Retail therapy is becoming pervasive in our culture. Everyone, it seems, is jumping on the bandwagon. People want retailers to help them deal with the challenges of life and take their minds off its inevitable tragedies.
But, for the most part, retailers aren’t responding. They still see their operations in antiquated psychological ways. They view their customers as rational consumers instead of people primarily driven by their emotions. The purpose of this post is to help you change your perspective if you are a retailer. You’ll learn how to take advantage of people’s desire for retail therapy. Here’s what to do: Market The Therapeutic Aspect Of Shopping Retailer marketing usually focuses on products or prices. After all, that’s the way firms won customers in the past. But today, things are different. People don’t go to the store because they want a bargain. Instead, they do it to feel better. After all, there isn’t much else that people can do on a Saturday morning if they’re not at work. As a retailer, you want to play into this. Point out how much better shopping will make your customers feel and what you’re doing to assist them with their negative emotions. Make it clear that you’re on their side in the fight against their mental health issues and that you have a plan to help them make the most of their lives. Spice Things Up On Social Media Facebook is dying a slow and tragic death. But there are plenty of other platforms out there that are thriving. Instagram and TikTok, for instance, are popular among shoppers looking for bargains and exciting content. What’s great about these short-form platforms is how they can quickly engage and thrill customers. You have far more opportunities to show customers things that will encourage them to engage in retail therapy and just enjoy the consumer experience. Plus you can get them pumped about your new stock, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. Make Your Store More Exciting During The Quiet Months Retailers tend to go into a collective malaise during the quieter months of the year. They assume that demand is seasonal, so they don’t put in as much effort. This approach, though, is a bit short-sighted. Sure, shelf barkers manufactured by Alplas don’t change throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean that the store has to be in stasis. There are still plenty of things retailers can do throughout the year to create “experiences.” The best approach is to tap into existing holidays and seasons. For instance, in the middle of the summer, consider tapping into some of the magic of the midsomer season. Or in March, take advantage of patron saint festivals. Appeal To The Shopaholics Fundamentally, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of retail therapy. If people want to spend a bit of money to feel better, then let them. Make sure that your marketing subtly appeals to the shopaholics in your audience. Tell them that you're waiting to welcome them with open arms. Let them know you’re doing everything you can to provide a therapeutic experience.
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Thanks to the internet and the increasing interest in starting one’s own business, most sectors have more competition on their hands than ever before. This can feel daunting to companies, especially those that are relatively new, but it is possible to not only compete against the competition but also to steal their customers.
Of these sounds like it’s too good to be true. Check out the below strategies that will help you to do just that. Analyse What They Are Doing Right If you want to take customers from your competitors then the first thing you need to do is conduct a competitor analysis to find out what they are doing, what is working well for them, what they could do better, and… well you get the idea. With this information, you can come up with a strategy for your own business that will enable you to outdo them in areas where they are underperforming and at the very least match them in areas they are doing well in, so you can ultimately overtake them. Develop A USP Next, you will need to develop a unique selling proposition. This is something that sets your company apart from the competition. It could be something as simple as using higher quality components like electronic voltage controllers from Ziehl-Abegg to make your products so they are more reliable and last longer, or it could be your brand that stands out from the crowd. Think about what your customers would value most and follow that avenue to come up with the best USP ideas you can. Reach Out To Them Once you have a USP and a plan to outperform your competitors. Then it is smart to spend as much time as possible reaching out to your target audience. These days, customers expect to form a relationship with the companies they buy things from, and this is one area a lot of businesses are currently slacking in. By engaging your customers on social media, you can make them feel like you really care bout them and your values, you can easily steal them away from your competitors, and the beauty of this is that it need not cosy you lots of money in advertising to do so - just get on social media and start stalking. Look For Gaps In The Market Looking for gaps in the market that are not being filled by your competitors is another excellent strategy that will enable you to steal customers away from the competition. For example, making your products for left-handed people as well as right could open up the market as could selling in more colours or selling bundles of products instead of single ones, but it all depends on what is possible and what is not already being done. As you can see, it is perfectly possible to take customers from your competitors if you are smart, work hard and are willing to go that extra mile, so what are you waiting for?  Image credit: Kal Visuals from Unsplash It is abundantly clear that video content is king in this day and age, what with the prevalence of platforms like YouTube, Livestreams, Instagram Stories, webinars, and more.
It is also evident that each year, a growing number of content marketers become aware of the myriad of compelling benefits associated with incorporating video content into their digital marketing strategy. Video content marketing is versatile, easily accessible, and, when executed effectively, can give you a significant advantage over your rivals in a number of different areas, including advertising a product or service, increasing engagement with customers, and expanding their reach on social media. It can be created in house on a mobile phone or by a third party animation studio. Because there is so much content with which to compete, it is essential that your content is optimized to the greatest extent possible, striking the appropriate balance in order to reach customers and grab their attention. A company that uses video marketing effectively can boost their brand image as well as their sales and conversions. A poor video marketing strategy, on the other hand, can be extremely detrimental to businesses. It is possible for customers to view your brand as unreliable or, even worse, as an annoyance, which will prompt them to quickly switch to one of your competitors. We have compiled a list of some of the most important advantages of incorporating video content into your marketing strategy. You will find some key insights into the many different ways that businesses can benefit from video content below, ranging from audience insights to key statistics and beyond. Without further ado, let us jump right into why you need to start incorporating video content right away, before your rivals do! Customers If you are not persuaded that video marketing is useful or worthwhile, perhaps the following statistic will convince you otherwise: Video content makes up 11% of all content that is uploaded to Facebook, and it receives 8 billion views per day; this is before we consider the features of Facebook Live and its Story section. Recent research has suggested that not only is YouTube the second-largest of the search engines behind Google, but that it is also the second most popular website globally, with an estimated time spent watching video content each day clocking in at one billion hours. The fact of the matter is that a lot of people enjoy watching videos. They are simple to understand, entertaining, and frequently enlightening. Increase conversions According to a recent study, including videos on your website's page for products or services can result in a 144% increase in sales. An "explainer video" is an excellent example of how video content can be utilized effectively on a landing page for a product or service. Customers will have the opportunity to watch a brief video in which they will be informed about the features and benefits of your product or service in a manner that is either engaging or entertaining. The content of videos is constantly being updated. A product video, also known as a live demonstration of your good or service, and product reviews are currently key trends that should be taken into consideration. Because customers find this content to be interesting and engaging, including it on pages devoted to products and services can increase the number of conversions and sales generated beyond anything you could have imagined. We already know that people enjoy watching videos, and that video content is responsible for driving sales, but there is more to the story. Video content can build relationships between a brand and its customers, which is reason number three. By driving engagement and communication with your audience, well-tailored content can give your brand an aspect of reliability, trust, and honesty - values that are important to consumers who are looking to connect with a business. Google likes it The ranking of your website in the search engine results page is another great benefit that marketers adore associated with the use of videos. Videos are great tools for delivering information, and they are also great components in many different marketing campaigns. Videos have the potential to drive a significant amount of organic traffic to your website; in turn, this will raise your site's ranking and result in an increase in the number of views of your videos if you take the time to ensure that the content of your videos has been SEO-optimized by including an appealing and pertinent thumbnail, a catchy title, and high-quality content. You can drive organic growth and bring in new customers at the same time by adding links to important pages and other components of your website on YouTube, such as landing pages. This will bring in new customers directly to the location on your website where you want them to be (which search engines love). However, the key to success here is striking a balance. If you include an excessive number of links or calls to action (CTAs), the customer may get the impression that they are being harassed. We have all seen videos like this. They quickly become counterproductive and annoying, and they have the potential to completely deter viewers from considering you again in the future. Your competition 92% of digital marketers consider video content to be an important component of their overall strategy. This number is up from 78% in 2015, and it is only going to continue to rise as more and more professionals become aware of the mountain of benefits that videos bring to an advertising campaign. There is nothing more disheartening than producing a fantastic video that adheres to industry standards and protocols, only to watch it be overshadowed by the sheer volume of videos that are already available online. For this reason, it is essential to act quickly, differentiate oneself from the competition, and carve out a reputation that is easily recognizable. Having said that, it is essential to avoid producing video after video with content that is subpar in quality. It is far preferable to have a smaller amount of content that is of higher quality and has a greater number of views than to have a large number of videos with fewer views. The production of video content requires strategy, as producing content on a consistent basis that is of a high quality will increase your visibility and help you become known as a reliable source before viewers turn to competitors It is the future The way in which we make use of technology is continuously evolving alongside its myriad shifts and modifications, as is the technology itself. This means that there are now more ways than ever before to get viewers engaged and receptive to you and your company through the use of video content. It is essential to consider the various applications of videos, ranging from livestreams to one-on-one marketing videos, in order to have the greatest possible impact. Now is the perfect time to hit the ground running with video content and stay updated on the latest ways that you can bring your message to people because you have the future of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and streaming services at your disposal. Flexibilty Video is not just adaptable and engaging. Additionally, it is simple to use, both at the desktop and while on the move. It is no surprise that people prefer to watch videos while they are on the move now that platforms like Facebook and YouTube are becoming more mobile-friendly. Since 2013, there has been a 233% increase in the number of mobile video views, and this trend is only expected to continue. Concurrently, YouTube has reported that the amount of mobile video consumption grows by an average of one hundred percent each year. Because video content can be accessed from any location and is appealing to even the most disinterested potential viewers, it is an essential marketing tool that can be used at any time to reach a large client base. Even getting a reader to open an email in the fast-paced world we live in today can be a significant challenge. According to recently published findings, simply including the word "video" in the subject line of your email can result in a click-through rate that is 200–300% higher. This is the reason why an increasing number of marketers are including video content within their email campaigns - this could mean anything from showcasing an item that a customer has abandoned, to an email for a first-time customer welcoming them and building a relationship with them. Your email marketing strategy can benefit from the addition of an engaging, informative, and persuasive video if it is positioned correctly. People watch videos more than any other type of media, which is something we already know, so why not use this to your advantage and combine it with your other marketing efforts as well?  Image credit: Chan Walrus from Pexels Dangers in restaurants are usually overlooked. As a restaurant owner, you have no excuse to cause harm to your client, who only walks in for food or a drink. Ensuring safety can help you gain your customer's trust as they realise that you always try to offer excellent services by employing safety measures to make your business succeed. Therefore, you must ensure that your restaurant is always safe by using signage to inform your clients and workers about the dangers. Ensuring safety may be challenging, but you can achieve this with the right steps. Here are a few worth considering for the best results. 1. Train Employees On Restaurant Safety Procedures Every restaurant has its safety procedures, so you should have one. This helps to inform your employees about the facility's dos and don'ts on safety measures to keep your restaurant safe. Therefore, this may require that you invest time and resources to train your employees, so they are all aware of the possible dangers. This way, they can avoid them. Not only can you provide them with training on food safety, but you can also get them trained on the prevention of cross-contamination and sanitation practices. This keeps them aware of hazards across all fields in the restaurant while boosting their confidence to work hard with the hope that they will avoid oversights that could cause serious harm. 2. Draft Safety Rules For Guests You can't operate successfully if you do not inform clients about the dangers ahead. For instance, in slippery places, you need to put an informational signpost that reads, "no running in this area." This will caution them and help them know what lies ahead. You also want to mark areas out of bounds to prevent your clients from endangering their lives. 3. Maintain A Clean Environment An unclean restaurant communicates sickness and danger to your customers. It is very important to invest greatly in your restaurant’s hygiene. Knowing that it is a place where people will keep trooping in to satisfy their hunger, you may decide to seek assistance from commercial cleaners to ease the work on your staff. Remember that the more your staff members are engaged with cooking and serving your customers, the less time they may have to clean up the place. The services of these commercial cleaners will help your restaurant look as neat as possible with their requisite skills.  Image credit: Ron Lach from Pexels 4. Ensure That Your Employees Wear The Correct Attire
As a restaurant owner, you must ensure that your employees are well-dressed to avoid accidents. Your staff members should be in safety boots or shoes, especially in the kitchen, to prevent slipping. Ensure that all cooks have their aprons and hair nets on while waiters have their fingernails well-trimmed. This speaks so well about your restaurant and gives customers the impression that they are in a professional place. Always remember that people visiting your restaurant will often come if they feel safe and realise they are given the maximum attention, so paying attention to the above points will help you improve your services in your restaurant.  Image credit: Schäferle from Pixabay How To Take Your Company To The Next Level It is crucial to constantly distinguish yourself from others in a competitive environment. Your experience in business can be harsh if you don't take the necessary actions to stay relevant in your sector. With businesses numbering up to 5.6 million in the UK, this is non-negotiable. How can you determine you are on the right path? It takes a lot of planning to make fundamental changes to your operations. Fortunately, these tips can take your business to the next level. 1. Assess Business Strengths And Weaknesses One important thing to do when you intend to transform your business is to assess your strengths and weaknesses. This will give an idea of where you stand, and you can Year that information to determine your next steps. According to business transformation experts, entrepreneurs often prioritise things that need to be changed. Unfortunately, this inadvertently takes the focus off other business areas that may be equally important. For instance, if your business strength is your personal and physical relationship with clients, digitising customer service with automation may cause you to lose them. Therefore, you can save automation for other aspects of your business. 2. Focus On The Business’s Curb Appeal First impressions always make a difference in the minds of clients and customers. And remember that taking your business to the next level involves more than a change in operations. The physical appearance of the workplace also matters. Your mind may go straight to the design of your indoor office space, but it also involves your outdoor area or curb appeal. However, beyond the aesthetics, it would be in your interest to include functionality in your business’s curb appeal. For example, aside from the well-gravelled grounds for parking, you can consider car park markings to demarcate where your customers must leave their vehicles. This safety feature also involves marking areas where people on your premises can walk without interfering with moving cars on the same compound.  Image credit: Tumisu from Pixabay 3. Attract A New Type Of Customer And Widen Your Market Base
Taking your business to the next level can lead to improved revenue, and for a business like yours, that involves thinking out of the box. How is this possible in the first place? First, it would be best to consider the prospects of expanding your market base. Who are your current customers? How would you categorise them? For instance, if your business solely serves college students, it may be wise to consider marketing to another audience to increase your income stream. Before doing that, however, it is important to take measures to retain your current customers. Sometimes, in the bid to establish yourself in other markets, you might lose your existing customers by creating the impression that you no longer serve them. Therefore, creating a customer retention strategy is advisable as you seek to bring in new audiences. To take your business to the next level, you need to consider the big picture. Focusing on one aspect and leaving another may ultimately create loopholes that defeat the purpose of upgrading.  Your business might be set up and ready to go, but that doesn’t mean you’re done with marketing it. Marketing your business effectively is a crucial aspect of its success. After all, if no one knows about your business, how will anyone buy from you? Unfortunately, when it comes to marketing your business, many entrepreneurs struggle. Each company has different needs when it comes to marketing. Some companies stand out in specific locations, while others have a target audience they need to reach. Regardless of the needs of your business, there are several fundamental principles of effective marketing that can help your small business grow:
Make Your Brand Recognisable The first step to marketing your business is creating a brand that your customers will remember and recognize. A brand can be a word, tagline, design, logo, or colour scheme. Making a unique, recognizable brand involves using things like designs and colours that pop out and also fit your product or service. If you’re creating a slogan or a tagline, it should summarise the goals or services of your business. Customers should be able to identify your brand by sight, sound, or even smell. Whether you have an online shop or a brick-and-mortar store, your customers should recognize your brand and be able to identify it. Be Where Your Customers Are To reach your target customers, you need to be where they are. If you want to get your business in front of the right customers, you must put yourself in the right places. This could mean advertising on the radio or in the local newspaper or posting flyers in coffee shops. There are several ways to get your brand in front of as many eyes as possible. Wherever you decide to advertise, make sure it is consistent with your brand. This means that if you have a logo and tagline, they should be used wherever you promote your business. You can also use social media to reach a wider audience. Work On The Physical Appearance Of Your Business Whether you’re online or have a store, your customers should feel comfortable doing business with you. This means that you must keep your website up to date and error-free, have a consistent design, and ensure all your information is correct. It also means keeping your store clean and tidy and having well-groomed and well-dressed employees. While your website is arguably your most essential marketing tool, the physical appearance of your business is just as important as its digital presence. If you’re selling a product, you need to display it in a way that is enticing and well-organized. You should also work on the upkeep of the store; for example, you should spend money on things like commercial painting for the walls of your property so that clients see the area at its best and are more inclined to buy your products or services. Establish Relationships With Influencers If you’re trying to reach a specific audience, it might be helpful to establish relationships with influencers in that niche. This could be social media influencers or even bloggers with a large audience. By building a relationship with these influencers, you could provide value to their audience and vice versa. You could also offer to sponsor their content. Sponsorship opportunities are a great way to get your brand in front of a larger audience. Before establishing a relationship with an influencer, ensure you understand their audience and what they’re looking for. You’ll be putting your brand in front of a larger audience if you have a relationship with an influencer, so be sure you’re providing value to their audience.  Image credit: Rodnae Productions from Pexels As a small business owner, you know that it can be tough to get your name out there. You may have tried traditional advertising methods, such as print ads and commercials, but they can be expensive and often don't generate the desired results. The following blog post will give you some tips for grabbing the attention of your local customers.
1) Get Involved In Your Community One of the best ways to get your business noticed is by getting involved in your local community. Attend events, sponsor a little league team, or donate to a local charity. Customers will take notice of your involvement and appreciate your support of the community. Local customers are more likely to do business with companies that they feel are invested in their community. Here are some ideas for ways you can get involved in your community: -Attend local Chamber of Commerce meetings or mixers -Join a civic organization, such as the Rotary Club -Volunteer at a local non-profit -Sponsor a local youth sports team -Donate to a local charity By getting involved in your community, you'll not only grab the attention of potential customers, but you'll also build goodwill and potentially generate some positive word-of-mouth marketing. 2) Make Use Of Social Media Another great way to grab the attention of local customers is by making use of social media. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer businesses a great way to reach out to potential customers. You can use social media to share information about your business, such as special promotions or events. You can also use it as a platform to build relationships with potential customers. Here are some ideas for ways you can make use of social media: -Create a Facebook page for your business and post updates regularly -Tweet about your products or services and include relevant hashtags -Take advantage of Instagram's geotagging feature to reach locals who may be interested in your products or services -Engage with potential customers by replying to their comments and questions Social media is a great way to connect with potential customers and generate interest in your business. 3) Utilise Local Search Features More and more people are using the internet to find businesses in their area. That's why it's important to make sure your business is visible when people are searching for products or services like yours. There are a few different ways you can make sure your business comes up in local search results: -Make sure your business is listed on popular online directories, such as Yelp and Google Places -Include your city and state in your website's title tags and meta descriptions -Use relevant keywords on your website and in your social media posts -Generate user reviews on popular review sites By making use of local search features, you'll ensure that potential customers can easily find information about your business when they're searching online. 4) Host An Event One great way to grab the attention of potential customers is by hosting an event. This could be a grand opening, a special sale, or a workshop related to your products or services. Customers will appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your business and what you have to offer. Here are some tips for hosting a successful event: -Plan your event well in advance and promote it heavily leading up to the date -Make sure you have enough staff on hand to help things run smoothly -Prepare any materials or marketing collateral ahead of time -Follow up with attendees after the event and invite them back for future events Hosting an event will give potential customers a chance to interact with your business and learn more about what you offer. 5) Get Involved In Local Marketing Initiatives Another great way to grab the attention of potential customers is by getting involved in local marketing initiatives. This could involve partnering with other businesses in your area to promote each other's products or services or participating in a city-wide marketing campaign. Customers will appreciate your involvement in these initiatives and will be more likely to do business with you as a result. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to grabbing the attention of local customers. Just remember to focus on building relationships and providing value, and you'll be sure to succeed. If you need help getting started, consider working with a marketing communications agency that specializes in local marketing. They can provide valuable insights and guidance that will help you reach your goals.  Image credit: Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels In any business, one of the most important concerns of all is always going to be that the products you are providing your customers are as high quality as possible. As long as this is the case, it is going to mean that your customers are much more likely to be happy, and that is obviously good news for the sake of your business’ future. So how can you ensure that your products are high enough quality? Let’s take a look at some of the considerations you may want to make in this regard, and how you can improve them. Rigorous Testing All products will need to go through a lot of rigorous testing if you are going to ensure that they are actually the quality that you expect them to be. There are many kinds of testing that you might need to think about here, from using hardness testers for some physical items to ensuring that software is operating correctly. Then there is the most important test of all - what the customers think. As long as you have tested your product rigorously, it’s much more likely to succeed out there in the real world, so this is something to consider. Performing Intended Functions Each and every product will have a specific function that it is destined to perform, and if it is performing it well then you know that you have a product you can be happy with. Of course, it might be tricky to make sure that you are able to ensure this for certain, but with enough testing, as above, you should find it’s a little easier. As long as products perform their intended function, that is the main thing that you need to be sure of, so make sure that you are not overlooking this if you can help it. Customer Perception One of the most important things of all is that the customer has a good perception of the product itself too, and that can be achieved in a number of ways. First of all, you have the quality of course, and this needs to be maintained well. But there is also the marketing - the way the product is advertised, the packaging used, and so on - and this has a profound effect on customer perception too. So it’s worth thinking about these things if you want to ensure the quality of your products as well.  Image credit: Pixabay from Pexels Lifespan
For most products, the expectation is that it will last as long as possible. This means that your customer is getting more for their money, which is always important, but it’s also a good sign for the product itself, as it is much more likely to stand the test of time. So make sure that you are working on improving the lifespan of your products if you want them to be considered truly great. This is something that will always be appreciated and always goes down well with your customers, and it’s therefore the kind of thing that you should focus on.  Image credit: Pexels from Pixabay People don’t like change, regardless of how positive it might be for them. That couldn’t be seen more clearly than in the workplace. Employees want to turn up and do their jobs without needing to adapt. That makes implementing new technology in your finance company relatively difficult.
It doesn’t need to be nearly as complicated as you could seem, however. Once you know how to implement technology in a finance company, it seems much more straightforward. With a few particular steps, you shouldn’t have a problem seeing the various benefits that fintech offers your firm. Benefits of technology in Finance Speaking of benefits, you could wonder what these are. There are more than a few, many of which you mightn’t have thought of, making upgrading or adding technology more than attractive. Some of the most notable of these include:
With the various benefits that technology offers finance, implementing into your financial firm may seem attractive. It’s easy to see why. With the potential problems that could come up, figuring out how to implement technology in a finance company can seem difficult. Far from it. With a few particular steps, it’ll be easier than you think. How to implement technology in a Finance company: 5 steps to take 1. Have an oversight team Someone will need to oversee the implementation of any new technology. They’ll be responsible for planning out the entire process while making sure it goes smoothly. Putting together a team specifically for this is recommended, as it spreads the workload across several people. With this approach, everything should go much smoother than you’d think, provided there’s consistent communication throughout. You could find that you don’t have an appropriate team to put together for this, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Instead, you could hire an outside consultancy, such as Liberty IT Consulting Group, for this. By doing so, you can take advantage of expertise and rest assured that the process goes as smoothly as possible. Though that involves an extra cost, the benefits will be worth it, especially in the long term. 2. Focus on what solves problems With the potential benefits that technology offers financial firms, it’s tempting to get them so you can take advantage of these benefits. You shouldn’t dive straight in, however, as not all technology will be as beneficial to your company as others. Some will come much better recommended than others. Focusing on any problems or issues your company has should be a priority. Where can your finance business get better? What, specifically, can be improved, and is there a technological solution that can address it? Answering these questions can better help you figure out which technology to use. Once you do, you’ll see much greater benefits with your business. The impact of the software will be more obvious, especially long term. While that means spending time comparing options, the return on investment will be better worth it. 3. Work out the kinks Once you’ve identified the technology you want to implement in your firm, you could be tempted to deploy it as quickly as possible. That mightn’t be an effective strategy. Instead, it could be better worth having a trial run with a limited number of employees to make sure it’s as effective for your business as you want. Consider this a way to test the feasibility of the technology for your business. When you’re doing so, you can figure out how beneficial it will be. You can then use this to convince any potential nay-sayers that the technology is worth the cost of implementing it. At the same time, you’ll end up figuring out if there are any kinks that need to be worked out before it’s deployed company-wide. Taking this approach makes sure there will be as few issues as possible once you’ve launched everything. You can also use this to get feedback from your testers and find out what possible concerns employees may have, while letting you proactively address them. With a trial run, you can make sure the full deployment goes as smoothly as possible. 4. Upskill your staff With any new tool you add to your company, you’ll need to make sure your employees can use it. While some of yours might already know how to do so, many of them mightn’t, so you’ll need to train them. You’ll need to go about this the right way to ensure everyone knows what they’re doing. You’re not likely to see all of the benefits of the technology otherwise. You should aim for these training sessions to be as engaging as possible. When you’re planning this out, keep a few things in mind, namely:
Once you’ve fully trained your staff in the technology, you can rest assured they can hit the ground running once it’s been deployed. You’ll have much fewer delays and problems to deal with once it’s been launched. 5. Launch your tech Now that all of the above have been taken care of, it’s time to launch your tech. That doesn’t mean you’re done now that you’ve deployed it in your company. Despite how much testing you may have done beforehand, it’s possible that things can still go wrong. You’ll need to make sure everything’s going as expected. That means monitoring your business as the technology is deployed and making sure it’s having the effect you thought it would. It’s possible that things could be slightly different from what you intended. If problems do come up - even minor ones - you’ll need to take care of them as early as possible. Making them a priority from the start and learning from them will make sure you don’t make the same mistake again in the future. As overwhelming as this may seem, the problems that do come up should be relatively minor and be easy to tackle, especially if you’ve planned everything out effectively. Technologies driving the Finance industry Technology is a broad area, even when it relates specifically to tools that can be used in a financial firm. More than a few types of tools are used across the finance industry, with each of these offering more than a few pros and cons. It can be more than worth implementing each of them, as they’ll offer practical implications for your company. Some of the more notable technologies driving the finance industry include:
Combined with each of the above benefits, there’s no reason not to consider implementing technology in your finance firm. The various types of technology you can use offer their own pros and cons. While they could take some time and effort to implement into your company, it’ll be more than worth the effort. How to implement technology in a Finance company: Wrapping up If you don’t know how to implement technology in a finance company, you could think the process would be overwhelming. That doesn’t need to be the case, as it’s much easier than you’d expect, especially with the above steps. With the potential benefits on offer, there shouldn’t be anything getting in your way.  Image credit: Austin Distel from Unsplash You might be doing a disservice to both yourself and your company if you refuse to take advantage of the perks that come with outsourcing, which is a practice that is becoming increasingly popular year after year. This post examines five potential jobs that might be outsourced as a starting point for you if you are unclear whether or not you should do so.
Marketing You will be able to devote more of your attention to other aspects of your company if you outsource your marketing, despite the fact that marketing is an essential component of every organization. It is easy for businesses to wind up with a web presence that is nothing more than a copy and paste job, what with keyword research, content review, on-page optimization, and internal linking. This kind of web presence does not generate engagement or conversions. When it comes to marketing, small business owners often lack the time, resources, and experience to handle all that goes into a successful SEO strategy. For this reason, outsourcing to a top SEO agency might be an absolute necessity for these entrepreneurs. Accounting The level of intricacy involved in operating a corporation can, at times, feel overwhelming; when this occurs, outsourcing becomes an absolutely necessary practice. The accounting function should be contracted out initially. When you outsource your accounting, you free up your time and energy to concentrate on the operational details of your business, its goods, or its services. When you outsource work, you may put your confidence in people who are highly skilled in a certain area. Your books will be kept in order by someone who knows what they are doing and possesses all of the essential abilities. This will free up your time so that you can focus on other aspects of your business that require more attention. Cybersecurity Every single company, regardless of its size, is susceptible to the dangers posed by cybersecurity attacks. Every day, a new danger comes to light, and in order to protect your company from being a victim, you need to make sure that your company is always up to speed on the most recent advances in this area. Regardless of the size of your company, you should consider making the investment necessary to get the services of a knowledgeable professional in this field. Payroll Payroll management is outside the capabilities of the vast majority of small enterprises, both in terms of resources and knowledge. You have a responsibility to ensure that your employees are paid appropriately, that you submit all relevant data, and that you comply with all laws and regulations. This activity calls for a great deal of focus and attention to detail, and it is frequently difficult. It is likely going to be in your best interest to outsource your payroll to a professional if you do not have the time or the abilities necessary to handle these responsibilities on your own. Assistance to customers Customer service is typically a significant focus for owners of smaller firms. It is possible that you spend hours upon hours talking to clients, replying to emails, and solving problems that arise. And although providing excellent customer service is very necessary, it may be quite time-consuming. At this point, it may be beneficial to outsource one's customer service needs. Some businesses have customer service personnel on staff who are trained to handle issues and complaints brought out by customers. Because these reps are experts, they are aware of how to address these concerns in a way that will keep clients satisfied. They are also aware of what to do in the event that an issue emerges and are able to solve it in a way that does not require any participation from you.  Image credit: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels There are a lot of perks to having an automated eCommerce store. Not only can it be more profitable, but it can also require less maintenance in the long run. If you're looking to create an automated eCommerce store, there are four steps you'll need to follow: choosing the right platform, setting up your products, automating your sales process, and setting up your shipping. In this blog post, we'll walk you through each step so you can create a successful and profitable automated eCommerce store!
1) Choose the right platform: The first step to creating an automated eCommerce store is choosing the right platform. You'll want to choose a user-friendly platform with all the features you need and integrate with any other software you might be using. There are a lot of great eCommerce platforms out there, so take your time to research which one will work best for you and your business. Some popular eCommerce platforms include Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and BigCommerce. These platforms are an excellent option for those looking for an all-in-one solution. They handle everything from hosting to payments to security, so you can focus on running your business. Plus, it's easy to use, even if you're not a tech-savvy person. 2) Sell desirable products: The next step is to choose the products you want to sell. Again, this might seem like a no-brainer, but it's essential to take some time to think about what products will be most profitable and desirable to your target market. You'll also want to ensure that the products you choose can easily be shipped and stored. Once you've chosen the products you want to sell, it's time to set up your store! This is where you'll add your product information, photos, prices, etc. Make sure everything is clear and easy for customers to find. If your store is difficult to navigate, potential customers will likely leave and never return. 3) Invest in storage solutions for your Business After you've set up your store and added all your products, it's time to start thinking about how you will fulfill orders - one option is to look at partitioning units from psllimited.co.uk. However, this is also where automation comes in. You'll want to find a way to automate your sales process so that orders are placed, processed, and shipped without you having to lift a finger. One option is to use an eCommerce fulfillment service. These services will pick, pack, and ship your orders for you. They can even handle returns and customer service issues. This is an excellent option if you don't have the time or resources to do it yourself. 4) Automate repetitive tasks from the start: Another option is to use eCommerce automation software. This type of software will automate all the repetitive tasks in your sales process, from placing orders to processing payments. This can save you time and money in the long run, so it's worth considering if you're serious about automating your eCommerce store. There are many great options out there, so do your research and find the one that's right for you. These are just a few things to remember when creating an automated eCommerce store. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to having a successful and profitable business!  Image credit: Anna Shvets from Pexels As a business, there are various ways you can develop your ability to remain competitive, and to use that competitiveness to defend and grow your market share. Even in local areas, this can make a difference, because after all, there are only ever a select number of clients and people you can serve, even if that number does grow from time to time.
A local construction company, for instance, may only serve a select area, and with thousands of other firms trying to gain a piece of the pie, we need to position ourselves in a manner that allows us to grow and become that first choice. This not only means ensuring that the value we provide is industry-leading for our area, but innovative, and with an eye to the future. That last point is quite important, because it’s also essential for firms to think about how their client longevity will encourage return business. This means, in effect, that we need to not only consider how to start the relationship, but how to solidify it with appropriate long-term planning. In this post, we’ll discuss three measures to help you with exactly that: Aftercare programs An aftercare program is an important measure to take, because it might be that work conducted needs extra maintenance ahead of time. Renovation and construction experts will often provide one or two follow up visits or a grace period for any maintenance to be resolved after the fact, even after payment has been received. Aftercare can help clients trust that you won’t leave them high and dry in the future - instead it will encourage them to value the relationship and use your services once more. Warranties It’s good to place warranties on your work if possible. This way, the aftercare program might last for longer if paid for, or perhaps a guaranteed lifespan of how long a client can use a given service or product when installed will help them choose you over another firm. This is why many firms opt to use better processes and products, like voidformer when installing foundations in order to remove the chance of ground shear, because it allows them to offer longer warranties and happier long-term residents. Clients notice when you’ve gone out of your way to perform an excellent, long-lasting job. Proprietary, essential services In some cases, services will align with certain companies in order to provide top of the line provisions that are less likely to be found elsewhere, perhaps for a discount. Perhaps you’re a contractor that installs excellent double glazing windows for a firm that has specific requirements for their carriers - but this is worth doing because of the reputation of such proprietary products. It might be that within your industry, you can offer a specific duty of care thanks to that. It can help differentiate you as a brand, and allow you to become the kind of service used by people looking for a particular and trusted outcome that works - not only relying on your reputation, but the storied understanding of a proven product. With this advice, we believe you’ll be able to provide your clients further longevity and value going forward.  Image credit: Kraken Images One of the most essential aspects of running a successful business is focusing on your bottom line. To do this, you need to make sure that you're putting your resources and energy into the areas of your company that can help generate the most profit.
To help you pinpoint these key departments, Here Are 8 Departments Where Business Owners Should Focus Their Efforts To Increase Their Profits: 1. Sales And Marketing: Many business owners know that they need to have strong sales and marketing processes in place to attract new customers and grow their customer base. However, many entrepreneurs don't always realise how important it is to have effective systems in place for lead generation and closing sales deals as quickly as possible. By making sure that your sales and marketing teams are working efficiently and effectively, you can help ensure that your company is bringing in new revenue on a regular basis. 2. Human Resources: It's no secret that your employees are one of your most valuable assets. That's why it's so important to have a strong human resources department that can help you attract and retain top talent. By offering competitive salaries and benefits and creating a positive work environment, you can help keep your best employees happy and reduce turnover. 3. Finance: Many business owners believe that the only way to increase profits is to bring in more revenue. However, this isn't always the case. One of the best ways to boost your bottom line is to focus on reducing your costs and expenses. That's why it's so important to have a strong finance department that can help you identify opportunities for cost savings and find ways to optimise your spending and improve your cash flow. 4. IT: Suppose you're not investing in technology and other tools that can help streamline your business processes. In that case, you could be wasting valuable time and resources on manual tasks that could easily be handled by machines or software applications. That's why it's so important to invest in an effective IT team that can implement systems and tools to help automate many of the tasks your employees are currently performing manually. This will help eliminate waste and allow your workers more time to focus on revenue-generating tasks. 5. Customer Service: Excellent customer service is one of the most important aspects of any business, yet it's often one of the most neglected. If your customers are unhappy with your products or services, they're likely to take their business elsewhere. That's why it's so important to make sure that your customer service team is providing responsive, courteous service at all times. By ensuring that your customers are always happy with their experience, you can help reduce churn and keep them coming back for more. 6. Manufacturing: In many businesses, manufacturing is one of the most important parts of the operation. However, it's also one of the most challenging to optimise. If you're not carefully managing your manufacturing processes, you could be wasting time and money on inefficient production methods. That's why it's so important to have a team in place that can help you streamline your manufacturing processes and ensure that you're producing quality products at a lower cost. 7. Shipping and Logistics: If you're selling physical products, then shipping and logistics are essential for your business. However, many entrepreneurs don't realise how complex and challenging this area can be. Having a strong shipping and logistics team in place can help ensure that your products are delivered on time and without any damage. This will not only improve customer satisfaction but also help reduce your costs. 8. Legal: Last but not least, if you don't have a strong legal team to handle all of your business-related legal needs, you could be putting your company at risk with every transaction. By having a talented lawyer on hand to address any legal concerns as they arise, you can help ensure that your business stays compliant and protected at all times. With this insight into some of the most important departments for business growth, it should be easier for you to build out an effective team that can help take your company to new heights. Just remember to focus on filling roles based on each department's unique strengths and needs. In conclusion Each department has its own unique set of responsibilities and tasks that contribute to the overall success of a business. By ensuring that each department is staffed with talented individuals who can carry out their roles effectively, you can help ensure that your company can reach its full potential.  Image credit: Dan Gold from Unsplash Keeping your premises in good condition can be challenging. There are so many variables you need to keep track of. It’s way more complicated than owning a home.
Unfortunately, if you don’t keep things looking ship shape, it can backfire on you. Clients may leave, your brand may suffer, and even your colleagues might decide that they’ve had enough and walk out of you. In this post, we take a look at some of the reasons why top flight companies always keep their premises looking immaculate. It’s not by accident. It’s safer Having a ramshackle premises is problematic primarily because it is unsafe. Too much chaos and disorder means that the people who interact with it are potentially at risk. Top companies always invest in elements of their premises designed to yield maximum safety returns. For instance, they hire commercial flooring contractors to ensure that their floors are smooth and flat, archiving experts to file away all their paperwork, and plenty of storage to keep gangways clear. They also invest in necessary safety hardware, such as fire alarms, sprinklers and extinguishers. It’s better for their brand Top flight companies also invest in their premises because they know it is better for their brand. The more money they plough in, the more they will get out. Many companies that have a professional online presence can’t always make up the deficit in the real-world. Clients notice and feel uneasy at the mismatch. The corporate website looks stunning, but the premises themselves leave a lot to be desired. Simply investing in aesthetics makes a huge difference. It prevents awkwardness or having to make excuses when customers visit and see what you do. It helps retain talent While few employees will admit it, the quality of their working environment has a massive impact on how they feel and whether they stay working with you. If your premises looks great and provides all the amenities they need, they are less likely to believe that the grass is greener on the other side. It will be one less reason for them to leave and try another firm. When investing in your premises, focus on the following:
It gives clients confidence Offering beautiful premises also gives your clients confidence. When they show up to your business, they immediately get the impression that you are an established and professional enterprise, something that doesn’t happen if you operate out of a shed. It builds culture Having great premises also helps top flight companies build their culture. Simply providing the facilities that professionals need to interact and engage with other stakeholders can drive innovation and create more openness. It reduces departmental siloing which can become an issue once companies exceed a certain size. In summary, big companies understand that their premises matter. While it involves extra expense, it also brings positive returns. Smaller businesses should take note and adapt.  Image credit: Gabrielle Henderson from Unsplash Whether freelancing or running a bustling office, you may need to welcome clients now and again. With face-to-face meetings back on the menu, you might be a little rusty, especially if you have carried on meetings over screens for the past few years. Although you could be rusty, you still need to make sure you can welcome these clients properly and make an excellent impression. To ensure they get the right idea about you and your business, here are four ways to prepare for a client visit.
Let everyone know they are visiting Once you have arranged the visit, you should let everyone know who is coming and when they will arrive. Informing your team about visitors will make sure they do not accidentally treat them like a stranger and it can also encourage them to avoid any tomfoolery that may occur within the office normally. Announce the end of the day prior and send an email first thing to remind anyone absent the day before. As professionals, you shouldn’t expect too many issues, but it’s always worth telling them to ensure they show off their best selves. Clean the Office A messy office is far from the professional haven you want to cultivate, especially if welcoming a particularly important client. You and your team should keep the office tidy anyway, but it may be worth hiring an Office Cleaning service to come in the day before to make the workplace as clean and safe as possible. The cleanliness of an office can say a lot about a company, so if you want to promote professionalism, this is a fantastic way to achieve that. Give them somewhere to wait Even small offices should have a waiting room where your receptionist or office manager can welcome clients while they wait for you to greet them. Designing the perfect waiting room is important, and it should include comfortable and clean furniture as well as a place for them to put their bag or briefcase. Make sure to offer them a drink when they arrive, and if you have a spot for them to store their jacket or coat, this is even better. You shouldn’t keep them waiting too long, either, as their time is just as important as yours. Make getting there easy Some offices are not as easy to find as you think, even if you’re located in the city. Because of this, you should make getting there easy. Don’t just send them a postcode. Send them detailed directions and outline any awkward things they should know about, such as one-way streets or road works. You should also establish a place for them to park, as you don’t want them to park several streets away. You can give up your parking space or set up a spot specifically for visitors so they can park right next to your building and avoid any hassle. Welcome Client meetings can feel intimidating, but they don't need to be. As long as you do everything you can to make the experience as pleasant as possible, you can guarantee a fantastic and hopefully fruitful experience for both of you, which can lead to a better working relationship in the future.  Image credit: Jopwell from Pexels Your customer’s experience with your business is vital in their decision-making process. It is therefore important that every interaction they have with you, whether directly or indirectly, makes a lasting impact on them. If you are able to achieve this, they are more likely to remember you, you will give them a reason to choose you over your competitors, recommend you to their friends, and stay loyal.
Markets are growing to new heights, so the experiences your customers have with your business will be able to put you above your competitors. It has been reported that approximately 86% of customers are willing to pay more money if they have had a better experience. There is no better time than now to focus on your customer experience, and make it a priority. Here are some top ways you can get started with improving your customer experience. Understand your customers You cannot adequately serve your customers if you don’t know who they are. It is vital that you learn as much information as you can about your customers, so you can understand what they want and need. This will enable your sales team to connect with your customers, empathise with their struggles and provide the right solutions. You should create customer profiles that detail specific information about them including demographics and interests. This will also help your business to develop solutions that will resonate with them. Create a vision Creating a vision for the journey your customers will experience will provide your organisation with a roadmap to success. This can be a strategy and a set of statements that will guide your employees to behave in certain ways and take appropriate action. This will be the foundation of everything you do, from customer service to product development, as it will keep your customers at the heart of everything you do and make sure your research turns into valuable action. Make your business easy and accessible If it is difficult to navigate your website, your store, or make a purchase, customers are going to be instantly put off from investing in you. Instead, you should think about what a typical customer expects when they interact with your business, whether it is online or in a store. If they are new to your website and are early on in the buyer's cycle, then they are more likely to look around, find out who you are, and look for advice. It is therefore important to make sure your website has clear navigation and a blog filled with helpful guides, advice and recommendations. In-store, you should ensure employees are always visible and ready to answer questions. For customers who are ready to purchase, you should consider the different types of POS systems and equip your store with the best one that will make purchases efficient, and ensure your employees personalise the service they receive. Your customers are the most important part of your business because, without them, your business wouldn’t exist. If you want your business to grow, it is therefore vital to continue to invest in improving your customer's experience.  Image by John Schnobrich from Unsplash To say that online competition is fierce is an understatement. These days, there are millions of brands all competing for user attention. In this post, therefore, we take a look at some of the ways you can fight back if you feel like your rivals are outsmarting you. Check out these ideas: Research Your Competitors Using SEO Tools You can actually find out a huge amount of information about your rivals using simple SEO tools. These provide you with details, such as your competitor’s keywords, the number of website visitors they get, where their backlinks are coming from, and how they’re conducting their PPC campaigns. With this information, you can either emulate them, or respond in the optimal way. Critically, once you know what they’re doing (and why it’s working), you can copy them. Emulating their approach is often a good first step, after which you can refine your strategy. Use Page Changes Monitoring You can also use tools, such as page changes monitoring, to get even more granular details on what the competition is doing. When they make changes, you can evaluate them and then ask yourself why they made them. This is the approach that many award-winning SEO services use in-house. They formulate hypotheses and then test them to see if they work in the real world. Keep An Eye On Their Social Media Activity Keeping an eye on your rival’s social media activity is another popular option. Here you can see what they are talking about and their strategy. Set up a private account and join as many of their groups as you can. Ask them questions and see the type of material that they post. Glean what you can from their strategy, if they have one, so that you can use it yourself.  Image credit: Windows from Unsplash Become One Of Their Customers
If you really want to find out what it’s like to do business with your rivals, becoming a customer is perhaps the best thing that you can possibly do. Transact with them anonymously to see what the experience is like. Compare their processes to yours and why they might be better. Put yourself in the shoes of a regular customer who has never interacted with the business before. Ask yourself who you would rather go to for a product or service: your brand, or your rival’s? Improve Your Customer Service These days, running a successful business isn’t so much about the product as it is the user experience. Customers want to feel like you’re looking after them at every step of the way. The better the customer service you can offer, the more likely they will be to choose you in the future. If you’re friendly and kind, they will naturally prioritize your company over others. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s often tempting to skimp on customer service and professional etiquette. Everyone just wants to get the job done quickly so they can move onto the next task. However, if you take care of your customers, you’ll create a competitive advantage that can’t be beaten.  Image credit: muneebfarman from Pixabay Digital marketing campaigns are becoming increasingly popular. They allow companies to connect with their audience in new ways and interact with them on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. If you want to increase your digital marketing campaign, then there are a few must-haves that you need to make sure you have in place.
Understand Your Target Audience Through surveys on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, you could better understand who's reading your posts and why certain types of content resonate with them more than others. In addition, if there is a particular demographic/psychographic finding from these polls that isn't represented enough in your current marketing efforts. Try focusing future strategies around those people specifically rather than trying to appeal broadly across demographics at once. You can also use Geofence advertising to enhance your marketing and concentrate it on reaching the right audience. You can understand your audience through research. The first step is to create buyer personas, which are essentially fictional characters representing the interests of different types of people who shop for your product or service. You need to know the basics, such as the gender and age range of your target audience. Then you can get more specific by understanding their interests, likes/dislikes, and location. Understanding how these user groups interact with content will help you better reach them online. Create a Marketing Experience A marketing experience refers to the entire process that a person goes through, from being aware of your brand to trying it, using it, and then recommending you. It is the goal as far as marketing campaigns go. You can achieve this by making sure all aspects of your campaign are memorable, whether they're on point or not: * Your website needs to have a great design so people will want to explore more about who you are and what you do * The user experience should be smooth. Your product/service should work well naturally but also with minimal effort from their end. If someone has had an unpleasant experience with one aspect of something, there's a good chance that they'll transfer those feelings onto others which will affect your brand in a negative light * Your product/service should have an element of uniqueness to it that will make people want to talk about you * Follow up on the customer service side of things * Keep Them Coming Back Through Loyalty Programs Being unique means differentiating yourself from all the other companies that offer similar services/products as yours. So, consider adding perks like free shipping to gain an edge over other businesses in your industry. In addition, keeping up to date with current trends and offering new products will allow you to stay fresh and exciting rather than monotonous and boring among competitors. Get a Social Media Manager A social media manager is someone who can manage all your social media accounts. It will help you ensure that you post regularly and with quality content, which is essential when engaging with fans or customers. Conclusion In conclusion, there are several things you must do to be successful in digital marketing. You'll need to understand your target audience and create a unique experience for them online. Additionally, you will require good customer service and engagement practices, get a social media manager if necessary, strive for original content creation that is valuable to the reader, and reach out across multiple platforms at once.  Image credit: Tracy Le Blanc Social media has become a valuable marketing platform for businesses. When used correctly, it can be a way of not just building brand exposure but generating new customers. Below are some of the tricks for building customers through social media.
Create eye-catching content Getting people to notice you on social media requires creating eye-catching content. Ideally, it needs to not just be evocative but provocative - when people see your posts they should have the urge to interact either by liking it or commenting on it. So just how do you create such content? Images and videos tend to be the best option for encouraging engagement. When it comes to images, you should consider content such as attention-grabbing photos of your product or service, fascinating infographics related to your industry or humorous original image memes. When it comes to videos, you could consider a product advertisement, an educational video that boosts your credibility or possibly even a semi-educational behind-the-scenes video of you making your product. In most cases, you’ll want to hire a professional to help you create this content such as a product photographer, graphic designer, animator or video production company. This will ensure that your content is high quality. Text content can still be eye-catching but you should generally keep it snappy so that it can be read at a glance. Consider spicing it up with emojis and hashtags. Text should always accompany images and videos. Promote events and deals Most people follow brand accounts to keep updated on events or deals. Make sure that you’re posting this type of content from time to time. When it comes to events, make sure to advertise all the necessary information such as date, time and location. It’s worth creating a hashtag for your event that people involved can share. If it’s a ticketed event, make sure to share a link to a page where people can buy tickets. Start promoting early so that people have enough time to plan ahead. When it comes to deals like discounts and 2-for-one offers, use images and emojis to help your posts stand out. Supply a link to a webpage where people can buy the discounted product or service. If it’s for a limited time or there is limited stock, make sure to make this clear. Run competitions Social media competitions are great for generating buzz around your company. In turn, they can help you to convert customers. Competitions typically involve giving away a product or service for free to a single winner. They can take the form of a raffle or lottery in which contestants are put into a random draw. Alternatively, you can challenge contestants to answer a question: you could challenge people to come up with a name for your next product and give a prize to the contestant with the best suggestion, or you could challenge customers to guess how many sweets are in a jar (or something similar and industry-relevant) and then give away a prize to the most accurate answer. It’s worth adding a link to a competition webpage where contestants can sign up opposed to relying on social media comments. As part of entering your competition, you could encourage contestants to follow you on social media or join your mailing list. All in all, use the competition as a chance to build buzz around your company - you may encourage some contestants that aren’t winners to buy your product or use your service in the future. Make use of targeted adverts Targeted adverts allow you to pay money to target posts at specific audiences. You get to set parameters such as location, sex and age. This can be great for helping your content to reach the right people, helping you to build customers and not just engagements. It’s worth keeping a budget when running adverts to avoid spending too much. Use performance reports on your advertisement campaigns in order to improve future advertisement campaigns. Respond promptly to queries Social media is one of the few publicly interactive forms of marketing. Consumers that are interested in your product have the option to comment and ask questions. A well-run social media brand account is able to respond to these queries promptly in order to convert leads while they are still hot. This involves checking your social media accounts daily. On top of responding to queries, there may be other comments worth replying to. Complaints and false statements should be diffused so that they don’t have a negative impression on other potential leads - this could include apologising for mistakes or correcting false rumours. If people show interest with comments such as ‘this is great!’ capitalize on this with a link to your product. Build recommendations Facebook has got rid of its review system but now has a recommendations feature. It’s worth asking happy customers to recommend you on Facebook. This could help improve trust in consumers looking at your Facebook page, possibly encouraging them to buy your product or use your service. Check analytics Analytics can tell you which type of content is performing well so that you can repost or replicate these types of content. When it comes to posts containing links, it’s worth looking at how many people have clicked on the link and whether this has created any customers - this is a better indicator of whether a post is successful than the amount of likes and comments. You can use social media analytics and website analytics to work out this information. Look at what your competitors are doing It could be worth checking your competitors to see what they are up to. There may be content ideas that you can take inspiration from. At the same time, there may be ways in which you can set yourself apart. Be wary of taking part in ‘brand wars’. This has become popular among large established brands and involves jokily criticising competitor brands. With local small brands it may not have the same impact and may damage your reputation.  Image credit: Lalmch from Pixabay Everyone is searching for those ways to become their own boss and leave the 9 to 5 behind for good. And while there are a lot of good ideas out there, one that is sparking everyone’s attention is dropshipping. So, what is drop shipping and why you should think about doing it yourself.
What is dropshipping? Dropshipping is a form of selling that means that you don’t have to hold any stock. This fulfilment shipping is a great way to have your own virtual store by reducing your warehouse overheads to nothing. All you have to do is build a website and get people to buy stuff. You would work with a shipping partner to supply your customers with the goods that they want. You, the owner of the website store, never have to see or handle the products that you are selling. This sounds like a scam, are there any successful dropshipping companies? We know it might sound like a scam but it is a completely legitimate way to run a business. There are many different dropshipping stores that are pulling in several thousand dollars of profit every day. You pay the shipping partner their wholesale price, you sell the item at a higher price that you set yourself. The difference between those two prices is pure profit and all for you to keep. If you want to learn about a success story, meet Irwin Dominguez from San Diego. Within 8 months made $1,000,000 in profit as a dropshipper. What is the downside? The downside is that your shipping partners can be unreliable. You need to choose carefully who you are working with to ensure that your customers are receiving their products. There are also the problems that come with customer service, and being a one-person team. You might want to leave the 9 to 5 behind, but getting started with dropshipping can be time-consuming. If this is something that you want to do, you should research as much as you can to ensure that your store will be a successful one. Can anyone do it? Yes! One of the best things about dropshipping is that anyone with an eye for creating and a laptop can become a dropshipper. You can set up your store within a couple of days. As we stated in the previous point, it is better if you do your research, but this information is available to anyone. You don’t need to have a business degree to make this a success story. A lot of the platforms have guides and academies so you can learn the best ways to make your new business work. And there you have it. A simple way to create your own online store that you can run from your kitchen table in your pj’s. You never have to leave the house while you are running it unless you want to. Check out some of the free guides that are available and see if this could be the newest business venture for you.  Image credit: Max Bender from Pexels Choosing the best location for your business is a difficult decision. There are many factors to consider to make the most informed decision possible. In addition, there are different ways to select a good location for your business and some things you might want to consider when making this critical choice.
Determine Your Target Market Depending on the industry, it can be a particular group of individuals. For example, suppose you have a business that sells luxury goods. In that case, your target market is most likely rich people with large disposable incomes and plenty of free time who enjoy spending money on nice things like expensive handbags and designer sunglasses. Researching demographics such as age range, education level, and income level will help you narrow down the best options for your location choice within certain areas where those types of individuals live or work out frequently. Work on Your Product Relevance in the Area The relevance of your product in the area is essential because if you sell a product that isn't relevant to people there, it will be difficult for them to purchase from you. Ensure your marketing and branding materials match up with what your community wants, so they are more likely to buy from you rather than going elsewhere. In addition, if customers can’t find out about or purchase your products easily, this also creates issues down the line when it comes time for customer service. Consider Accessibility to Customers The location of your business is crucial because it is where consumers will be able to find you. However, the accessibility of a store or office space can also affect how many people decide to visit. This factor is especially relevant for retail stores that sell products online and in their physical store. If you are selling items on Amazon and have an internet-based shop through Shopify or BigCommerce, having a prime spot near high traffic areas might not matter much if most sales come from eCommerce sites anyway. However, brick & mortar locations are still necessary for some businesses, including restaurants, real estate agencies, and hair salons, so you should always narrow down the best place early on regardless of whether there's potential for eCommerce sales. One way of assessing the accessibility of a location is by looking at where your target customers are. For example, if you're targeting people in an office building, then having storage space close to that area will be more effective than if they live on the other side of town or in another city entirely. Look at all of our locations and find one that will strengthen your business's image while minimizing competition as much as possible - which is why it's best to avoid areas with similar companies. Look Into How Best You Can Fit in the Area If the area is not appropriate for your business location, then you can try to change it. However, it would help to consider other competing businesses in that facility and how many of them are already well-established. Suppose they have good track records in their respective fields. In that case, chances are they will be doing much better than your small business when it comes to advertising expenses and getting more customers. It is usually by word-of-mouth marketing or referrals from satisfied clients who were once regular patrons at that place before you came in. Conclusion In conclusion, the location of your business is critical to its success. It would help if you considered how accessible it would be and the market demand to set up shop. In addition, keep in mind other factors such as amenities and types of businesses already present at the location; these can all affect the performance of your business.  Image credit: Ekrulila from Pexels Customers are superficial. Doesn't matter what industry you're in, you entice your potential buyers and customers visually first with what you have to offer, before they even consider your sales pitch. If you're in the food and beverage industry, a simple menu placed in front of your customer with pictures of the food you have to offer, will make them visualise how it will taste in their minds. This will sway their decision to buy the product before they even take a sample bite. The power of sight. Persuasive Storefront Your retail store has the best products and you want everyone to come and buy from you. But how to get those hundred of feet walking around to come into your store? Unless you are walking around giving away discount coupons in an attempt to get them in your store, the alternative is your storefront. It's the first impression any potential buyer has of what to expect from your store before going in. Its interior decorating meets science to get the correct collaboration that will have the enticing effect. And then once they are in your store, you need to keep them inside. Your floorplan, displays and color schemes need to induce the buyer's urge to splurge. If you feel that you might be out of the depth in this endeavour, rather enlist the help of shop design experts to save the day. Desirable Website If you are an online store, your website is your virtual storefront. After loading your site, your potential client already set a precedence in his or her mind about what type of store you have, do they like it or not and if they should close the site. And that is even before reading any content on your site. With the first glance, they evaluate your site purely on what they see. Your pictures, font style, colours and overall layout is what will win them over 75% of the way or lose them completely. Even if you have a physical store and use your website as a second avenue of money generating, the amount of time you spend dressing the windows or store layout, that is the amount of energy you also need to exert on your website. Envious Advertisement Advertisement is the embodiment of the saying “you need to spend money to make money.” In 2020 the advertising expenditure in the UK was a staggering £23.46 billion. All in the attempt to lure and seduce the buyer's impulse and increase revenue. Even if it's a new brand on the market, if the advertising is convincing and incisive, the buyer will feel more inclined to purchase even just one product.  Image credit: Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels Although the human has five senses, we gravitate more to our sight when we splurge money. If it looks good enough to eat, wear or use, we add it to our cart. Nevermind that we haven't touched it yet or know if the baker or chef is any good, we take a chance because our eyes convinced us.
 Image credit: Hassan Ouajbir from Unsplash It’s no secret that providing customer service options can be a drag when you’re running a business. This will be especially true if you work on your own, as you are likely to struggle to be able to manage all of the messages, phone calls, and other communications you receive. There are loads of tools and services in the modern world that can help with this, but you will need to find and use them to be able to feel the benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to achieve this.
Automated Methods Automating customer contacts is an excellent way to take the pressure off of your shoulders. People are used to using tools like instant messenger nowadays, and this means that they will respond well to live chat tools with chatbots to take them through the basics. Options like this won’t be able to cover all of your customer service needs, but they will be able to get you on the right track. You can also use automation to help with your email services, though this can be more challenging. Outsourced Methods Outsourcing your customer services can be another good way to handle this feature of your business. Most people have access to companies that can help with communication, making it nice and easy to put this work into someone else’s hands. The cost of a telephone answering service has steadily gone down over the last few years, with people across the world using tools like this to push their company forwards. This can make your customer services much easier to handle. Flexible Policies As a one-person team, you need to make sure that you have flexible policies in place for your communications. You should always aim to respond to people within a certain window, but this won’t always work and your customers need to be aware that you will sometimes face delays. As long as it doesn’t take more than a day or two for you to reply to the messages and emails you receive, you can take your time with this aspect of your company, letting people wait for their responses. Using What You’re Comfortable With People often getting overwhelmed by their customer service offerings. It can be all too easy to find yourself juggling the different methods you offer, creating a challenge when it comes to answering everyone quickly and professionally. Sticking to tools that make you feel comfortable is a good way to combat this. For example, if you don’t like talking on the phone, you could stick to live chat and email as your contact methods. With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of making customer contacts work when you are operating within a one-person team. This can be a big challenge, but it will be worth putting the time in to make it easier for yourself. Of course, as time goes by, this will only become simpler and simpler.  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels Are you exploring new ways to grow your business and strengthen your brand? If so, then you should think about the best ways to use the power of your clients and customers. These are a few of the possibilities that we strongly recommend you consider. Use Their Opinions
First, you should think about whether you can use the opinions and thoughts of your customers. They might be able to explain to you the best ways to move forward with your business. Don’t forget, when you’re looking to improve your company it’s important to move in directions that your customers want to see. No one knows what directions these are more than your customers themselves. You might think that customers aren’t going, to be honest when you interact with them. While this might be the case, there are ways to skirt around this issue, such as by using Mystery Shopping experiences. Here customers get a product to review but don’t know what the brand is and deliver honest feedback. Use Their Content Next, you should think about whether you can use content from customers to your advantage. User-generated content can be helpful because it allows you to connect with that individual customer. It will also help you reach their followers. Don’t forget, that customers are far more likely to trust the word of other clients rather than your brand. User-generated content also makes your business seem more accessible and that’s always going to provide a tremendous benefit. Use Their Reviews Next, you should think about using reviews in your business. Do note that a mixture of positive and negative reviews is far better than zero reviews for your business online. That’s why you should make sure that you are encouraging customers to leave reviews. You should do this after the completion of a sale. Business owners often assume that it’s going to be difficult to get customers to leave reviews. However, this is not the case. The reality is that they will drop reviews if you ask the right way and provide some client aftercare instead of just abandoning them once a sale is complete. Use Their Reach Finally, you might also want to consider using their reach to gain more customers and clients for your business. One of the best ways to do this is through promotional merchandise. The right sponsored merch will be worn and used by your clients. This means that they can effortlessly spread the word about your business. You just need to spend a little time ensuring that the merch is attractive and stylish enough that clients want to use it. You might even want to consider using popular brand items to promote your company in this way such as Nike or Adidas sportswear. We hope this helps you understand some of the key ways that you can use your customers and clients to your advantage. By taking the right steps here, you’ll find that your customers can become your strongest asset and help you grow your business, even in a short period.  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels The point of conversion is one that gets a lot of attention, and rightly so. It’s the moment where you have the best chance to turn a lead into a customer or client. However, that doesn’t mean that you should be rushing to that stage. If you spend a little more time preparing your lead before the pitch, then you can maximise your chances of succeeding with it. Here are a few ways to do that.
Learn about your customer First of all, you should make sure that you know who you’re talking about. Make use of things like lead capture forms like Leadformly on your website that can hopefully help get you a little more detail on the people that will become your customers and clients. This way, you can adjust your pitch to better suit their own needs and circumstances. You don’t want to be talking to them as if they’re just a part of a target market, you want to be able to individualise your pitch to them as best as possible. Have answers for the tough questions Before you get in touch, make sure that you have considered the potentials problems and barriers between your customers/clients and your products/services. Unless you’ve done a world first and created the perfect product or service, these are going to exist. You can also look at barriers and problems with competitors. It’s likely that your leads are going to have tough questions about exactly these and going in without any research or answers prepared is not going to look good on your end. Set the tone A little showmanship can make all the difference. This is, in effect, what’s at the heart of branding. With the help of teams like the brand design agency - Naked Ideas, you can make sure that your website and any marketing materials you have can carry across the tone and the voice of the brand that you want. A strong brand identity can help potential customers and clients feel like they know what your business is about before you get in touch. It establishes a level of trust and credibility that makes it much easier to make your pitch without as much scepticism. Be generous You can’t exactly bribe someone into becoming a client, no-one is going to be hoodwinked by a gift. However, free samples or souvenirs can help to establish a friendly and giving tone. If you show your potential clients that you’re willing to meet their needs in little ways, then they are more likely to believe that you’re willing to do it through your products and services, as well. Bringing a free gift can definitely improve your chances of winning new clients or, at the very least, keeping them around long enough for you to wow them with your pitch. Don’t rush into a pitch until you’ve had the time to make sure your potential customer or client can warm up to it. Lay the groundwork for your future success. |
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