Why Investing In LEDs Is One Of The Smartest Decisions You Can Make For Your Business

Every business owner or operator wants to implement cost-saving strategies for their business. Overhead expenses from electricity consumption can easily account for 40% of the business’s overhead costs. Businesses can encourage staff to improve their energy consumption habits in the workplace. However, the biggest change will come from the type of light bulb that is being used. Switching from halogen lights to LED lights can reduce energy consumption from lights by up to 80%. This dramatically reduces the business’s energy cost while helping to reduce the carbon footprint. Investing in LEDs is one of the smartest decisions a business can make. The video below shows some of the benefits of switching to LED lights.

Below are a few reasons why businesses should switch to LED lighting:

The lights are more environmentally friendly.

Traditional incandescent bulbs would waste up to 90% of the energy that they consume on heat. Additionally, they would also waste light because it would flow in all directions. LED lights can also last up to15 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Reduces overhead costs from lighting.

The biggest benefit that will impact the bottom line for a business is the reduced cost from energy consumption. Energy-Star qualified bulbs can have an operating cost of $1 per year, compared to $3.50 for a halogen bulb and $4.80 for a traditional incandescent bulb. By changing to LED alternatives such as LED downlights, commercial premises can expect to save up to 80% on their annual electricity bill.

Improve your business’s productivity by providing well-lit areas.

The operational efficiency for a business is directly linked to the illumination of its areas. Many businesses make the mistake of overlooking lighting design when setting up working environments. Employees may find the light too harsh or too dim, making it more difficult to work effectively and reducing their satisfaction with their work environment.

Workplace health and safety risks.

Every commercial premise has a duty of care for their employees and must provide them with a work environment that is safe and doesn’t provide any risk to their health. Investing in cheaper lighting alternatives is great, however it must comply with the specifications contained in the Building Code of Australia, part F4.2 to F4.4 (Light and Ventilation). Workplace lighting should allow workers to move about easily and to carry out their work without straining their eyes. Other considerations include accounting for different workplace areas visibility given the day’s transition and the amount of light required for the nature of work.

One of the common issues that occur when DIY efforts are attempted is that it the LED bulbs may appear to dim or strobe. The work environment needs to be free from these effects.

Below is a table from Comcare, which highlights the recommended illuminance based on the activity and interior.

Crime prevention.

Businesses often fall victim to crime from both internal and external threats. Theft and shrinkage are the main culprits that affect businesses. As a result, business profits diminish and it impacts the business’s ability to survive. Good lighting is essential for deterring theft in commercial premises. It is important that the LED light solution that the business opts for also incorporates good lighting design across the premises so it doesn’t provide any ‘hiding spaces’ for any would-be thieves.

LED lights are an asset to any business that requires artificial lighting to operate a safe and productive work environment. Find out more about how businesses can transition from traditional lighting setups to LED lighting solutions by speaking with the experts from LEDified today!

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1neNoV0 via website design phoenix

Essential Exhibition Marketing Success Checklist

by Reno Macri, Director of Enigma Visual Solutions

Exhibition marketing presents a superb opportunity to make direct contact with potential customers, generate media exposure, network and increase overall brand awareness. However, if you fail to prepare sufficiently, your exhibition is significantly less likely to produce the results you are hoping for.

To help, we have provided an essential checklist to guarantee trade show success:

1. Before you start the planning process, consider exactly what you are hoping to achieve and set clear aims.

These targets should all be achievable and measurable, as it is impossible to measure your ROI if you have abstract goals. Do you want to achieve a certain number of leads? Do you hope to generate a set number of sales? Be specific.

2. Think about whether or not you will need to use the stand again in future.

Speak to professional exhibition stand builders and choose the type of display stand that best suits your needs. For instance, a custom stand might make a more dramatic one-off impact, but a modular stand can be re-used and will have lower transportation costs.

3. Design your stand based on the objectives you have set for the project.

Consider contacting a company that specialises in exhibition stands design and work with them to make sure your stand is attractive, reflects your company values and is consistent with your branding strategy.

4. Promote your appearance in advance.

Research from the Trade Show Bureau shows that 45 percent of attendees are drawn to a particular stand after receiving a direct invite, while 75 percent of attendees know which stands they want to visit ahead of time, according to Inc.com. Advertise in trade publications, use social media and send invitations to potential clients.

5. Your trade show staff are an essential component.

In fact, according to Marketing Donut, staff are the main reason for 80 percent of exhibition successes. Train them in trade show etiquette, make sure they are knowledgeable about your products and services and encourage them to dress appropriately.

6. Create a system for taking down contact information from prospects and stay consistent throughout the exhibition.

This will make the follow up process easier. Each staff member working at the exhibition must follow the same system and they should all do their utmost to take down information accurately.

7. Try to make sure your exhibition stimulates all five senses.

If this is not possible, try to stimulate as many of the senses as you can. Industry research shows that multi-sensory experiences generate better results. At the bare minimum, you should aim for visual, audio and touch-based elements, so that visitors are immersed in your display.

8. Network!

It is not enough to attend an exhibition and only speak to people who come to your stand. Leave your own exhibition and talk to people at others. You may meet potential business partners or suppliers. You may find that the person operating the stand next to you knows someone they can refer to you. Put yourself out there.

9. After the trade show is over, it is time to focus on follow up.

The leads you generate are only half of the job and contacting them again is the key to success. Remember, these people may have been contacted by multiple businesses, so be persistent. The OTSA advises contacting all prospects at least six times.

10. Carry out a post-show evaluation.

The ultimate goal here should be to compare your aims and objectives to your results, but you should also identify what things you did well and what aspects can be improved upon. This stage is overlooked by many businesses, but those businesses are doomed to repeat their mistakes.

 

Reno Macri is a Director of Enigma Visual Solutions, a leading exhibition and event company, specialising in exhibition stand design, retail designs, office fit out & refurbishments, graphic productions, signage systems, event branding, conference set design and much more. He specialises in experiential marketing and event productions. He enjoys sharing his thoughts on upcoming marketing ideas and design trends. You can follow him on Twitter.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1TMMyeU via website design phoenix

Is Your Business Prepared To Handle A Crisis?

Making changes to your business can come with unique problems. As you try to make your business greener, more sustainable, and more responsible, it’s important to identify potential issues that can lead to a crisis.

Is It a Crisis or Just a Problem?

While doing business, problems will arise. You will handle these problems as they occur, and likely implement solutions to prevent such problems in the future. And while any problem can have small or large consequences, they do not always threaten the viability of the business itself.

On the other hand, a crisis is a problem that can literally destroy the reputation of a business, or destroy the business itself. It is one thing when something happens that can affect the bottom line. It is a whole other situation when a problem can ruin your business in a way that th. This is the main difference between a problem and a crisis.

All Businesses Can Face a Crisis.

Is your business prone to failure due to a crisis? Many believe that only larger corporations have to face the kinds of things that can destroy their brand. Unfortunately, all businesses must accept the possibility of a crisis.

Being prepared for a crisis is of the utmost importance to any business. While you may think you’ve taken all the steps to make your business crisis-proof, you’re forgetting that a crisis can occur for reasons completely outside of your control.

Types of Crisis.

Not all businesses face the same kinds of crisis. Dr. Otto Lerbinger identified seven broad categories of crisis. Later, an eighth category was added.

• Natural
• Technological
• Confrontation
• Malevolence
• Organisational misdeeds
• Workplace violence
• Rumours
• Man-made disasters and terrorism

Every business would do well to utilise strategies to handle or mitigate the problems that can occur with each of these categories and their sub-categories.

Crisis Management and Prevention.

Learn to recognise a potential crisis before it becomes a full crisis. It’s easier to put out a small flame than it is to quench a towering inferno. To that end, you would do well to implement a crisis management plan for your business.

A crisis management plan (CMP) can represent nothing more than a handy contact sheet, or it can represent a full blueprint that outlines detailed steps for all eventualities. No matter how you go about it, it’s important that you have some kind of plan in place.

When a problem occurs, you don’t want anybody lost trying to figure who to contact or what to do. Those wasted minutes can make the difference between having a problem and having a crisis.

These plans are also called crisis communication plans and crisis response plans. No matter what you call it, you should have one and make sure it’s updated annually. Your plan should include at least the following elements.

• Crisis identification
• Response steps
• A named crises team

This is just a start. The level of detail you need for your plan will depend on the nature of your business, how large it is, and your organisational structure.

Hire a Professional Service.

If you don’t know where to start, or if you need help, then you should hire a firm that specifically deals with crisis management and PR. Keep in mind that planning for a potential crisis does not mean that you won’t still have to face one.

Mitigating a crisis is one thing, but you still may have to rebuild your business, your brand, and most importantly, your reputation. Taking on such a task yourself isn’t always ideal.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1oJChV4 via website design phoenix

How To Easily Cut Costs When Building A Start-Up

As the saying goes, you have to spend money to make money. Marketing, buying in stock, and even office decorating can all severely dent your financial goals. But, as a business start-up, that’s not something you can honestly afford.

You have to be frugal, decisive and smart. It’s not always easy to cheaply produce world class results, but there are ways to do so. You have to focus your money on all the areas that need it, and find the free methods where they exist. Believe it or not, but it’s possible to save hundreds of dollars a year by making some simple changes.

 

Payment methods.

If your business is offering a product, then you’ll have to deal with various payment methods. You want to give your customers options, but you don’t want those options to cost you money.

Even basic methods like PayPal, eBay and credit card payment will all take a cut of your profits, but they’re all vital to the growth of any business. You can’t rely on standard cash transactions forever.

Luckily, you can help yourself here. Some PayPal and eBay fees can be claimed back as business expenses, so track them. Also, merchant services can cut card processing fees by up to 40%, which adds up over the year.

In general, it’s important to track transaction related costs. You need to see how much you’re losing, and look into ways of cutting that loss. You shouldn’t be punished for selling a product after all!

Free, creative marketing.

It’s a typical business venture, but producing business cards will probably not help. How many times have you received a flyer or leaflet through your own letterbox and put it straight in the bin? People aren’t interested in dull marketing ploys anymore, and they want to be engaged in an entertaining fashion.

Some of the biggest companies in the world aren’t famous for their products, but their marketing and social media. Look at a brand like Oreo on Twitter, who produce hilarious video content which engages the consumer, like this The Shining skit.

Or take Netflix, who understand their audience completely. They produce gifs and images that relate to their consumers, whether it’s a quote from a film or a line that summarizes how we feel about “Netflix and Chill.”

While these are mega corporations, and far from a start-up, they still give us lessons to be learnt. Your online image is important, and it’s  free, with only an internet connection needed. If you’re creative, you can engage people the world over with a single tweet or image. You won’t have to have a huge marketing budget or a whole team of people. You’ll just need yourself, and a phone.

Used equipment, and utility bills.

You may want an office space to go along with your start-up, but it doesn’t have to be fancy. Buying used goods like desks, lamps and chairs is an easy way to shave a few dollars off your expenses. At the end of the day, a chair is a chair, and it works either way.

In a similar vein, energy saving bulbs can cut utility bills for your building, and selling recyclable goods is a good way to make your costs back. Many companies will want to purchase old materials that would otherwise be thrown, so ask at your local recycling plant for contacts.

These are a couple of basic ways to improve your financial turnover, and there’s plenty more out there. It can take a while to produce great financial results, so you need to help yourself early on. And, if you’re a start-up, this has never been truer than it is for you.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1oJpm5v via website design phoenix

Basic Paper Faciilities That Every Business Needs

It can be tempting to think that today’s start up is simply about firing up a laptop. And in a way that is all you have to do to connect with the world. But if you are serious about running a business as opposed to an information platform, then you will need to have some old school paper hardware. A lot of start-up advice talks about the importance of websites and online transactions. This can all be good advice. But in the real day to day world of customers, clients, suppliers and employees you need to be able to keep a track on your dealings. Any business must place efficiency and order at the top of its priorities. It must keep track of its transactions.

Here are some clear-cut paper ways to keep your business afloat and efficient:

Contracts.

We exist in an increasingly freelance world. It is one where there can often be a high turnover of employees and suppliers. This gives any business great amounts of freedom and flexibility. There is a downside, however. That flexibility can mean a business does not have reliability and clear-cut expectations. Your business needs to have a contract whenever it enters into a relationship with either an employee or another business. That contract is a professional and legally binding agreement between two parties. You should both sign it, and both have copies.

Business Bank Account.

If you are serious about your business, then you should set up a separate business bank account. This will enable you to appear and be far more professional. It will also allow you to separate your business from your personal accounts. That will be essential regarding debt liability. But it will also mean that you can keep a track of your accounts much more easily. You can get business checks printed easily and efficiently. They will enable you to pay suppliers, employees and vendors. A business check system is a useful way of keeping track of your accounts and understanding where you are.

Letterheads and business cards.

Even in this day and age, every business should be equipped with a good quality printer. It is still vital for you to be able to print off letters on headed paper. Hard copies are still essential for the confirmation of quotes and estimates. You will be able to print off documents with your company’s logo and contact details. Similarly, you business card is still an incredibly useful tool of intent and communication. Ensure that you have a good and ready supply. Send these out with accounts, contracts and statements.

Every business will try and ensure that it is as efficient as possible. For many that will mean investing in IT and looking at cloud storage systems. It may well mean outsourcing services such as accounting and security. But you should never forget that a business exists in the real world. For many that world is still a place where things are written down and leave a paper trail. It is still a world where your signature counts.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/21DvDhN via website design phoenix

6 Ways To Turn Your Website Into A Sales Machine

by Donald Chan, founder and Business Director at IMPACT! Brand Communications

You’ve just spent a pretty penny to set up your new business website. It looks pretty awesome and everyone in your company says it’s super impressive. So you sit back and wait for the business leads and enquiries to flood in.

Except, there’s nothing. No calls. No emails. No traffic. Just deafening silence.

Does this sound depressingly familiar to you? Well, there’s no need to worry. Here, we’ll show you 6 tips on how to turn your website into a booming source of leads, enquiries and red hot sales.

1. Make Sure Your Website Is Set Up To Sell.

When potential customers visit your website, they’re looking to find out whether your products or services can help them with their problems. So make sure your website is structured in a way that anticipates their needs and provides the relevant information straight away.

When showcasing your product and services, make sure your prospect is able to identify which one they really need without spending too much time and effort. Keep in mind that the purpose of your website is online user conversion. So don’t forget to guide them on what to do next in order to buy from you – whether this is filling in a form, sending an email or calling the hotline.

2. Provide A Mobile Responsive Experience.

According to Google, the number of mobile search queries overtook desktop queries in 2015. If your website is not mobile responsive, this will diminish the user experience for a good number of online visitors. At the same time, your search engine rankings will be affected too.

If your website is built on a CMS (content management system), such as WordPress, Joomla and Drupal, the easiest solution would be to look for mobile plugins that can make your website mobile-friendly. Doing so will save you from a great deal of headaches.

3. Optimise Your Website For The Search Engines.

Building the most gorgeous website in the world won’t matter a single bit, if there’s insufficient web traffic (and potential buyers) to your website. This is where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes into place.

SEO is essentially the process of improving a website’s ranking on search engine results page. Let’s say your company is in the B2B Software as a Service (SaaS) space. Since most online users don’t go past the first page of Google search engine results, you’ll definitely want to ensure your web pages rank on the first page for related key word searches.

While SEO is a highly technical process – covering quite a wide range of strategies and techniques – there are still some things you can do to make your website a bit more friendly for search engines.

These include speeding up your website load speeds, optimising title tags, URL structure and image alt texts, while ensuring that your website is easily crawlable by the Googlebot. That’s means optimising your robot.txt file, sitemap, and internal linking amongst others. All this should help you see some improvement in keyword rankings.

4. Start A Blog For Your Business.

There are many benefits to blogging for businesses. For one thing, blogging consistently can have a positive impact on search engine rankings. You can also share your content on social media, thereby attracting a new online audience.

Another strong benefit of blogging is that it can help your business establish a leadership or authority position in its niche, thereby attracting more leads and potential customers. By putting out content that addresses your target market’s challenges, you’re also creating value and building goodwill in the same instance.

5. Invest in Paid Traffic.

If you’ve taken steps one to four, you should already be seeing some upturn in the traffic numbers to your website. But that won’t be enough. To really take your online leads and sales conversions to the next level, you’ll need to scale things up with paid traffic platforms, such as Google Adwords and Facebook Ads.

Google Adwords are useful for attracting buyers with higher purchase intent. In particular, you should look at targeting long tail keywords (e.g. ‘best Mexican restaurants in Singapore’), as these are usually online users looking for very specific products or solutions (hopefully, yours). The cost per click also tends to be lower due to less competition.

Facebook Ads, on the other hand, work by targeting user geography, demographics and interests. With more than 1.5 billion users globally, Facebook is definitely an ad platform you can’t ignore if you want to scale your traffic, leads and business. Just don’t make the mistake of focusing solely on the number of fans or likes an ad is generating. The most important metric should be the number of targeted website clicks an ad is sending to your website.

6. Integrate Marketing Automation With Your Website.

Another way to help increase online leads and sales conversion for your website, is to integrate it with a marketing automation platform. Some of the more common platforms include Hubspot, Infusionsoft and Marketo. At IMPACT, we’re using and helping our clients deploy SharpSpring.

Marketing automation is important since not every lead is ready to buy from you on the first visit to your website (in fact, 98 per cent of website visitors don’t convert on the first visit). But, by offering content material such as online newsletter subscriptions and ebook downloads, you can collect their email addresses into your database and slowly warm up these prospects through automated drip email campaigns.

Website tracking and analytics can also identify when prospects return to your website. This will help your sales team determine if a prospect is becoming a hot lead, providing them with the sales intelligence they need to decide whether to reach out with an email or call. 

Get Ready For More Business.

Following the process we’ve outlined, you’ll soon be able to turn your website into a major sales and marketing platform. And while some of the steps outlined might take a bit more time and resources, the important thing is to just get started first. Your efforts will ultimately translate into more online leads and sales conversions for your business.

 

 Donald Chan is the founder and Business Director at IMPACT! Brand Communications, a digital marketing agency that helps businesses grow through content marketing, online lead generation, SEO and marketing automation. IMPACT! specialises in helping clients in the Technology, Healthcare and B2B sectors increase their revenue and profitability.  

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1XUwh8s via website design phoenix

4 Tips And Tricks For Creating The Optimal Brand Experience At Your Next Corporate Event

Imagine that you have run your business event and the industry buzz is all about the spectacular event that you hosted. There are flurries of whispers endorsing your business’s brand, products and services. Prospective clients then start lining themselves up in your sales pipeline to become your dedicated client. You have more than you can handle and the future path seems paved with gold. Successfully executing your event can deliver this outcome. Businesses that successfully host or execute their attendance at an event ‘steal the show’ and draw accolades from the industry.

If you want to create a similar success story for your business, follow these handy tips from the team at Product Promotional Experts:

1. Draw attendees to your event with a compelling theme.

There are communities that thrive on attending events to network, learn and seek new opportunities. Pitching the right theme will help to draw your desired attendees to register for your event. Event themes should be niche specific and seek to satisfy the core need of the attendees. This may be:

• Finding potential suppliers.
• Learning about new or soon to be released products.
• Learning industry insights.
• Networking.

By being specific, your event can draw those people in your industry that are passionate about that particular niche. For example, it would be wiser to host a WordPress developers conference that allowed speakers to talk about their plugin developments rather than to host a generic technical show. Or if there is a show about digital marketing, to focus the event for display marketers that are exploring software solutions that can improve their work productivity.

2. Create an interesting aesthetic environment for your audience.

It is essential that you understand the needs of your audience. Some may attend and want to be surrounded by illustrious surroundings. Others may attend solely for the ease of finding the information that they want to receive. Consider what layouts you can have for your event based on your location and your budget. Below are some examples of event layouts for small and large budgets.

Source

Here is an example of a small event that features a large meeting room, projector screen and table groups for attendees.

In this example, a larger event with a much larger floorspace has a dedicated conference area and stall booths for attendees to visit.

Source

In this example, people are attending a networking event that is held in a room without chairs. People can network easily in a comfortable atmosphere whilst enjoying refreshments.

Source

3. Incentivise people to attend with freebies and competitions.

People want to get information and value from the event, but they also want to have fun. Allowing attendees to receive free items such as branded merchandise is a great way to promote your business. Go a step further by giving away branded items in a competition to build buzz at your event. For example, allow attendees to win branded gadgets simply by placing their business card into a jar. It is an easy way to get leads that your business can follow up with after the event.

4. Sell your business’s product and service offerings by being the ‘expert speaker’ of the event.

As a speaker, you will be held in high esteem and you can easily draw more qualified leads to your business. Don’t pitch a hard sell. Educate the audience through the problems, processes and solutions that your business has experience in.

Your event has every opportunity to be a roaring success. Draw in the right crowds, create an engaging environment and reveal new information to the attendees and they should not only be happy with the attendance, but spread the word about their experience at the event and the business that hosted it. There are many rewards waiting for your business. It is up to you to seize them.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/21uNfjf via website design phoenix

4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Make The Most Of The Leap Year

by Gyawu Mahama, Social Media and Marketing Manager at Hiscox Small Business Insurance

What would you do with an extra 24 hours? The possibilities are endless. Fortunately, there’s no need to wonder because every four years an extra day arrives on our calendars with a leap day – February 29^th. Technically speaking, the leap day is just an additional day added to the calendar year to keep it synchronized with the astronomical year. As an event that occurs only once every four years, it’s an occasion to pause, recalibrate and shake things up in your small business.

Here are the top four ways entrepreneurs can take advantage of the leap year:

1. Do Something Courageous.

According to Irish tradition, the leap day was historically the only time when it was appropriate for a woman to propose marriage to a man. Putting this outdated norm aside, using the leap year as an opportunity to do something truly courageous in your business is an idea you should get behind. Have you been toying with the idea of launching a new product or marketing initiative? Are you a ‘wantrepreneur’ who has always wanted to become an actual entrepreneur? If so, remember anything worth having in life comes with at least a little risk. It’s finding the courage to embrace that risk that matters the most.

2. Catch up on Unfinished Business.

Most entrepreneurs are no strangers to being strapped for time. According to Hiscox’s 2015 DNA of an Entrepreneur Report, the average small business owner spends three3 hours and 13 minutes dealing with some sort of government regulation each week. If this sounds familiar, take February 29^th as a time to catch up on unfinished business.

Do a quick checkup to make sure your business is still set up for success. Check on your marketing plans and decide if everything you have planned for the year is realistic. Evaluate your balance sheets and take note of any growing expenditures. Most importantly, consider risk management. If your company has changed recently, now might be a good idea to have a conversation with your insurance provider to make sure your business is protected by tailored small business insurance.

Late February is also the perfect time to circle back on any business resolutions you set in January and keep yourself honest about what you can do to meet them.

3. Surprise and Delight Customers with a Leap Year Sale.

An extra day should mean an extra dollar. This leap day is a chance to attract new customers through a special leap year sale. Since February 29th only occurs every four years, consider playing around with prices relevant to the number 29 for the product or service you’re selling. Whether it’s $29.99, $299.99, or $2999.99, customers won’t be able to pass up on this once-in-four-years sale. If you have a surplus of inventory, now is your chance to move some of it out of the door.

4. Incentivize Employees with a Leap Year Sales Challenge.

If you have employees, consider issuing a leap year challenge as a way to incentive increased sales activity. Offering a once-in-four-years style prize is a great way to imbue your team with some healthy competition around the leap year. If you’re a solopreneur, set a personal goal to do something different or challenging on leap day – make an extra phone call, go to that networking meeting you were thinking of skipping, or do something new and innovative with your social media.

The next leap year isn’t until 2020. Take a leap forward this year and don’t miss out on the opportunity to do something memorable for your business.

 

Gyawu Mahama is Social Media and Marketing Manager at Hiscox Small Business Insurance.  In this role Gyawu is responsible for driving social media engagement, publishing Hiscox’s award winning small business blog, and internal communications. Follow Gyawu at @GyawuTweets.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1VMdD17 via website design phoenix

What Is Forex Trading?

Forex is a term used for foreign exchange – it is also referred to as FX – and can be confusing for people who hear of this term for the first time. They may be surprised to learn that it’s the world’s most traded market with the average turnover of 4 trillion dollars per day.

What is Forex Trading?

Let’s explain what is forex trading is. It is an act of buying of one foreign currency and selling other currency simultaneously. The primary purpose of this is speculation. FX trading is done in currency pairs, for example – USD/EUR, AUD/NZD, GBP/USD and others. The currency prices are always quoted in pairs and therefore the price of a pair is the price of one currency in terms of other in the pair.

There are a number of factors influencing the rise or fall of the prices of a currency pairs and these include economic factors as well as geopolitical factors. The common goal of every forex trader is to profit by the changes in the currency prices and therefore they buy or sell the currency pairs to achieve the goal. Traditionally forex trading was dominated by big investment firms and banks but with the rise of online trading the scenario has changed and more and more retail FX traders have joined the community. With the availability of 24 hours trading and the convenience of home through online trading it is now easy for a trader to start trading in forex and generate profits easily.

What are the benefits of trading Forex?

After knowing what forex trading is, it is also important to know about the several benefits provided by online forex trading platforms.

One key element behind the popularity of forex is the fact that the forex trading market is open 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday. This is the result of the simultaneous closing of one market and opening of another around the world. On Monday morning it opens in Wellington, New Zealand and then progresses to Asian trade in Tokyo, Japan and Singapore and then it moves to London in the UK and closes on Friday evening in New York in the United States. Running 24 hours a day allows much flexibility to individual traders and they can pick their positions whenever they want.

Another advantage of the forex market is the high liquidity offered by the forex market. A trader can open any position and close it anytime he wants because of this liquidity factor. For every position you take there is a trader present who can take the opposite position for you to balance the trade.

Forex traders can take high value of trade positions by just depositing a small fraction of the money required for trading. This is termed as leveraging and today nearly every forex broker allows you to take leverage which is offered up to 100:1 by many brokers. This means that you can trade with 10000 dollars of a trading position by depositing only 100 dollars as the margin money.

For beginners.

If you are a beginner and want to make a successful career in forex, you should not just understand what is forex and what its benefits are. Understanding the risks of forex and money management techniques are also important which can lead you a successful career in forex.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1Ql5lth via website design phoenix

To Franchise Or Not To Franchise?

Image credit: Franchise from Shutterstock

By Brandon Moxam, Director of Brand Development at U.S. Lawns

There are numerous franchising opportunities in the U.S. With more than 825,000 franchise establishments across 300 business lines, they employ nearly 18 million people and account for one eighth of the U.S. private-sector jobs.

Whether it’s access to a proven business model, the expertise and resources needed to achieve sustainable growth, or simply wanting a team of support, franchising has become an increasingly attractive option for small business owners who are looking to take their businesses to the next level.

But before candidates can decide if franchising is the right move for them, they must weigh the benefits and costs of franchising against that of a traditional business model.

Why Traditional Business Owners Transition to Franchising.

One of the most predominant reasons traditional business owners transition over to franchising is for new opportunities. It can be a lonely world out there for sole business owners. When an entrepreneur decides to start a business on his or her own it’s only natural for the entire business model to be revolved around them. Instrumental decisions like hiring employees, running the day-to-day operations, and training all relies on the owner. Unfortunately, when this happens there’s a higher risk for a business to either plateau or fail — making franchising a viable option. By joining a franchise, sole business owners have the ability to continue to carry out their passion while creating infrastructure to support a more profitable business.

It’s also an attractive option for entrepreneurs who want access to a large network of individuals within their specific industry. When you own your own business there’s usually not enough time or resources to stay up to date on the latest innovations and trends — between running the business, retaining clients, and growing your client base—which can leave your business vulnerable to falling behind. While you can attempt to acquire new information about more efficient business processes through your local competition, they’re not going to be the ones to help you build a better business.

Aside from the financial and business incentives franchises offer, many small business owners go into franchising for the emotional appeal. It’s ingrained in our DNA to crave a sense of belonging — people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. When traditional business owners choose to join a franchise, they are able to create new relationships, and achieve a type of validation that many people strive for.

Likewise, those with corporate backgrounds make ideal candidates for franchising. They appreciate the franchise model because they’re accustomed to having an established team in place to call for support, receive direction, or simply to bounce an idea off of. Owners with corporate backgrounds like the fact that they’re still allowed to run the business, but have some level of corporate structure to rely on.

The Pros and Cons of Franchising Compared to the Traditional Business Model.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 50 percent of small businesses fail within the first year, and 95 percent fail within five years. There are two main reasons why businesses typically fail — lack of capital and poor planning. While there’s still risk involved with joining a franchise (i.e. investing capital and time) the risk is greatly minimized due to its proven business model. Successful franchises are successful because their processes have been replicated hundreds or even thousands of times—helping to eliminate many of the risks and challenges. And unlike that of a traditional business model where there’s guesswork involved through trial and error, the franchise offers their franchisees a road map — a “how to” guide — to start, grow, and accomplish their long-term business objectives. For example, each franchisee is equipped with a time tested set of procedures to follow which include, a detailed outline about the services, information about how to hire and train a staff, how to execute the service/product, etc.

Some entrepreneurs might be skeptical of the costs associated with joining a franchise—also known as the franchise fee—but if you compare that fee to the cost of starting and running your own business, you will find that in most cases the ROI comes out higher (even with the fee). It’s important to keep in mind that there are two types of revenue/profit loss when you’re a small business owner. There’s the tangible revenue loss due to trial and error, and also a cost associated with missed opportunity. Whether traditional business owners realize it or not, there’s always missed opportunity due to mistakes in the processes (i.e. lack of capital, resources, poor standard operating procedures, marketing, or an inability to identify new business/markets). Franchises provide expert guidance that help maximize growth in a short period of time, helping you take advantage of every opportunity. 

The Role of the Franchisor and Franchisee.

A franchise has two objectives — to act as a business coach for their franchisees, and to protect and promote the franchise. Franchises take a consultative approach when working with their franchisees. They help support and provide guidance, while also making sure the franchisee has what they need for continual growth. They also provide a network of business-minded professionals that the franchisees can reach out to.

There’s a common misconception that there’s a power struggle between the franchise and its franchisees. However, their relationship is completely interdependent upon each other’s success. And before traditional business owners transition over to a franchise, they must understand that there is a set of rules and procedures the franchise has in place. These brand standards and expectations are in place to protect the reputation of the franchise while also attracting potential customers and franchisees. The quality of service and type of services offered must be consistent across the board. Anyone who interacts with the brand in one location should have the same experience at another location. However, it is not the franchise’s goal to control their franchisees — they’re simply there as a support system and trusted business partner.

If you’re thinking about converting your own business to a franchise, or thinking about joining a franchise, make sure you speak with local franchisees in your area about their experience. They’re your best resource in understanding if it’s the right move for you.

 

Brandon Moxam joined U.S. Lawns as Director of Franchise Recruiting in 2007 and is now Director of Brand Development. He has been instrumental in the U.S. Lawns branding development since 2012. He manages the franchise recruiting department at U.S. Lawns and works closely with potential new franchisees to fully educate them on our U.S. Lawns systems and processes that are in place to guide them to build a successful business. In addition, Brandon is a Certified Franchise Executive and is active within the International Franchise Association.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1KQdWYn via website design phoenix

Liked on YouTube: 515 Bayridge Rd La Porte TX 77571

515 Bayridge Rd La Porte TX 77571
515 Bayridge Rd La Porte TX 77571 - Home for Sale Connect With Us for info at 281-301-1742 to schedule an appointment 9 beds 15 baths 20,689 sqft One of Texas most historic estate properties renovated and exceptionally updated for modern living. Designed by Alfred Finn for Gov. Ross Sterling on a headland overlooking Galveston Bay. Rotunda portico terrace soars 22 feet; restored art nouveau accents; double reversed presentation staircase; impressive entry, grand salon/ballroom, dining room, parlors, library; modern kitchen; breakfast; master w/sitting room; en-suite bedrooms w/walk-in closets; basement /game room/gym. --------------------------------- FACTS Baths: 11 full, 4 half Lot: 6.36 acres Single Family Built in 1927 Cooling: Central Price/sqft: $290 MLS #: 80693483 --------------------------------------------- FEATURES Deck Elevator Finished basement, 7813 sqft Fireplace Flooring: Hardwood, Tile Parking: Carport Patio Porch Sprinkler System View: Water Waterfront -------------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FEATURES Master Bath Description: Master Bath + Separate Shower Washer Dryer Connections: Electric Dryer Connections Defects: No Known Defects Disclosures: Sellers Disclosure Financing Available: Cash Sale Financing Available: Conventional Foundation Description: Slab Status: Active List Type: Lease Ownership Type: Full Ownership Property Type: Free Standing Range Type: Gas Range Restrictions: Deed Restrictions Room Description: Breakfast Room Room Description: Formal Living Utility Room Description: Utility Rm in House Style Description: Traditional Year Built Source: Appraisal District Washer Dryer Connections: Washer Connections Oven Type: Gas Oven Street Surface: Concrete Water Sewer Description: Public Sewer Water Sewer Description: Public Water Exterior Description: Fully Fenced Lot Size Source: Appraisal District Street Surface: Asphalt High Ceiling Alarm System - Owned Smoke Alarm Bedroom Description: All Bedrooms Up Bedroom Description: Master Bed - 2nd Floor Island Kitchen Room Description: Media Access: Driveway Gate SqFt Source: Appraisal 2 Staircases Flooring: Stone Flooring: Marble Floors Acreage: 5 Up to 10 Acres Restrictions: Historic Restrictions Number Of Unit Stories: 2 Geo Market Area: Shoreacres Section Number: 1 Breakfast Room Dimensions: 15x13 Kitchen Dimensions: 16x14 5th Bedroom Dimension: 18x14 4th Bedroom Dimension: 21x15 1st Bedroom Dimension: 26x15 2nd Bedroom Dimension: 24x15 3rd Bedroom Dimension: 20x15 Legal Subdivision: GRANDVIEW Legal Description: LTS 1 THRU 19 & TRS 6 6A & 7 ABST 35 J HUNTER GRAN Dining Room Dimensions: 24x23 APPLIANCES INCLUDED Refrigerator ROOM TYPES Dining room Library CONSTRUCTION Exterior material: Stone Roof type: Composition Room count: 20 Stories: 2 Structure type: Colonial Unit count: 1 OTHER Floor size: 20,689 sqft Heating: Gas Last remodel year: 1927 Parcel #: 0151670000001 Zillow Home ID: 27753596 ------------ CLICK HERE: http://ift.tt/20Zs5nC ------------ http://ift.tt/1LtB6m2 People who watched this video: https://youtu.be/rtB2VLKH9Lo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx2uqDWM6q8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGk1LQR65-Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMCuVSW_ZXc Also searched online for: Homes in Galveston for sale Historic homes for sale Homes with Bay View Waterfront Properties for sale Homes for sale on Morgan Point Executive homes Whitehouse replica for sale historic estate 515 Bayridge Rd La Porte Galveston Bay Rodunda portico art nouveau accents executive home for sale designed by Alfred Finn Governor Ross Sterling grand salon ballroom parlor library ---------- FOR MORE DETAILS: http://ift.tt/20Zs5nC ------- CONNECT WITH US: https://twitter.com/Coleaked934 http://ift.tt/20Zs5nE https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzr3ZJPoXyGAYbqPRT7hjzZpw9Jjnb4a0 ----- Don't forget to check out our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt3P7aQCCz5Nb8Ye7rIve8g ------ VISIT OUR SITE: http://ift.tt/20Zs5nC --- 515 Bayridge Rd, Morgans Point, TX 77571 - realtor.com® http://ift.tt/1TD9o8V 515 Bayridge Rd This is a Single-Family Home located at 515 Bayridge Road, La Porte, TX. 515 Bayridge Rd has 9 beds, 13 baths, and approximately 18,198 square feet. http://ift.tt/20Zs5nG
via YouTube http://youtu.be/rtB2VLKH9Lo

Three Questions To Ask To Decide Which Ideas To Keep And Which To Toss

by Patrick Stroh, author of “Business Strategy: Plan, Execute, Win!“

All organizations want to foster innovation. After all, it’s how we grow, improve, delight our customers, and — yes — keep getting paid. In today’s rapidly changing global landscape, our ability to come up with new ideas is what keeps us relevant. Organizations are augmenting their business value proposition on average every three to five years, and we can do that only with a focus on and widespread commitment to the I-word. Yet, all innovations are not created equal. So, how to separate the “WOW!” from the “Eh, not now”?

This is a question that confounds many leaders. And the answer is (ironically) to ask more questions.

When I talk with organizations about innovation, I ask them to answer, ‘Define what important innovation means to you’. It sounds pretty basic, but you’d be amazed at how few people can answer it.

The truth is, if you don’t have a measuring stick to evaluate important ideas from so-so ideas or even poor ones, then it’s hard to expect your employees and others to innovate. Every company needs a set of questions and a repeatable method for considering innovations. It’s the answers to these questions that will determine which ideas drive innovation impact faster — and which ones are just noise.

So what types of questions should you ask? Well, whether you’re creating or evaluating the innovation ideas or projects, Stroh says it’s important to start with the following three overarching queries:

1. Is the idea or project core to your value proposition?
2. Is it either big or leverageable?
3. Will it take priority?

These three questions can help you determine which ideas are worth pursuing and which ones just sound interesting. Still, you need to go deeper into each one if you’re seeking to truly create value in your business. Here are some questions to guide that deeper dive as you decide whether something is an important innovation — or just lipstick on a pig:

1. Is the idea or project core to your value proposition?

• If it isn’t core to your value proposition, why would you want to spend resources on it?
• Are you innovating just to say you are trying something new?
• Is there a market and customers for this? (It can be a new market, of course, but define it.)
• Would we be willing to add or divert existing, core business sales and marketing dollars to promote this new product/service?
• How will you launch and service this offering with existing and new customers?

2. Is it either big or leverageable?

• Is this a big opportunity in market size?
• Is this a key area or opportunity for our industry or market?
• Is this a highly leveraged initiative that has cumulative impacts across our value proposition?
• Do we have suppliers or partners that could do this for us already?
• What is the impact if we don’t do this?

3. Will it take priority?

• Would I stop other priorities that we are currently working on to take on this initiative?
• What would our board of directors or customers say if they knew this was moving to the top of the priority list?
• Considering our current operating plan, can we execute on this new initiative?
• Will this initiative survive the resource and implementation gauntlets in our organization?

“Keep in mind that these are meant to be clarifying questions, not disqualifying ones. Clarifying questions keep digging into the idea with positive intent. You are digging to find the sweet spot, the spot where the idea can be unleashed and add value to your organization. If you are asking questions in a disqualifying manner, you are questioning as a means of judging before fully understanding.

If you take a ‘judging’ approach, you’ll be seen as putting up barriers, and your efforts to encourage innovation will be poorly received. Ask questions and do due diligence, but have a mantra of finding ways to ‘get to yes’! And don’t make these questions a secret. Tell employees how you evaluate ideas. Tell them the rules to the game so they can play — and play to win for all.

 

Patrick Stroh is president of Mercury Business Advisors, providing management advisory services in business strategy, innovation, and product development, and author of “Advancing Innovation: Galvanizing, Enabling & Measuring for Innovation Value!” and”Business Strategy: Plan, Execute, Win!“. He serves on the board of directors for the Institute of Management Accountants and was also appointed as a fellow in Palladium’s Positive Impact Research Institute.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1oLQuS8 via website design phoenix

Is Free Intranet Software Really Free?

Image credit: Software from Shutterstock

By Tim Eisenhauer, President of Axero Solutions

It’s a well known adage in economics that “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” meaning nothing is really free.

The saying dates back to the tradition of saloons offering “free lunch” to patrons who ordered a drink. The promise of free lunch lured people in, but the foods were so salty that they bought hefty amounts of beer to wash their meal down. The saloons ended up making more money. The lunch was not free, but the cost was hidden.

This concept is extremely relevant and important to understand today in a world where large numbers of businesses proclaim to peddle their software products for free. Free app downloads. Free trials. Free base level memberships. These models are not as consumer-friendly or cost-effective as they seem. Take intranet software. There are many free options out there that may seem like a good idea at first, but the issues that come with them cause more headaches and costs down the road. In the end, they are far from free.

Here are a few reasons why free software won’t do your business any favors:

1. Lack of Quality Customer Support.

Installing new software for your business is always risky, not to mention stressful. Will it work? Will it help the business achieve its goals? Will employees use it? Change is hard for people and encouraging employees to modify their behavior and adopt new ways of doing things can be a struggle.

Let’s say you have free intranet software installed and your employees are actively using it, posting content, sharing files, having conversations and more. Everything seems to be going well until a sales rep uploads a presentation and gets hit with an error message. Now what? Free intranet software does not come with quality customer support, so there is no one to call for help. That is, unless the provider offers a paid support plan, in which case it is not free.

2. Lack of Flexibility.

Most free intranet software vendors adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. It is far cheaper to build one product and have companies fit themselves into it than to account for flexibility and customization. As a result, free providers strive to shoehorn as many customers as possible into one model.

This approach might work for certain business processes, but not for internal communications. Intranet software is personal by nature. Communication patterns vary between individuals and teams, and certainly between entire companies. Every business is unique and these differences have a profound effect on the needs for intranet software. Intranets reap the best results when they are customized to how your business works, and free options tend to be difficult to customize. You’ll have to stick with what you get, unless you are willing to pay for customization.

3. Lack of Meaningful Updates.

Your intranet needs to grow with your business. Just as your business has an evolving set of needs and works on refining its product, the same is true for intranet software. Updates, new features, and enhancements are necessary to keep it working at peak performance. Free intranet software providers sometimes offer updates, but many do not, which creates an impasse when you need to add a new feature.

In contrast, reputable paid providers listen to their customers and are vigilant about improving their product. They will be receptive to hearing about your challenges and responsive to implementing the feedback you provide.

4. Instability.

Setting up intranet software requires a lot of time, effort and energy. It has to be done right since it becomes a valuable tool that your company uses on a daily basis. If the software crashes or the site goes down, your business could go to a crashing halt, which could cause it to lose money. Free software has a higher likelihood of crashing, and no guarantee that it will be up and running again quickly.

5. No Advanced Features.

As mentioned above, one common “free” software model is to offer just the basic set of features, meaning the lowest common denominator. Not only does this mean you get one-size-fits-all technology, but also that the best, most useful, most valuable features are out of your reach. These freemium models are designed to encourage customers to upgrade to paid versions, so the tools and capabilities that will actually be helpful are not, in fact, free.

6. Limited or No Bug Testing.

Even the most robust, feature rich software on the planet is useless if it is peppered with bugs. Free intranet software is not always tested for quality assurance. Even if you have a software team in your company who can fix bugs, fixing them may create even more, not to mention the fact that dedicating a development team to fixing bugs means they are not directing their attention elsewhere, like building the business. Vendors that charge for their software are held to a higher standard and expend the resources needed to identify and fix software bugs.

7. Security Issues.

Your intranet holds a goldmine of sensitive information — what people are working on, collective knowledge, workflows, personal data and more. It is imperative that this information is secure. With free options, everyone, including hackers, gets the source code, and this enables them to find vulnerabilities, which can then be exploited. In the event of a breach, your company is not only put in a exposed, but will also have to spend money to repair the damage.

8. Hidden Costs.

As outlined above, “free” software options come with a cornucopia of hidden costs, including limited features, in-app purchases, security issues, a lack of support, little to no customization options, and more. Software companies have been pulling this trick for years. Given all these obstructions, chances are you will end up migrating anyway. The free option is not really free, and may even end up being pricier down the road.

However, if you are willing to pay for the right intranet software from the start, you can customize a solution works for you and trust that the vendor is committed to your company’s success. Moreover, the cost is a known entity, so you won’t keep opening your wallet for unexpected costs as they arise. Intranet software is an investment that pays off over time. When you make the right decisions, you’ll be enjoying the benefits for years to come.

 

Tim Eisenhauer is a co-founder and president of Axero Solutions. He writes on the subjects of social intranets, employee engagement, business communication, knowledge management, and collaboration. His articles and opinions have been featured in Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, CNBC, 60 Second Marketer, HR.com, and others.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1QgRQLh via website design phoenix

Does Your Business Still Need A Printer?

We’ve all been hearing about the paperless office, the paperless schools and the paperless society in recent years, but is it actually here? Is it something we should be aiming for?

As a business owner you might be looking forward to ditching your old printer and never buying one – or the inkjet cartridges to feed it – ever again. Hang on a minute, though. Just because you’re comfortable with creating and storing your vital documents online doesn’t mean everyone is. You will have some clients who like to keep digital and hard copies of their paperwork, or you may have older clients who simply aren’t as techy as you are. These guys want printouts and if they don’t get them, they may leave you for another service provider.

Don’t lose your valued clients.

The proportion of clients who insist on printouts might be small, but it’s probably a significant minority; if you can help to keep them on board simply by having a printing facility, why ever not? There are countless business-standard printers from brands such as Brother available out there, with some costing less than £100. All you need to do is to keep a good range of Brother ink cartridges in the stock cupboard and you’ll always be ready to go.

Which type of printer is right for your enterprise?

You might want to look at multi-function printers. These types of machines can send faxes, perform scans and even photocopy – if these are tasks your staff members do regularly, a multi-function printer is ideal and will actually save you space and money. They’re more expensive than single-function printers, obviously, but cheaper than buying a scanner, fax machine and photocopier.

You also need to think about the volume and types of printing your company does. Is it mainly documents? If so, then a sturdy, business-grade black and white printer is your ideal choice, especially if you don’t want to spend too much money on it. If you print in colour a lot, then obviously a colour model is the one you need. If it’s equally divided between colour and black and white you might want a single-cartridge system to give you the best of both worlds.

Inkjet or laser?

Once you’ve decided on function, you need to make a choice between inkjet or laser printer. Inkjets are cheaper than laser in the main and the technology behind inkjet has improved quite a bit over the last few years to give clear and sharp documents. Of course you need to keep the machine well-stocked with cartridges, but that’s just part of running a business.

With laser printers, there’s a slight rise in quality of image and colour over inkjet, but there’s also a significant rise in cost, and laser-printer photographs aren’t as realistic as inkjet-printed photos. Added to this is that fact that inkjet is improving all the time and may end up being as good as laser soon for colour documents and images.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1Oxw3Nm via website design phoenix

Why Your Online Image Is Vital To Business Success

If you want to have a good online marketing strategy, you have to make sure that reputation management is part of that. Many expert online marketers focus on a range of different techniques, but have long overlooked the important of an online reputation. This is a problem, because reputation is everything. Not just that, reputation management is actually a vital part of search engine optimization (SEO) as well.

All About Reputation Management.

You may ask yourself why it is so important to add reputation management to an already extensive marketing strategy. You may not quite realize how it relates strongly to your SEO efforts either. It is important that you ask the right questions in order to get the most out of any campaign you start. Hopefully, the following information will give you a greater understanding of both reputation management and SEO, and how these two relate.

Reputation management is pretty easy to define. It is about managing how other people see you and what they say about you. In order to make sure you customers, employees, business partners and anyone else trust you, you have to be presented in a positive light. Thanks to the internet, you can build on this trust, often for free. But remember that people can destroy you for free as well.

A lot of businesses simply do not pay enough attention to their online reputation, believing it will flow as a natural thing from their excellent customer service. Unfortunately, people have become far more vocal about their gripes, hidden behind the anonymity of their computer screen. As a result, the smallest problem can be discussed extensively online in a variety of different places and not just on your own. Since most consumers now look into the reputation of a business before they decide to shop there, they will inevitably come across those types of negative comments. As such, you have to make sure that they continue to see the good above all else.

There are a number of key things that you must do in order to keep your reputation strong. First of all, you have to engage in both SEO and reverse SEO. Reverse SEO essentially means that you make efforts to hide any negative reviews. You can’t actually remove them (or, if you can, it won’t be appreciated and will come back to haunt you), but you can make sure that they are at the bottom of a list, or on the third page and beyond of Google. At the same time, you have to encourage more people to leave you positive reviews in a variety of places. Sites such as Yelp are very important for that, as this is where most people will go to leave their reviews.

These are just the basics of online reputation management and it is best to make sure you work with an expert on these elements, particularly if there are some negative statements out there about you.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1TAjNSF via website design phoenix

Tips For Making Sure You Use Your Storage Unit Properly

Image credit: Warehouse from Shutterstock

There are many different reasons why you may need a type of storage unit. Perhaps you are moving home, for instance, in which case you need portable storage containers to not just move your belongings, but to bridge the gap between moving out and moving in as well.

It is also possible that you simply don’t have enough space in your own home or office to store all your belongings. Having an offsite storage option means that you can declutter your other properties:

Choosing Your Site.

It is very important that you choose the location of your storage facility properly. You may think that price is the most important thing, since we all live on a budget, but that isn’t entirely right. You have to make sure that you can easily access your belongings when you need them. After all, if you have to spend time and fuel to get to a cheaper location, it actually works out more expensive.

There are other things to consider as well. For instance, opening hours are important. You need to be able to access your belongings at times that are convenient to you and not all facilities are open around the clock. Environmental controls may also matter, particularly if you want to store belongings that are susceptible to environmental damage. Security measures definitely also have to be reviewed. You have to make sure only you can access your unit, but the rest of the facility also has to be properly protected. Finally, look into the rental agreement so you know how long you have to rent the unit.

How to Pack.

It is important to properly prepare your items for storage. Try to put everything in boxes in a neat and tidy manner. This will enable you to stack things properly as well. Fill the boxes in full so they don’t get crushed – you can use packaging materials for tis when needed. At the same time, don’t overfill them, as this could break the box. Make sure that you spread things around evenly so that they aren’t too heavy and label every box with the contents. Do not put things in plastic bags, as plastic attracts moisture, leading to damage. If you want to store fabric items, make sure they have been washed so as not to attract pests. If you can disassemble any pieces, makes sure you do so to save space.

Tips to Organize.

A few final tips to get the most out of your unit starts by making sure the largest items are right the way at the back. Cover furniture with tarps or sheets. Boxes can be fitted around the furniture first. Do try to leave pathways, so that you can reach ever item in the unit. Pathways also ventilate, which means your belongings will be properly protected. Last but not least, think about health and safety. Do not stack things too high, as they may fall and injure you.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1VG4Pty via website design phoenix

What You Need To Know About Coating Services

Image credit: Car Coating from Shutterstock

Coating is all around us, even though we often don’t realize it. Essentially, it is the type of material that is used to be applied to any kind of substrate that has different functions and applications. Very simply put, they are materials that are put on something else in a very thin film. This is done for a variety of reasons, although barriers, protection and decorations of a surface are the most common ones. It is very important that the right components are combined to create a coating, and that it is applied properly as well. If done correctly, it has the potential to create a proper defence against the different elements, as well as a long-lasting, if not permanent functionality – check www.jessupfmg.com for further information.

Coating itself is nothing new, but as technology has developed so has this field. The materials that now exist are incredibly vast and the number of possible applications are now almost countless. This is excellent news for consumers, who have been at the forefront of this evolution. Today, various specialty coating products exist. For instance, adhesive coating is an almost essential material in today’s modern world. Yet, people still often don’t know anything about it, when it is actually one of the largest industries in the world. Within the industry, however, there are now many providers of coating services, which has brought prices down quite significantly in order to make sure that the requirements, demands and needs of customers across the entire planet can be met.

The concept of coating was virtually unheard of just a short time ago. Today, however, it is almost like a form of art, with specific skills and expertise being required to work in the field. Because it is so specialized, the services in which it is used are truly widespread. Almost everybody uses products that have been coated, as it literally is everywhere. In fact, even packaging is now being coated in some way or another. There are also multiple custom coating services. Because technology has developed so much, new formulations have been created in which various different pigments in different amounts are added to binders, pigments, carrier fluids and additives. The exact mixture will vary depending on the application and the company that offers the service, and it is often a closely guarded secret. These differences, however, are what create the characteristics of the film itself. Interestingly, it is very rare for someone to be able to create a single type of coating that meets all the required properties. As such, many products have actually been coated multiple times!

In today’s word, more and more companies offer coating services, which means prices have also started to drop. Yet they continue to offer exclusive workmanship on creating coating. Generally speaking, however, the more specialized or unique the coating material has to be, the more you will have to pay for it as well. Even so, even the most specialized films continue to drop in price.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1OwiDks via website design phoenix

How Important Is It To Have A Good Reputation

There is perhaps nothing more important to a business nowadays than its online reputation. The world is one huge digital place nowadays and it is very easy for people to find out information about a company, including its reputation. So easy, in fact, that almost 70% of people read them before deciding to shop somewhere or not.

Unfortunately, however, the internet is also a place of rumors, often fake. For instance, KFC was told by the FDA that their food wasn’t made of real chicken, so they had to change their name. Snoop Dog has died. Drinking Mountain Dew affects your genitals. Outrageous as they may seem, they are out there and everyone has heard about them, and they have had a negative impact on the brand.

Clearly, having an online reputation management strategy in place is incredibly beneficial, because it helps to avoid people believing nonsense that is put out there about you.

Pros of a Reputation Management Strategy.

1. You can increase your customer satisfaction. When you learn what your current reputation is, you can also address the genuine complaints and improve your overall service.
2. You can increase your brand awareness. If you make sure your positive reviews are found on the first page of the search engines, then your customers will start to know and trust your brand.
3. You maintain value for shareholders. If you know the good, but also the bad, that is being said about you, then you also make sure that your shareholders and stakeholders continue to have trust in you.
4. You improve your public relations. This is because you gain a greater understanding of who is influencing your brand.
5. You learn and understand. While it isn’t nice to be targeted by an outrageous rumor or vicious lie, it does tell you that someone has noticed you. Perhaps for all the wrong reasons, but this is something that you need to explore.
6. You can become defense and reactive. If you have a good strategy in place, you will know about it the second a negative review is posted about you, enabling you to address it straight away.
7. Lower your marketing cost. When people leave reviews about you on other sites, they are effectively engaging in online marketing for you. You can take advantage of that.
8. Spot gaps. You can find gaps because of the negative comments people leave, for instance. But you can also spot gaps in customer service or marketing because you weren’t previously aware of the various stories out there about you.

Everybody has a reputation and your role is to make sure that it is a good one, as this will attract more customers to your business. This is something you must actively engage in, because while it may take years to build up a good reputation, it takes just a single bad comment to completely destroy it. Reputation management is about avoiding bad comments, but also about addressing them if they do happen.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1OwiD4a via website design phoenix

Getting Noticed Online: What You Need To Know

It’s the perennial problem of the startup. How on Earth do you get yourself noticed? More and more, the space in which you need to speak up is moving online. In fact, this has probably become the primary channel for securing your brand in the minds of your customers.

But how to go about getting noticed online is a tricky business. There’s a lot of jargon that gets thrown around when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). So today, I’m going to take a little time to explain what this is and how to use it.

SEO is the most confusing topic for budding new entrepreneurs looking to kickstart their online presence. But web design and SEO is really rather simple. At heart, it means making sure your website is friendly to the search algorithms used by search engine companies. In practice, it means doing all you can to make sure that when a customer types in a keyword related to your business, your website comes up first.

There are two major channels through which to do this. The first is to optimize your site itself. This means designing each page on your site to make it attractive to search engines. Effectively, you’re looking to make your site more “searchable.” Things like building high-quality content, improving usability, inserting meta titles and descriptions all help. But you also want to make sure your website is code compliant and has links between pages.

The other major channel is off-site optimization. This is perhaps the more labor intensive side of making your site attractive, but it pays dividends. Optimization done off your site might include things like getting links on external websites to your site. It could also mean having social media accounts and getting these managed and linked to your core website.

You can buy SEO optimization services, but beware of the scammers out there. If an SEO optimization company says that they can get you to number one on Google in a couple of weeks, you’re being lied to. It actually takes Google some considerable time to index your site, regardless of how much SEO is done in the background.

The final thing to mention on this topic is that, if you do decide to do SEO yourself, you need to make sure you’re optimizing for actual search terms. That means knowing exactly what your customers are putting in that search bar when they’re trying to find services like yours. Sometimes startup websites can fail because they’re optimized for the wrong search terms. The company thinks their customers are searching for one thing when in fact it’s another.

If you do decide to employ the services of an external SEO specialist, make sure there are some ground rules before you begin. Firstly, look for companies that are upfront about how long SEO takes. If the company wants to work with you for at least six months, then they’re likely  high-quality outfit. But, also, make sure that their service is comprehensive. You want multiple lines of attack when it comes to getting noticed online.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1Q0nHBZ via website design phoenix

What Start-Ups Need To Know About Employment Law

Image credit: Contract from Shutterstock

by Paige Zandri, Attorney Network Director at Priori Legal

From hiring your first employees to managing an entire staff, employment law runs the spectrum of employer-employee interactions. Labor laws and statutes in the United States are diverse and numerous – some are new while others are long-established.

The sheer volume of employment laws can be daunting. Because of this, many companies inadvertently follow practices that are in fact violations of employment law. If left unaddressed, they can cause trouble.

There are employment laws at every level: federal, state and local.. Often, multiple laws or regulations overlap or address the same area. Regulated areas include the following: hiring practices; discrimination; minimum wages and overtime; family and sick leave; company policies; workplace safety; pensions and benefits; and more.

Besides statutory law, there is also an extensive body of state and federal judicial decisions that must be complied with.

Employee Discussions of Hours, Wages or Working Conditions.

Many companies have policies that prohibit employees from discussing salaries and wages with one another. Some companies even put this policy in writing in their employee handbooks. Few know that even when only implied, these policies are a violation of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. While a business owner may be unaware of this, ignorance is not an excuse, and they will be liable.

The Act is commonly understood as applying to collective bargaining and union activity. It covers all employers, whether unionized or not, that meet a certain threshold of interstate commerce activity, and provides even non-union employees rights to certain “concerted, protected activities.” These activities include any discussions between two or more employees concerning hours, wages or working conditions, which can encompass a range of topics. An employer cannot interfere with or inhibit these protected activities.

If a policy in an employee handbook is written broadly enough that it covers protected activities, then that policy violates the Act. An example might be a policy that references a prohibition on employees making negative comments about the employer or other employees. If an employer disciplines or terminates an employee based on this policy, the employee may be entitled to reinstatement and back wages.

Understandably, employers want to protect their company’s reputation and employee morale. However, employee handbook policies must be drafted so as not to run afoul of these employee rights.

Misclassification of Employees.

Another area of risk for employers is the misclassification of employees, whether as an independent contractor instead an employee or as an exempt employee rather than a non-exempt one.

A business may be tempted to qualify workers as independent contractors as a way to save money and avoid obligations for minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance or medical coverage under the Affordable Care Act. However, some agencies perform aggressive audits, and the misclassification may result in a finding of unreported wages, failure of unemployment insurance contributions, accrued interest, and penalties.

The Department of Labor employs an “economic reality” test comprised of the following factors to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor:

• The extent to which the work performed is an integral part of the employer’s business
• Whether the worker’s managerial skills affect his or her opportunity for profit and loss
• The related investments in facilities and equipment by the employee and the employer
• The employee’s skills and initiative
• The permanency of the worker’s relationship with the employer
• The nature and degree of control by the employer

Another potential issue is the misclassification of an employee as “exempt” or “non-exempt” with respect to the requirement for overtime pay. Only executive, administrative, or professional employees, outside salespeople, and certain computer professionals are exempt. If a misclassified employee sues for unpaid overtime, the company may be liable for back wages and attorneys’ fees.

Protecting Confidential Information.

Protecting confidential information is vital in enabling a business to maintain its competitive advantage. Employers often need to prevent current and former employees from and using or disclosing confidential information and trade secrets. The risks have increased as company technology has become more accessible to employees.

Employers must take adequate steps to protect confidential information and trade secrets. Employers should have all workers who have access to confidential information and trade secrets sign non–disclosure agreements or NDAs. Additionally, employers should implement detailed policies in employee handbooks that clearly describe prohibited conduct when dealing with company information. Employees should be able to understand these policies.

Often, an employer requires new workers to sign a non-compete or non-solicitation agreement when their employment commences. The enforceability of such agreements depends on various factors, including which state’s laws apply, how restrictive those agreements are, and in some cases whether there was adequate consideration.   It is imperative to draft an agreement in a way that is enforceable.

An attorney with a background in employment law can assist with a variety of concerns, from workplace discrimination and harassment to the task of establishing proper expectations in an employee handbook and ensuring that non-disclosure and non-compete agreements are enforceable – all of which can keep a business afloat in murky legal waters.

 

Paige Zandri, Attorney Network Director at Priori Legal, is responsible for developing the attorney network of high quality lawyers in each of Priori Legal’s operational territories. Paige is a former practicing attorney in NYC and is co-chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee at the New York County Lawyer’s Association.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1Qczb3l via website design phoenix

5 Tips For Creating An Engaging Blog

by Emma Rosser of Publicize

For a startup leader, it can be tough to make waves in your industry and draw attention to a new endeavor. This challenge is all the more prominent this year, with the tech industry battle for VCs, amid fears that the startup bubble could be on the brink of collapse.

Simply stating the usefulness of your product is not enough. Successful entrepreneurs should be tuned in to industry trends, and seek to become experts in their own field and be active in their community. Creating useful and interesting content for your audience through blogging is a great way engage and grab valuable attention to not only highlight your product, but also your larger mission within your industry.

44 percent of online shoppers start the process with a search engine. B2B marketers who use blogs receive 67 percent more leads than those who do not. You need to have a strong online presence in order to reach these consumers, and blogging is a great way to achieve this.

The aim of blogging is to create thought provoking material that will attract attention and ignite debate. Business founders can use this strategy to share useful information with their audience, encourage interaction and generate noise around the trends they are passionate about.

In this article five startup founders share their best tips for creating a powerful blog to help you connect with your audience:

1. Provide content that is relevant to your audience.

“I think the companies that are the most successful in creating content such as blogs are those that provide a service. This could be as simple as keeping your audience up to date with new trends in your respective industry. In the case of Alif Baa, an educational app for children, our audience are the parents. We consider what knowledge and information we have that could be relevant for them and could help them in their daily lives. There is so much noise about the ways in which technology can aid education. We aim to cut through this and provide parents with the latest and most relevant information.”

– Javed Hussain, Alif Baa

2. Create a two-way dialogue.

“One of the best tools to identify with your audience is to have an active role in the community. A great blog incites a conversation. By initiating a dialogue through your blog, you begin to understand your customers better. This can help to recognize their problems, identify their needs, and to gain a much better insight of what is important to them.

Not only does this give you a great insight into your market demand, but it also allows you to continue to tailor your information. In this way, you will be able to write more pertinent content for your blog and provide useful information for them. On our blog, for example, we cover global trends in the bitcoin industry; from the latest global trends – such as China’s power over the financial markets, to the latest buzz-words and trends.

The bitcoin industry can be confusing for new-comers. We use our blog to explain this industry, and to enable an overall better understanding. This way our customers are better educated, and they come to us as a source of information.”

– Rupert Hackett, BuyaBitcoin.com.au

3. Educate your audience.

“Company blogs are a great way to build a brand and show your commitment towards a larger cause. At hide.me VPN it is our vision to ensure that people understand that internet security and privacy is a basic right. We use our blog to educate the larger audience about what internet security really is, and what the consequences would be if their internet privacy and security were breached.

We have divided our content into various categories, including tips on how to stay more cautious on the internet, advice on how to study the terms and conditions when providing financial data to any website, how to unblock geo-restricted websites, and many more topics designed to empower the online audience. Each of these categories shares a common focus, ensuring that internet users are educated in these challenges, and are in a better position to make decisions.”

– Mohsin Ali Khan, hide.me VPN

4. Be genuine, don’t try to trick your audience.

“Company blogs should contain supplementary content connected to your product that is helpful for their target audience. The goal here is to attract the attention of potential customers, and also media attention. The biggest struggle with company blogs is finding truly relevant content. On one hand, the material should be fun and informative, but on the other hand, it should be genuinely related to the company’s expertise. Some companies post whatever they think can attract social interaction, regardless of the topic, and in my opinion that serves no purpose. My advice is to look for something useful and unique that you have a strong knowledge of, and look to strike a conversation.

– Alon Rajic, Finofin LTD

5. Be creative with your topics.

“DADA is a visual conversation platform in which artists and art enthusiasts can draw an image, and someone from anywhere in the world can respond with another drawing. Because we are a company about visual storytelling, we have an endless source of material from the talented users who draw on our platform.

Our blog showcases visual conversations, and trends in the art world. This includes looking at the way artists are perceived and respected, art budget cuts in education and we also celebrate new talent and successes. Our company mission is to support and encourage artists to create and thrive, and we like to feature our most accomplished artists in celebration of this. We also use our blog to communicate new features, changes to our platform and tips for users. We like to write articles that explore the intersection of art and technology, creative individuals and issues and trends in the industry.”

– Yehudit Mam, DADA

A company blog taps into the idea of inbound marketing. Create a source of information that attracts your audience and keeps them coming back. The blog is a tool to share information and position company leaders as experts in their industry, so they can introduce readers to new ideas and make a splash in the industry conversation.

Bruce Rogers, Chief Insight Officer at Forbes, summarized this concept perfectly: “Thought leadership content should be informative and embody innovative and actionable components that, in time, because of their effectiveness and contributions, can become accepted industry practices.”

A blog can also improve your search visibility, provide leads and convert into increased sales and a connected audience, with a longer lasting relationship. A blog can be the voice of a company, and content should be consistent, yet varied. ailor this effectively, and it can be a great instrument. Content should be consistent, yet varied.

 

Emma Rosser resides in Medellin, Colombia, and splits her time covering current affairs in the country with leading publication Colombia Reports and exploring trends in the tech start-up space with Publicize, a startup aiming to change the way companies approach PR.  Publicize has worked with a dozen+ Y Combinator startups and leading brands such as Hallmark Cards.

 

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/1oA6RR7 via website design phoenix