Why Print Marketing Isn’t Dead
With digital marketing proving itself to be popular and effective, many companies have started moving away from print marketing. But are there still advantages to traditional print options like flyers, business cards and physical newsletters?
The problems with print marketing
Print marketing has fallen out of favour for a few reasons. A few of these reasons are included below:
It can be more expensive than digital marketing. You can send an email for free, but with a physical newsletter you need to pay for printing and postage.
It can be more time-consuming. You can spend hours handing out flyers, while a digital ad or email can be distributed with the click of a button.
It’s not as green. Using paper involves cutting down trees and posting it could involve using road vehicles.
However, despite its drawbacks, print marketing can still have some advantages. For this reason, print marketing has been making a revival.
Why print marketing isn’t dead
There are a few reasons as to why print marketing isn’t dead. Below are just a few reasons to consider using print marketing.
Print marketing tends to be more trustworthy
Studies have shown that people are more trusting of print marketing than they are of digital marketing. There are lots of dodgy ads and fraudulent emails on the internet and some people can be less trusting of clicking on an ad or an email for this reason. Print marketing is viewed as more legitimate and people are more likely to trust the details on it (which could mean more leads).
People are getting more emails and less physical mail
People’s inboxes are getting more and more inundated with promotional emails. Door-to-door flyers and physical newsletters are meanwhile diminishing. Because of this, you may find that it’s easier to get through to customers using physical mail - there could be more chance of a letter getting read than an email.
Print marketing isn’t always more expensive than digital marketing
Pre-press and printing services may be the cheaper option in some cases. While digital marketing can be done for free, a lot of us pour money into digital marketing strategies like PPC ads, SEO and paid social media posts. When compared to the cost of printing off flyers or sending out physical newsletters, digital marketing strategies can often end up being more expensive in the long run. You could find that you save money by posting less digital ads in a month and using more print marketing.
Print marketing could benefit your digital marketing
You don’t have to choose between print and digital marketing. Sometimes the two can benefit each other. QR codes have risen in popularity - printing these codes on your flyers and business cards can allow customers to easily access your website or a certain webpage without typing in a long URL. It could be a way of building extra web traffic for an online business!
Six Profitable DJ Gigs
Guest Post
When people think of DJs, they may actually imagine that there is a limited amount of gigs available to them and that the profession is therefore not very profitable. This is undoubtedly not always the case. In my experience as a DJ, there are a plethora of many different gig types out there. Some people prefer to stick to just one kind, such as the live festival shows. Instead, I usually accept as broad a range of them as possible. Doing so has allowed me to develop my DJing skills and has made me very versatile as a performer, plus, I have even been able to pay back the dj finance loan I took out a while back to get started.
Weddings
This is one of the most common gigs I have been offered. Weddings occur throughout the year, and they usually require a DJ to play music throughout the day and evening. While I enjoy the wide availability of wedding events, I am not a fan of one aspect of them. The clients will usually request a setlist, which I need to stick to. This minimizes the creative freedom I would typically have during my performances. On the other hand, some DJs may prefer it, seeing the positive responses from the audience.
School Discos
School discos are similar to weddings in terms of high demand for DJing professionals. The difference is that the songs played tend to be more modern. When I perform at schools, I tend to pick popular tracks from the weekly charts. The audience is younger and so will appreciate songs from newer artists. I occasionally sneak in a few classics, but the emphasis of the show is always on current pop music. I also enjoy the rigid timeframe of these gigs as the event needs to close at a set time.
House Parties
I always have a lot of fun when I get to DJ at house parties. The patrons are very responsive, and the show has a flexible flow. Since they tend to take place within a residential area, I need to keep an eye on my volume levels. Otherwise, I could end up breaking the law. I also need to check that the party in question is legally permitted to go ahead. Once I have done this, I can get on with giving a show that will wow all of the party guests.
Festivals
As a professional DJ, I jump at the chance of getting to perform in front of a large crowd at music events. The majority of my work takes place in homes and schools, but festivals are where I have the most fun. The patrons are there specifically to see my DJing. Some will already be fans, whereas others will be introduced to me for the first time. The atmosphere at festivals feels electric as the crowds are very responsive and positive. The work for these events is usually during the summer months. For the rest of the year, I can focus on other types of gigs.
Online Shows
The internet has changed the ways that DJs can reach their audiences. I no longer have to perform in person. Instead, I can do so from my own home and live stream it online. One of the advantages of these gigs is I get to control how many I do. It is possible to perform multiple events each day. The internet is also great for growing my audience. I can post videos of my older shows in order to get new people interested.
Corporate Events
Sometimes I am asked to DJ for corporate events. While I am not a massive fan of them, they usually pay very well. The clients often pay for travel expenses and accommodation. Since corporate events are rare, I do not recommend relying on them to make a living. Instead, they should be used to supplement income from time to time.
Steps To Starting A Small Delivery Business
Delivery businesses are cashing in due to the harsh effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. If you are considering starting a small delivery business to get a piece of the action, you can do so without spending a fortune. Here are some helpful tips to get you off the ground.
Get a reliable vehicle
Depending on your clients and the items they seek to have delivered, you may need various vehicles at your disposal. The best investment to make in this regard is getting a pickup truck, a box truck, or even a cargo truck. You do not even need to own these vehicles; you can rent them or partner with another company to lease them out to you then you split profits. If you are sticking to just small parcels, a regular sedan should suffice.
Legalize your operations
The moment you decide to run a business, you must legalize it and ensure that the relevant documentation is done. Take into account all the requirements needed to get a business license and make sure you satisfy and adhere to them. Also, decide if you want to set your business up as a sole proprietorship or as a limited liability company.
Other necessities
You will need a dolly to help you easily move around items that are quite heavy, decreasing your cost of labor. You will also need a set of ratchet straps to keep the items in place and reduce the risk of damage. You need to have a cellphone that will serve as a business phone.
Getting started
When you are done with the necessary logistics and required legalities, the next thing to do is to structure your business model. Mind you, a business model is not the same as a business plan. If you do not already have a business plan at this stage, you are setting yourself up to fail. A business plan is a document that showcases the strategy of the company and its projected financials. On the other hand, a business model represents the approach the business will use when conducting its daily activities.
Things to consider when putting together your business model should include setting boundaries. As a small business, you cannot afford to stretch yourself thin with limited resources. It is best to set boundaries in which you can operate effectively and satisfy your clients’ demands. This will aid you in reducing expenditure and give you a concentrated customer base.
Also, settle on working days and hours, so that you can have time for yourself and your family. If you do work with other people, they will also appreciate it. Another thing to look at is solidifying your customer base. You can do this by creating a list of potential businesses or individuals who will appreciate your business and will need your services.
The next step is to make a formal approach to these businesses and offer them your services at a reduced rate. After that, begin to advertise your business using various avenues such as posting flyers, and handing about business cards. You may also want to consider using social media to create some exposure. Facebook offers some great marketing and advertising resources you should take advantage of.
Do the financials
Creation of a budget will help you identify your expenditure and profits. It will also enable you to properly price your rates and indicate which areas you need to restructure. Aside from these, you need to consider the cost of fuel, insurance, vehicle maintenance, rentals, possible expansion, and other special requests by clients such as out-of-state shipping. If you do need some help, you can get instant shipping quotes using this freight class calculator.
Establish working relationships
A good working relationship ensures repeat business and keeps both parties happy. One way to achieve this is by ensuring that you fulfill your end of the contract by delivering items on time and in pristine condition. Your excellent service will make your clients develop affection and even loyalty to you and will help you grow by recommending your services to others. You may also want to give back to your customers through loyalty programs, discount coupons, and in some cases, free deliveries. Identify your customer’s needs and use that to offer suitable solutions for them.
The Importance of Research When Starting a New Business
It can be easy to rush into the process of starting a business without taking the time to consider the challenges you might face. Research has always been key to creating business plans, successfully marketing your business to the right demographics, and finding success in the field you’ve chosen. But why exactly do you need to do research when starting a business and how do you go about it?
The Importance of Business Research
While it may seem obvious, it’s important to keep in mind that starting a business is much more than simply selling a product or providing a service. Information is key in this process, and the only way you’re going to be able to get information is through research. Studying business academically isn’t essential, though some people may find that taking online courses or even going to school is valuable to them.
What do You Need to Research?
The research you perform needs to cover a range of general topics as well as some that are specific to your business. You may need to think outside the box to cover everything you need to do, especially if you’re running a business that other people haven’t delved into. For example, take away shop owners are often surprised to find that they need to deal with things like oil disposal. A little bit of research would show that a company like https://gfcommodities.com/our-services/yellow-grease-disposal can help with this.
Some of the general topics you need to explore include -
Demographics: Your demographic is the group of people you will be aiming to serve. You will need to know what this group is and how to appeal to it.
Competition: You will need to know which companies you are competing against, along with building an understanding of their marketing practices.
Accounting: You will need to learn the tax rules in your country, as well as picking up some of the tools that are used for this work.
Laws & Regulations: Your business may be subject to laws and regulations that impact the way that you operate.
Researching Your Business
There are loads of places to find the information you need online. Blogs and guide websites are a good place to start with this, giving you concise information that will help you to get to grips with your planning. Alongside this, though, you could also consider using graphical resources like infographics to make it easier for yourself. You can also find online communities that can help you through a process like this, making it even easier to get answers to questions when you can’t find them through searches. Of course, though, it’s always worth double-checking information you find this way.
Starting a business can be a complicated and daunting process, but you should be able to get through it if you put enough effort in. The internet has made this much easier than it used to be, giving you access to all of the resources you need.
Improving Your Business Cash Flow
As a small business owner, you, of course need sales to keep growing in order to keep profits increasing. Even if things have been improving, you still shouldn’t put your guard down. When businesses are growing, then profitable companies can face some problems with cash flow. When this happens, then it can impact finance, investing, and operations, and hinder them from working efficiently.
As an example, if your debts, or payables, are due before you get money that you are owed, then you can quite quickly face cash flow problems. When there are late payments, then you won’t be able to pay your bills on time. If you can’t pay staff or bills on time, then it can hinder your business massively, and could even mean facing some questions around your creditworthiness.
That is why budgeting and keeping your records straight can make such a difference. If you are taking care of accounts yourself, then you need to make sure that you are budgeting well. If you aren’t able to, then it could be a good idea to outsource your accounts and bookkeeping to someone else, in order to keep things on track. If you find a bookkeeping pricing package to suit you, then it can make a big difference in keeping up with your cash flow, receivables, and payables.
If you are looking for other options, then here are some of the things to put into place to improve your cash flow.
Lease, Don’t Buy
It can cost more money in the long-term when you lease equipment, so this can seem a little counter intuitive when you are looking to keep your costs down. However, if you are wanting to pay close attention to your bottom line, then leasing can be much more effective with cash flow.
Buying things up-front, especially if they involve a lot of money, can put you into some debt before you have the business off the ground. Leasing will allow you to maintain more of a stream of cash for your day-to-day operations, and you’ll know what money you need each month for the rentals. You pay in small amounts when leasing, which can go a long way to help to improve cash flow. Another aspect of this is that leasing can also be classed as a business expense, so it can be an element that can be written off when you file your tax return.
Offer Discounts for Early Payment
When you invoice a customer or client, some people will pay right away, but there will be others that wait to pay right up until the last day. That is why, in order to help your cash flow, you could incentivise people to pay early. Who doesn’t love an incentive? If you are able to offer your customers a discount for paying early, then it can create a situation that is a win-win for you both. They will feel good getting a discount, but you will get the cash in early, helping with your cash flow and your budget.
Conduct Customer Credit Checks
This can depend massively on what your business is, but if required, it can be helpful for your cash flow to conduct customer credit checks. You might have some customers that don’t want to pay in cash. If this is the case, then you need to be sure that you conduct a credit check.
If the client doesn’t have a very good credit rating, then it can be safe to presume that they are a little more likely to have missed payments or payments that are not made on time.
No matter how much you want to get a sale and get some money in, if the person offering this to you isn’t likely to make those payments on time, then it may not be worth it. The cash flow of your business can be hindered by late payments and missed payments, as well as the taking time and effort to chase things like this up.
Form a Buying Cooperative
There is power in numbers. It can help to find some like-minded people or businesses who are able to help to pool their cash, and to help to haggle some lower prices with suppliers. This can also help get some discounts for larger companies who are able to buy in bulk.
Improve Your Inventory
It is a good idea for all businesses to keep an eye on their inventory. However, when it comes to cash flow, this is something that really can make a difference. It is a good idea to start with a list of the items that you buy and sell, but that aren’t doing as well as some other products. These kinds of products can tie up a lot of your cash, and as a result, can impact your cash flow.
So, instead of buying more items that aren’t selling as well, it can be a good idea to go through your inventory and get rid of it. This will mean selling it off at a discount in most cases, but in the long-term, it will help with cash flow. It can be hard to say goodbye to things that aren’t selling well, especially if you are a big fan of them! So be objective, bear cash flow in mind, and think about what you could invest in and buy now that there will be some more cash (and space).
Send Invoices Out Immediately
It can be easy to put off sending out invoices. However, you are going to see your money come in much more quickly when you send out your invoice on time or immediately after the fact. There is no excuse for a customer or a vendor not paying when they have had the invoice in their care for a while, so get the invoice out early.
On the subject of invoices, it is a good idea to understand the basics of an invoice, to make sure that things like the terms and conditions are stated clearly. It is a good idea to put due dates on your invoices, and have that written in a few different places. You should also include some clear instructions on how someone should pay you, and the variety of ways that are accepted. If a customer has questions around payment and the invoice, then it will delay the whole process further. You should also state late payment fees, so they know what to expect when something isn’t paid on time.
Use Electronic Payments
When you are paying for something electronically, it can buy you a little time, especially if you’re awaiting a bill to be paid. You have until the next day for the money to clear, on most occasions, which can be helpful when things are particularly tight. You could also consider using a business credit card for your spending. The reason that this could be a good idea is that it will give you a grace period, which could last for weeks, depending on your provider, in order to pay.
4 Ways to Help Your Car Last Longer
Taking care of your car is similar to keeping a home clean. For example, vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing need to be done to keep a tidy environment and making your furniture and floors last longer. Your car needs love, too. A car that is used daily averages out many hours a week on the road. Take care of your car before those extra miles take a negative toll on your source of transportation. Here are 5 ways to keep an updated vehicle.
Wash and Detail
Keeping a car clean is easy. As a matter of fact, giving a car a quick drive-thru wash and dust can go a long way. But, take the time once in a while to properly wash and detail your car. Don’t cheap out on the least expensive wash. Choose one that provides waxing and tire protectant. These will not only make your car look better, it will also help make your paint and rims look nicer, longer.
Light Check
Is the “Check Engine” light on? Your car is most likely due for maintenance. Instead of just hoping the light goes off, take it to a mechanic that can diagnose the problem. Not catching problems early can lead to worse, more expensive problems down the road.
Oil Change
All cars use oil. The oil needs to be changed, as well as the oil filter in your car. Follow your car’s maintenance schedule to have this waste oil transfer done. This is one of the important liquids to keep your car driving strong. Old oil can allow parts in your engine to wear out prematurely. And, if your car gets too low on oil, the whole engine could be destroyed.
Update Tires
Tires are the shoes of every car! It’s important to ensure your vehicle has sturdy tires. with good tread so that they can grip the road properly and don’t blow out while driving down the road.
Not all tires age the same. Some tires will last longer than the others even though the same road is travelled. A good rule of thumb is to place a penny into the tire tread with Lincoln’s head pointing downwards. If Lincoln’s head is almost completely visible, then it’s time for new tires. You can learn more about when to get new tires, here. Also, don’t forget to update the spare tire as needed.
Essential Building Blocks To Include When Creating A New Business
Creating a new business is such an enormous task. There are so many different responsibilities and activities that you must consider in order to lay the foundations for success. Rather than running around your office like a headless chicken, it’s important that you make a plan which includes the most important building blocks that must come together to create your new company, as well as any other essential features that you mustn’t skip over in order to achieve a healthy profit.
Luckily, there are a few key areas in which you can focus your efforts to achieve business brilliance in no time at all, and it couldn’t be easier to start your journey today! So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best top tips and tricks that you can make the most of now to model your own marvelous enterprise that provides a pretty profit.
Always Start With A Fail Safe Idea
You must always base your business around a fail safe idea that’s almost guaranteed to grant you access to a considerable profit, otherwise there is simply no point in creating a new company at all. Okay, so no idea is totally fail safe, but you can make it as promising as possible with a little prep.
Make a mood board or ideas page that details a number of different designs and concepts that you can cash in on, including things such as general costs and timeframes that come with these options, too. Opting for a product that’s fast and affordable to make doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be received well by your target audience, so obviously there’s a considerable amount of research to be done in this area. You can’t move forward with any other feature unless you’ve decided on what it is that you’re actually going to sell, but don’t worry about taking some time to make up your mind as it’s a vital choice that can make or break your new business.
Know Your Limits & Don’t Burn Out
It can be extremely tempting to try and work 20 hour days in order to push your new product or service onto the market without outside help or even a short break, but this will do nothing but cause you to burn out and fail in your quests towards success. You must be able to recognize your limits as an individual and as a business, allowing yourself to exist outside of your company model to stay mentally and physically healthy throughout.
Experiencing regular burnouts because of your new business can turn the whole process sour, but choosing to invest in something such as a break even analysis will help you to set reasonable aims that allow you to stay afloat.
Find A Team That Can Support You
Finding a quality team of experienced staff will totally transform your new business, as you’ll have a few extra pairs of hands to help tackle each task while also gaining a fresh perspective on operations as a whole. It's not as simple as you might think to actually source a quality member of staff, as it takes time and testing to figure out whether each candidate will fit the unique role that you have to offer. Get help with getting help. Contacting a recruitment agency will help you to source the most inspiring, heavily experienced team that meets all of your expectations as a business owner. They maintain a wide variety of candidates from different backgrounds who hold qualifications in many essential industry topics, so they can find the best match without any hassle.
Creating a new business can be a really nerve wracking experience, as there are many things that have the potential to go seriously wrong. Rather than allowing such a terrible scenario to take place, take on board use these ideas to help out.
There’s no time like the present to get out there and introduce your product or service onto the market, so what are you waiting for? Gather your team and put your heads together to plan the best way to catapult your business towards profit and success.
Lowe’s Unveils Black Friday Smart Home Deals and Early Sales
Lowe’s is dropping the news on their Thanksgiving/Black Friday deals early. Starting Nov. 26 as part of their “Home for the Holidays” Season of Savings Event, shoppers can get huge appliance and smart home deals. Those that are wanting to save now, don’t have to wait. Lowes is currently offering hundreds of smart home Cyber Steals on Lowes.com. The home improvement site has also revealed next week’s deal lineup. To access next week’s deals shoppers can just click on the “Season of Savings.” on the site.
Even better, Lowe’s made shopping easier with a digital Black Friday ad. It allows you to add items right to your shopping list as you browse the ad. Then, you can seamlessly finish checking out once deals are live!
Below you’ll find some of the best offers on top-rated smart home technology and appliances coming soon to Lowe’s Black Friday sale.
Black Friday Smart Home Deals
Save $40 on Google Nest hub (chalk or charcoal) (was $89.99, now $49.99)
Save $30 on Google Nest mini 2nd Generation (charcoal or chalk) (was $49, now $18.99)
50% off Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Generation (was $39.99, now $18.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
50% off Amazon Echo Show 8 (was $129.99, now $64.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
Save $100 on Ring home security system (was $249.99, now $149.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
Save $70 on Amazon Blink outdoor 2-camera system (was $179.99, now $109.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
Save $60 on Ring video doorbell 3 (was $199.99, now $139.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
Save $50 on Google Nest learning thermostat 3rd Generation (was $249, now $199)
Save $20 on Ring stick up security camera with night vision (was $99.99, now $79.99) (valid 11/22-11/30)
Save $15 on Roku premiere streaming player (was $39.99, now $24.99) (valid 11/22-11/20)
Black Friday Appliance Deals
Bonus Savings Up to $700 off on Select Major Appliances + Free Local Delivery on major appliances $299 or more + Up to 24 Months Special Financing
FREE Local Delivery on any major appliance $299 or more
Save $700 on Samsung fingerprint-resistant stainless steel french door refrigerator (was $1,899, now $1,199)
Save $500 on pair of Maytag washer and electric or gas dryer (was $799 each, now $549 each)
Save $450 on Hisense fingerprint-resistant stainless steel 47-decibel dishwasher (was $899, now $449)
Save $350 on Hisense 54-bottle wine chiller (was $799, now $499)
4 Savvy Shipping Options During Lockdown
With only essential services remaining open, your online business or side hustle might have run into some problems in the last couple of months. The restrictions could get tighter if the infection rates don't drop. Therefore, it's vital to consider different ways to ship and deliver goods and items before it's too late. All it takes is a small decline for your revenue streams to be in the red rather than the black. With that in mind, below are four of the most effective shipping options you can continue to use during a lockdown.
Shipping Bids
If you have never heard of shipping bids before, they are incredibly useful. The way it works is that people and companies with the infrastructure bid on jobs to earn extra income. Shippers will gladly take on your responsibility as long as it's not too much hassle. Thanks to the fact that you can coordinate with the bidder - for example, you can post jobs based on your state, town, or route - you should find it easier than dealing with big shipping companies that have plenty of red tape.
The Postal Service
Thankfully, the United States Postal Service is still running throughout the pandemic since it's classed as essential. You can trust it to continue delivering your packages and parcels. Sure, it might not be your first option, yet it's a brilliant backup plan since it's never going to go bust!
The key is to review your delivery policies and speak to customers to ensure there is no confusion. Let them know that their items will arrive, but they could take longer as your usual courier isn't available. They will understand. If anything, they'll be happy you are committed to delivering.
Parcel Stores
Parcel stores are establishments that send and receive packages. The great thing about them is that they are usually big brand names, meaning they are trustworthy and reliable. All you need to do is drop off the package at a locker and wait for an email confirmation.
It's Covid-secure since there's no reason to interact with anybody since the relevant details are forwarded to your email account. A drop-off point is healthy for everyone involved, which is why stores that accept parcel deliveries are getting more popular.
Courier
Couriers might carry on delivering, but you shouldn't take it for granted as it's impossible to predict anything in these uncertain times. Hopefully, they have terms and conditions that allow them to work throughout the pandemic; however, you can find a competitor if they don't. It's not loyal, yet loyalty doesn't pay the bills - your online revenue does.
If you want to give them an opportunity, you should analyze their practices. For instance, do they use contactless pickups and drop-offs?
Shipping during a global health crisis isn't straightforward, but it is crucial as online sales are hitting new peaks the longer the pandemic rages.
Can You Be More Productive With Your Spare Time During a Pandemic?
It’s fair to say that through the lockdown, people quickly realized that they had far more spare time than they were previously accustomed to. Some individuals quickly embraced this as a fantastic possibility while many others really didn’t know what to do with the situation. So, today, we’re going to explore some of the ways that you can use your spare time more effectively and make the most of it. In doing so, you can be more positive and blast fresh levels of the right energy into your life.
Set Up A Business Venture
You might want to start by considering whether you can set up a brand new venture that could bring you tremendous levels of profit. When you set up a new business, you must have a passion for the project. It is going to take up a lot of your spare time. You also need to be aware of some of the key steps that you need to take. This might include everything from PPC advertising to pushing up your brand on social media. Take this lull in your schedule to watch videos and read ebooks about starting a business.
Write A Novel
People say that everyone has a great novel lurking within somewhere. You just have to take that first step of putting pen to paper. If you want to explore this possibility, you need to think about the type of novel that you are interested in writing. It’s often best to start with a plan rather than simply writing the first thoughts that pop into your head. Grab a notebook, sketch out a rough outline, then start typing. Don’t worry about marketability or how it will get published. First, you just need to finish the book.
Work It Out
You could also use your spare time to improve yourself physically with the right workout. Be aware that various types of workouts won’t suit every individual. You need to find the one that matches who you are and what you want to achieve.
There are various workouts to explore. For instance, some people are going to benefit from an aqua exercise routine. Water exercises loosen your muscles and your joints, helping you to feel more relaxed. It can even help you with problems such as chronic pain. If you don’t have a pool, a simple walking routine is easy on the joints and has a lot of health benefits.
Meditate
Finally, you might want to think about using your spare time to meditate. Meditation can be quite tricky at first because you’ll need to clear your mind and this isn’t a skill that comes naturally to everyone. However, once you try this a few times, you’ll start to find that you are able to sink inside yourself. In doing so, you will be able to find fresh perspectives of problems that have been plaguing you and push yourself in exciting new directions each day of your life.
Little Things That Make a Big Difference in the Hospitality Industry
We’ve talked before about providing top-quality customer service to clients and customers. Nowhere does customer service come into play more, however, than in the hospitality industry.
Millions of people stay in hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and rental properties each year. If you work in the hospitality industry, a few small changes or practices can make a big difference in how people view your brand and whether or not they’ll return (or recommend you to their friends and family).
These little gestures are a marketing tool that you are using in-house. They are a hands-on approach to boosting your brand and showing your guests who you really are. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few simple things that you can do to boost your hospitality business and leave a lasting impact on your guests.
Learn About Your Guests
If you’ve spent any time researching marketing techniques, you may already know how important it is to understand your target audience. Any guest that walks into your establishment immediately becomes your target audience.
They are likely tired of hearing overused lines or being “advertised” to. So, instead, do your best to get to know them in the limited interactions you may have. Where are they from? What are they in town for? By paying attention to their preferences, you can personalize their stay by making suggestions on rooms, amenities, and even food options in the area.
A little personal touch goes a long way.
Show Your Gratitude
When a guest stays in your establishment, they are paying for your services. They are choosing your business over another. So, don’t be afraid to show how grateful you are. Leave a little ‘thank you’ note or card on their room desk, or set their room up with a welcome gift. It doesn’t need to be anything elaborate; a few pieces of chocolate, coupons for local restaurants, or a complimentary bottle of wine are all great ways to show your guests you care and that you’re glad they are staying with you.
Be Inclusive
People from all walks of life want to be able to travel. That includes people with mobility issues or disabilities. By making sure your establishment is inclusive for as many people as possible, you’ll be setting yourself apart from other businesses in your industry.
Everything from wheelchair ramps to including Braille writing on important signs can make a big difference to people who aren’t used to things being so accessible. You can even use your accessibility features as a marketing tool, letting people know that you are open for everyone, and you want to encourage as many people as possible to stay with you, no matter what.
When you establish an environment of accessibility and inclusivity in your establishment, word-of-mouth advertising will be hard to avoid.
Keep these tips in mind when it comes to boosting your business within the hospitality industry. Again, they might seem like small things on the surface. But, they can make a world of difference for your guests.
Lefant M571 Vacuum and Mopping Robot Review
The Lefant M571 ($260) is a new robot vacuum on the market that also mops. The company sent me one to try out. I was pleasantly surprised with this little bot vac. Here’s what I found.
Vacuuming
The M571 is a little dynamo when it comes to cleaning carpets and hard surfaces. It has 2200Pa suction, which is quite a bit more than some of its competitors on the market. I could immediately see the difference. The M571 sucked up glitter, dog fur, and even bits of broken egg shell (my Huskies had a bit of a trash can raid) off of my carpet.
It also did a great job sweeping my kitchen floor and the hardwood around the house. Its dual sweeping brushes push the dirt and debris to the roller brush where it is sucked away into the dust bin.
Mopping
The fact that the M571 can mop is one of my daughter’s favorite features because she hates mopping. This robot really does make the job easier. You just take out the dust bin, replace it with the mopping bin filled with water, and attach the mopping pad. Then, you just let the robot clean.
I found that the pad will wipe up most spots on the floor, though you may need to pre-soak harder, dried on messes with your favorite floor cleaner. Though the robot doesn’t suck up the water used to clean the floor, if you set it to medium water flow in the app, the floor gets only slightly damp and dries in just a few minutes.
App
The app is very easy to use and isn’t glitchy at all, unlike some other robot vacuum apps. One of the app features I particularly enjoyed was the Manual Mode. This lets you drive the robot vacuum around like a remote control car. This is quite useful when you just want to spot clean your floor.
Extra features
In addition to vacuuming and mopping, the Lefant M571 has a few stand-out features. I really like that it comes with a remote so that you can control it without going to the app. Many robot vacuums don’t come with remotes anymore and it’s a shame because my other family members don’t want extra apps on their phones, but would also like to run the robot vacuum. A remote solves that problem.
Another feature I like is that the robot vac can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant. So, you can can control it by saying things like, “Alexa, turn on robot.”
The battery length is impressive, as well. The M571 can clean for up to 180 minutes on a full charge. This allowed the M571 to clean several large rooms in my house without needing to recharge.
Something I find annoying about robot vacuums is how loud they can be. The M571 is very quiet. I was able to watch television while it ran. Lefant says this is because the ducts were carefully designed to allow for powerful suction, while still remaining quiet.
A big thing I noticed is that the Lefant M571 managed to prevent itself from getting stuck under furniture and cabinet edges. This is the first robot vacuum I’ve tried that managed this. That alone gives this robot vacuum my seal of approval.
Why you should talk to a lawyer following an accident
If you have been injured in a car accident of any kind that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to accident compensation. Examples of accidents include collisions with other road users, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and even larger vehicles, like trucks (see this Lafayette lawyer handling truck accident cases for more info). The question is whether or not to contact a lawyer. In this article, we’re going to look at how you can work through the aftermath of a car accident, with a lawyer.
Gathering evidence in support of your personal injury claim
If you have been involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may not have had the presence of mind (or the physical ability) to gather evidence at the scene of the incident. For example, where possible, if you are able to take photos of the crash, showing the damage to the vehicles, the location of the crash, the time of day, the weather conditions, etc., these photos can help to support your claim. However, where such evidence is not available, you could struggle to put together a case if you were to try to begin the claims process without speaking to a lawyer, like one found here www.coinjurylaw.com
A lawyer can provide your claim with multiple avenues of attack in terms of gathering evidence. Depending on your claim, this could include gaining access to CCTV footage or methods of tracking down eye witnesses (lawyers are trained to expedite the gathering of relevant evidence, so that your case may be made as soon as possible).
Filing all documentation on time
Once your lawyer has spoken to you about your claim and started to gather the supporting evidence, documentation must be completed and filed in the appropriate way, adhering to strict deadlines. This is a failing of many people who attempt to handle their own claim for personal injury compensation - if you do not understand the claims process, and if you do not follow the guidelines for completing and filing all legal documentation, your claim could stutter and be thrown out by the courts. This presents a strong argument for speaking to a lawyer about your claim.
Ensuring your claim covers all bases
Depending on the extent of your injury, you may be entitled to a range of different types of financial compensation. For example, you may be able to cover the repair of your vehicle, the cost of your immediate medical care, any lost earnings, any expenses relating to the regular costs of supporting any dependents, and any future costs in terms of rehabilitation or home renovations relating to your long term return to health.
If you were to attempt to direct your claim on your own, without speaking to a lawyer, it is unlikely that you will achieve the desired outcome to your case that the training and experience of a lawyer can help to provide. For all of these reasons, speaking to a lawyer following a car accident is a sensible choice, so as to ensure that your case is handled in the appropriate manner and the outcome accurately reflects your eligibility for compensation.
3 Small Things That Can Hold Your Business Back
Every business owner should keep up a constant analysis of their organization. You need to be aware of what’s driving you forward and what’s holding you back. Mostly, you focus on the bigger and more obvious things. For example, a bad marketing strategy might be holding you back. Nevertheless, you can overlook some of the small things that might hold you back further than the bigger ones. It’s not until you learn about these small issues and see the impact they have that you realize how troublesome they are.
On that note, here are three relatively small things that hold your business back:
Tech devices
Look, technology in business is not a new thing. We’ve become so used to all the great tech on offer, which has actually become a problem. We look at a computer as just any old computer, using it without even thinking. But, your choice of tech devices might be what’s holding your back. Bad devices can break often or be really slow, both of which decrease productivity. You waste time waiting for applications to load, or you waste time fixing little problems. It all adds up and can mean you miss out on big things.
Luckily, tech devices are an easy problem to solve. Do some research to find the best devices, or consider some managed IT services that help you pair your business with the right technology. You can click here for more info if that’s something that interests you. We use technology every day, so it’s easy to see how problems with devices can hold you back.
Office layout
The way your office is organized can hold your company back by making employees unproductive. Work on finding the best and most productive office layout for your team. Some companies find that sitting people at desks next to one another is wildly unproductive as people chat too much. Others find that the bullpen setup works perfectly - it’s up to you to judge, but be aware that your office layout is more vital than first thought.
Limited breaks
Did you know that France has a two-hour lunch break that every business adheres to? At the same time, it’s among one of the most productive countries in the world. This is because human beings are not supposed to be worked to the bone. Giving your employees limited breaks will just make them stressed. It leads to more distractions, which holds back your performance. You don’t need to provide a two-hour lunch break, but increasing the breaks throughout the day can help. It gives people a chance to relax and recharge, improving productivity. There are also targets to aim for throughout the day - people will work hard in the morning to get to lunch, then work hard to get to a mini-break in the afternoon.
Would you look at these three things and think they’re particularly important parts of a business? You wouldn’t, and that’s why they get overlooked. By all means, focus on the bigger things holding you back, but also make sure you remember these small things as well.
How SEO Content Writing Can Make Your Website Come Alive
Every website aims to establish a good online presence, and this goal can be achieved through good SEO content writing. Search engine optimization (SEO) ideally must include commonly used or high-ranking words or phrases, bringing a website on top of searches or search engine results pages (SERP). The goal of SEO content writing is to attract unpaid or organic traffic.
If you notice your website sinking in the SERPs, bring it back to life by applying the expert tips below.
Using Relevant, High-Value Keywords And Links
Not all commonly used words and links over the internet are relevant and offer value. It is easy to add high-ranking keywords. However, the question is, do they attract more people to stay engaged with your website? Or do most users exit your page, as shown in your website's bounce rate, or the number of users leaving your website almost immediately? Is it because they found your content misleading or not able to answer their query as they expected?
While you probably have an idea of how SEO works, knowing the basic tenets isn’t enough to resuscitate a declining website performance. It's high time to hire professional SEO content writing services and learn how they do it.
Drive More Organic Traffic To Your Website
With diverse web content, expect to gain more organic or unpaid traffic to your website. It equates to higher conversions, more leads or potential customers, and more sales. The benefits of organic traffic are long-term compared to the short-term benefits of paid ads and most other digital marketing strategies.
Here's how SEO content writing, or using an SEO service like Victorious, attracts organic traffic to your website:
Because of effective keyword research and link building tactics, your website climbs up the ladder of search engine results pages (SERP) until it makes it on the first few pages of searches.
When people get to see your website on the top results of Google or any other search engines, they tend to perceive your company or brand as a reputable source of information.
Once more people become familiar with your website, they will come back again to check other resources and increases your chance of promoting your product or service.
Whenever your loyal visitors have a problem or concern, they will search for your website because they find your content very helpful.
SEO Content Writing With Users In Mind
As much as you want to make your content SEO-friendly, it’s also a must to prioritize user experience. SEO content writing is not just focusing on the technical aspects of search engine optimization. It will help if you think about how users will take a look at your content. Even if you follow or implement all SEO methods, you need to ask the following questions:
Will online visitors be able to digest the content easily? Or is the content filled with jargon or difficult-to-understand words?
Are the details relevant to the title and keywords used?
Is the content original or sources from another high-ranking website? If it is, then is it a better version?
Are the article's alt tag and meta description relevant to the content details? Do they clearly outline or speak what the content is about?
SEO Content Writing Backed Up With Data
With professional SEO content writing, you have an edge because everything is backed up with data. Trusted SEO agencies can provide proof of their portfolio and show real results of the different websites they have helped.
For instance, split testing or A/B testing is usually done to measure SEO results. By creating two web content versions, SEO content writing experts can determine what works best and employ the same tactic to your other web content.
Here's are some other ways an SEO content writing agency can help you with SEO content writing:
SEO content writing services employ highly trained and experienced SEO writers to create high-quality web content, following an updated SEO algorithm.
A reputable SEO content writing company has the right tools, programs, and other resources to validate results and make modifications to your existing SEO content writing tactics.
Entrusting your SEO content to a professional assures you that you will receive original, informative, and engaging web content.
Conclusion
SEO content writing offers a wide array of benefits to websites, bringing them to life after a falling from the SERPs. Using relevant, high-value keywords and links, driving more traffic with diverse web content, prioritizing user experience over SEO technicalities, and hiring an SEO content writing service can help improve your website and attain your website goals.
The importance of saving for a rainy day
If you make a conscious effort to save for a rainy day, life will seem a little sunnier.
If we really were to save up for a rainy day, we’d be spending the money before we’d even had time to save it with the weather being so bad! Of course, the “rainy day” that the saying is really referring to, is that day when your car needs an expensive repair; your washing machine breaks or the cat racks up a huge vet bill. This could easily lead to you getting into debt and needing the help of Creditfix.co.uk; however if you make a conscious effort to save for a rainy day, life will seem a little sunnier.
How to save for a rainy day
When there are things that you need and want right now, it can be hard to find the motivation to save up for a rainy day. After all, you could put that $100 into a savings pot for something that might not happen, or you could spend it on a new game, right? As tempting as this might be, it’s not the right way to do things and so to avoid the temptation to dip into the pot, set yourself up a direct debit and pay it as if it were any other bill.
You could also ‘round-up’ your purchases and put the spare change into your savings. For example, if you buy something for $4.75, 25 cents goes into the pot. It’s such a small amount that you’ll barely notice it going, but it will really add up.
Nip it in the bud
One really good thing about having a rainy day fund is that you can fix things before they become a big problem. For example, if your car starts to make a worrying noise, you have the money to get it looked at right away and fixed. However, without a rainy day fund, you might not have that money to hand, so you keep driving it until something goes really wrong and it ends up costing you a whole lot more. By acting before the event, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress, and potentially money too.
One important thing to consider when planning your rainy day fund is the different types of savings accounts. For this particular pot of money, you will ideally want something that you can withdraw easily, as you might need to get it at the drop of a hat to pay for the repair or replacement of something vital in your home. Some savings accounts are high interest, but have a notice period for withdrawal, which is great if you’re saving long-term but not so much in an emergency.
Financial experts often recommend having savings that add up to 3-6 months of expenses, just in case anything were to happen and you couldn’t work for a few months. The Coronavirus is an excellent example of something unexpected happening and leaving many households without an income, so hopefully, it has inspired more people to look at building up their rainy day fund.
Here are some more tips:
3 Ways To Make Your Website More Engaging
You may already have a beautifully crafted website. Now how do you increase your website traffic? If you’re struggling to increase your website visitors or improve your conversion rate (conversion from visitor to sale, for example), you may need to make your site more engaging. Here are three ways that you can make your website more appealing and attract potential new customers.
Ask Your Audience
Gaining feedback from users is a vital part of refining your website. Gauging what people think of the user interface (UI), and their user experience (UX) of navigating through your pages, is essential for engaging your audience. When designing (or redesigning) your site, it should be predominantly based on reviews of UI and UX.
Using click testing and UX tests will boost your visitors’ engagement. Click testing involves asking targeted questions to the user and requesting them to click on the relevant part of the webpage. For example, asking the user where they’d expect to click to find specific information, would give an accurate indication of where it should appear on the final website design.
Be Sociable
There are two parts to being sociable on a website: engagement on social media and making it easy for customers to contact you. Make sure the sharing icons for your social media pages are at the bottom of every blog. If you use WordPress, using a plugin for social media will help you to do this quickly and easily. You can boost your engagement on social media by interacting with your customers on your social media platforms as much as possible.
Your company’s contact information should also be accessible at the top of every page. Make it as easy as possible for people to contact you via telephone, email, or a handy ‘contact us’ form available via the top of your pages. It should be simple for people to contact you with inquiries, and it will make your company seem more visible and accessible. Your business success is often tied to the visibility of your company online.
Offer Incentives For Engaging With Your Content
Most people are happy to give you their email address if it involves the possibility of being given some free items, or the chance of receiving a discount. Make engaging with your content feel like a reward by offering incentives like free advice via PDF, or a discount on items for a certain amount of time.
You can also create a mini-game as part of an opt-in form, like spinning a wheel to get a particular coupon, free item, or discount. Make it enticing for people to play the game in exchange for their email address, and reward them accordingly for getting involved in the process.
Your website design is more than just the appearance of the site, but also how easy it is for the user to navigate your pages. Ask yourself how engaging your website is while you create or redesign your pages, to help you make your site more appealing to your target audience.
The skills that a lawyer should have
Have you ever considered a career in law? Being a lawyer is more than just being able to recall facts and legislations at the drop of a hat. To be a lawyer you need to have a specific set of core skills, some of which come naturally while others require months or even years of perseverance to build on.
Whether you want to be a personal injury lawyer like the ones on this site, or someone who works in family or criminal law, a strong set of varied skills is not only beneficial for your working day, but for your clients too. Here we’ll examine the skills that a lawyer should have.
Skill 1: The ability to work in a team
Unless you're a business owner or a CEO, it's unlikely you'll experience working with a team of lawyers. However, in the legal world being able to work as a team is imperative, not just for the success of your law firm as a whole, but also in terms of being able to work with your client. The ability to listen to others' ideas, respecting opinions and being able to hand over some of the control to others is a crucial skill any lawyer should have.
Skill 2: Problem-solving
Lawyers solve problems every single day. Problem-solving is at the heart of everything they do. As a lawyer, you'll need to take on as much information as possible and use it to solve the problem in front of you - this could be how to prove innocence or how to prove that the other party were at fault. Finding new ideas, experimenting with new legal arguments and thinking critically are all elements you’ll need to work on.
Skill 3: Working independently
As a lawyer working by yourself is often what an average day would entail. You'll need to be able to handle your time effectively and work through your caseload. If you come across problems, it's important to be able to solve these independently. However, it's also crucial to understand that working independently doesn't mean struggling, you should also be able to recognise when you need assistance. That's another skill a lawyer would possess - people do not work to the best of their ability when they’re juggling too much at once.
Skill 4: Communication skills
Not everyone is a confident speaker, however, if you want to become a lawyer it's something you need to work on. Whether you're arguing your case in court in front of a jury, you're present at a family court hearing or you're speaking with your client who's stressed and struggling to understand the severity of their situation. Being able to communicate effectively is crucial if you want to be a lawyer.
Final thoughts…
Do you think you have what it takes to become a lawyer? What skills do you have that would benefit you in a law career?
How IT continues to revolutionize business
Over the past 30 years, the way we do business has changed - almost beyond recognition. Processes and practices that would have been impossible just a short time ago are now second nature and part of everyday business.
The Importance of IT
IT has become central to most company’s operations to the point a fully functioning IT network – with security both in-house and online – is now the business norm rather than the exception.
It is challenging to picture a company that doesn’t use – at least to some degree – IT in its operations. Businesses big and small rely on networking companies like the Techware Corporation to handle all aspects of their IT design, management and security environments.
Here are just some ways IT continues to dominate the modern business landscape.
Monetization
Websites and apps have put the power of selling into the hands of companies of all sizes, regardless of geographic location or wealth. Nowadays, any company can set up an online shop and begin trading in a global marketplace.
Shopping online was once viewed with slight suspicion, but as security concerns have been largely addressed, it has become a societal norm. The development of specialized shopping apps has facilitated the shopping process yet further, personalizing the experience and providing a secure and comfortable environment for users to buy online.
Availability and exposure
By having a website, your company is accessible and viewable from any location in the world 24/7/365. The internet has granted access to global audiences and markets in a way never thought possible, vastly increasing the reach of products and services.
Social media
In the world before social media, customers had to come to your website to learn about you. Now, through notifications, anyone who has signed up to ‘follow’ your company will receive your latest news or update automatically. Social media provides a fantastic tool for building customer loyalty and generating new business online.
Augmented reality
The world of augmented reality (AR) is still in its relative infancy but offers incredible potential for merging the off- and online worlds. One particularly exciting area of wearable technology is in the travel and tourism sector, where users can take virtual tours of a site without even leaving home. AR also has significant potential in the world of healthcare, where doctors are already trialing in the treatment and diagnosis of patients.
3D printing
3D printing technologies are growing apace and starting to have a real impact on manufacturing and production techniques. As the tech improves – and the size/complexity of printable models increases – 3D manufacturing will change the face of modern manufacturing. The technology is now so advanced, it is scheduled to for use in the planned Mars expeditions – as a way to build shelters and accommodation on the red planet.
Cloud-based computing and networking
The advent of cloud computing has meant companies can access data from anywhere, on any device. By levering the processing power of a remote system, cloud-based applications allow even the most basic handheld devices to run complex, CPU-hungry computing tasks. Leasing software has also become extremely popular, meaning companies can use apps and programs as and when they need them.
The world of IT has revolutionized every aspect of our everyday and business lives. As the emergence of new and improved technologies continues unabated, IT will continue to change our business and social landscapes.
Latest tech, social media and lifestyle articles for June 2020
Here is a roundup of some of my latest articles in the tech, social media and lifestyle categories.
Here is a roundup of some of my latest articles in the tech, social media and lifestyle categories. Feel free to read and share!
