Business

Every company, whether small or big, has a culture that is defined by certain values and practices shared and agreed by all the members of the company. Culture has a significant impact on a business’s reputation and its ability to generate a return on investment. Therefore, it should be prioritized and measured just like other business objectives such as financial growth, product development, sales, marketing, etc. Culture reflects the identity and personality of an organization, which is dynamic and evolving with changing times and new experiences. The factors that shape a corporate culture include leadership styles, policies, processes, titles, hierarchy, and workplace environment among others. However, not every company is equipped enough to create a culture that can attract best

Original Coca Cola font, classic Nokia ringtone or crocodile image of Lacoste - we recognize famous brands by elements of corporate identity. They work for recognition, customer attraction, and sales. What is included in the corporate identity of the company, how to create it and what examples inspire? We have answers in the article. What is Corporate Style and why is It Needed? Corporate style or identity is an image that a company creates in the eyes of consumers through words, images, sounds, smells or packaging. All components should fit the same concept, be well remembered and evoke positive emotions. You should not pursue trends if they do not reflect the essence of the business. Qualitative identity is like a Swiss watch: it will remain relevant for many years. Its main goals a...

Image source: Unsplash.com There are plenty of reasons why someone would consider starting a business on the internet. These days the plethora of available options certainly encourages people to try it even if they have not done anything similar before. One niche that seems to be getting quite popular recently is print on demand. Thanks to Printify and their consistent articles, such as the one titled How to start a print on demand business in 2019, the numbers of potential webstore owners will not dwindle any time soon. If you are interested to get an even better understanding of what it takes to start a venture like this yourself, continue reading. Choosing Niche and Products It all starts with the niche and products. As far as print on demand goes, plenty of newcomers wou...

The experience of being in a bad meeting is almost universal. A recent study conducted by Verizon showed that employees spend over 33% of their time in conferences or meetings. Much of this time is wasted due to a lack of effective facilitation. Before we elaborate on the concept of facilitation, let’s discuss what makes a meeting a failure - or a success.  Characteristics of a Bad Meeting  Bad meetings are lacking an agenda, a purpose, or a point. They are not attended by stakeholders, but instead by people who aren’t central to the matter at hand, assuming anyone knows what that matter is at all. A few people dominate. Ever fewer are interested in listening. The discussion wanders. When the meeting is finally over, there is no result and someone declares another meeting is necessar

Are you starting your business or already have a great project idea? It’s amazing. If you already have a start-up that needs to grow, then it may be time that you should look for an infusion of capital. This could be through an investor, venture capital, friends and family or a small business loan. How do you know if the investor is suitable for your business and how you can find them? How do you know who you should turn to?  If you are interested in an angel investor, it is most likely the investment from a business angel if you are still in the planning or early stage. These business angels help business owners to get their idea from a piece of paper to deliverable goods and services. First, you should look for the investor in your friends and family circle but if you can’t find o

The first members of Generation Z are now entering into adulthood, and unlike many of the generations before them, they have a lot of buying power. In addition, because they have grown up with technology, their approach to purchasing is also very different.   Royalty Free Photo According to Generation Z Guru, by 2020, over 40% of consumers will be from Generation Z so it’s important for brands to know how to market to them in the most effective way.  We’re going to provide some of the top tips in this article. Stay On Top of Trends Growing up with social media, Generation Z is often classed as the social generation.  This generation puts a lot of effort into their social media profiles, and they share and document everything with those close to them. Brands that can tap into so

After you enroll in college, you will have to write a heavy-duty essay as part of your academic evaluation. College essays are not similar to your high school 5-page requirement. College essays are the 25-page monsters that you have heard about but hoped are not true. And, you will likely have to repeat these heavy-duty essays throughout your college career.  But, you are not the only one facing this challenge. College students all over the country are facing the same daunting task. Added to writing effective papers, you have to attend lectures, write tests, and complete coursework. All these responsibilities can be too much for you to handle. And, at one point or another, you may need to ask for assignment writing help online. If you feel overwhelmed by the pile of assignments you h

Congratulations! Your new selfie booth has arrived and you’ve now officially started your photo booth business. You’ve done your research and picked the top selfie booth to buy, so now what’s next? How do you find clients to rent your machine for their events? Here are a few tips to promote yourself when you start a photo booth business.  Tip #1: Google Your Business Before you do anything make sure your business has been optimized on Google My Business. This is a free and easy way to make sure your customers find you, know your hours of operations, see images, and videos of events.  With more ways to reach you, your business will get tons of organic traffic and rank better on Google.  Pro tip: Appear everywhere you can from Yelp to Foursquare under multiple relevant categories (ex. P

According to Fundera, mixing personal and business finances is an all too common issue being faced by business owners, particularly small business owners. In 2018, around 23 percent of small business owners admitted to mixing personal and business expenses on their commercial credit cards while 51 percent of owners use their own money/credit to fund their business expansion plans while only 29 percent of them actually turn to business profits and retained earnings as a source of funding. Using personal credit to finance your business can sometimes prove to be beneficial. However, mixing finances can leave business owners (and their businesses) vulnerable to negative consequences on their credit score, business growth prospects and even management of their business operations. With this in

You have taken the leap and set up your Bridal Consultant business. You love to plan parties and weddings offer you the most exciting parties to plan. Brides want their special day to be perfect though, and the pressure is on. Build a team of consultants or employees, depending on your business structure. For your bridal consultant business to be successful, you need to have a top-notch team behind you. Here are some of the most important team members to have; Wedding Photographer The wedding photographer captures the day. They capture the excitement, romance, and glamor of the wedding. They should be talented and trustworthy. The photographer can assist you in securing more contracts because locating such a person can feel like unicorn hunting for many brides. Seamstress Secure the...

If you want to be your own boss, whether it’s because you are sick of the corporate life, want to build your own empire, or are simply looking for flexible gigs for some steady income on the side, yet feel unsure of exactly what you want to pursue, don’t fret. You just have to do some due diligence on which fields are likely the easiest and most lucrative for you to establish yourself in.  One thing to clarify: it’s a myth that you have to be a skilled engineer or a notoriously specialized genius to start a business of your own. All you need is the supply and demand fit - you have to see what you are (or can be) good at that other people might be able to use to their benefit. There’s no limit to how creative or niche you can be.  Once you get over the initial fear, the process of bec

Global demand for new products from luxury brands is growing strong and rapidly, with the consumers constantly buying them for different reasons as an addition in their life. The different reasons for why people invest in luxury brands is because it’s an elegant way for them to convey a sense of exclusivity, status, and wealth. However, there is more to investing in luxury brands to convey a sense of exclusivity, status, and wealth because if there isn’t, the demand wouldn’t grow as high as it is today. Knowing that buying, using, and displaying the products from luxury brands you’ve invested in elicits various feelings, the drive to buy more of them is still unknown. Given that the physical appeal, functionality, and durability of products from luxury brands are undeniable. The heft

How to think about cryptocurrency as a company and what to do The digital space has exploded in the last decade. An enormous number of industries and areas have been digitalized, and we can now do more online than ever before. It’s safe to say that digitalization has revolutionized our society. This also includes the way we handle cashing payment transactions, which is also crucial for many businesses today. The fact that you can now pay someone online, and consumers can buy things by sending over ”virtual money” is something that people could not even imagine a few decades ago. An online payment method that has exploded in recent times is cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency has split opinions, but if you listen to the market, you’ll find that millions and millions of people use it. Th

The aim of lean management techniques such as Hoshin planning is to create and drive small but incremental changes to business processes in order to increase the efficiency, quality and/or speed of a product. It’s a long-term strategy that’s far removed from the ‘quick fix’ mindset that defines other process management methods.  Lean management is hinged on a philosophy of continuous improvement. Continuous learning and improvement is especially important in today’s world, where a tiny difference between any two competing products can mean one of them losing a substantial proportion of market share. Here’s a look at the reasons every business should apply a lean management methodology. Improved Productivity Lean techniques automatically get rid of tasks that are of no value

Do you have an eye for the latest fashion trends? Or even better, do you consider yourself a fashion trendsetter? Do you look at the latest winter fashion offerings and feel you could’ve done a better job designing the latest pieces? Or are you so into fashion that you’ve already begun developing your own business? If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you definitely fit the bill for an upcoming fashion designer. But getting into the design is much more than creating new clothing. You’ll have to learn how to run a business if you’re ever going to succeed where so many others have failed. Azazie is an excellent example of a startup fashion business achieving massive success. You should pay attention to their website to get some excellent tips and ideas for your pot

Businesses, whether they are small or bigger, will go to any lengths necessary to ensure their existing customers are happy, that they attract new ones and keep the old ones coming for business, and get all of their customers to create more awareness for their brand. These all call for the heavy expenditure of the company's resources, which most businesses may be struggling to raise in the first place. As such, businesses must ensure that whatever marketing strategy they choose, it brings great returns on investment. One of the most effective ways to do brand marketing is by using custom retail shopping bags and gift bags. Due to their easy customisation, numerous design options, and practical usability, thanks to their versatility, custom retail shopping bags and gift bags create m...

When you make some business speculations, it's anything but difficult to perceive what your results will be. Sometimes, companies focus way too much on the Financial Website Design and thereby overlook the SEO perspective which is tremendously important for the success of your website. Because without traffic, a website won't do much good for your company, and SEO has proven to be one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site. The highlighted benefits of SEO will be discussed in this post to improve organic traffic of a website. The web search tools such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo are considered as the main foundations to boost website ranking.     Here is a list of 10 reasons to make clear why a financial organization needs website and SEO.  1.   SEO pulls-in qua

Sending out quick sales emails typically doesn't work out for most sales teams. When you blast out cold sales email, only about 2-5% of people respond with interest. This happens because people don't have a personal connection with you. They don't know who you are, so they'd rather kick you to the curb than listen to what you have to say.  Sending cold emails to the trash bin is very common in the sales industry. One way around this large speed bump that everyone hits is to build social status or social proof.  Let's face it, apathy is every salesperson's worst nightmare. But creating social connections will help put the apathy to bed because it will show potential customers that the people, they can connect with your product or service. It's called "social proof."  And, there are

Even in the era of digital marketing, using stickers is a tried and right marketing form. You know the time when most marketers advocate digital marketing and traditional advertising, using labels to market a business has its own significance. In today’s world, businesses know how stickers do well for their marketing purposes whether they want to enhance brand awareness, support their digital marketing efforts, or build a customer royalty. People are blind when they see the digital world filled with ads because they want something in their physical world. The write-up is going to explain why stickers work well in marketing a business and what ways they can be used to help you in your marketing strategy. Why sticker marketing works? Label marketing works exceptionally well for several

How do you motivate your employees? Having motivated employees is important for many reasons, including building a great culture, having your employees stick around, and of course for performance. In this article, we share our top ways to motivate your employees. Motivation Motivation is what makes a person perform a task. Different people have various reasons due to which they work. Usually, the basic necessity and the reason to work is to earn. Getting the salary is what keeps a person willing and motivated to work. Some people work for their satisfaction, whereas some work to develop or gain experience. It varies from one employee to another. A person’s needs and behavior are two main factors that define the reason for their motivation. Why is it required? Motivation is required to

What’s your ideal career? For many younger folks, the answer involves picking a position more or less at random off a list of high-paying entry-level jobs. Why pursue a career that truly tickles your passion, the thinking goes, when you probably won’t make a decent living at it? Because you can’t be so sure you won’t make a decent living at it. These six creative and creative-adjacent careers are surprisingly lucrative, and none require compromising your principles to live the good life. Which suits you best? 1.Intellectual Property Attorney If a career in intellectual property law sounds dreadfully boring, start thinking outside the box. Sure, plenty of IP lawyers make good money defending big corporations’ trademarks and patents, but independent artists need representation to

Starting a business in university is one of the best ideas you can come with. This is because life in the university, despite the numerous challenges, comes with a lot of free time, a few commitments, and an array of resources and companies to appeal to design with the aim of supporting young potential entrepreneurs. However, some students do not see this as an ideal choice to embrace as they believe they need to spend and enjoy their campus lives. Other students, on the other hand, do not know the type of business, to begin with. Well, if you are one of these students, you do not have to worry about anything. You can always seek professional help from a trustworthy and reliable custom essay writing service.  These services have professionals who can provide you with business ideas y

What can be more exciting than starting your small business to do what you are passionate about? It feels like the beginning of a great path to success and reward. However, to give a quick start to your venture and attain new clientele, you need to tell the world about your business in a unique and engaging way. About us page content matters since it provides the first impression about you and your business. Moreover, this page has the potential to convert your visitors into customers, so your choice what to write about is really important. The words you place on the about us page should be interesting and impactful. If you succeed in writing it, you will likely to attract new customers. In this article, we offer several tips that can help you stand out from the crowd with your about us...

Before we delve into the world of numbers and figures, let’s first look into what exactly accounts receivables are? As it is evident from the word receivables, it is actually the cash payment that is outstanding towards a certain business. Many small businesses sell those outstanding invoices at a discount to the specialized accounts receivables finance company, in return for some business financing. It receives cash payment against those invoices while it is fully aware of the risk involved with those receivables. Why Do We Need? Looking at the current trends, it's very usual for any successful business to face shortage in their cash flows at any point. The problem arises when you have corporate expenses to pay, whereas your clients still have one or two months to pay off their invoices

In the business industry, it's often the smallest factors that make the biggest difference. A great example of this can be seen with a company logo. In some cases, not having a good logo can diminish a company's success even if they do everything else correctly. Even the most successful companies in the world understand this principle and do everything in their power to have a recognizable logo. Real-world examples of companies with iconic logos include Apple, McDonald's, and Facebook. To be clear, the point of a logo is not to compete with these companies. Instead, a logo is simply a way to brand a business in a way that can be recognized and remembered. Having said that, some companies still make the mistake of overpaying and overanalyzing the logo making process. Also, some compa...

How many times have you heard that “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” quote? Millions, I suppose.  And, you know what? It sucks.  Sorry, Confucius (Mark Twain, or any immensely wise and popular thinker who came up with this piece of advice.)  It just doesn’t work in the world we live in.  The American Dream doesn’t equal the white picket fence anymore. The days when the holy trinity of a stable job that you’ll be stuck in for the rest of your life, a happy family with a dog, and a big house are long gone and Millennials have reinvented this concept, though perhaps not deliberately. The 2008 financial crisis played its part in their reluctance to follow the steps of their parents. They play by different rules and here are a couple of career-buildi

Running a company can be really stressful. Apart from all the things you need to do to get your business moving forward, you also have a team of people that you need to manage. Regardless if you have 5 or 500 in your team, the way you manage your team is extremely important. This does not only go for the culture you have in your company or how much responsibility you give them. It also includes organising your employees, and more specifically, making it easy to know where your employees will be, when they have their vacations, and when you will be able to reach them and not. In this article, we’ll share 5 ways to streamline the way you organize your employees, which means structuring your team internally to make it clearer with who does what and making it easy to know when people ar

Everybody needs to feel appreciated at work, and even your best-motivated employees need boosting their morale from time to time, or a clear sign of recognition for their efforts. Your employees have been working hard to accomplish your company’s goals and its vision, and the truth is,  you don’t need a special occasion to praise them and show them how much you value their contribution. Showing appreciation can take many different forms, may that be a bonus on the salary, a couple of days off, or public praise. Rewarding your employees for a job well done is also a great practice for keeping their motivation high and a sure way of creating a better workplace environment, the one which will make your business thrive. Put Yourself in Their Shoes If you want to gift your colleagues o

Scoring a business loan can prove to be very difficult if you have a lower business credit score than your lender is willing to permit. You can, however, leverage your personal credit score to secure a business loan, regardless of your credit history. “Personal credit score” refers to the algorithms that determine the probability of you honoring your credit obligations. They are based on factors like the full balance of your credit card monthly and how prompt you are at paying your bills. On the other hand, business credit score deals with corporate matters that relate to the running of your company or business, such as your transaction history and account balances. Why you need a good credit score A strong credit score is worth a fortune and will, consequently, save you a lot of mon

Promotional products are great whether your company is local only or multi-national. The question is what sort of promotional items would allow you to enjoy the greatest return in terms of visibility and brand recognition. Have you considered what custom hats would accomplish? Here are some reasons why this type of promotional item works so well. Custom Hats is Something People Will Wear The best promotional items are those that recipients can put to good use. That’s one reason why things like notepads, mousepads and pens remain popular choices. Have you thought about custom hats as also being something people will use frequently? Customized hats like baseball caps come in handy in all sorts of situations. They can be slipped on when running errands, since people don’t have to do

While running any enterprise, everything has to be in sync. However, it isn’t possible without effective communication. Communication involves understanding rather than talking. As a business owner, you may seek to be clear, concise, objective, complete, relevant, and consistent and understand your staff. Efficient communication is crucial. Following are the effective communication that to be followed in the business.  Enhance clients’ relationships For any venture, to succeed, clients are the heart of it all. Failing to fulfill this purpose may result in an enterprise breaking down. It’s vital to organize communication with clients to seek their reviews as well as suggestion. It is an excellent opportunity to make a few corrections, thus generating more profits. Superb communication flo

In this competitive marketplace where countless restaurants are competing for customers, it is not just your food or service that will ensure you have a steady flow of patrons, it is your overall restaurant marketing strategy.  The overall, "Look," of your restaurant from the literal decor to your online presence is important for making sure you keep up with the times and take advantage of modern technology to maintain a strong presence.  These 5 tips will serve to help illustrate some key ways to make sure you are modernized and keep customers coming!  1. Change Your Decor As Needed It is always important to change your decor as needed. You don't want to seem like a stodgy and stagnant restaurant that reminds people more of their grandparent's house than fun and trendy place to ea

Although marketing principles remain the same each year, the tools that businesses use to achieve success varies. Unlike the past where most businesses used newspapers to market their products/services, today most businesses have turned to artificial intelligence and digital marketing.  With competition among businesses getting tougher and tougher, businesses are looking for creative ways to attract their target audience while at the same time keep their marketing cost down.  Luckily, there are a lot of marketing tools to can help businesses reach out to their target customers. In this article, we going to discuss the best marketing apps that businesses should use to attract their target clients.  1. Ahrefs  Any experienced digital marketer knows that marketing cannot be comple

When filling new positions, the focus is always on attracting the best candidates. However, it is important to do deeper than what the eyes can see when selecting candidates. The employment verification process is essential in the hiring process apart from appropriate academic papers and physical appearance. This helps weed out candidates who made shortcuts in their resumes to prevent business risks in the future. Luckily, you can allow a professional agency to do the verification process on your behalf to focus on other business tasks. Here is the truth to know about the whole process.  A criminal record doesn’t mean no hiring In case the candidate has a criminal record, the obvious belief is that he is not qualified for the position. Well, this is true for sensitive roles where you

You could be a startup or simply a small business running on a compact budget. It is imperative that your investments and business processes should empower you to sell the goods that you produce. If you can’t sell, you won’t survive. It is as clear as black & white!  While your business decisions pave the way for your company’s future, you should concentrate on the basic things that push your business towards your target audience. Since you are a small business with a meager marketing budget, you need to find cost-effective ways of doing business successfully without losing the quality and efficiency of your work. Here are the 6 ways that could boost your small business sales: Begin with creating a user-friendly website Use social media to spread brand awareness Be

Outsourcing your hiring process can be a daunting task. You want to make sure that the company that will hire on your behalf understands what you need, and how this employee is going to play a role in your business. Before choosing a staffing company that will fulfill your business needs, read the tips below that will help you make the right decision. Validate the Company’s Experience You need to interview the company’s representative to and talk to them like as if they are the applicants. Apart from doing your research, you must have a verbal confirmation that they can hire the person that you are looking for. Some hiring agencies will simply post a job-for-hire advertisement and then interview the candidates, without really putting thee candidates under scr

Operating a small business is overwhelming, especially if it's still in the initial stages. The initial stages come with several challenges and the biggest being financial constraints. Not only is it both tough and time-consuming to start a business, but there is also a lot of hard work behind it. Furthermore, it is also tough an individual to receive funding for a business, which under others' sight, is still “struggling.” Business owners have several reasons why they may be looking for funding. It isn't always about repaying debt or funding common projects. Every purpose, however, requires that businesses can account for the funds they request and prove that they can payback. • Expansion of business operations As a business starts, it's more likely to start small as it attract

In today’s digital era, mobile apps have achieved the status of sheer necessity and it is far more than just a fancy thing present on your smartphone. This has been demonstrated effectively by statistics that claim that there are over 150,000 app developers and they have been collectively responsible for generating 800,000 mobile apps. Mobile apps are certainly not limited exclusively to big brands and giant tech companies. Moreover, they have the potential to be relevant to practically all types of businesses right from auto-body shops to pizzerias. You may not be having a mobile app but your business competitor must be having it that is primarily the reason why you must think about adopting a robust mobile strategy along with a high-quality and branded mobile app. Mobile coupons, loya

When it comes to advertising for small businesses, they have a few unique challenges before them. Sure, they need to appeal to new customers and build customer loyalty, but often budget is a very big concern. A small business just doesn’t have the kind of available cash to spend on marketing and advertising that a large corporation has. What this means is that small businesses need to be very precise and targeted in their advertising approach, making sure they get the most value for their money. This brings us to location-based advertising, which isn’t a new concept but is one that your business may not be taking full advantage of. If you haven’t yet entertained the idea of location-based advertising, here are a number of reasons why it’s worth looking into. What is Location-Based

The company car is a vehicle paid for by an organization for an employee to conduct business on its behalf. Sometimes the employee is permitted to use the vehicle for personal purposes. The company car may be furnished as a benefit of the position or because the job requires excessive travel.  There are advantages and disadvantages to company cars from the business owner’s and employee’s perspective. Understanding the pros and cons of offering a company car will better ensure informed decision-making on the subject. Cons for the business owner The purchase of a company vehicle is a costly up-front investment for a business owner. Attending to the taxes associated with a company vehicle can be complex and expensive in the end. Smaller businesses may have limited purchase

Ah! The life of an e-business professional looking so desperately to scale up! You’ve got no doubt that your product is the best thing to hit your industry; if only people could see it as you do! And as we all know too well, how you present your product is one of the most essential factors of winning in business. You’ve got to present your product in a jaw-dropping manner. Case closed. And when all is said and done, you want your audience to be so inspired, they click on the ‘purchase’ icon on your screen and get that dream product from your e-commerce store. The sheer magic of this all is quite enthralling! It is the ultimate experience, which leaves you grinning in deep satisfaction. Here are 3 innovative ways of presenting your product to boost your e-business: Using Yo

Divorce is a very complicated and exhausting matter, and if the spouses have to divide a family business it gets even messier. However, there’s no problem that can’t be solved when one keeps the emotions out of the business. Sometimes it’s hard to find a common ground between people and dividing the business is one of the most difficult matters that occur during divorce. Emotional stress usually affects one’s ability to think straight when it comes to business. That’s why most people decide to ask for help from third parties that are neutral. Dividing the assets and debts is usually the divorce matter that takes the most, sometimes it lengthens the process by months. There are a few simple steps that one can follow in order to shorten the delay as much as possible. Here’s a list wit

Do you think Lebron could win a championship on his own? Could Brady? Of course not. It takes a team. The same goes for your business. Although some leaders try to run a business single-handedly, most fail spectacularly. What you need to do is hire quality candidates. But how do you find them? Read on to find some simple steps you can take to find high-quality employees for your business.  Create an Ideal Candidate Checklist  Before you even list a job, you have to know where help is most needed. What is the weak point in your business? What role could take the most work out of your hands or increase efficiency and output? Once you figure out the nature of the part, create a checklist of what the ideal candidate would look like. To determine this, split the list into two tiers:

Once your business is up and running, you will need to increase your brand awareness and reach out to a broader audience to enhance your revenue stream. The only way to achieve these two things is to intensify your marketing campaigns. Primefunnel digital marketing firm can help increase your revenue through state of the art digital marketing strategies. There are many steps to marketing your small business, including conducting market research, profiling your target market; identifying your unique selling proposition and nurturing your loyal customers. You can also outsource a marketing agency to help you with building your brand. These tips can help your business increase its annual sales ten-fold in just one year. Here are the five steps to marketing your small business...

It is an increasingly digital world and customers are becoming increasingly demanding. At the same time, many businesses are finding it difficult to remain competitive in this rapidly changing environment. If you want to increase sales, as you should, you need to use technology to assist you at every stage of the sales funnel. It doesn’t matter whether your biggest concern is lead generation or customer retention; there is a digital tool or strategy that can help you. Your specific needs may vary depending on the industry you’re in or whether you operate in the B2B or B2B market. However, these are some solutions you may want to consider. Become Punchout-Enabled If you are a B2B operation, you have no doubt heard of Punchout Catalogs. A prospective customer may have told you they onl

Even though customer acquisition is important to the growth of a business, it's retention that drives revenue. Plus, it costs far too less to keep a customer than to acquire a new one. One of the key factors affecting customer retention is the service your business offers. A single interaction can leave a lasting impression on how a customer perceives your business. And, with technological advancements and a wide variety of choices in the marketplace, selecting or dismissing brands has become quite effortless. Customer service is vital to retention in today's competitive business environment, here's why: Customer Service Represents Your Brand Your customer service team is your company's connection with your customers. The team has a responsibility of representing your brand to custom

There is nothing called 'accidental success' in marketing campaigns. Each campaign requires time, investment, and most prominently - planning. But sadly sometimes businesspeople take a disorganized approach, by putting together different strategies, and then they expect it to be the best approach. While each strategy is unique, the characteristics and the ingredients of all is majorly the same. In this article, we have outlined the six critical components of successful business promotional items that are sure to make your campaign a success. Key ingredients of a successful promotional campaign Define your audience Your audience plays a crucial role in any marketing campaign. The better you know them, the better you can design your campaign, and achieve the most desirable target....

For many individuals, it is a dream to work for themselves by creating their own business. But, at the same time, starting a business requires a lot of time, energy, money, and most importantly, an idea of the business you want to create.  Many people who embark on an entrepreneurial journey still choose to work at their regular 9-5 and manage their own business on the side. If you are looking for a second source of income, franchising can be a great business model for you. A flexible franchise option will allow you to continue with your 9-5, while also running a franchise in the USA to establish a second source of income. Franchising vs. starting fresh  When we were approached by fitness franchise F45 Training to write this article, we discovered that many of their franchisees quit t

Background checks are not restricted to just employees or for finding out possible criminal history. Background checks can be carried out on businesses or companies too. You can find out their history, legal history or current credit status. All this information are available for you to access if you know just where to search for them. Just like private individuals, companies also accumulate a history. From their legal history, lawsuits, advertising history, consumer or business disputes, there is a truth finder that can help you find out whatever information on any business and that truth finder is a background check. Before conducting any business with any company or even if you want to accept an employment offer, conduct a thorough background check on said company so as to be bet...

Working as a contractor is the choice of a lot of people who want to take control of their working hours and the amount of work they do. Skilled individuals often take the opportunity to be self-employed by starting their own small businesses and then expanding it by taking more employees on. Regardless if you have just started your business or you have already established yourself in your local area, you are already familiar that having everything go smoothly is a challenging thing to do. Luckily, there are some things you can do to make your life easier. Plan Your Day Effectively Overpromising is something where a lot of contractors go wrong. Booking too many jobs for one day can be difficult to pull off and while your initial thought is clearly that the more jobs you take on, the m...

Many people dream of working from home and having more freedom in how and when they work. If you work from home, you probably have your place where you normally sit down and work. But no matter where you work, you want to optimize and improve your workplace surroundings and the way you work so you can remain focused on your work and become more productive. This goes for both your physical environment and home office, but also your mindset, and the way you set up your work strategy. In this article, we will share five ways to become more productive when working from home, both psychologically/mindset wise and physically. 1.Have a clear time when you are going to work No matter where you are working, it is great to have a clear plan of when you are going to work. By having a clear pl...

When it comes to being the top HVAC marketing company in the nation, you need to know just what makes an HVAC marketing firm the best. Whether you’re a plumber, general contractor, electrician, roofer, or an HVAC company, you need to know that you can have a very good website and build a persona online, and in a mobile-friendly fashion, as well as get the SEO your company needs in order to succeed above your competitors. Not only that, you’ll get the best of a company that’s willing to go more than the extra mile (or even more than the extra 100 miles) in order to get your needs met properly. What Else Makes seelutions the Best? What makes seelutions the best is that you see your solutions, and they’ll map it out for you. They have a ton of various writings and research available for

We all know the story. You’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain and rendered a service according to the terms and are now waiting to be paid. The agreed-upon day comes but you aren’t remunerated. The client asks for an extension citing cashflow issues and you begrudgingly grant one. Unfortunately, the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months. The customer is now out of reach and you are left holding the bag.  Before considering professional commercial debt collections services you wonder how you could have protected yourself from such a client. Here are eight steps to consider. #1 Background Checks Screening your customers in advance is always a good idea. The internet is a wealth of information and you’ll be surprised by how informative a quick query on a search engine can

The business world today is moving fast. Changes are ongoing and your customers expect nothing but the best. With technology making our lives easier every day, you can’t expect to run a successful business if your ways of running it are still stuck in the last century. Today customers expect a quick response, accurate information and high standards. The room for errors has been pushed to the minimum, so if you want to progress and move forward, make sure you are not making costly errors. Flawless Customer Service Your customers are the central part of your business so keeping them happy is the top of your priorities. Good customer service is the key towards increasing customer loyalty, potentially raising your sales and generating positive word-of-mouth about your business. I

Running a business can be complex and challenging. Not only do you have to deal with the day to day processes involved with the running of a business, but you also have to worry about efficiency and productivity. After all, to remain competitive, a business must improve its efficiency. If you're starting to feel like your business is on the verge of spiraling into chaos, perhaps it's time to simplify your workflow and eliminate any unnecessary steps. Here are some steps you can take to start streamlining your business for increased productivity. Research, Review and Document Current Processes The first step towards streamlining your business is to identify which of your business processes or workflows are the least beneficial, problematic, or need to be refined. Business processes ar...

Financial data is an essential component of your business management. It informs the entire budgeting process and other financial decisions.  In most cases, this data is generated from accounting systems or what is known as bookkeeping. To many, bookkeeping entails laborious calculations, looming payment deadlines, and overflowing invoice files. However, that’s not entirely true.  Streamlining your bookkeeping system can take different forms. The most common being accounting automation, which allows you to save time, money, reduce stress, and boost productivity. Being on top of your finances means your business will make informed financial decisions. It will also create a fantastic impression to your customers, and suppliers. Organizing your finances allows you to understand y

The world of business presents a plethora of challenges that must be addressed, regardless of brand size. As businesses continue to grow, some problems cease to be – but new challenges inevitably emerge. Businesses that operate within a local customer audience obviously face different struggles than businesses that operate within the digital realm. Likewise, businesses that cater to audiences in one or more countries must deal with the challenges that international commerce and communication present. As it turns out, one of the most effective methods in bolstering sales, market share and customer retention in international markets is good customer service. Today, let's examine some great tips that can improve your customer service in international markets. Provide 24/7 Solutions

The rapid development of technology has caused global changes in various areas of business: financial and banking sectors, healthcare and insurance, real estate and e-commerce. Thanks to the new tools and new opportunities, the experts were able to more accurately estimate the business trends of 2019 and make new forecasts. Thus, five major trends were identified by Computools, which large and small enterprises should follow this year. The Highest Priority: Customer Experience Adaptive design, web site usability, cross-platform application development – all this comes to the fore in 2019 and companies must take this into account. At first glance, this may seem important only for e-commerce, but experts have repeatedly stated that all business areas are shifting from offline to online

Local listings, also known as local citations, are essential for your business. Not only does your name in various business directories show you off as an authentic person to work with, but it also improves your local SEO.  A study concluded that 78% of all the local searches on mobile and 61% of those conducted from laptops resulted in offline purchases. This finding sets the need for paying attention to Local SEO. Put simply, when people look up your business, they search for one of the following things: Your business location/address  Your phone number  Working hours  Driving directions  Reviews and reading Special offers/coupons  Folks who are not directly searching for your business maybe indirectly looking for you. For instance, he may be looking f

The cosmetics industry is a very competitive market, with both new and established brands playing the field. If you’re planning to start your own cosmetics business, you could use the help of suppliers like Asian Beauty Wholesale. Aside from getting reliable suppliers, having brilliant marketing strategies and using online commerce can give you an edge in this competitive industry.  Here are some ways of implementing new strategies in starting your own beauty e-commerce business: 1. Choose your target market The cosmetics industry is a huge market catering to various cosmetic needs of people from different walks of life. Although it can be very diverse, there are general categories within the industry, including skin care, hair care, cosmetic makeup, massage services, perfumes, to

Running a business can be one of the most rewarding experiences an ambitious entrepreneur can get him or herself into. Turning a genius idea into a lucrative career path takes a leap of faith and plenty of help. Though it’s true that there is no easy or direct pathway to success, there are a number of incredibly helpful tools small businesses can use to strengthen their odds. Rather than leaving it all to chance, take control of your business management with these 7 helpful tools! Google Analytics When you think of business, you think numbers. The pinnacle of your business’ success can only be measured in metrics. Whether you’re generating sales or boosting web traffic, you depend on certain numbers to reveal levels of performance. As a small business owner, you have a number o

College students are notorious for being cash-strapped and for having to live on a budget, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. In fact, anyone can be an entrepreneur in this day and age, and while getting a traditional part-time job is one option, another is to start your own business. It might sound daunting, but if other people can do it then so can you. And if you’ve got the motivation but you’re struggling to think of business ideas for college students, you’re in luck. Here are the seven best small business ideas for college students.  7 Business Ideas for College Students Sell on Etsy If you’re good at making things then Etsy is the site for you. It’s a bit like eBay but for hand-made goods, and people make good money on there selling everything from print

Dropshipping is a business activity that has exploded in popularity over the years. Thanks to the widespread nature of the internet, and the solid platforms that drop shipping stores are mostly built on, it has enabled virtually anyone to open up their dropshipping business within a short period of time. Furthermore, the infrastructure on the internet for marketing and scaling is also advanced and quite affordable, allowing people to start their dropshipping business with not much money. But as with everything, it’s simply not enough to just set up your drop shipping store and then wait for the customers to come. Because the fact is that it’s not quite that simple. Especially now that there are more people than ever doing it, and the competition is thus tougher than ever. Drops

The annual cost to businesses of unhappy customers is $537 billion, as they see their reputation damaged by online reviews, word of mouth and even have a higher staff turnover and fewer people willing to work for them in the long-term. Ensuring customer and employee happiness and satisfaction is essential for success, but what if the damage has already been done? In some instances, a bad reputation can happen overnight, while other times it builds up over months. Recovering from this is possible, but it does take a lot of work and commitment to get there. Always put your customers first, and respond effectively to reviews and complaints to build your business back up, but ultimately, you may need to rebrand to come back from the damage. The importance of repairing the damage A bad bu

One of the keys to creating a successful business is to stay one step ahead of your competitors. Another is to be able to look into the future and anticipate what your customers are likely to want in the years ahead, giving you the opportunity to meet those needs before they even have the chance to ask. Both of these require a bit of innovation, or the ability to come up with new ideas based largely on up-and-coming trends. What can you do to create this type of company, increasing the likelihood that your business will come out on top? Develop an Innovation-Forward Company Culture  While not every employee is capable of coming up with massive ideas that can take your business to the next level, Harvard Business School (HBS) stresses that there are still many benefits in developin

If you have a brick and mortar store, you must have items on your shelves or no one will buy from you. But if you have an e-commerce business, you can sell items all day every day without ever having to touch them yourself. It’s called dropshipping. If you’re not familiar with this term, dropshipping involves selling products in your online store that, instead of purchasing them beforehand, you don’t buy them until you have an actual sale. Then, you simply have the item shipped from the wholesaler or manufacturer directly to your customer.  This shipping method can save you a ton of money, reduce your storage needs, and enable you to keep your costs low. But how do you incorporate dropshipping into your e-commerce business? Find Products You Can Sell  The first step is to find

Nowadays there is a huge amount of money involved in Soccer, with billions involved in sponsorship, wages, and the technology behind every game. The top soccer earners in the world, Lionel Messi, of F.C. Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo, of Juventus, earn around $667,000 per week, and $657,000 per week respectively. When broken down, this is a staggering amount of money, and when combined with sponsorship deals and endorsements from global powerhouses such as Adidas and Nike, their total take will surpass $100million each per annum. Whilst these are the two highest earners in soccer currently, the numbers are only expected to rise within the coming years with more and more money being introduced to soccer every year, through inflated TV deals, and matchday ticket prices.  As research

The goal of every entrepreneur is to be successful and expand their business. However, with great success comes great responsibility. For example, what started in a small garage in 1975 eventually grew into Apple Incorporation, one of the most successful and rapidly developing IT enterprises in the world.  As the company expanded, its founders faced many new responsibilities, including hiring new staff and paying salaries.  Given the current state of Apple Incorporation, the company’s senior management did an excellent job of adapting to the ever-changing business environment and thinking on their feet.  Those above are different phases that every business venture will inevitably go through. However, ensuring growth and taking your business to the next level is impossible with

Are you creating online forms for your business? Regardless of whether it is a survey, contact form, feedback form, or registration form – it is important that you try to ensure your forms are as mistake-free as possible. Some of the more common mistakes that you should try to avoid when creating online forms for business include: Using placeholders to replace labels At first, using placeholders to replace labels may seem like a ‘cleaner’ approach when designing an online form, but it often backfires. If a placeholder is used as a label, it will disappear as the answer is typed, and if the user loses their place or comes back later – they won’t have any reference to figure out what the field is. Suffice to say placeholders should never replace labels, but should instead b

Online shopping has exploded over the years. This is of course not surprising considering the convince of ordering online. You can simply order products from the comfort of your home and have them delivered straight to your door, as opposed to having to go to the store, walk around in the store looking for the things you want, and then go home again. Not only is this time-consuming, but it is also energy consuming. Additionally, when shopping online, you get a much better  In other words, when shopping online, you don’t need to run around the store looking for a specific thing like a crazy person. Instead, you can find the things you are looking for in a heartbeat. With that in mind, online shopping will only grow stronger and increase over the years. A huge benefit of shopping on

Apathy is evil beyond all suspicion. It seeps into your life, and suddenly you begin to understand how difficult it is for you to wake up to get to work early in the morning. The planned business meetings terrify you, and the days in which you have nothing scheduled, you highlight the bright color.  Your dream job has become a bureaucratic nightmare: you make certain necessary movements, but the passion has disappeared. What once brought you to the thrill, now makes you look with glass eyes and wait for the opportunities to "slip away." Where has the dedication gone?  All of us in one way or another experienced something similar. And we all suffered different losses, but someone got out of this very easy, and someone lost his/her career. Whether everything began with disappointme

As a recruiter, you’ll probably have plenty of CVs to look at before you fill a job position. Time often poses an issue in such situations, especially when you wish to make the most informed and best choice in a really short timeframe. On average, recruiters spend somewhere between 6 seconds and 2 minutes on every resume due to their limited time, which makes it that much harder to be certain about which candidate is the best choice. Thankfully, there are things that can help you with this matter. If you know exactly what to look for in an applicant’s CV, you can scan the applications and look for the most fitting employee for the position. To be able to go through all applications and find the best one, you need to learn to differentiate between a great CV, average application, and bad c