What It Means To Be A Professional

By Vadim Kondratiev, Head of Sales at Anadea Inc

When a project owner seeks for a software development company, they often mention in their inquiries that they want to deal with a very professional developer. They want their project to be cared of properly.

But what kind of service do they actually want their developers to provide? What is the difference between a professional and an amateur attitude? What does it actually mean to be a professional in any area?

Upshift.

In the past, I used to ponder over things that make someone a professional. There were many people – for example, in sport – who looked similar, had the same equipment and performed the same movements. But their results were pretty much different.

The audience thinks that the result depends on the talent, but it is not necessarily true. The highest professional level is not always about talent, not always about a special “secret” skill and it is definitely not about luck.

A few years ago I was looking to buy an electric guitar and tried to understand the difference between a cheap guitar and an expensive one. They looked about the same, but I assumed that there should be a special component that could raise up the price from $200 to $3,500. Eventually, I found the answer while watching some videos of Paul Reed Smith – one of the most famous luthiers in the world.

Whether he said that explicitly or I figured it out myself from his narration – but there was no special component that could do the magic. The desired result could be achieved by applying dozens of patterns and tricks during the manufacturing process. Those tricks could refer to really small things – selection of wood, glue and fretwire, sequence of procedures, etc. – and look minor when separated from other ones.

However, they could bring in real magic when applied altogether.

I did not buy a PRS guitar that time because they were too expensive, but I understood what formed the price of a good product and carried the analogy over to professionals in other areas.

Professional software developers.

When you deal with a software development company, here is a brief list of questions you can ask yourself to see if they are professional enough.

• Do they invite you to their calls and meetings? Do they communicate clearly?
• Can they get into your shoes and see things from the business perspective?
• Do they understand your problem? Do they actually aim at solving YOUR problem?
• Do they prepare a development plan? Do they follow it?
• Do they track their activities? Do they send reports about the work done?
• Do they take into consideration your budget or time limitations?
• Do they analyze your feedback? How do they change the plan after the feedback is processed?
• Are they flexible when you ask them to change the workflow in the project?
• Do they have enough courage to tell you about bottlenecks and weak spots in the project?
• Are their estimates predictable?
• Do they have an automated/manual testing procedure?

There are some other questions you can ask, but you got the idea, didn’t you? You may have noticed that I did not propose any technical questions. I do not think that these are necessary to determine the expertise of a development camp. But if you would like to put their technical skills to the test, you may ask them what they think about the most popular technologies and how they feel about switching among them. Their answer can explain a lot to someone who understands the technical stuff.

Professional project owner.

But do not let us limit ourselves to professionalism of software developers. I would like to encourage you to examine yourself and see how professional you are as a project owner. Here are some questions you can ask yourself.

• Do I take a call eagerly? Do I communicate closely?
• Do I discuss my business goals with the development camp?
• Do I care if my problem is understood properly? Do I check if the developers have all the answers?
• Do I review the development plan and tell the engineers my preferences in what I would like to see next?
• How quick am I when it comes to accepting the work done and providing feedback?
• Do I test the new features personally? How clearly do I explain my impression to the engineers?
• What do I do when a bottleneck or a weak spot is discovered? How do I respond to proposals to refine the workflow in the project?
• Am I flexible when it comes to making decisions and adjusting the application logic?
• Do I read reports of the development camp thoroughly?

As you can see, there are many aspects that depend on the project owner’s professionalism. The development camp and the project owner both contribute to the right result.

Conclusion.

What if you have discovered a gap in the expertise of developers? Or probably in your experience?

The agile approach recommends that you determine the biggest problem and solve it. Then move to the second biggest problem and repeat the procedure. This way, you can gradually increase the quality level of your project to the highest one possible.

I hope, it will lead you to getting a high-profile project and winning in the market.

 

Vadim Kondratiev, Head of Sales at Anadea Inc. Vadim is an experienced IT sales and client relations executive with a profound knowledge in managing outsourced software development projects.

 

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Discount Code Network – Save More And Spend Less

One of the best means for successful online business is to offer consumers the option of saving money when buying goods and products. Saving help customers to give less and different firms also compete enthusiastically in this global market. Discount codes and other saving offers are offered to consumers with a free hand to select high-quality products without worrying the price. All people know the fact that demand and supply come together but viewing on our current market competition, many suppliers offer same goods to the single consumer. It affects the sale of the business and arises competition in the condition of the global market. By offering saving options, firms can easily get an edge over other business, product promotion and branding can work well by using this method. The consumer should patronise and recognise your products for sale progress, and you can get benefit by using these discount codes.

Promotional discount offered by a specific web source can improve your business by giving a way of attracting people. It also makes people aware of your business brand. Different promotional strategies accomplished by various businesses are unnoticed and unrewarded, but promotions with discount codes can change the opinions of the consumers and lure them to get a deal with your company. Different online discounts will increase your sale ratio and also give details of your purchasers. With discount codes option, every consumer visits your website and has a look at it. Online site can is the way to display before your clients browse the wide range of store deals in a few clicks only. Once you engage the consumer in an online transaction, he or she needs to feed their private information such as phone number, cell number and email address for further correspondence.

For the majority of users on the internet, discount codes and voucher codes are unknown means of saving up to 50% on shopping. This article will enlighten the readers on the advantages of using discount codes network and things to be considered while using different coupon codes and discount codes running on different sites on the search engines. When you are using supplied code, you should be alert to check the validity of the coupon as many discount codes can be used for a limited time only. Informative and ethical websites state this info for the facility of users before they make use of any code. For this reason, you need to browse an ethical site such as plusvouchercode.co.uk to get benefits from these coupon code options.

One thing you should check while using discount code is the policy and terms and conditions. Sometimes issues codes cannot be effective in conjunction with another live offer. For example, if you have bought from sale items say buy one and get two free, then it may be possible that you cannot make use of the discount code. In such circumstances, the code will not work with details if there is a case. Presently, there is a growing concern of misuse of discount code and poor practice of some famous voucher and discount code offering network that prompted instant action by the governing bodies of affiliate marketing.

In short, this article is about the subject of discount codes, so if you are in search of any ethical network to save your money via voucher or discount codes, plusvouchercode.co.uk is a safer place for you.

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6 Steps To Creating A Customer Service Plan For Your Startup

by Parker Davis, CEO of Answer 1

You hear it everywhere these days. “Best in class customer service.” Seems like everybody’s got it.

In fact, a Google search for that exact term yields almost 250,000 results.  That’s a lot of top-notch customer service.

For most companies, this is just marketing speak. Business owners know that great customer service can be a key part of consumers’ decision making process, so they stick this phrase in their marketing packet.

Don’t be one of those companies.

Don’t just pay lip service to the concept of great customer service.

Follow these six steps to devise a real plan that will help you provide best in class customer support, giving you a leg up on the competition.

So, let’s get into it:

1. Determine your customer service vision.

First things first. You need to know what you want out of your customer service team at the end of this exercise. Do you want to provide responsive support over the phone, webchat, email, Twitter and Facebook?

Would you rather foster a proactive, outbound mode of customer support?

Will you be meeting customers in person?

How much contact will your team have with customers? Will you be building different pricing models to allow for tiers of customer support?

All of these answers matter. You can provide great customer experience no matter what your answers to these questions.

However, you have to know where you’re going if you’re ever going to get there.

To go along with the nuts and bolts of your vision, you also need to think about company values. In most cases, your customer service team will serve as the face of your business.

Make sure that the team is set up to align with overall company principles.

Place a list of important company values in a prominent place as you work on your customer service strategy.

Then make sure that every decision you make fits in with these values.

2. Assess customer needs.

This is almost step 1b: you need to find out what your customers expect from your support team.

You can run competitive analyses and ensure you are in line with your industry’s best practices.

But even more helpful is to get actual customer feedback from your paying clients.

There are tons of great ways to get customer feedback today:

You can set up automatic surveys through email or on your website.

You can run focus groups.

If you have a brick and mortar operation, you can create comment cards for customers to fill out.

Or, you can have employees ask one or two quick questions at the point of sale.

Just remember to be succinct in your questions, and respect your customers’ time.

The last thing anyone wants to do is fill out a boring 25-minute survey about their web hosting provider.

Keep your questions short, sweet and relevant, and your customers will tell you how you can make them happy.

3. Secure the proper resources.

This should go without saying, but in the modern world of razor-sharp profit margins, we need to be explicit:

Your company must provide the proper resources to execute your customer service vision.

If you want to offer eight different channels of support 24/7, you must have the time, budget and human resources necessary to make it happen.

Not only do you need to make sure your facilities and salary budgets are aligned, you must also hire people that exhibit the values you want to come across.

Be deliberate and thorough with your hires, especially when first building out the team.

4. Set goals for your customer service team and for each individual.

Once your team is up and running, don’t lose sight of your original goals.

Communicate regularly and clearly with your team about what is expected from each of them.

You must also ensure that your customer service team communicates with the other parts of the company.

If the sales team is selling prospects on the idea of over-the-top customer service, but the CS team is struggling to handle the volume increase, the company leadership needs to address this.

Either commit more resources to the customer service team, re-frame your sales pitch or get creative with the resources you have, by instituting automation or a tiered pricing model.

5. Don’t overburden your customer service team.

A common trap for fast-growing companies is to celebrate growth without doing the hard work of solidifying the customer support base.

Make sure your team isn’t just putting out fires all day long. Your team needs space to breathe and formulate intelligent responses and solutions to problems that come up.

A good customer service team is proactive and can avoid troubles before they begin. But, if all your team members are on the phone or webchat all day, you won’t have the time or ability to adjust your strategy as the business evolves.

6. Focus on motivating your employees.

Let’s face it. Working in customer service can be a real drag sometimes, especially for CS reps who are working on similar problems day after day.

The people who contact customer support are usually upset or frustrated. They never call just to say “hi.”

To help balance team morale, you need to reward and recognize employees when they do good work.

You should also be helping them to achieve their own professional goals, whether they want to be a team leader, or to own a small business in a completely different industry some day.

This type of open and honest professional support (that doesn’t only benefit the company) can be more motivating than a big raise, especially over the long term.

It’s an affordable and effective way to build employee loyalty and get the most out of your team.

 

Parker Davis is the CEO of Answer 1, a leader in the virtual receptionist and technology enabled answering services industry.  He believes that the application of data analytics, investment in technology, and fostering a positive company culture together create highly efficient and scalable growth companies.  In 2016, Answer 1 will achieve record revenues while also being awarded the Top Companies to Work For in Arizona award.  Parker is also the Managing Partner of Annison Capital Partners, LLC, a private investment partnership.  

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Top Three Ways To Help Your Startup Run Smoothly

When you take the brave decision to run with that start-up idea that has been burning at the back of your mind, you don’t want anything to ruin it. Knowing ways that you can minimize risk and keep things running smoothly is hugely useful to any new business owners.

With this in mind, here are the top three suggestions for improvements you could make to your business, keeping it going from strength to strength.

1. Invest in your staff.

Next to your equipment, your staff are the most important thing you will ever pay for in your business. To start with it may be just you, but as you grow as a company you will undoubtedly need to start hiring. When the time comes, it is vital that you don’t pay low wages and take second-rate or even third-rate workers just to save a few pennies.

While it might seem like the best decision in the short-term, these people will be dealing with your clients every day; do you really want a second-rate version of your business being delivered to potential customers? It could impact on your reputation, but it will definitely impact on your productivity as a business, so select the right people and train them well. If you’d like to learn more about this idea, click here.

2. Keep IT support close by.

No matter what your industry, chances are that you will most likely need IT support. Do you have a team of five or more people? Then you should probably start thinking about running off your own server to increase efficiency and give your team the ability to share files. Are you an ecommerce business? Then you will most likely need an IT team for when your site goes down, your ordering system goes haywire and so on.

Even your company smartphones and phone systems all need to be coordinated via the workings of an experienced and skilled team, such as Dynamic, who provide expert IT support in Leeds. If you invest correctly in IT, your company will run smoothly, your workforce will be less frustrated by any technical issues they have, and ultimately, your customers will be happier.

3. Take a firm approach to finances.

So far we’ve talked about investing your money in the right places, but what about making savings and knowing where to cut back? After all, you won’t have the money to invest if you don’t take care of your finances.

First of all, know every aspect of your business inside out; you know exactly what is being spent in each area of the company, and can see if you are being too zealous when buying a particular product. Then look at writing up road maps of where you intend your business to go over the next five years. Having a goal will allow you to focus on where you’re headed, and make it easier for you to see where you’re under-achieving financially.

Do you have any more tips for start-ups?

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Simple Rules To Manage Your Trading Actions & Minimize Loss

Market trading is an exciting and potentially very profitable way of investing money.

However, you may be afraid at the start that you could end up making bad decisions and losing money. In order to protect your capital and reduce the risk for losses there are several rules that are worth following.

Act Fast.

One of the keys to making money and avoiding losses is to act fast. The financial markets can move very quickly, meaning that you run the risk of being left behind if you are slow to react to any changes.

The first thing to bear in mind is that you need to be able to get access to the latest market information. This could make all the difference when it comes to making fast, correct decisions at the perfect time.

As well as having a way of getting hold of the information that you need, you also need to have the time set aside to act on this information. Some investors will put aside a couple of hours every day to look through the market new, which can turn out to be a terrific new hobby for you and something that also makes you money.

Set Your Limits.

Knowing when to cut your losses on a bad investment is vital for anyone getting involved in the trading market. Even highly experienced traders can make a mistake and have to deal with it.

Because of this, it is important that you think at the outset about how much you are willing to invest at any time. You certainly don’t want to go chasing your losses by putting more and more into a bad investment every time.

A stop loss order is something that you place in order to automatically sell when your investment reaches a certain price. This could help you to avoid your investment plunging if things go wrong. 

Learn How It Works.

It is easy to get started with online trading these days without any delay. This means that anyone can start buying and selling right away if they want to.

While this is great news for getting you started easily, you still need to think about learning the basics first of all. If you can get someone to teach you to trade then you stand a far better chance of doing things in the right way.

This sort of training can help to give you a better chance of earning money and should certainly lower the risk of running up big losses.

Take Advice from the Experts.

The internet now makes it easy to see what the experts think on all sorts of financial matters. There is simply no longer any need to go out on a limb based on your gut instinct.

Instead, you can do some research on the internet and find out a variety of opinions on matters such as Forex trading risks. Ideally, you will discover a few trusts that you can turn to whenever you need to find out some information.

After a while you will be more confident in your own ability but you will still want to be able to do research whenever you need to find anything out.

Admit When You Are Wrong.

There comes a time in the life of most investors when they have to admit that they were wrong. Maybe you were convinced that a certain investment was certain to work out well but it has let you down badly.

When you face up to facts and admit that you got something wrong then you are preparing yourself to move on to the next investment possibility. This is a smart way of working that will ensure that you don’t get bogged down in investments that don’t go as planned.

Even the world’s most successful and well-known financial experts make the wrong move occasionally. There is no need to feel too bad about this when you should be concentrating on your next moves instead.

Follow a Strategy.

At the start of your trading career you might think that a strategy sounds like a very complicated thing to have. After all, you might be mainly interested in just getting the basics right when you first get going.

However, you will soon realize that having a strategy is a sound move. This will help you to avoid making rash decisions and investing in things you don’t know much about.

Your overall strategy may be about investing in a certain type of opportunity, the length of your investments, and all of the other relevant points. The more you think about these issues before you make your first moves then the greater your chances are of avoiding problems later on.

Market trading can be good fun as well as being potentially very rewarding. Just be sure to think about the way you are going to manage your trading and avoid losses right at the start.

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Digital Marketing Made Human

by Nick Maglosky, CEO of ecomdash

One of the reasons why I watch Netflix so much more often than I watch traditional television is because Netflix doesn’t have commercials. Seriously, if it’s not a sporting event, I don’t turn on my television unless it’s On-Demand. I don’t want my entertainment interrupted by someone trying to sell me something. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.

Buyers have become savvy to marketing. They’re more empowered and they know how to reject or even avoid traditional marketing. I love it as a buyer, but it’s nerve-wracking to me as the CEO of a startup, especially a startup that works directly with small businesses in ecommerce. We see our customers struggling to translate their value to their customers online. How can we sell in a digital space to a populace who’s learning more every year that they don’t want to be marketed to?

We’ve got to make our digital marketing more human. Our newsletters, blogs, and social media have to come across less like an ad executive responding to focus groups and more like friendly advice from a trusted buddy. Most people use the internet for communication and to keep up with what’s going on in the world. That’s because they’re interacting with people, whether it be friends and family or strangers. The more you can make your digital marketing lifelike, the more you’ll be able to reasonably build trust that can lead to more sales in the future.

Here are three ways you can pull it off:

Jokes.

Imagine there’s someone at your job who’s all about the numbers, keeps every conversation serious, and never speaks to you unless they want you to do something. Now imagine the office cutup, the guy who’s always cracking jokes and does a great impression of your boss. Which person would you rather hang out with? We all want to be around the funny person, and the digital personality of a business is no exception. Humor in marketing establishes a rapport. The first coworker is a digital marketing strategy oversaturated with percentages and action steps. The second is a more light-hearted approach, regularly incorporating puns, jokes, or even timely memes into your online marketing efforts. If you can make them laugh, they’ll stick around long enough to see what it is you’re selling.

Opine.

It’s hard to talk to a person who never takes a stand on anything. When I ask someone about their favorite genre of music and they respond “I like everything,” I’m never sure where to take the conversation from there. Opinions do two things: they establish connection and they inspire conversations that can drive up word of mouth sales. Keep in mind when I say opinions I don’t mean opinions about your own product. Simply yelling “We’re the best!” only works if you’re DJ Khaled. Share your thoughts on related news in your industry and show your audience you’re smart, informed, and connected.

Interact.

I love seeing brands interact with each other on social media. Something about it makes me feel like I’m not just being subjected to wave after wave of calculated ad copy, but like I’m participating in a wider cultural conversation. Whether it’s some friendly playslapping or some unexpected friendliness, interacting with your partners and even your rivals on social media mimics the way human beings behave in real life. Take this flair for social interacting to your customers as well. We recently created some specific guides for engaging your audience on Pinterest, Instagram and Vine. Get creative with it. Think about what offers or participatory behavior you can push on your social media channels.

Closing Thoughts.

Very few people want to be sold something. You have to first prove your value to a potential customer before you can sell to them. That value shouldn’t always be your go-to customer success numbers or what percentage lower your price is than your competitors. Your audience also values humor, opinions, and interaction, human elements that will give some life to your digital marketing strategy. Set yourself apart from the pack and win more customers.

 

Nick Maglosky is the CEO of ecomdash, a multichannel inventory, order, and listing software for ecommerce retailers. He’s a devoted Ohio fan, and hopes to witness a Cleveland Browns championship in his lifetime. He’s also the last tech CEO to own a Blackberry.

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Sensational Ways Of Saving Yourself Money In Business

The secret to success in the business world is all about how you manage finances. You need to do whatever you can to ensure you take care of your company’s funds.

That means taking a look at these points and using them to help save your business money:

Outsource.

Outsourcing is a vital business tool, and you need to embrace it. You can save the company a lot of money by outsourcing projects and services. This means you don’t have to hire as many staff to help the company run. It saves money on having to pay staff wages and means you can take on more work. This is a great way of saving money for the company and making sure your business is more efficient.

Cut Costs.

It’s important to think about the costs and expenses you’re going to face as a business owner. There are so many costs you need to think about, and it’s difficult to know where you are spending the most. Think about what your major expenses are, if you can, and then work out how to cut down on them. Cutting down on the amount your company spends is the best way to save money. There are bound to be areas where you are overspending without even fully realizing. And these are the areas in which you need to trim costs as much as possible.

Go Green.

There are a lot of ways you can make saving within the business. You need to think about what your main expenditure is and how to cut costs. One of the best things you can do these days is to go green throughout the business. This is something that a lot of business owners are beginning to embrace these days. It’s pretty simple to introduce a greener way of living into the business. Start with basic recycling and upcycling, and encourage your staff to do the same. There are other options as well such as solar energy and green lighting. So, you need to think about how to implement these in the business to save you cash.

Product Tracking.

It’s important to make sure you do what you can to keep an eye on your products. This is important for helping you ensure everything gets to where it needs to be going. You need to use some sort of product traceability system to ensure your products are safe. This is a great way of working out where your stock is and preventing loss or theft. These are things that can set you back a lot of money and effort. So, by protecting your stock, you ensure that you save money on having to replace it. And you increase business through satisfied customers, and this brings in more money.

Launching and running a startup is very expensive, so you have to look for ways of saving money. This is easier to do than you might think you just need to consider the different options. If you can come up with ideas to help you save yourself money, you will find the business in a much better position.

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The Key Elements Of Marketing Your Business Online And Offline

Nowadays, we all know how much of a big role the online world plays in business. Perhaps the greatest gain is to be made from the sheer potential reach on online marketing efforts. However, online isn’t the only source of great marketing opportunities.

In this article, we’re going to look at the different strands of an effective marketing campaign. Not just online, but out there in the real world, too.

Social media.

If you’re talking about marketing online, then you have to start off with perhaps the most widely effective method. We’re talking about establishing a community in social media. Perhaps the most effective way of using social media, however, is to harness word of mouth. To get directly in touch with the community and get feedback, as well as testimonials to your product. Too many companies focus less on the social aspect and too much on getting their own message out.

The site.

Of course, you can’t neglect the beginnings of your online focus, either. Effective use of your website means more than just using it to signpost your services. Prioritise simple design and catching your audience’s interest. Appeal directly to their interests, not your company’s story. Then you can use an online marketing agency to make use of SEO and draw even more visitors to it.

Blogging.

We’re keeping blogging separate from the site because your blog can offer a whole other kind of marketing possibility. That of creating content that draws customers to your services. Not content that’s directly related to the services you provide. Rather, you want to find the subject matter that you share in common with your audience. By writing good content on that (and disseminating through your site and social media) you can build your brand as an authority in the industry.

Events.

As for the offline portion of your marketing, there are few ways more effective than to get communicating with customers face to face. This might be through your own launch and following events. Or through networking events and trade shows hosted by other. Get that face-to-face meeting with interested strangers. It puts you directly in contact with the people most likely to become invested customers.

Video.

A method of marketing that you can distribute online or offline is video. Video has become one of the most effective methods of marketing since inception. Mostly due to its ability to communicate much more than words can in a smaller time-frame. If you are going for video marketing, budget wisely. You want it to look professional. You also want to make sure it’s seen more repeatedly rather than widely.

Snail mail.

One of the marketing forms that is quickly seeming to be abandoned is through direct mail. However, just look at the amount of mail you get. How much of it is actually marketing? It might be a lot more than you think. Mail shouldn’t be entirely disregarded. It can still be a very effective method, providing you use the right data collecting means. You need to make sure your mail actually goes to those who would receive it well.

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StickerRide – On-Vehicle Advertising For Brands And Drivers

StickerRide, a mobile app that connects brands and drivers to provide an efficient targeted on-vehicle advertising platform, recently announced plans to enter the US market starting with the ever-busy city of Los Angeles. Founded in 2013, StickerRide has already seen great success as a worldwide car-advertising platform in Europe. StickerRide is currently being used by over 40,000 drivers and leading brand names.

StickerRide comes in a time when the world needs a less noisy and less cluttered advertisement channel than what is currently seen in the digital media. According to the company’s CEO, Christian T Lundgren, outdoor advertising provides a unique opportunity for brands to sidestep the noise and clutter in the digital media. On-vehicle advertising in a digitally controlled environment is the better option for a brand that seeks to increase its awareness in urban populations. StickerRide introduces interactive on-vehicle advertising controlled by digital tracking tools which give brands a dynamic platform, where they can have a high audience reach at a lower per-contact price than other forms of outdoor advertising. StickerRide also gives real-time campaign management reports, and all the necessary analytics a brand would need in order to improve its advertising campaigns. The StickerRide app is available on iOS and Android platforms.

The entry of StickerRide into the US market brings opportunities for both drivers and brands to work together for mutual benefits. Drivers will earn money that can supplement their fuel, car wash, or even parking budgets when they become brand ambassadors, while brands will benefit from the targeted advertisement the drivers provide. Drivers will simply need to download the app, pick an advertising campaign of their preferred brand, install the stickers, and drive their cars as they normally would. StickerRide will then be giving points for each mile they cover. Car owners can even increase their earnings by participating in quests and flash mob challenges. This will be an exciting opportunity for drivers in the US. They will no longer be disinterested moving billboards, but dedicated ambassadors of their favorite brands.

The company seeks a wide audience target in the US. For advertisers, StickerRide will mainly target B2B ventures including creative agencies, media buying agencies, and popular brands too. For drivers, StickerRide will target every active driver who can download the mobile app.

European, especially Russian, brands and drivers have already seen the benefits that StickerRide brings. Success stories include the hype built around The Avengers before its release in Moscow through StickerRide advertising. The campaign used interesting stickers of Avenger characters such as The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, and the Azgardian Thor on more than 115 vehicles across the city of Moscow. The results were quite impressive with over 9 million impression opportunities. In another campaign, BinBank, one of the largest banks in Eastern Europe, generated more than 550 million impression opportunities from 700 cars managed by StickerRide digital technology. Such are the opportunities and benefits StickerRide will bring to US brands and drivers.

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What Makes A Successful Software Startup

Do you have a great idea for a new app and thinking about starting a new software company? Maybe you already have a startup and want to make sure it is a success. Startup software companies can be exciting and lucrative but they are also risky and involve a lot of hard work.

Here are some tips for creating or maintaining a successful software startup:

K.I.S.S.

“Keep It Simple Stupid!” is a common phrase in software development but it is critical in making a successful software startup. Startups need to be lean and focused that means putting your effort in to your primary product. Your goal is to bring your game-changing app to market and anything else is a distraction. Your branding should be simple and targeted as well. Keeping it simple means that your focus and branding should be on your single revolutionary software product.

Be Ready To Pivot.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. While you need to stay focused on your single product, you also need to be ready to adjust your product to meet market demands. This could mean being able to change your platform on the drop of a dime. Remember you still need to K.I.S.S. (“Keep It Simple Stupid!”) but make sure your software and your team are ready to pivot if need be. This can be a delicate balancing act but it will pay off. If there is one constant in the tech industry it is that things change and they change fast, so be prepared.

Look for Passionate Team Members.

A startup is different than a large corporate office; your team is smaller and will often have to work longer hours than other offices. A startup can’t have team members that are just there for the paycheck or short-term gains. Picking employees who are invested in the success and vision of your product is more important than their experience or skillset. New technologies can be taught but a passion for your product is critical to making a successful software startup.

Don’t Give Up.

Most startups don’t fail from outside forces but actually implode from within. It can be hard work for the founder and their employees, even when your software begins to take off it may get even more difficult. Be ready to work hard and keep working. Even if you hit a brick wall or a hiccup, keep fighting. Any successful startup founder such as Charles Phillips will tell you, even if you have the best idea in the world success won’t come easy.

So if you are trying to build a successful software startup consider these tips. Keep your software and branding simple, your focus and messaging should be on your software’s primary service. You also need to remain nimble, keep your product ready to pivot based on the ever-changing tech market. Most importantly, don’t give up, keep going and keep working harder and eventually you will be able to reap the rewards of good ideas and hard work.

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3 Things Every Startup Should Know

Startup businesses are a major player in today’s economy. These exciting businesses are changing the way we do business and interact with technology. While running a startup may be one of the most exhilarating things in the workplace there are many mistakes made by startup beginners.

Here are 3 things every startup should know (and established startups wish the had known!):

Focus Your Product.

They key to a successful startup is a lean, focused product. Often new startups make the mistake of trying to do everything. Having your finger in too many pots leads to bloat and most startups don’t have the capitol or workforce to maintain this. Decide on the one thing your startup wants to do and stick to that, don’t get tempted by too many side ventures. Your branding and advertising should also match the focus of your product, ensuring your product standouts in the marketplace is hard enough already, so keeping your brand focused is key. Staying small and having your message reflect your sole purpose until your company really takes off will limit your risks and give your startup the highest chance of success in this competitive climate.

Don’t be Scared of Failure.

Startups are designed to fail. I know that sounds bleak but the small size of startups allows them to take risks bigger companies can’t take. It is important see your company’s goal all the way through regardless of the risks. Be smart but keep your confidence. Also, when your startup does fail (and it will) don’t call it quits or panic, slow down, evaluate and learn from your mistakes. Startups are perfect places to learn from mistakes and this goes for your as well as your team, failure both big and small is a perfect way to grow your company and its team members. The importance of embracing failure is something every startup should know.

Build a Team that Fits your Startup.

With a small team at a startup, each member’s skills and personality are critical. When you are building your startup make sure you hand pick each team member to ensure they are a good fit with your company’s culture (on tops of their skills.) A harmonious small team that pushes each other creatively is at the core of any successful startup. A leader such as Charles E Phillips, Infor CEO had this to say about the team at his company (which is called one of the industry’s biggest startups) “Everyone is energetic and we’re having fun making changes.”  Regardless of the size of your team every startup should know the importance of each employee in sustaining a culture of innovation and creativity.

Many entrepreneurs dream of building the next great company from a humble startup, and while some do, even more won’t succeed. It is important not to get discouraged though and hopefully these tips can help your startup beat the odds and maybe you and your team can be the next great startup to change the world!

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A Few Tips On Efficiency For Entrepreneurs On The Rise

Setting up your own, brand new business is one of the most exciting experiences you can witness. This can also be one of the most rewarding things in case you get things done in the right way. Entrepreneurship is a very popular activity and more and more people are attracted by this idea every year. It seems that setting up a business is now easier than ever, so there is no reason why someone should not give this activity a try.

In case you are entering the world of entrepreneurship and you consider yourself to become a rising star in this world, you should follow some of the tips presented in this article:

Follow your intuition and don’t doubt your business idea.

In case you think that you have a great idea and you are building a business around this idea, the most important thing about this activity is to be sure that you trust yourself and your capabilities. In other words, you must be sure that there is a good chance that the idea will work and that you can realize it. It doesn’t really matter what kind of business we are talking about, what it matters is to establish as a business on a solid foundation. The things you believe in and your own enthusiasm will motivate and inspire your team and increase productivity.

Client satisfaction.

Entrepreneurs should never forget that their clients are crucial for their success. It is the best idea to learn more about your loyal clients or your first clients. Make sure that they are getting top notch services from your side. These clients will serve as referrals in the future. A successful startup, like HolidayMe for example, tends to establish a long-term relationship with every client. After all, the most successful companies base their success on loyal clients.

Take advice from someone that has experience in this area

Without any doubt, you are very talented and have the ability to make a difference in this world, but being talented and eager to use your talents is not enough in this world. The vast majority of entrepreneurs lack one thing – experience. That’s why it is a smart move to ask for advice from someone who is experienced and who has spent a lot of time in your industry. Consider this person as a mentor that will prepare you for the future activities and help you overcome some typical problems in the beginning.

Funding.

One of the basic reasons why so many people are involved in entrepreneurship is to make money. However, managing a business is a process that requires large amounts of money too. This is something that you should have in your mind before this venture begins. So, try to find a solid credit line and ask for a loan from your family. If this doesn’t work, you will need to find some investors and convince them their investment is smart. Many young entrepreneurs today choose crowdfunding as a funding option.

Rely on your employees.

Multitasking is not unusual in some situations, but if you do this all the time you will probably fail to become successful. It is the best idea to hire true professionals for certain tasks. Keep in mind that you can’t handle everything on your own.

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What Sort Of Career Can You Have If You Study IT At College?

Information technology (IT) is a job field which offers plenty of opportunities. If you enjoy IT, and would like a change of career, the maybe you want to find yourself a job in this area. The good news is that you can complete any required study you might need to change jobs, with an online provider. This means that you can still keep your current job and fit studying in around it. Being able to do this helps you to manage financially while you are studying.

There are several different IT related courses available. All you have to do is choose the course which best relates to do the job you are hoping to get. If you have not decided which is the best IT related job for you then we are going to give you an idea of just a few of the jobs you may want to consider:

Applications developer.

Many businesses around the world are now employing applications developers. If you think this sounds like a role you may be interested in then you probably want to know what sort of tasks you will be expected to complete. These tasks include:

• Working out requirements for programmes.
• Working as a part of a team on a project.
• Problem solving and solution creation.
• Designing and testing programmes
• Putting programmes into production.

Obviously, there is more to the job than this but these are some of the main tasks you will face as an applications developer. The financial reward for the work is good; you can expect to earn around AU$67,000 as an average salary.

Database administration.

Working as a database administrator is a very hands on role. You have to ensure that the databases the business uses are functioning as they should be. You will also often be involved in creating new databases to suit the requirements of the business. If you decide that this role is for you then you can expect to be faced with tasks including:

• Creating databases that work for the business.
• Monitoring databases to ensure they work efficiently.
• Making sure that the standard of data is maintained.
• Ensuring the security of the databases.

These are some of the main tasks you will be expected to perform in return for an average salary of around AU$71,000.

Working in information security.

If you are looking for an interesting role in the world of IT then you may want to consider IT security. The role is something like being a detective. You are tasked with identifying if there have been any breaches to system security and fixing them as appropriate. This involves carrying out tasks such as:

• Checking for potential risks.
• Working to keep business systems secure.
• Testing systems with ethical hacking.
• Completing forensic analysis of computer systems.

This is a really interesting job in the world of IT and it comes with an average salary of around AU$77,000.

As you can see, if you have IT skills it’s certainly possible to change your career path and put them to good use. You just need to develop your skills by taking a course here at Upskilled. You can then put the training to good use when changing your career.

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Organization And Storage Are The Keys To Delegation

By Lea Schneider

If it occasionally feels as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, it might be because you really do. Small business owners wear a dozen hats: the buyer, the marketer, the logistics expert, the financial manager and the salesman, just to name a few.

As a small business owner, I know I’ve been thwarted by what I call the “It’s Easier to Just Do It Myself” syndrome. By the time I explain to someone why I need something done, when I need it, what exactly they need to do and where they are going to find all the things they need for the task, I’m exhausted.

Often, the culprit isn’t too much to do or employees unable to do the delegated tasks. Instead, it is confused storage and disorganization that make it difficult to direct employees to go and do a task. In order to make delegation work, there are six organizational keys every business owner and manager needs to know:

1. Define Tasks.

Take a step back from the feeling you have too much to do and no time to delegate. You simply must move things from your to-do list onto someone else’s. Begin by making a list of the things you would be comfortable allowing an employee to do. Don’t dwell on if they know how to do it or if it will take too long to show them—the next steps will help with that. Instead, focus on the idea that you can empower them to remove that item from your list.

2. Create Useable Storage.

I clearly remember a boss sending me to a warehouse-sized room to get something. Of course, I could not find it because nothing was labeled. I was frustrated and she was frustrated. In order for delegation to work, your employees have to be able to find the things they need. When you set up a system only you can use, then only you can find things. You need to set up a system that anyone can use, so everyone can find things.

Rework storage areas for ease of use. A stack of boxes isn’t manageable, as it has to be stacked and unstacked to access the goods. Make sure you use shelves or cubbies so one box can be removed at a time. Label shelves and containers so employees can easily find what they’re looking for and return it back to its proper spot when finished.

3. Find Space.

More people working at a small business can make it feel crowded. Find space for everyone to work and neatly store materials by going vertical. Add industrial shelving to safely hold goods. Use wall space to add hooks and pegboards for tools, and make sure there is adequate work surface available. Rolling tables are a good option, as they can be moved as needs change.

4. Prepare for Products.

If you have a product-based business, you’ll never stop having new products arrive or new samples come in. Plan for incoming products with an unpacking area. Set up work surfaces to use for assembling and for opening boxes. Add rolling bins to handle package materials so they can be moved easily to the dumpster or recycling containers, and provide rolling carts for moving the unpacked merchandise efficiently.

5. Organize in Order of Task.

As you set up work stations for tasks like wrapping things for shipping or unloading boxes of retail goods, be sure to organize the work area in order of the task at hand. Maximize productivity by keeping the necessary tools within easy reach. Think from start to finish, so there is a place to set incoming and outgoing tasks.

6. Create a Procedure List.

When you are preparing to do some delegation, it is a great idea to create a procedure list for that job. After all, you are about to verbally tell someone all of those steps. Why not put it in writing? You will still need to go over it with them, but it’s much more beneficial for them to have a written list of steps to refer to the next time they do the same task. Taking the time to create a procedure list once can save you time in the long run when you need to show more than one person how to do something.

A bonus to using these keys for making delegation work is they will help you as well. You’ll find if you organize work and storage areas, you’ll also be more productive and less frustrated as you tackle that to-do list.

 

Lea Schneider is a professional organizational expert with many years of experience operating a small business of her own. Lea writes on storage efficiencies in businesses for The Home Depot. For more storage solution ideas, including those mentioned by Lea, you can visit Home Depot’s website here.

 

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Top 3 Ways To Own The Boss Role

By Arvind Parthiban, CEO of Zarget

The startup bug has reached epidemic proportions. In the U.S., nearly half a million new startups were launched every month last year, according to the Kauffman Index. And all of those new businesses will need more than a viable value proposition to survive; they’ll also need competent management.

Some people are born leaders, but even for those with innate leadership skills, making the transition from employee to boss takes planning and effort. My co-founders and I discovered this firsthand more than a year ago when we launched our startup.

Here’s what we learned along the way about becoming the boss:

1. Decide who owns each operating area.

As a startup founder, you and your cofounders and/or C-level officers are the ultimate decision-makers — there’s no other boss you can turn to if you reach an impasse. That’s why it’s important to break the operation up into individual components and put each under the purview of a company officer. At my company, we call them Direct Responsible Individuals (DRIs). But no matter what you call them, you’ll need them. Assign people who will consider input from everyone else and then make the final call for their areas of responsibility.

2. Get used to switching hats… at the drop of a hat.

One of the perks bosses (and employees) at big companies get is a staff to handle a variety of tasks, such as making travel arrangements, coordinating events, handling HR issues, marketing, sales, etc. As a startup owner, you don’t have that perk, so you’ll have to quickly become comfortable with handling all sorts of functions. Think of it as a learning experience. As your company grows and you bring new people on to manage these functions, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of what each role requires since you’ll have done it yourself.

3. Don’t be blindsided by customer expectations.

You’re in charge of product strategy as the company leader, so you have to be prepared for all contingencies — including the possibility that the features you think deliver the most value for your product or service might not be the ones customers value the most. For example, you might have spent the most time developing Feature A on an app, only to find that customers are most impressed with Feature B, which you added as an afterthought. But bosses have to be flexible and roll with the punches. Accept that this may happen and be ready for it.

Making the transition from employee to boss can be tough if you’re not prepared for it. And given all the details that go into launching a new business, making the jump from a cubicle to the corner office isn’t high on many budding entrepreneurs’ to-do list. But it should be.

Once you launch your company, you and your cofounders will be the final authorities. So make sure you divide up responsibilities to avoid deadlocks, and be prepared to handle anything and everything that comes at you — including shifting customer expectations. Once you do that, you’ll OWN the boss role.

 

Arvind Parthiban is the CEO & co-founder of Zarget, where in addition to conceptualising the company vision and piloting the course of action to meet their objectives, he currently heads product marketing, presales and sales operations. A former employee of Zoho where he headed the product marketing for ITSM suite of flagship products, Arvind gained valuable insights into the SaaS industry and all things ‘Marketing’. Arvind draws from his vast wealth of experience to power the business units forward. 

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Wisdom With Age, Making A Career Change After 40

You’ve worked hard for many years dealing with traveling, time away from home and the demands of a high-pressure environment. Now that your older, you want to take back your life and enjoy more time with your spouse, family and friends. This is a scenario that many people just like you face each day. The decision is life altering and can mean a fresh start at the prime of your life.

When you reach a certain age, you can fall into a rut and begin to wonder why you are doing the job you’re doing. You ask yourself, “Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?” Sometimes you may even feel overwhelmed at the thought of heading off to work. This feeling is common to many people who turn 40. The good news is you can make a change. You can start anew and enjoy the rest of your life.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what you want to do. What are your interests and strengths? If you’ve worked in an executive position and know how to manage a company you may want to develop your own. You can do this by creating your own website and selling a product or service.

Freelance work is available in a variety of fields. You can take something you are passionate about, like art, and turn it into a career. This allows you to work from home and develop your own work schedule. It also gives you the satisfaction of knowing you’re working for yourself.

If you prefer to work away from home, going back to school is another option. Take a few classes on topics that interest you. It’s not too late to learn a new trade or profession and move in another direction. Doing this can actually give you energy and purpose.

Now that your children are older, you have the freedom of working any hours. This opens the door to many careers that you may have avoided in younger days. Maybe you enjoy working with people and want to become a mortgage broker, counselor, nurse, trainer or analyst. The important thing is to find something that excites you and that you feel passionate about.

If you need the income and can’t just walk off the job to achieve your fresh start, create a plan with timelines. Take night classes or work on your website while you continue to work in your current job. This will allow you to make the transition without lowering your current standard of living. It will also keep you going knowing that your new life is just around the corner.

Making a career change later in life can both excite and frighten you. This is a perfectly normal reaction. Take the risk and enjoy the pluses of starting over. If you stay in your current position, more time will pass and then you’ll live with the regrets. You’ll always wonder what could I could have become. The only way to change your life is to take the plunge. If you fail you can always return to what you know. But chances are good you’ll find something new and become successful.

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How Your Business Could Generate Extra Income Through Investments

For new businesses entering highly competitive industries, earning a consistent income on the side could be the difference between survival and failure. Many entrepreneurs look to enter secondary markets, but, with so many different avenues available to you, narrowing down your options can be difficult.

Here are three of the most common trading markets that your business could benefit from:

Forex Trading.

The foreign exchange market, known as forex for short, refers to the practice of buying and selling currencies. Because fluctuation in the market is typically very small – usually less than 1% – you may think that forex trading is only suitable for those looking for a long-term investment. However, day trading is also actually extremely popular as this allows investors operating on a large scale to take advantage of the small fluctuations to produce considerable profits. Compared to other markets, getting started is relatively simple and there are a number of guides on what you need to know.

CFD Trading.

CFD trading, short for contracts for difference, is an agreement between two parties to exchange the difference between the opening price and the closing price of a contract. This is similar to traditional share trading except that, when you purchase a CFD, you’re not actually buying or trading the underlying share. Rather, you’re buying the contract between yourself and the CFD provider. This means that there’s no need to tie up the full market value of purchasing the equivalent stock position and traders can instead open larger position than their capital would normally permit.

Spread Betting.

Finally, spread betting allows you to speculate on the movement assets without actually owning them. All you have to do is predict the outcome and the degree to which you are right or wrong will determine your profit or loss. For example, if a company is about to release its quarterly results, you can place a trade whether you think this will have a positive or negative effect on its overall value. Spread betting has been increasing in popularity in recent years, namely due to absence of stamp duty – saving you 0.5% compared to a traditional share purchase – and the fact that spread betting is not subject to capital gains tax.

Whatever market you find yourself in, you’ll need to ensure you have all of the information you need to make the best decision. ETX Capital gives you access to up to 6,000 markets, and can help you stay informed.

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Ditch Your Old Marketing Tactic And Invest In Social-Word-of-Mouth-Marketing

By Jeff Ernst, CEO and President at Smync

When a startup is looking to build awareness for their brand – regardless if it’s an app, a grocery delivery business, a retail boutique or a new smart home device, the most common approach to trying to build this mythical “awareness” is to go “old school” – get a press release out and distribute it through the wire and get 200 backlinks, put up creative content across all your social channels, find all the free $100 Google/Bing/LinkedIn ad codes you can get and get all as many impressions as possible to show off your shiny new thing.

Let me stop you there. That is no longer the most effective way to market. Sure you can still use some of those tactics but they are expensive, time consuming and will not reap the desired results. Put down the blog post and stop entering that code and walk away for a minute.

Still have your doubts? Take a look at the following facts:

– Recent studies show people trust marketers’ intentions 4% of the time. 4. Four. F-O-U-R. Make all the lawyer and used car salesman jokes you want; this is worse.

– We’re hit with almost 200 newspapers worth of content through mobile/social every day. We immediately filter out almost 99% without consideration.

– Authentic referrals and brand advocates are trusted 92% of the time. Compare that with 23% for brands (1/4 as much) and 18% for influencers (1/5 as much).

Combined with the problems of low organic reach and needing to understand marketing’s impact on your actual business adding social brand advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing becomes critically important. The reason it becomes critically important is, as a brand, you are competing for your potential customers’ trust and attention. You need both trust and attention before they become a user or customer. As a startup, competing for attention becomes overwhelming. Your more established competition can drown out your noise with more of their message and your potential customers don’t know you… so they don’t trust you.

How do you increase trust in your company? If your company has any users, customers or employees the perception of your company isn’t in your hands, it’s in theirs. Their experiences, what they share, what value they think it brings, what they really use it for – is what people really think about your company and your product or service. The impact of their words, shared experiences, photos, videos, etc. is 8x more impactful than if it came from your company.

By building social word-of-mouth and social brand advocates, you find and activate the people who have a belief in or a passion for what your company is doing. It doesn’t require a large amount of people – the small can create a much bigger, more sustainable and actual real impact. Even with 3-5 users who tried your product, service or store – harnessing their experience, getting their story and getting them to share it creates more reach. An authentic word-of-mouth impression will trigger re-sharing up to 24x more, a purchase up to 50x more and is valued at up to 200x a paid impression. The ROI on social brand advocacy is approximately 10x the return of paid media.

The keys to building social word-of-mouth involve identifying the right advocates, activating them and building an engaging community that provides an insider connection with your company and other advocates. It’s a process that takes a little more effort and time on the front end, but the actual measurable results and payoff far exceed the other. Most importantly, don’t think you have to have a huge social following (it doesn’t matter at all) or need a big group to start considering this as part of your strategy. Know and believe that the small can have a much bigger impact on the big picture.

 

Jeff Ernst, CEO and President at Smync, has built, grown and managed sales and marketing organizations in businesses of all sizes, with over 20 years of marketing and management experience. A lifelong entrepreneur, Jeff has worked over 10 years in tech including B2B startups in webcasting and web conferencing. Connect with him @TheJeffErnst and on LinkedIn.

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A Closer Look At Different Materials Used In 3D Printing

by Gaurav Sharma, digital marketing consultant at CG Trader

3D printing has come a long way since its inception and has made numerous contributions in the field of manufacturing and medicine. While the machine itself is something to marvel, there are a number of elements that make 3D printing possible. For instance, the software used to create 3D models and the materials used to create a physical object using the machine. There are a wide variety of materials used in this technology based on what you’re creating and what you need it for.

So let’s take a look at the most popular 3D printing materials to give you a clear idea of what you should choose depending on how you’re using it:

Metals.

Metal and metal composites are popularly used to print industrial-grade objects using 3D printers. The process of direct metal 3D printing makes use of metal powders to create industrial metals. Aluminum and cobalt derivatives are among the most popular choices. Chromium, bronze, and stainless steel are also used in industrial 3D printing. More recently, the use of gold and silver has also become popular especially to print something from 3D jewelry models.

Industrial metals are ideal for printing objects with intricate details and complex designs. These various metals and alloys can be used to create functional mechanical parts and prototypes.
They can also be used to create end-use parts and moving and assembled parts. However, metals are not recommended when there are cavities in the design.

Plastics.

There is a wide range of plastics being used in 3D printing. General purpose plastics like ABS and PLA are ideal when you’re starting out with 3D printing. They are affordable and widely available in addition to being durable. You also have several color options to choose from. General purpose plastics are perfect for low-cost prototyping mechanical parts. They are also used for printing toys, adapters, cases, holders, and scale models. The main setback with this type of plastics is that it’s unsuitable for printing intricate designs.

You also have the option to use Rigid Opaque Plastic for creating realistic prototypes. These plastics are suitable for printing designs with intricate details as they can produce high accuracy with a smooth surface finish. They are perfect to create models for sales or exhibitions. However, they cannot be used to print end products due to their sensitivity to UV light.

Another range of plastic 3D printing material is the Rubber-Like Plastic, which enables you to simulate rubber. It can be used to simulate non-slip surfaces on consumer electronics and automotive interiors. Like the Rigid Opaque Plastic this type of plastic is also sensitive to UV light and is not recommended for creating end products.

For medical or scientific visualizations, you have transparent plastic which is one of the clearest materials available for 3D printing. You can also use it to create prototypes for glass consumer products and other see-through parts. Again, this type of plastic is highly sensitive to UV light and is not suitable for end products.

Commonly used in engineering, you also have the Heat Resistant Plastic to simulate the ability of engineering plastics to withstand heat. They are used to create products for hot water and hot air testing along with heat-resistant fixtures. Like the rest, Heat Resistant Plastic is also sensitive to UV light and cannot be used to create end products.

Nylon.

There are two types of nylon popularly used in 3D printing. Fiber-Reinforced Nylon has the same strength as metal but is lighter in weight. This makes it ideal for printing objects and parts that require higher strength-to-weight ratio. You can reinforce the nylon with materials like Kevlar, Caron, and Fiberglass. So you can optimize the printed object for strength, weight, and stiffness as well as temperature resistance. The only drawback to this material is its inability to print small parts with intricate details.

The other type of nylon used in 3D printing is SLS nylon, which is strong and also slightly flexible. The material’s easy design rules make for creating objects with complex designs and functional end products. While the surface is somewhat grainy after print, it can be polished to create a smooth finish. Like metals, SLS nylon isn’t suitable for printing parts with cavities within the design.

Other materials.

In addition to these popular materials, you have several more options to use in 3D printing. Ceramics, for instance, have been recently introduced in 3D printing but also require undergoing the same processes of firing and glazing post print as conventional ceramic products.Numerous developments are being made in the use of bio materials for 3D printing, which could be applied mostly in the field of medicine. Researchers continue to work on 3D printing living tissue, which can be used to print human organs suitable for transplant. Some have even managed to successfully print skin cells onto burn wounds.

As you can see, there is a wide scope of application of 3D printing in research and manufacturing. This has significantly impacted the way companies produce and create end-user products. In other words, 3D printing is changing the way we do business and can be defined as a driver of business and manufacturing.

 

Gaurav Sharma is a digital marketing consultant at CG Trader, a 3D Model Marketplace, Founder of Digital Marketing Blog Attrock and a technology lover. He has been featured on Techcrunch, Search Engine Land and any popular Tech and Marketing blogs. You can check him out on Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

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Want to Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality? Here’s How.

Cutting the costs of business without affecting quality seems like a pipe dream to many. It doesn’t matter whether your business is raking in crazy amounts of cash or struggling to make a profit. Every business owner wants to find a way to reduce the amount of money they’re spending while keeping up strong quality.

This problem takes on extra resonance when the company in question is in some sort of financial trouble. After all, now would seem like the worst time to do things that might affect the quality of your output, right?

Here are some of the simple steps you can take to start cutting costs today. None of them will affect your work quality if you do them right.

Migrate to the cloud.

The cloud presents so many money-saving opportunities. The biggest one is in storage. Buying and maintaining local servers costs thousands of dollars every year. With cloud services, each of your employees can have gigabytes worth of storage for free.

Consider free alternatives to software.

Sure, most of the premium software is a breeze to use. But that’s because they’ve been a standard for so long. Most people are familiar with things like Microsoft Word and Excel by the time they’ve left school. Companies take advantage of situations like this and charge large fees for business licenses to use these products. But there is plenty of freeware that can do the job just as well, if you take the time to get accustomed to them. The OpenOffice suite is a great place to start.

Reduce energy costs.

This is the one that’s most overlooked by business owners! Sure, the amounts you can save may not sound like a lot, at first. But when you combine energy-reducing methods with the other suggestions found in this article? All those savings will add up. Plus, you’ll be doing the environment a favor.

Find out where you’re being overcharged.

Most companies outsource some essential tasks. But there are plenty of outsourcing companies that charge their clients way too much. You should always think about finding other companies who will do quality work for less. Whatever the area is, you can probably find someone better. Let’s look, for example, at IT. Services like Continuous Networks are examples of IT services that don’t charge you for every little thing they do.

Move to a cheaper location.

One of the more drastic moves is to move your business to another location. If you’re working in a big-league city, then that in itself can be doing good things for your business. But it can hardly be very kind on your wallet! The rent in big business cities like New York City and London are pretty staggering. If your lease is ending soon, you might want to consider getting an office somewhere a little cheaper.

Don’t need it? Get rid of it.

Is there anything in your office you can sell? Businesses are buying crazy new technologies all the time, convinced that they’re going to help them to do this or that. This results in many offices having more technology than it actually needs. Consider selling off some equipment you don’t use.

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Corners You Must Never Cut When Starting Up A Business

A huge part of business is making decisions. Make the right ones, and you have the potential to soar. But make the wrong ones? Your business could fail within the first year of launching.

Of course, you want the former and not the latter. So how you can ensure this happens. How can you make the right decisions?

There will soon appear opportunities when you can cut corners. Perhaps, get a job done quicker. Or, for a cheaper rate. But beware. Cutting corners in the wrong places can spell utter disaster. We’re not just talking about the business failing either, but the potential for injuries, lawsuits and more. This is not what you want for your business or your workforce.

So, let’s look at some corners you must never cut when starting up a business:

Subpar tools.

A computer that keeps crashing is one thing; it will lead to slower staff and a slower output of work. But what about if your industry deals with electrical equipment or power tools? Never ever cut corners with these. Even if you can save a bit of money, or get the equipment sooner, it’s not worth it. Hold out for the right tools, the safe tools, and the effective tools. A good rule is this. Take the tool you need, and then source one from a reputable name or brand; like scotchman ironworkers, for example. The safety of your staff should be paramount at all time. That’s not to mention that better quality tools will also produce a better quality of work. You may have to invest a little more. However, you will make this back on more efficient and higher quality production.

Subpar staff.

Staff that still need training and molding are not subpar staff. As long as you can see determination and high potential in them, consider taking the risk. Subpar staff are ones you hire even though you know they won’t be very good at the job. You may be tempted to do this for a number of reasons. Perhaps you need to fill a position fast, or not enough people have applied for the job. However, once a person is a part of your workforce, it can be very hard to fire them without severe repercussions. Always hold out for great employees that you truly believe in, and trust.

 

Subpar digital marketing.

Like it or not, digital marketing is overtaking all other forms of marketing. Perhaps an advert in a trade magazine was your go-to before? Well, magazine readership numbers are down. This means that the number of people reading your advert are down also! People are now online. When they want a product, or a job doing, they search for it on sites like Google. If you have a subpar digital marketing strategy, your business will not show up when they search. What does this mean? It means that customers ideal for you will go elsewhere, to your competitors. Don’t cut corners with your digital marketing. Hire a reputable company to look after it for you.

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The Essential Ingredients Of Any Construction Business

If you are thinking about starting a business in construction, I have good news and bad news for you. On the one hand, there is more demand than ever for this kind of work. On the other hand, there are also more people starting this kind of business than ever before. What this ultimately means for you is that you are likely to be able to find the necessary clients. However, it won’t be without at least a little competition. If you are truly serious about starting a construction business, then you hopefully feel able to take on the challenge of your rivals. The fact is, a construction business is quite a unique kind of company to try and run. There is a lot to take on board and consider – possibly more than you might think. Nonetheless, done right it can be a lucrative and forward-moving business.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the key ingredients which you will need for your construction business to be a success:

Funding.

It goes without saying, but every business under the sun needs some kind of funding. The first essential step you must take is figuring out exactly how much financial help you are going to need. In the best case scenario, you will already have some money behind you. However, this is rarely true, and you will probably need some kind of help anyway. Working out where to get that funding from can be a little tricky, but there is hope. There are plenty of potential loans and grants available out there once you start looking. Another possibility is to borrow money from friends or family. However, bear in mind that this is a little risky. Relationships have been destroyed through this kind of thing, so take care.

The Right Contractors.

One of the most important parts of any construction business is finding the right contractors. There is no doubt that your business will need to get this aspect right. Without the right people working for you, it is unlikely that you will be able to function properly. As a construction business, the quality of the work is vital to your success. What’s more, it might also be a safety concern. With that in mind, be sure to source the best contractors that you can possibly find. It might be a good idea to use a decent subcontractor management software, too, to ensure that everything goes to plan. Managing people can sometimes be difficult, so this will probably make your life considerably easier.

Access To Decent Equipment.

Almost as important as the people you hire is the equipment that they use. Again, this is in part a safety concern. The last thing you want is to find yourself in trouble just as you are starting out in business. In fact, you don’t want that at any time. That’s why it is so important that you spend a good deal of time sourcing the best equipment. You should allow plenty of room in your budget for this. After all, if you don’t have the proper equipment, it is unlikely that the work will be of the highest quality. And the result there might be that you lose out on clients in the future. When you are buying your equipment, be sure to get it in bulk. But don’t necessarily go to a discount store. These options might be cheap, but the equipment is not always up to par.

Adherence To Regulations.

Construction is one of the most regulated industries in the world. Of course, this is not for no reason at all. What it means for you, however, is that you need to ensure that you are adhering to any rules at all times. It is a sound idea to get fully acquainted with all the regulations in your area which might apply to you. Ideally, you should do this even before you have fully set up your business. The last thing you want is for your business to be shut down in its early days. Worse still, somebody in your employ could get hurt. That’s the kind of thing you just don’t want hanging over you.

Knowledge Of The Industry.

Chances are, you are thinking about starting a construction business because you are already in the know. Regardless, you should ensure that you are well acquainted with the construction industry before you get set up. You might be surprised at how much there is still left to learn. Learning all there is to know will keep you and your business safe long into the future.

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Backlinks: A Beginner’s Guide

No matter what kind of startup business you have, you need to have a website and a blog. These are key elements that can help make your business more successful online. But even when you create a website and a blog, that doesn’t guarantee you will get instant traffic from potential consumers. This is where backlinks come in. Backlinks are hyperlinks that connect one website or blog to another. They have become an essential way of getting higher SEO rankings and popularity. So the more websites or blogs that reference your site, the more legitimate, relevant and important it becomes.

Use this beginner’s guide to discover more:

High-quality links.

As you’re new to backlinks, it’s important that you know the difference between high  and low quality links. High quality refers to links that point from a website or blog that has original content and a strong SEO ranking. This gives the impression that they are an authority on a subject. This encourages potential consumers to trust their recommendations. If your link is somehow related or relevant to the website or blog’s niche or theme, this also gives it a higher quality.

Low-quality links.

In comparison, a low-quality link is one that links to spam or automated websites and blogs. Often, these blogs contain duplicate or irrelevant content that does not relate to the source it can from. This can dramatically decrease the authenticity of your brand. It can also have a negative effect on your reputation through association. This can be extremely damaging to your business at this vital stage. To find out more, you can read the Avoid risky backlinks article by 5 Digital Quotes or talk to a backlink service.

Internal links.

Internal links can be used to link old blog posts or website pages to new ones. For instance, if you are writing a new piece regarding diet tips, you could include a hyperlink to an exercise or cooking piece you did previously. This encourages your readers and potential consumers to continue viewing your site by reading your content. But for it to work efficiently the content always needs to be relevant and original. Take a look at this article by Kissmetrics to see how you can make your internal links more effective.

 

Benefits of Backlinks.

A startup business can benefit greatly from using backlinks for a number of reasons. Firstly, they can help you increase your search engine rankings, allowing you to appear on the first few pages of results. This can make it easier for potential customers to find your website and blog posts when they search for them. The higher your business ranks, the more trustworthy and genuine it will appear. Higher rankings online can then assist you in driving more traffic to your blog or website, which can help you boost online sales. Backlinks can also make it easier to connect and communicate with other business and bloggers.

Now you know more about backlinks and what they involve, you can start building and creating your own. Go online to find out which backlink methods will work most effectively to benefit your business.

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