintain your health and happiness even though there’s a lot of chaos happening in the external world. Care for yourself and stay connected so that you can remain healthy and well and avoid any unfortunate turn of events. Follow the Guidelines The WHO guidance recommends FFP2 face masks during outbreaks of infections such as the Coronavirus. Invest in the right PPE equipment to stay healthy and well while traveling to and from work or while you’re out in public running errands. It’ll keep you and others protected and help to ensure that you aren’t contributing to the spread. Also, practise social distancing and be sure to wash your hands often. The guidelines are in place to keep you safe and well, so it’s important to take them seriously. Focus on Your Mental Health Another tip for staying healthy and well in times of uncertainty is to focus on your mental health. Self-isolating and lockdown can be tough on your mind and social life. You may be feeling sad or low because of all the disruptions and bad news that’s going around. Therefore, commit to participating in activities that will boost your mental health and ensure you stay well. It’s all about keeping your thoughts as positive and possible and decreasing the amount of stress you’re feeling. Meditation and deep breathing exercises are usually very useful in helping you to slow racing thoughts so you can feel better fast. Connect with Others Virtually If you’re a social person, then distancing yourself from others may be a real challenge for you. However, it’s what’s going to keep you from contracting COVID-19. While you may not be able to see everyone you want to in-person, there are other ways to stay connected. For example, use virtual methods such as phone, email, and videoconference to help you maintain and nurture your relationships with others during these uncertain times. Take advantage of all the ways technology can keep you interacting with those you love and care about virtually. Invest in Self-Care It’s vital that you also invest in your self-care during uncertain times to stay healthy and well. It includes getting daily exercise, eating well, and going to bed at a decent hour and not getting caught up in negative thought patterns. The better you take care of yourself, the more energy you’re going to have and the better mood you’ll be in most days. Use this extra downtime to invest in yourself and relaxing and resting as much as possible. There may be activities and projects you can take on around the house that you usually wouldn’t have time for before the virus outbreak.  Image credit: Christina Morillo on Pexels To succeed as a business, improving the quality of your product is one of the most vital steps to facilitate long-term growth. Ensuring product quality should be an ongoing part of your business operations, no matter if you’re a startup or a long-running company. If you’re looking to make product quality your priority try following these four simple steps.
1 . Perfect your product strategy First things first, you’ve got to create the perfect product strategy. It’s not easy to create a brand new product, and there’s no way to rush through the process. The most important thing is that your product is innovative and highly unique. With so much competition, it’s essential to set yourself apart. Ask yourself what are the goals of your service or product, and allow these goals to become your KPIs. From features to functionality, needs, and target audience, your strategy should outline the very finest details. What matters the most during this stage should be your value proposition and your USPs. When you are completing your initial product development cycle, remember to pay close attention to who your competitors are. 2. Implement a Quality Management System A quality management system is essentially a series of guidelines that allows you to decide how you will design and deliver your service or product. With a powerful quality management system, you’ll be able to audit your product procedures using the correct certification body. These systems are based on seven quality principles. These seven principles are customer focus, engagement of people, process approach, leadership, improvement, relationship management and evidence-based decision making. 3. Detailed market research Your market research will help you to improve the quality of your product. As a rule of thumb, the more detailed that your research is, the better. You’ll need to gather as much info as you can about your target audience, create buyer personas, and check out the demand. Your research will help you to establish who your audience are, where they are based, and which similar products and services that they use. 4. Conduct product testing Product testing can help you to improve product quality in many different ways. Firstly, you can conduct longevity testing to ensure that your products are durable. A testing process also allows you to determine any product flaws. It’s not always easy to foresee flaws until a product is tested out in ‘real-life.’ Allowing customers to try out your product will give you a clear idea of if it’s ready for the world or needs a little more work! Most importantly, it’s important to test your product for safety. For instance, car manufacturers always need to test their products with reputable Advanced driving assistance systems. No matter which industry you operate in, guaranteeing the safety of your product should be your number one priority. Once you’ve completed these four steps, it doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax! To keep standards high, it’s important to review quality consistently, to make ongoing improvements.  Image credit: Picography on Pixabay Running a business from home certainly has its advantages but without the credibility that larger businesses possess, it can sometimes be difficult to get taken seriously.
Still, this doesn't mean a home business owner can't find success, and this doesn't mean the business won't have the capacity to grow. Just look at Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos, for example, two entrepreneurial luminaries who eventually grew out of their homes and into (for want of better words) the big leagues! So, if you're working from home, in whatever capacity, here are some tips to help you get taken seriously. You might then experience the growth that those now running multi-million companies have attained or, at the very least, make yourself a tidy income from whatever type of business you are running. #1: Benefit from a virtual office address If you are using your home address on your mailouts, your clients and customers might fail to take you seriously. Especially if you are trying to convey a professional image, it will be a direct giveaway that you are probably working from home in your pj's. This is where a virtual address comes in handy as it can give the impression that your business is bigger than it actually is. You can also benefit from a telephone answering service with the services of a virtual office provider, and again, this will do much to convey a more professional image. Follow the previous link for one example, and consider the benefits for you. #2: Be careful with your video calls If you're speaking to clients through Skype or any other type of video communication tech, be sure to dress well before making a call. While working from home can give you the opportunity to wear your pj's or slacks, your dress sense will reflect poorly on your image. Dress smartly then, and consider wearing a suit for those you are really trying to impress. Be sure to make your calls in your home office too. This is far more professional than chatting with your clients in your living room, and it can also convey the image that you're not working from your home. We have some tips on designing a successful home office, so have a read of our article. And finally, take note of this BBC news interview that was conducted with one esteemed professional. If you want your clients to take you seriously, be sure not to let your children interrupt you when you're having a serious business conversation! #3: Brush up your brand image Enlist the help of the professionals if you need help with this regard. A web designer will give you a professional-looking website, a photographer will give you the quality photos you need for your website and other promotional materials, and a copywriter will provide with you the written content you need to give that excellent first impression. Be sure to ask your customers and clients for testimonials for your website, and ask them to leave reviews on business review sites as well. And have a separate social media account for your home business because your personal account just won't do if you want to be taken seriously, especially if some of the content is for friends eyes only! By taking these steps, you will improve your brand image and improve your credibility. We wish you every success with your home business! Image credit: Fauxels on Pexels One of the exciting aspects of running a business in this day and age is that the sky’s the limit. If you’re motivated enough, then there’s no limit to the amount of success that you can achieve. After all, the climate is right. It’s a global economy, and that means that you can expand your business into new territories, both in your country and in others. Expanding overseas is, of course, more difficult than expanding domestically. Many large companies have failed when they’ve tried! There are things you can to improve your chances of success. We take a look at a few essential tips below. Time It Right
Timing is everything in business. Doing something too early or too late can lead to failure. So what constitutes picking the ‘right time’? It’s about looking at the global economy and looking at your own company. If things are economically fragile, then it’s best to wait; you should, after all, aim to reduce the level of risk that you’re taking. For your own business? That, you’ll need to decide. If you’re working well, have healthy cash-flow, and just feel like it’s the right time to step up, then it probably is. Market Research You will have done extensive market research when you were first getting your business underway. This was the research that told you how to market your products or services, how much they should cost, where you fit into the broader market, and so on. When you’re expanding overseas, you’ll have to carry out the same intensity of research. It’s dangerous to assume that you know any answers to the important questions just because you have experience domestically. Foreign countries will operate on a different wavelength. Try to understand as much as you can about the country you’re expanding into before launching. Hiring Local Talent While you’ll want to have an all-important hand in the development of your overseas branch, it’s vital that you’re working with talent local to the area. This will help on multiple levels, including building a connection with customers in the area you’re expanding into. Of course, it can be challenging to employ people overseas, but there are things you can do to push things in the right direction. The first is to work with a local recruitment agency; they’ll help you to find the best staff. You’ll also need to look at your payroll. You can get Cloudpay's payroll software in the EU, which will make paying your overseas employees all the more straightforward. Also, don’t be a hands-off boss -- your new employees will appreciate feeling part of a bigger team. Review and Adapt It’ll take some time to figure out how you’re going to operate overseas, and you won’t get everything right straightaway. The key thing is to stay open and flexible. After some time, you might find that one way of doing things isn’t bringing the types of results that you’d expect. If you’re flexible, then you’ll be able to switch to a different approach relatively easily.  Image credit: Simon Steinberger on Pixabay No matter the side of the educational system you’re on, you cannot ignore the importance of cloud-based learning management systems (LMS). From the student struggling to catch up with school work to the teacher looking for a way to deliver educational material across to your students. Cloud-based LMS is an e-learning platform that assists educators, students, as well as instructors to create, access, manage, as well as organize different learning materials online. The world of education has taken advantage of the several benefits of such platforms to build capacity. In this article, we will take a closer look at the top four cloud-based learning management systems for training purposes. Google classroom Google Classroom is one of the web services developed by Google and available for free for e-learning and teaching purposes. Aside from assisting instructors in creating, organizing, and delivering assignments for students, the platform also allows for sharing ideas, trends, and innovations among a group of instructors or teachers. In addition to that, Google Classroom synchronizes easily with other e-learning tools, software, or apps such as Canvas. This means, for example, that a person can connect their Canvas app to their Google Classroom platform in order to help keep all materials in sync. However, Google Classroom is best used as a group platform because of the efficiency it offers when it comes to sharing files and communication between other users. Canvas Canvas contains a set of learning materials and special features that have been integrated in a way to allow teachers and students to make the best out of it. The platform offers several benefits for both teachers and students. And this is especially true when you consider the fact that teachers have to create different learning materials from subject to subject. The platform also makes it very easy for instructors to engage with students. Plus, it integrates pretty nicely with a lot of teaching tools used in a classroom. Blackboard learn Blackboard Learn is also one of the main platforms where education and learning materials can be centralized efficiently, organized, distributed, and accessed with ease. This learning management systems platform is also best used between several instructors, students, or both. Blackboard Learn allows its users to share learning materials, learning trends, as well as other e-learning materials. Perhaps the only disadvantage this platform has is the fact that most of its users do not consider it to be very user-friendly. But it shouldn’t take too long to get the hang of it. Mindflash LMS If the Mindflash LMS reviews are anything to go by, then they show just how many users are benefiting from the platform. Although the platform is used a lot by business-minded people, it also offers several educational tools that both teachers and students can take advantage of. It is an ideal platform when it comes to delivering online learning materials and courses. Plus, using this platform helps to reduce the amount of time a teacher spends on preparing and delivering educational materials to students.  Image credit: Kreatikar on Pixabay |
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