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If you don’t set goals, look at how you can reach them or reach a little bit of success, and then stop, you’re doing yourself and your business a disservice. The most successful business owners look for opportunities to maximize their success, break their own goals and achieve the maximum that their potential lets them.
So what could you be doing to make the most of every opportunity you have - as well as create your own? Mission You should have two missions in place - one is your personal mission, and the other is your business mission. They will work in sync to make sure that both things are achievable. But before you manage to work toward a mission, you need to consider what yours really is. When you start your business, your mission will differ from the mission you have 5,10, or 25 years in. Your mission statement is a short piece of writing that encapsulates what you want in your personal life, career, socially, in the community, and more. Make yours part of your drive. Marketing Marketing is a 24/7/365 endeavor and one that most small business owners can only handle alone for so long. Suppose your marketing is slipping because there are other commitments in your business, and you are skipping the social posts, not putting PR statements out, or missing out on trade shows awards and more. In that case, it’s time to hand it over to a company that can tackle it for you, like E-Web Marketing. Marketing is one of the biggest things that can elevate your business to new levels. Education When was the last time you learned a new skill that could improve your products or services? Many business owners learn as they go along, which is great because there is not much that can be better than hands-on experience. However, the more you know about all of the facets of your business, your industry, and how other people are running their businesses, the better you can manage yours. Learning isn’t always about the credentials you gain from completing courses, but you can use everything you learn, even on short or free courses. Make a list of what you’d like to be better at and other industries that need your business to function. Mentors/Coaches Perhaps one of the places you are struggling is to get clarity on your future or the future of your business. Many business owners are happy to go with the flow for so long that they don’t realize that they have stagnated. Once you notice this, you still have time to rectify it. Look for business mentors or coaches that have worked with companies and CEOs like you - and see if you can clear your path to success by talking it through. Mistakes Some people will say that if you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t going forward and aren’t taking risks that could pay off. Staying within your comfort zone will mean you limit yourself and your business to how much it can grow. Mistakes offer us the best way to learn and grow - so make some, and do better next time. Part of maximization is making sure that you yourself have been making the most of your time each day; here are some tips for that: Best Ways to Efficiently Manage Your Time.
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Anyone who starts up a business does so because they feel they can make plenty of money. They’ll look to help people out and solve problems for certain target markets, but the idea is to grow and build. If you’re not making any money as a business, then you’re not going to be anywhere near success or prosperity.
In order to reach success, you have to ensure your business is geared up for success. Nobody stumbles upon success whenever they start a business. Some might be humble and say things that make it look as though they were extremely fortunate, but the fact is that they put in the effort and prepared accordingly. They had a philosophy and a way of doing things – and they stuck to it. None of it was an accident. Here are a few ways that anyone can ensure a small business can go from treading water to reaching the next level: Make Sure Your Mindset Is Geared Towards Prosperity And Nothing Else Before you even think about making changes or upgrades to your business, you’ll have to make sure you have the right ideas in your mind – and in the minds of those around you. If you have a broke mindset and a negative mentality, the chances are that you’ll never reach the stages you desire. You have to make sure that you’re in it for the long haul, too. It’s not just something you can achieve if you’re constantly thinking about failing or canceling plans. Get into the right headspace and you can achieve pretty much anything. Ensure You Have The Perfect Workplace You cannot get things done if you’re not situated in the best possible place. You don’t need to be in a high-rise building with the best equipment, but you need something that suits you and what you’re hoping to achieve. Make sure you’re able to get things done each day in this area and that you’re actively looking forward to heading in every single morning. This kind of importance can’t be stated enough. Prepare And Plan For Pretty Much Everything A business plan acts as both a guide for everyone, but also as a way of encouraging investment. Make sure you have everything detailed so that you can follow along and create a wonderful company. You’ll, of course, have to amend a few things along the way, but the core value and ideas will likely remain. You’ll also have to prepare in terms of the workplace and how everything is set up for everyone. Organize the workplace, ensure you get some eicr testing to avoid any electrical issues, and make it clear that there’s a set way of doing things. Bring In The Perfect People For Every Situation A good business cannot run without good people. You have to make sure that you have good personalities as well as those who can do the job(s) properly. It’s not all about their qualifications and experience, of course. Make sure you have good, honest people who can work well together and create a fantastic atmosphere. Know Exactly Where Things Are Going In The Long Term People who only think in the short term tend to run into all kinds of problems. They also will never really see a business with longevity. You have to think long term and consider what’s going to happen in the coming years in order to really make it work well. Knowing how things are going to be further on down the line allows you to make the right kinds of impactful decisions. Possess A Wonderful Online Presence And Platform A lot of work these days is done online. When people want to understand more about what you’re doing, they’ll head online and do a little more reading. If you’re not there to be read about or your pages are of low quality, you’re not going to be very impressive. Make sure you’ve got the online side of things sorted out. Get Lawyered Up And Protect Every Eventuality You just never know what might happen when it comes to the world of business. One day, you could be fine. The next day, you could be in a terrible place – all without realizing you’ve made huge mistakes. A business lawyer will be able to defend you or help you to go on the offensive if you feel that is the case. They’ll also be able to help you set up your business without running into any legal issues along the way. Learn Everything There Is To Know About The Marketing Side Marketing is incredibly important in business because you need to get people on board. It doesn’t matter how amazing your work is, nobody will part with their money if they don’t care about you. Business is about making relationships, and marketing your product or service is what will make those relationships flourish. Ensure You Have Insurance So That You Can Avoid Disasters Things will eventually go wrong if you’re in business long enough. Sometimes, you run into issues that are nobody’s fault. For instance, you could be dealt a blow by a natural disaster and it could destroy plenty of what you have going on. Financially, you could be ruined if you don’t have insurance backing you up. Create Contingency And Continuity Plans There will be situations where things go a little wrong. If you’re around long enough, then the chances are that you’ll run into all kinds of issues that require a little downtime or that make you feel a little stressed out. If you have no contingency plan or no business continuity in your setup, then the errors are going to be felt a lot more. Sometimes, you’re able to simply carry on as usual due to contingency plans that have been put in place years prior. The biggest and most successful businesses are able to sniff out every single issue and make sure things can run even if those flaws become bigger problems.  Image credit: Copper and Wild from Unsplash I've been working with online entrepreneurs for well over a decade now and in that time (and especially during this time) I have learned many interesting lessons and tips of the trade. One of those lessons is the power of having a vision for your business growth and success.
Many of us would much rather "wait and see" what happens than take steps toward our dreams... especially when they're small (like building your own website) and grand (like taking your business from the comfort of home to millions of people looking at your site everyday). In this day and age where there is more information than ever before, you would think that we would rather listen to someone who can show us HOW to build our business and what tools and resources we need but the sad truth is that too many entrepreneurs listen to someone who has all the knowledge... and quit when they discover that they don't know how to do what they want. One other very important factor in getting your business started, is having a mentor. This is not just any old mentor though; in my experience you want someone who has done exactly what you want to do, and exactly how you want to do it... so they will be your sounding board as you learn the skills necessary to get your dream of building your business... going from a hobby into a profitable business. You want a mentor who knows exactly how your business should sound, and exactly how you can get to that point. You want a mentor who knows exactly which tools and resources will be the best for your business. You are going to spend many, many hours working with your mentor and we don't want to find out that the skills and techniques we invest in during our time with them is not what is needed... and you're going to be frustrated because you spent too much time with the wrong tool or technique. So make sure there is someone who lives your dream as much as you do and has gone beyond what you thought was possible! So many entrepreneurs waste their precious time in an effort to "perfect" their business instead of concentrating on creating a business that can flourish without them. And you don't need to spend a fortune to get yourself a great mentor... one of my all time fave's are Mike Friesen (author of "Rich Dad" series) and Jim Collins (author of Bestseller... "Lights Out") These guys are great teachers because they get you working in their business day in day out, not just a one time course where you leave feeling like you've got it all under control. 5. Your passion - what really drives you to become a successful entrepreneur. I want to tell you about a friend of mine who wanted to be an entrepreneur so bad that he would do anything to achieve that dream. And you know what, he's become one... as well as many other entrepreneurs we know. So his passion is real, it's not just something he creates to earn some extra cash. There should be something you absolutely love and then there should be something that drives you to become an entrepreneur. Like wanting to do something that is beneficial to everyone and something that gives you a rush just thinking about it, getting you excited and ready to take on the world. That way you'll get through the first 5 steps easily and then you'll be able to focus on achieving your dreams in the third step. Now get going and create your business today!  Image credit: PhotoMIX Company from Pexels The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant challenge for businesses and economies globally, prompting business closures and labor cuts in 2020. The pandemic wasn't all doom and gloom however, as some sectors and industry recorded significant growth in their operations. Statistics showed that the ecommerce industry is booming daily and expected to reach $6.54 trillion by 2022. However, the industry is continuously evolving and requires you to stay updated with the latest trends to gain more traction, drive traffic and convert into buying consumers. Take a look at the top five ecommerce trends you should expect in 2021.
1. Brands will partner with influencers This has been a key trend in recent years as ecommerce platforms are falling on influencers to reach their vast followers. The influencer marketing industry is becoming a significant boom for ecommerce brands, and it's projected to hit $9.7 billion in 2020. Do you know why? Experts have indicated that brands have a content creation problem since they cannot create enough marketing content to match their marketing strategies. In 2021, they’ll be looking to partner with influencers to support their content creation process, likely in the form of a content agency. Additionally, we'll see ecommerce brands include paid media spending to enhance their audience reach. 2. Video ads on social media. Last year, there was a significant increase in social media usage, and those numbers aren’t going to slow down in 2021. According to statistics, social media recorded more than 3.6 billion users in 2020, a figure expected to hit 4.41 billion by 2025. With the current trend, several brands have begun to utilize the story features on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat to promote their products and services. The next stage will be the advancement of social media trading. Last year, we witnessed Facebook launch Instagram shops while Shopify partnered with TikTok. This year, we'll see how brands can manage these changes. However, for a D2D brand, you can record videos of your highest performing items and post them on social media platforms where you can discover your most targeted audience. 3. New payment options Many customers use the availability of payment options to choose between brands they deal with. Failure to offer a customer's preferred payment option means they'll have to look to another ecommerce store. Apart from the acceptance of smartcards by ecommerce shops as payment methods, there are several existing payment platforms like PayPal, Apple, or Samsung Pay, and Inoviopay. However, with the low exchange cost and inability to reverse transactions associated with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, many online shops will now be looking to accept it as payment options in 2021. 4. Voice commerce will grow Individuals are progressively depending on voice assistance gadgets like the Amazon Echo with Alexa and Google Assistant to do just about everything, from serving as alarms and reminders to making purchases on the internet. A survey has proposed that an estimated 75% of U.S. families will own a smart speaker by 2025. Meanwhile, voice trade deals are projected to reach $40 billion by 2022. Another motivation behind the rising voice commerce trading is the accuracy and ease of innovation. Both Amazon and Google are pushing local languages in their virtual assistance programs to enhance shopping experiences. In conclusion, there’ll be several businesses hoping to rule the ecommerce market, which is why you should adopt these new trends as early as possible if you want your business company to thrive in 2021. Marketplaces, voice commerce, and artificial intelligence will be standard, while an increasing number of online businesses will begin accepting crypto payments to allure more clients to their brand.  Image credit: Melanie Sophie from Unsplash It makes information more digestible
Learning skills is in human nature. We need to learn skills to grow, develop and adjust from a young age. However, it seems counterintuitive to learn all your skills from a set of books. Indeed, young children learn through practice and copying the adults around them. It would be foolish to assume that people change their approach when they grow older. Mimicking gestures and processes is an innate mechanism. Consequently, compiling information in a format that focuses on the copying part of the learning process can facilitate skills acquisition. The adult education sector can partner with a professional video production company to turn reading materials into videos. Concepts are more easily digestible and approachable when they are shown rather than read, which can speed up learning for adults. Similarly, when showing isn’t an option, telling remains a valuable tool. Let’s not forget that people grew up in a storytelling environment before books existed. As such, podcasts are a suitable alternative to videos. It brings new incentives Modern classrooms have been using gamification with their students of all ages. For children, gamification used to be in the form of a physical reward, such as a star or a small present, to mark successes. Nowadays, teachers rely on virtual rewards, using apps to allocate points, badges, and creative avatars. Gamification apps can be equally effective for adults, as they provide a new sense of motivation. Don’t we all want to win? Earning badges and points can encourage adults to prolong learning sessions and memorise new knowledge quicker and better. Knowledge is always available How did school go for you? As a child, you needed to revise your book-based lessons before a test. As an adult, the same principle may not be suitable for your day-to-day life. Ultimately, it’s hard to make time for learning when you’ve got to manage work and a household. Consequently, digital tech makes knowledge accessible whenever and wherever you need it, whether you want to listen to the latest school podcasts during your commute or use the app to refresh your memory. Digitalising knowledge adds flexibility. In a world where remote teaching has become the new normal, it’s essential to maintain the technology even after turning the covid page. Digital technology makes learning more manageable for millions of adults who need to upskill. Whether they want to integrate into a new culture or boost their career progression, digital teaching makes their goal possible.  Image credit: Rodolfo Clix on Pexels When your business is operating at maximum efficiency levels, your productivity should increase naturally. As a result, you can boost your company’s profitability by enhancing efficiency at every level. However, finding the most effective ways to improve your efficiency can be tricky. To give your business the best chance of success in 2021, take a look at these top tips for maximizing efficiency now:
Set Firm Goals Unless you have clear goals in place, you won’t be able to monitor or optimize your efficiency levels. When you know what you’re working towards, you’re able to implement effective strategies that will help you to achieve your targets in the quickest timeframe. By using SMART goals, for example, you can ensure that your business targets are specific, measurable, achievable, time-bound, and realistic. Increase Automation When you automate business functions, you can reduce the amount of time it tasks for tasks to be completed. In addition to this, increased automation eradicates potential inaccuracies caused by human errors and reduces the need for staff, thus reducing your costs. People tend to assume that automation is only relevant in specific industries, such as manufacturing, but this isn’t the case at all. Every business can benefit from implementing automated processes, regardless of what sector you operate in. From invoicing and marketing to customer service and quality control, there are numerous ways you can increase automation within your business. Start Outsourcing If you aren’t outsourcing already, it’s time to start. When you outsource certain tasks or functions, you can operate more efficiently. Outsourcing gives you access to specialist expertise that you don’t have in-house, but it also enables your core staff to focus on their main roles. By taking advantage of outsourcing opportunities, you can also minimize the need for full-time, in-house staff, which can enable you to operate with fewer outgoings. There are plenty of ways to incorporate outsourcing into your business model. Using third-party managed IT services or professional translation services is a form of outsourcing, for example. Similarly, working with an SEO agency or a content production company enables you to outsource important business functions and improve your efficiency levels. Prioritize Tasks When your To-Do list is getting longer by the minute, don not simply work through it starting at the top. Instead, grade tasks based on how important and time-sensitive they are. By doing so, you can tackle the high-value tasks first and leave the less important issues until last. Using scheduling software or a task management platform is a good way to plan your working day, as it enables you to modify your schedule quickly and grade tasks according to their priority. Becoming More Efficient People tend to assume that maximizing efficiency means working harder but it doesn’t have to. By altering the way you work, you can significantly increase your efficiency and productivity, without working harder. In fact, you might find that making modifications to how you work allows you to reduce your working hours while still boosting your efficiency levels!  Image credit: La Miko on Pexels It goes without saying that in order for a business to attract more customers, continue to grow, and make more profit, they obviously need to devise an effective marketing campaign. This is something which is even more important when one considers the state of the economy around the world at present. Businesses don’t have as much money to spend; therefore, it is crucial to get their advertising plan right the first time around. Moreover, people don’t have much money to spend and therefore marketing methods need to be even cleverer and well thought through.
Sadly, there is no magic formula and essentially whether a strategy will work or not all depends on the business in question. Every method in the book needs to be taken, adapted and edited in order to suit the company. The best idea is to go for something which seems to be successful across a lot of businesses and industries. There are not a lot of options which actually boast this desirable quality. Nevertheless, one that does is the utilisation of promotional products. This is basically where a company chooses to produce products with their name printed on, they then distribute these as gifts to potential consumers. The key to the success of this strategy all lies within what product is chosen. There are lots of different items a business can choose from however one which seems to have a whole host of advantages to its name is the use of promotional bags. This blog post will reveal what the benefits linked to this product in particular are. The first reason is that promotional bags are relatively cheap to produce and distribute, especially in relation to some of the other promotional products which a company can choose from. In fact, custom made bags are something which has decreased in price significantly as of late, especially when buying in bulk. It is important how crucial it is to highlight the fact that choosing a low-cost product is pivotal at present due to the recession and the need to have a strategy which is as low risk as it can possibly be. Another reason for choosing promotional bags is that it will add to the credibility of the company. This is because more and more people are caring about the environment and wanting to look after their planet. If they see that a company is distributing reusable bags then the company will go up in their estimations and they will feel more inclined to use it. Plus, reusable bags are great for exhibitions. If you’ve been looking at marquees for a promotional event or trade show, giving out a reusable branded bag can help people to keep all of their advertising gifts and brochures in one place while also advertising your business. A final and highly important point to note is that this is an item which has massive scope for potential. At the end of the day, if an individual uses their bag to go shopping then there is no telling how many people they will pass and thus how many people will see the details of the company in question. At the end of the day, it is really not hard to see why so many individuals are choosing to implement a strategy based around promotional bags.  Image credit: Burst on Pexels When it comes to your business, you should always be thinking about how you can improve it. This is going to mean that you take it to the next level as and when it is required. But, how do you do this? Well, we’re sure that you’ve done it before unless your company is relatively new, but things are a little bit different with the circumstances that we are in right now. In this article though, we are going to be taking a look at some of the requirements when taking your business to the next level. If you would like to find out more about this, keep reading down below.
The Best Employees The first thing that you are going to need is the best employees. You are going to need people who are willing to dedicate their time to helping you build your business up, and if you don’t have that right now this is going to be a problem. Your business is made up of many different parts, but your employees are a vital one and you are never going to be any better than your worst employee. Everyone needs to be working hard and continually doing everything in their power to get you where you need to be on the market. If you think that someone isn’t pulling their weight, you have two options. First, you can talk to them, see what the issue is and if there is anything that you can do to help. If this doesn’t work, then the only option you have left is to replace them with someone who will give your business everything that they have professionally. The Right Product Another thing that you’re going to need is the right product. You need to have demand for whatever you are selling, and you need to make sure that you’ve got everything you need to provide it. For example, if your business sells evaporative condensers, you need to make sure you’ve got a market for them. When you find it, you need to market heavily in their direction to let them know that you have what they need. If there isn’t any demand, then we suggest you find a way to generate some sooner rather than later The Right Idea Finally, you’ve got to have the right idea. When you’re moving your business forward, there is always going to be an idea in mind, and it’s got to be a good one. Without one of these, you aren’t going to have any hope of getting where you are headed. Take your time coming up with your plan of action so that you know it’s the best possible path for your business. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that are required when it comes to taking your business to the next level. It is only going to be as complicated as you make it, but if you take your time and give it everything you’ve got, you’re going to be just fine. We wish you the best of luck.  Image credit: Cleyder Duque on Pexels Any business that sells products has to engage with manufacturing. Whether that’s directly or indirectly. At the end of the day, manufacturing is essential when it comes to bringing your products to life and giving you something to sell. Think about it. Even if you have the best product concept in the world - the best product concept that anybody has ever come up with - it's pretty useless unless you can bring the product to life and offer it for sale on the market. Consumers want to receive something more than an idea for their money. However, manufacturing is a relatively complex process and you have a fair number of options at hand. Whether you offer food products, jewellery, bedding, candles, kitchen accessories, gadgets or anything else you can think of, it’s going to need to go through some sort of manufacturing process and there are countless ways to go about it. Here are a few options alongside a little more information to help you to make the best choices when it comes to your own business and its manufacturing process.
What Is Manufacturing? Let’s start out by settling on what exactly manufacturing is. Put simply, manufacturing is the process of taking raw materials and combining them or joining them together in a way that will create your final product. Anything that comes off the manufacturing production line should be ready to be packaged and sent directly to the customer. It’s your product in its final form. In-House Manufacturing vs. Outsourced Manufacturing The two most common ways of going about manufacturing a product are outsourcing or bringing manufacturing in-house. Now, most small businesses start out by outsourcing their manufacturing, while larger companies with established and in-demand goods tend to bring manufacturing in house. The right decision will fall down to your individual business’ circumstances and needs. But here are a few things to take into consideration to come the right conclusion for you. Cost Your manufacturing process needs to be cost effective. If you are a small business with small means of investing, manufacturing in house can be costly and risky. You may change your mind when it comes to what you’re selling and be lumbered with lots of costly and specific equipment you no longer need. Larger companies tend to have solid demand for their goods and will use equipment and machinery indefinitely, which makes in house manufacturing more sensical. If you know your products will sell, it’s fine to invest in niche manufacturing essentials like carbide tool industries products and conveyor belts. Time Outsourcing tends to save time. You send your requests out and the work will be completed. If you manufacture in house, you need to train staff up. Again, whether this is worth it or not will depend on your business’ circumstances. As you can see, the logical option for most small businesses is to outsource manufacturing. But as you grow and experience success, you may want to consider bringing things in house!  Image credit: Anthony Shkraba from Pexels We spend the majority of your adult lives at work, so it’s vital your career inspires, motivates and rewards you. If you’re unhappy at work, these feelings of discontent and dissatisfaction will inevitably spill over into other areas of your life. By prioritising your professional happiness, you can ensure that your career is as meaningful and fulfilling as other elements of your life. We tend to start thinking about future careers at a relatively young age, whether we want to or not! Teenagers as young as 15 or 16 years old are asked to make major decisions about what they want to do with the rest of their lives. While some people may have a yearning ambition that will stay with them forever, most people don’t. Indeed, you might not even be aware of the range of career options out there when you’re still in your teens or early twenties, right? Fortunately, it is never too late to change your career and do something you truly love for a living. If you’re apprehensive about moving into a new industry or starting over in a new sector, just take a look at these reasons why it’s worth taking a risk: A Job You Love is Less Stressful Although some jobs are naturally more fast-paced than others, a career you don’t enjoy can easily become stressful and overwhelming. When you aren’t particularly motivated to enhance your industry, for example, you might find it difficult to stay on top of the latest developments or be at the forefront of new innovations. In contrast, when you’re doing a job you enjoy, you’re actively interested in how your sector is evolving. As a result, you see potential obstacles as challenges to be overcome, rather than as barriers to your success. This change in your mindset is one of the reasons why a job you enjoy is less stressful than one you don’t, and it’s well worth remembering when you’re weighing up the pros and cons of changing careers. Industries are Constantly Evolving Many people fear starting over in a new industry because they assume, they’ll have to start from the bottom and work their way up. While it is important to gain experience in your chosen sector, industries are constantly evolving, which means everyone is continually learning. The introduction of new technology can revolutionise a sector in an instant, so don’t assume that a lack of experience is going to hold you back.  Image credit: cottonbro from Pexels New Challenges Are Out There
Perhaps you’ve reached a point in your current career where there isn’t really anywhere to go or maybe you’re simply not interested in climbing to the very top of this particular corporate ladder? If so, you’ll be relieved to find that new challenges await you. Taking on a new role in a different industry can unleash the creativity and innovation you thought had fizzled out some time ago. When you’re inspired by your colleagues and peers, and genuinely interested in what you’re doing, it can have a big impact on your mental and emotional well-being. You Have Transferable Skills If you’re worried that the energy you’ve invested in your career thus far will be wasted, don’t be. Nothing can diminish what you’ve achieved in your career and switching to a different sector won’t detract from your success. In fact, your professional experience has equipped you with a whole range of transferable skills that will stand you in good stead, whatever you decide to do next. By choosing to do something you love, however, you can ensure that this hard-earned skills and talents are used to pursue your passion and achieve your lifelong goals. It’s Time for a Fresh Start When people feel apprehensive about changing careers, they often postpone their plans until the ‘right time’. In reality, it’s always the right time for a fresh start, so why wait to do something you love? As 2021 approaches, you can embrace the upcoming opportunities with a ‘new year new job’ mentality. Giving yourself the freedom to seek out new professional challenges will give you the impetus to make positive changes in your life and the drive to enhance your success. Plan Your New Career A career change can enable you to do something you love, but it’s always helpful to have a strategic plan in place. By building a network, gaining informal experience and honing your skills, for example, you can ensure you’re well-equipped to uncover new employment opportunities and secure the job of your dreams in 2021.  Image credit: tookapic on Pixabay Many people dream of starting their own business, they want to work for themselves, they have a great idea that they know people would use or want and they want to make loads of money for themselves without having to give it to someone else. If you’re one of these people who dream of starting your own business, then what is it that is stopping you?
The answer is nothing, and while you might be able to think up plenty of excuses to keep putting it off, in reality, the only thing that is stopping you from achieving your dream is you. If this year has taught us anything it is that life is short and you never know what is around the corner. Who could have predicted that 2020 would be spent mostly in lockdown, social distancing, unable to travel and in fear of a failing economy? It sounds like a disastrous time to start a business but in fact, this pandemic is not an excuse and is as good a time as any to start your business. You have the time One of the biggest reasons people give for not following their dreams or one of the things that people complain they never have enough of is time. But this pandemic has given us time. Whether you have been laid off, furloughed, working from home or carrying on your job as normal, it has still meant that there has been less to do and far more time spent in the house. While it looks like there is the hope of a vaccine now, it doesn’t mean the pandemic is over so if there are more lockdowns then perhaps it's time to use them wisely to work on your business. You have the resources The other thing available right now is a talent as well as other businesses who need work. For example, there are small business owners who could help you out, from electricians to logistics consultants, there are people ready and waiting to get their teeth stuck into something good and help you get your business off the ground. There are also so many talented people who have lost their jobs and are looking for work and could be an asset to your business. There is a demand While the world has changed significantly and some things are no longer as important as they once were, on the other hand, there are things such as face masks, PPE, virtual meetings and deliveries which have never been so popular. If your business can help to meet the demand that the pandemic has caused then it's the perfect time to start. You can adapt The great thing about starting your business now is that you can adapt to the new world straight away. You won’t need to make changes as you can have the restrictions and guidelines in place from the off. Your business can be something that doesn't just exist in a post-covid world but can thrive and help people adapt to a new way of living.  Image credit: Canva Studio Running a successful marketing campaign is defined by quite a few parameters. Length, breadth, growth, etc., which are all extremely variable. And in the modern day and age, it seems easier than ever to get a successful marketing campaign off the ground. After all, there’s a lot you can do with just an internet connection and a platform to make good use of!
So who knows when you’re going to hit success with your brand?! But even with your relative prowess in the digital world, is your marketing campaign running as smoothly as you want it to? And if it isn’t, even when you’ve tried to up the ante and your efforts, are you sure that your marketing campaign truly suits you? Let’s go through a few points below to double check. It Depends on What You’re Aiming For Of course, what you’re aiming for in your business is always going to be at the crux of how you run a marketing campaign. You need to know, ahead of time, what you want out of the period ahead, and what success is going to look like when it’s finished running. Will it mean plenty of inbound visitors? Will it mean ranking at the top of a search engine? Will it mean running a lengthy content campaign, to really build up a log of articles to ensure that SEO strategy really goes off? Simply put, to ensure your marketing campaign suits you, decide what you want before you put anything in place. It Depends on the Type of Business The type of business you’re running should always dictate how you set up your advertising efforts. For example, let’s say you’ve just started up a law practice of your own. How are you going to attract people to your business? Running ads on Facebook pages alone won’t score success here, unlike in an ecommerce business, so you’re going to need specialised services in the form of something like Elite Lawyer Management. Some business leaders just aren’t cut out for running communications as well, simply because they didn’t train this way, and that’s important to remember. At the same time, dipping in and out of various marketing efforts could be a waste of time and money, and in the early stages of establishing your business in the market, this could spell very bad news for you. It Depends Who You’re Trying to Reach Finally, you need to think about your audience as well. Who are you trying to reach? Where are they? What do they need from the market you’re within? All three of these questions need to determine how your marketing campaign is set up and run, to ensure it entirely suits you. When you can imagine your average customer, you’ll have something to design content around, and that’ll give you a real launch pad. A marketing campaign needs to be entirely your own; make sure you know what you’re doing, who you’re reaching, and who you are.  Image credit: Bruce Mars on Unsplash If you are a business owner, you surely start the day with a question: how can I do more? Of course, what we want is not to work longer hours and end up affecting our personal lives, but to be more effective with the resources and talents we have. Productivity has not only an impact on the objectives we reach and performance of our business, but also our stress levels. So what is it that we can do to work better? Here we share some tips that you can apply from tomorrow onwards.
Plan each workday Before leaving the office, review your schedule and set your to-do list for the next day. Determine which are the priorities, give them a schedule and be realistic about the time available. It is better to move slowly and steadily than to remain stuck in the same place. Look at what is going wrong in the office and if things need to be changed. Many businesses fail to see things that are going wrong. So whether it's talking about updates to your technology or being more productive with your energy, there are things to think about. Perhaps you need to look at upgrading your Fuel Tanks, or maybe you need to change your phone systems, planning what needs to be changed will make things more productive. Forget multitasking. Multitasking is a myth, and we can't all be good at everything. Some studies show how this way of working can reduce productivity by up to 40%. In small and even medium-sized businesses, it is very common for one or more people to do tasks of a very different nature throughout the day. Still, it can become a risk to productivity if not properly addressed. Focusing on specific objectives is a sure way to increase the productivity of your company. Have your team delegate. Concentrate more. With constant meetings, social media, and instant messaging, it's hard to stay focused for more than half an hour on a single task. To avoid distractions, establish work blocks and respect them as if it were the presentation to your most important client. Move your smartphone away from your desk or silence alerts from applications such as social media. And if you are working on something very important, let your team know that you cannot be disturbed unless it is an emergency. Forget about repetitive tasks. One of the biggest challenges is repetitive, time-consuming jobs that distract you and your employees from those that are much more important to the business, like selling products and winning customers. An example of finances, and it is that recording or controlling all invoices, expenses, or payments is a task in itself. The better you look after your finances, the more chance you have of being able to put money into other areas, such as social media. To make your life as an entrepreneur easier, you need to tackle such routine tasks to increase productivity properly. There are dozens of ways to save time and gain productivity in the short and medium-term, such as direct debit of payments to suppliers in a bank account and even immediate payment with a company card.  Image credit: Madison Inouye from Pexels In an age where we have unlimited access to pretty much everything you can imagine, it’s easy to become tempted to learn as much as possible.
Maybe you feel as though becoming an expert in many fields will benefit your career or business prospects? And in some ways, you’re not wrong to think that- having knowledge in several areas will set you aside from the crowd as well as giving you the personal gratification of learning something new. However, there are several reasons why it’s often good, and not self-limiting to become a hyper specialist. Here are some of them.. You get to become an expert in your field One of the best reasons to focus on one or two areas of expertise is that the more you invest in your knowledge the better. Imagine if an athlete decided that they wanted to spread themselves across more areas of the athletics industry. They decided they want to train, coach, advertise sporting events, and run the ticket desk, too. While all of these things are jobs that are related to the athletics field, the more this athlete does that will take them away from their training and participation in events, the less time and energy they have to focus on the things that set them apart from the others. It’s the same if you’re in marketing. You decide you also want to try your hand at the web design, content writing, accounts, and sales as well. You’ll be spreading yourself too thinly and potentially missing out on some key aspects of the ever-evolving world of marketing. Staying focused on this one area will mean you get to invest all of your energy in becoming the best. You can offer something unique Imagine you’re at a restaurant and the server gives you a 10 page menu to choose your meal from. Not only are you more likely to end up plagued by indecision, but the choice you make may not result in the best quality meal for your time and money. It’s the same in business. If you offer too much, you’re not going to offer the best quality out there. However, if you head to the sandwich bar three doors down the road who offer one meat, one vegetarian, and one fish option with only three kinds of bread, you know that you’re going to get something a bit more special. This expert specialism is what keeps people coming back. Sure, not everybody wants a sandwich all the time, but when they do, they’ll know exactly where to go. It can get even more specific than that, even. Medifit Design and Construct are a great example of a business that takes something that people look for (design agency) with a specialism (for healthcare practices). People looking for those particular services may be able to find a company that will do a good job designing their medical practice, but perhaps none as good as one that will be able to deliver the same attention to detail as a specialist company. This is why becoming hyper specialist isn’t limiting.  Image credit: Bedbible Instagram - a platform which, at first, was used to show others a glimpse of our daily lives online via our photos, has now turned into a channel that engages a billion users. Since its explosion in popularity, many brands have turned to the platform to build their social presence and engage with their consumers in a bid to drive their outreach and profits. With 80 percent of users following at least one business on the channel, it is easy to see why so many companies are keen to grow their accounts. If you are a small business who wants to learn how to make an online community, expand your account, and grow your following, follow these three tips and build your presence up the right way.
Post consistently You may have heard this one a million times already, but there is a reason why this gold nugget of advice keeps popping up over and over again - it really works! The more often and regularly you post, the more likes, and consequently more followers you will get, and accounts that post at least seven times or more throughout an entire week gain followers and likes faster than those who don’t. Furthermore, having a regular and steady flow of content also works in your favour when it comes to Instagram’s famous algorithm, with consistency being a key element to getting your posts up to the top of the timeline due to more shares and engagement with your followers. Therefore for your brand to see the best results, plan your posts ahead of time, and already have content to last you at least a week. This way, you won’t be rushing to get a last-minute photo, and you won’t risk the chance of not having enough material to post, causing you to be irregular, which could have a big impact on your following and engagement. Engage and converse It’s no use creating beautiful visuals and captivating captions if you aren’t going to engage with your audience. The platform is a great way to make users aware of your business through conversation, especially as more and more people are using social media as a point of contact for many brands. Be open and communicative, and supportive and allow a discussion to get going, whether it’s about serious queries, customer care, random questions, or just to chat and to thank those who are praising your brand and products. Engaging with as many comments and questions as possible will make the difference when it comes to gaining more followers, converting your audience into customers, and improving your relationship with pre-existing customers. By engaging with them, your customers will see that you care about them and feel a more personal connection with you, creating more trust. Know when to post You can have the best post in the world, but if you share it when it’s the middle of the night for most of your audience or when most of them are at work, chances are they aren’t going to see it. Use the free analytics tool that can be found under the Followers section in business accounts to figure out the best times for you to post. By using a targeted approach, if you post at optimal times for your audience, you are likely to get more engagement. Look at what has and hasn’t worked for you in the past regarding how much engagement you got at various times to allow you to plan how you share your content more effectively. Alternatively, use a scheduling tool to automatically publish your content during the times when your followers are most engaged. The subject of 'Free Followers' is one that comes up often, but spending your money on getting those 'fake followers' might well leave you both out of pocket as well as those followers, and this guide will tell you why.  Image credit: 3D_generator on iStock Outsourcing crucial business processes is a popular business strategy that can improve business efficiency. It refers to the process of using third-party service providers to perform certain functions. In the past, outsourcing services were a reserve for large, multinational corporations. In the modern landscape, businesses of all sizes can enjoy the benefits of outsourcing.
In many cases, outsourcing is not only a business optimization strategy but a necessity. It’s often the only feasible way to scale a business, manage operations, or launch a product. When functions are outsourced to the right team, a company can enhance its efficiency and realize several compelling benefits. Helps a Company Focus on Core Processes The most significant reason why a business should outsource is to free up its time and resources for crucial processes. A business owner can spend time doing what they’re good at while everything else is taken care of by experts. If a company is selling digital products, the focus should be on closing sales, not enhancing the site’s security features. The issues of site security can be outsourced to Managed IT Support providers. One thing that slows business down is entrepreneurs thinking that they can do everything by themselves. Drop this mentality and see your business grow. If you’re not good at managing finances or performing human resource tasks, outsource them. Gives a Business Access to a Larger Talent Pool Hiring an employee for specific functions, like payments and finance, limits the talent a business can get. In most cases, this approach requires a company to compromise. With outsourcing, a company gets access to an unlimited pool of talent from all over the world. It, therefore, makes more sense to expand your search when looking for outsourcing services. Outsourcers have access to a big pool of skills and tools that you may need now or later. They can quickly solve any arising problem for which you don’t have the right skill set. In-house employees don’t provide this kind of flexibility. Reduced Overhead Expenses and Labour Costs It's expensive to hire and train staff, especially where short projects are concerned. Temporary staff also rarely produce quality work as per the expectations of a company. Teaching processes and workflow to employees may sometimes entail investing in their education to enhance their business skills. Outsourcing allows your business to convert fixed labor costs into variable costs. This means that the only expenses it incurs are for the consumed services. There's, therefore, more staffing flexibility that doesn't exist with in-house employees. Outsourcers are also responsible for all licenses and accreditations their work requires. They stay up-to-date with industry changes and trends while constantly developing their skills to enable them to work smarter. Managed Risk Employee turnover is risky and costly. When a staff member quits, all the money used in training and hiring goes with them. Turnover can disrupt operations and cause costly problems. Outsourcing provides consistency and efficiency for your business. You don't have to worry about the interruption of operations or financial risks. Final Thoughts Outsourcing business functions is not always an easy task but is worth it in the long-run. It improves business efficiency by allowing you to focus on the most crucial aspects of business, like nurturing leads and closing deals. Some outsourcing tasks may be occasional, but they provide a greater financial advantage than hiring temporary staff. If your business has been affected by high staff turnover, consider outsourcing some of the functions.  Image credit: Burst on Pexels Starting your new business is a journey that will take you through many ups and downs. That said, it is exciting and one which is extremely rewarding. Plus, many people say working for themselves is the best thing they have ever done. When starting your business, there are many things to consider: branding, finances to websites, and funding. Below is an overview of a few things you should consider when starting your own business.
Creating your website Will you be making your website yourself or hire a professional to make one for you? Depending on your requirements, a website will help bring in new customers to your business and allow you to appeal to them in a different way. Before starting your website, make sure you put a plan together of what you will need on it and the type of website it will be, whether eCommerce, or a brochure-like site. Accounts package When running your business, it is important to stay on top of your finances. Using an account package, you will be able to track how you are doing instantly through a click of a button. Not only that, but you will also be able to send invoices and keep an eye on your expenses. By using digital accounting, you can easily allow your accountant access to your books without having to visit them in person. This will enable them to log in and see how you are performing without leaving their office to meet you; it can all be done over a phone call. How will you brand yourself? Logos, brand colors, and marketing materials should all be thought about before launching your company. Your logo is important, as everyone will see first and give them the first impression of your business. Done cheaply, it can be detrimental to your brand. Brand colors can portray a lot about you; if you are a luxury brand, you may want more gold’s and silvers used instead of bright funky colors. By hiring a graphic designer, they can help you with all of this. Testing your idea in the real world If your idea is completely new, how do you know it will work? Before investing heavily in your idea, it’s worth creating some prototypes and seeing how people respond to it. This is a great way to get actual feedback and to get other people’s opinions. Take note of what people are saying is you can use this to develop your idea and make it even better. Will you need investment? Will your business plan require you to need significant investment, or can you gradually grow your business? If you need investment, have you considered how you are going to raise funds? Make sure you do your research and put together a solid business plan to explain each step of your journey and how the money will be spent. Angel investors, bank loans, competitions, friends, and family, there are many ways for you to pitch and bring in some funding for your idea. If you want to save up money prior to starting your own business, then looking at diversifying your income can help you build up a pot to get you up and running. You can get a lodger licence template and rent out a spare room, you can create a side hustle that allows you to save up to have funding available and gain experience in running a company, or you can sell off items you own. Knowing where the money is coming from is vital.  Image credit: Kaleidico on Unsplash We’re all constantly being told that Business-2-Business (B2B) marketing is changing and that we need new marketing strategies to cope with this. We’re being told that the modern buyer doesn’t respond well to the B2B sales funnels of old and their buying habits are so mysterious you’re going to need a crystal ball or psychic octopus to continue to operate in the field. The good people over at American Image Displays have the only strategy you'll need.
 Image credit: Gerd Altmann on Pixabay All business owners want to score more clients, but the route to achieving that goal isn’t always clear. Sometimes you need to think outside of the box if you want to succeed, but usually, you just need to follow a set of straightforward ideas.
With that in mind, there are some tips and tricks below that should assist you in identifying, contacting, and winning those new clients. Regardless of your business's nature and what you do to turn a profit, the same rules should apply. Just tailor this guidance for your industry, and you should have no issues. Research new marketplaces So, you sell products or services to customers and clients in a few specific industries. Now is the time to look at those products or services and work out whether there are other marketplaces for them. Perhaps you sell products in a certain market that could also be useful for companies in the automotive industry or something similar? You might have to redesign your packaging for companies in that marketplace, but it’s worth the cost if you open your business up to thousands of new potential clients. All companies have to expand and grow if they want to succeed in the thriving business world, and research is the key to effective expansion. So, get started as soon as possible! Give free gifts to potential clients When you identify a list of potential clients who should be interested in your products or services, it's vital you work hard to get their attention. While you can cold call or send letters or emails, sometimes it’s better to try something different. Sending free samples or gifts to your potential clients should help to create the best first impression. You could also offer to turn up at their business premises and demonstrate how your products or services could save their firm time and money. Everyone loves getting something for free, and potential clients who receive gifts are far more likely to listen to your pitch. Food for thought? Know your stuff! The most important thing you need to consider when looking for new clients is your ability to answer questions with the best possible answers. Clients will always want to discuss your products or services, and you need to know your stuff! It's all well and good to identify a list of potential clients and send gifts, and you might have a great business, but if you can't explain the virtues of giving you money, it's probably not going to happen. You need an effective sales pitch, and you need to practice it a LOT. There are lots of articles online that will help you to write a decent sales pitch, and you can always practice it with members of your team before heading out and pitching to clients. Now you have a better idea about the things you need to do to score more clients for your business this winter, it’s time to set the wheels in motion. Develop your strategy, conduct your research, and make the investment of time and money. If you pay attention to the tips from this post, there’s a reasonable chance you’ll avoid any mishaps. Good luck!  Image credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons People who hate their jobs tend to move on and look for something else. Some even change their careers when they’re feeling unfulfilled by work.
But what do you do if you love your career, but need a new challenge? The good news is that there are a lot of ways you can turn things around and inject some excitement into your job. Here is some useful advice for taking on a new challenge, without changing your career. Move to a new location f you’re starting to outgrow your current workplace, moving to a new location could help keep things fresh for you. A change in location not only helps you realise new career opportunities but opportunities for your personal life too. Perhaps you want to move closer to home to be with family, or even move to an exciting new city or country? Wherever you decide to relocate, you’re going to need to get on the job hunt. Check out cmr.com.au for some exciting opportunities that could invigorate your career. A change of scenery brings all kinds of changes, and could be just what you need to shake things up. Start chasing that promotion Perhaps a part of your frustration comes from outgrowing your role? When your job starts becoming routine and easy, it could be a sign that you’re ready for more. Start preparing for a promotion so that you’re ready to go for it when the opportunities come your way. Volunteer your time and skills to help others If you’ve always felt like you could do more with your skills and expertise, why not use what you have to do some good for others? If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, tit’s that community values are more important than ever. There are several ways you can use your skills to help others, including mentoring, pro bono work and volunteering to help charities and good causes. This can bring a lot of fulfilment to your role, and could even help you discover new opportunities that could help you choose a different path for your career. Take on a side hustle Side hustles are a great way to develop other interests that you have, without sacrificing your career. There are inspiring stories of people who’ve embarked on incredible new ventures, from starting fitness businesses to their own pizza brand! It’s possible to be passionate about more than one thing at a time, so why not give it a try so that you can get more out of your career. If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, then it’s time to make a change. Even if you love your career, it doesn’t mean you have to stay exactly where you are - there are ways you can develop and grow tbring exciting change to both your career and your life outside work. There are all kinds of challenges out there waiting for you, so which one will you take on first?  Image credit: Victoria Heath on Unsplash Financial uncertainty has prompted many to start thinking about a Plan B to help supplement their existing income, while others have spent lockdown pondering whether the career they thought they wanted is right for their long-term future. Entrepreneur Europe caught up with one CEO to find out how she runs her business in 3 hours at night!
 Image credit: CoWomen on Pexels Redesigning your office is an excellent idea for many reasons. By improving your office, you can boost staff morale and improve the efficiency of your operations. You may wish to add a bit of a novelty twist in certain areas of your interior decor through something like old skool lighting. Neon creates atmosphere, it has a certain style, it can make a scene in a movie, and it features in numerous novels, regardless of the fact that you have to imagine it yourself. Neon lights are classic. They don’t just brighten up tourist spots such as Las Vegas, they can now light up your office and staff's morale! You can also seek to make eco-friendly adjustments and create a more professional look that sets its sights firmly on a more responsible future. Whatever it is that you plan to do when it comes to redesigning your office, these five applications can support your planning.
1. RoomSketcher The RoomSketcher application is an easy to use floor plan and design app. Using RoomSketcher, you can make 3D floor plans and design the ideal layout for your office space. You can virtually decorate with the app so you can get your ideas together before you implement them for real. A basic RoomSketcher plan is free, while extra features can be accessed on the paid version. 2. Planner 5D With the Planner 5D app, you can design the floor plan of your office, including any type of interior layout. You can use either imperial or metric measurements, and design realistic images to support your plans. There are plenty of options with the Planner 5D app, including:
3. Magic Plan Magic Plan is a fantastic tool for redesigning your office space. The application allows you to create beautiful diagrams in a number of minutes. It’s simple to use, just aim your device, snap your photos and get the floor plan and dimensions you need. Magic Plan comes with over 1,000 objects to incorporate as part of your design, including stairwells and furniture. Further features of Magic Plan include:
Want to improve the color schemes and decor in your office? Looking for ideas to get inspired? Pinterest is an excellent place for interior design photography, and there are plenty of office design examples here too. Whether it’s type of furniture, artwork, use of space, or color, Pinterest has got plenty to get inspired. When you’re lacking creativity and ideas, Pinterest is the place to be! 5. SmartDraw SmartDraw allows you to create floor plans, no matter which type of business you are. There are many pre-designed templates to choose from to speed things up. Features of SmartDraw include:
Adding a bit of a novelty twist with your interior decor could bring a refreshed of the old skool lighting. Neon creates atmosphere, it has a certain style, it can make a scene in a movie, and it features in numerous novels, regardless of the fact that you have to imagine it yourself. Neon lights are classic. They don’t just brighten up tourist spots such as Las Vegas, they can now light up your office and staff's morale!  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels If you have a small business, making sure you can sell your product is key if you’re going to continue growing your business and trying to get a piece of the market share. Below, you’ll find some pointers that can help your business to start selling more - and fast.
1. Become More Active On Social Media Start by getting more active on social media if you don’t currently have a social media plan. Choose a platform where you’ll find your target audience and work on building a page. This page should have your information, the same branding as your site, and be updated regularly. Remember, it’s not just about selling here, it’s about being social! Get involved in discussions, provide advice, and try to give value to people. It may take time to get some followers, but you can also pay for ads to see if you can build a following faster that way. Depending on your audience, this can be a lucrative and mostly free way to market your business. 2. Know Exactly Who You’re Targeting You can't really focus on getting more sales if you don’t know who you’re trying to sell to. You can’t just hope that anybody interested in your product will buy it. You should have an idea of the age of your audience, as well as their hobbies, family status, job, income, and other relevant things. Make sure you sit down and come up with some consumer profiles so you know who you’re talking to and get an idea of what they will respond to. 3. Use SoftwareThere are various pieces of software that could help you to sell more. Salesforce is a helpful piece of kit, but many business owners get put off, as they don’t want to take their foot off the pedal and focus on something else when they want to grow their business. This is why teams like Magicforce exist. They can help you to implement this software so you can make more sales without taking your focus away from what you’re good at. 4. Try A Rebrand Perhaps your brand isn't really working for you in the way it should be. If you didn’t consider your audience beforehand, then it could be that you haven’t branded your business in quite the right way. A rebrand can be time consuming and expensive, so you should make sure this is definitely the right decision before going ahead. It’s not something you should take lightly, but if it’s the right decision, it can make a huge difference. 5. Write Better Copy Is your copy working as hard for you as it should be? Descriptive, enticing copy is a must if you’re going to sell products. If you can’t write it, find somebody who can. 6. Take Better Pictures Your pictures need to be accurate but high quality and show your product in the best possible light. Again, you may need to find someone for this. 7. Set A Solid, Realistic Sales Goal If you don’t have a solid, realistic sales goal, then what are you even aiming for? Come up with one that motivates you!  Image credit: Fauxels on Pexels Good, or mediocre or great, all of these terms can be so hard to quantify when it comes to measuring a business’ success. Of course, we may consider that a business making wild profits to be great, but what if those profits come at the behest of an unhappy and unmotivated workforce? The video game industry is a good example to use here, as the largest entertainment industry in the world, vastly bigger than Hollywood itself. Video game companies known for huge, acclaimed video games, such as Rockstar and their Red Dead Redemption western series, make upwards of billions of dollars from monetizing their games and drawing large crowds again and again.
However - they are also met with continual complaints about working conditions and crunch culture. Their reputation is regularly damaged by testers going public about the difficulties they endured and the lack of respect they were given. This isn’t just a set of allegations against one company, but much of the industry. Is it right to grade these hugely profitable businesses ‘great’ if this is the cost? It’s worth thinking about. With our following metrics, we believe even a small business can become ‘great’. Here’s what that might look like: Excellent Branding Excellent branding is a worthwhile use of your time. It helps you stand out among your competition, presents your business clearly and effectively to members of your audience, and also helps you celebrate your presence. Video production services are becoming more and more popular when it comes to great branding, as being able to promote your products using excellent short films or instruct your consumers through the same measure can be a phenomenal tool. Not a bad place to start, we’d say: Workplace Satisfaction Workplace satisfaction means something. It’s not something you curate for an award. It’s not something you develop to hire more desirable staff (although this can be a natural consequence). Instead, workplace satisfaction is a tool you can use to more easily celebrate your culture, enhance productivity, enjoy running your firm, and live through the ethical guidelines you promote. It’s really not hard to see how following this kind of approach will help you become more and more interesting to conscious consumers, as well as helping your workplace culture thrive. Golden Customer Support Customer support is more than simply something you have to ensure in order to make your customer engagement relatively simple and smooth. It can help you learn more about your clients, their needs, and also will help you generate goodwill. If you find it important enough to care for your clients in the best manner, word will spread. You can win awards for your excellent treatment. And, moreover, customers will be more interested in coming back and interfacing with your systems. That in itself is an extra utility you can use to benefit your brand, and you’ll achieve this by being helpful. Not a bad improvement to make, we’d say. With this advice, we hope you can more easily understand that which makes a good business great.  Image credit: markusspiske on Pixabay Working from home is quickly becoming the new normal, and that makes it more important than ever to create a working space that’ll help you do your best work. Whether you’re working from home for your employer or even running your own business, a good work space can make all the difference when it comes to finding success. Here’s how to create the best possible space and ensure it serves you well for years to come. Read on to find out more. Find the Right Desk and Consider a Standing Desk First of all, you’re going to need a great desk. This is what you’ll be doing your best work on so it needs to be up to the standards you set for yourself. The right desk will depend on your personal needs and preferences. But if you want a desk that’s going to aid your health while you work, you should definitely consider a standing desk. They’re becoming more and more popular. Set Up a Two Monitor System If you want to be efficient and productive in your office, you should consider setting up a two monitor system. Doing so allows you to use screens for different purposes and reduces the need to be switching in and out of windows and tabs all the time. If you think that’s something you might benefit from, be sure to set your computer up this way. Have High Speed Internet Installed
The last thing you want in your home office when you’re trying to conduct business is for your internet connection to let you down. That’s why you should push the boat out and have a high speed internet setup installed. Even if you have to pay a little extra for one of the best wifi routers, that high speed internet connection will be worth it because we all rely on the internet when working each day. Deck it Out with the Right Office Furniture It’s obviously very important that your office has all the necessary furniture. First and foremost, you’ll need a very comfortable chair; you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting there so invest in a great one. Places like Civic Australia supply all the furniture you need, so find what you’re looking for and make your setup as comfortable as it can be. Add Some Plants Finally, you should think about adding some plants to your home office. That will bring some life and vitality to your office. And simply having some greenery around you can make a big difference to your environment. It’ll also act as a nice form of decoration in your home office which is never a bad thing. A good home office will provide you with the foundations you need to find success in your career or with your business. If you follow the guidelines set out above, you’ll be able to provide yourself with a home working space that works for you and delivers everything you need it to. |
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November 2024
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