10 Sales Interview Questions You Need To Be Asking

by Andrew Armstrong

Hiring always comes with a degree of risk, but this is particularly true when it comes to sales positions.  A company’s lifeblood is its revenue, so the stakes aren’t much higher than with these front-line jobs that put your business’ products or services into the hands of consumers.

Whether you are hiring your first sales representative, seeking to staff an entire department, or simply making a replacement, the hiring process doesn’t come without a cost.  Make the wrong choice, and it could cost your company as much as 150-200% of the annual compensation of the sales executive.

The 80/20 adage tends to ring true with sales, where most your company’s revenue will come from the elite in your sales force. It would make sense, then to take as much care as possible when hiring sales representatives to stack that deck in your company’s favor.

Having the right interview questions for potential account executives can make all the difference in making good or bad hires. Here are ten such questions worth using:

1. Tell me in detail about how your own proactive sales effort brought about the achievement of a large deal.

Many believe that the most accurate predictor of future success in work, and particularly sales, is past performance.  Behavioral interview questions such as this one give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate past success and suggest how they might respond to various scenarios in their new position.

2. If we were to contact your most recent VP, how would they describe your achievements and the areas that you may need improvement?

A top executive at Hubspot conducted a survey of over 1,000 sales hires, in which he determined that “coachability” was the number one predictor of sales success. Candidates should demonstrate that they can turn feedback and coaching into results.

3. Describe a time that you received criticism and how you dealt with that information.

Again, this deals with receptiveness to coaching, learning from failure, and adjusting behaviors.

4. What is inspiring you to pursue this opportunity?

You may be able to determine if the candidate is attempting to escape something or is simply looking for greater challenges.

5. Describe a time when your work attitude wasn’t where you thought it should be.

Everyone has tough days at work, but if the bad outnumber the good on a consistent basis, this may not be the best salesperson for your company.  In fact, statistics show that happy salespeople produce 37% more sales.

6. Describe a time at work where you needed to admit a mistake and how you handled it.

If just answering this is a struggle, consider it a red flag. Employees who resist admitting when they’re wrong tend to be difficult to work with and often fail to grow.

7. Tell us about your perfect work environment.

This is particularly important for a salesperson, who may be used to working on a team or autonomously in the field.  Both position and culture fit are important elements to finding the right hire.

8. Describe a productivity tech tool that you adopted or learned to use on your own.

Being tech savvy is simply a must today.  One recent Salesforce study found that the highest sales performers were 8 times more likely to be heavy tech adopters than their peers.

9. When you lose a sale, do you ask prospects why they choose not to buy? If so, how do you use this information?

Salespeople who take the initiative and work to both improve their role and better handle objections are the most successful.

10. Tell me about a few of the teams you’ve worked with in the past.

Even if you’re hiring an independent salesperson, a company is a “team, ” and this question is a critical measure of someone’s experience and willingness to coordinate and compromise for the greater good.

The average turnover rate in sales is nearly 20%, which isn’t encouraging.  To ensure that one in every five new hires isn’t walking out the door within a year, take the extra time in the interviewing stage to ask the right questions and find the right people.

 

Andrew Armstrong is an independent business and market strategies consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area working primarily with technology and start-up phase clients. He founded and ran his own digital marketing agency, KickStart Search, for 6 years prior to being acquired by Los Angeles-based Wpromote in April of 2015. Follow him on Twitter @kickstartseach.

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Budgeting For Life: Financial Tools To Help Small Business Owners Stick With It!

When it comes to managing your financial life, not many get excited about the big, bad “B” word – budgeting, that is. The thought of budgeting feels like a massive burden on both your time and your energy, not only to create it but to maintain it, too. However, being able to stick with a budget based on your income and your expenses is paramount to your ongoing financial well-being.

Utilizing the following tips and tricks can give you the budgeting superpower you need to achieve the next step in your financial life:

Know Your Why.

Above all else, budgeting comes down to willpower. But just like any other new habits you try to form, it is necessary to understand the why behind your change in behavior first. Budgeting won’t do you much good if you haven’t yet taken the time to realize its overall benefits. Whether you’re trying to buy a home or other major purchase, save for retirement, pay down debt, or add to the number of travel experiences you have every year, you can’t feasibly reach your financial goals without knowing your money circumstances inside and out.

Creating a budget forces you to first take a long, hard look at the amount of money you have coming in and where that money goes each pay period or month. You have to know what you’re working with before you can come up with a plan to move forward. Once you recognize how your money is being spent, you can determine if there are places where you can cut back. Those cuts allow you to put your money to work in ways that benefit your overall financial situation and help you reach your goals for the short-, mid- and long-term.

Letting Tech Lend a Hand.

Generally speaking, technology is a beautiful thing. It allows us to have more control over our lives in a variety of ways, including managing finances in an intelligent way. If you’ve tried to create a budget in the past with an Excel spreadsheet or good ol’ pen and paper, you may find it easier to let technology do some of the heavy lifting for you.

Several tech-infused options are available to help with creating and monitoring your budget, including applications like Mint, You Need a Budget (YNAB), and Wally. While each has different features that may work well for one person more so than the next, they all have budgeting functionality which allows you to manually input income and spending, sync your bank accounts to automatically track purchases and categories, and of course, create and manage your budget with the simple click of a button.

Tapping into Your Resources.

It is not uncommon to start thinking about your journey toward budgeting when a major financial event has taken place. That could be overspending on credit, student loan management, or a new home purchase that’s put your cash flow into a bit of a pinch. When these things take place, you may have to dig deeper to figure out how your income will meet your expense needs.

If multiple debt obligations are is an issue for your budget, you may want to consider your options for consolidation. Reorganizing your debt under a long-term, fixed loan, or getting a cash infusion from a short-term lending vehicle may be the reset you need to get back on track with your budgeting goals. Consider each of your resources carefully, based on cost, added burden to your cash flow, and time of repayment before pulling the trigger.

Budgeting doesn’t have to be a bad word. Instead, you can utilize cash flow management as a way to achieve something bigger for your financial life. First, understand why a budget is necessary, and then enlist the help you need to stay on track. Think about the ways you can simplify your money situation with outside assistance, and you’ll be on your way toward your next financial goal before you know it.

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5 Habits To Turn Your Startup Dreams Into Reality

Entrepreneurs are both doers and dreamers. In the spirit of entrepreneurship, we are reckoned to go above and beyond for our business no matter big and small.

At times growth may not be as substantial as you may want it to be and you require more input or a different kind of information to add value to your business.

Therefore in the light of becoming a more successful entrepreneur, the little changes are the most significant. Therefore following simple habits can expand your network, boost your credibility and improve your work performance. Some of these habits are:

1. Make a new connection.

As an entrepreneur, you should be conversant with at least three social media accounts for branding purposes. Social media is all about getting a wider network and getting more customers for your products and services. With that said, make a point of sending invitations or Facebook request or follower requests per day.

For example, via LinkedIn, don’t send out a general invitation. Personalize the invitation to open the door to dialogue and show interest in the consumer at hand instead of appearing aloof or cliché. However, any platform that you may use ensure that you do not come across as pushy. This may be a turn off to potential customers or laxity to already loyal customers.

2. Follow a reputable, highly regarded blog.

Being in the know of what is in your industry is crucial. Lagging behind in any industry you are in may cost you more than you expect. As an entrepreneur, you should be in constant need to know about the trends and developments in your industry.

The more you know, the more credibility you have, the more trust you have. Ensure that you are in the loop of any developments and adjustments in the industry. Following a reputable blog will help you be at the top of your game.

3. Be in the business.

Always be helpful to other professionals. This is not merely networking; it’s creating business friendships and going the extra mile of cementing them. Having contacts in your phone is not enough, develop your relationship as you may not be the only one they are familiar with in the business.

Therefore share an article you feel they may find interesting; introduce them to someone that may work with cohesively; give their business a shout out on social media or invite them to business luncheons relevant to their enterprise.

Doing this will help you secure a certain level of loyalty from multiple standpoints. This, in turn, increases more referrals and consequently more customers.

4. Commit to the best.

Always put your best foot forward when it comes to all your customers. Treat the biggest client as well as the smallest client. Do not allow them to see the variations regarding service provision. This will build your repute vastly and will make each customer feel valuable. Bring your ‘A’ game to every situation and showcase your professionalism. 

5. Communication is essential.

Always ensure that you key in the correct information at all times. Communication is the basis of all business ventures. Therefore, good communication should be blatant. When emailing, writing letters, inboxes on social media should be free of spelling mistakes, poor grammar or punctuation as they will make you appear unprofessional. Ensure that you are not abrasive in all your replies, always come off as helpful and delightful in helping.

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Technologies Influencing The Future of e-Commerce

With the holiday shopping season hitting full swing in late November with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, retailers are increasingly turning to new technologies to keep pace with the demands of today’s shoppers.

Last year, the two days known for their extreme deals and bargains – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – brought in more than $5.8 billion in sales, taking the two top spots for most sales in a day. What was particularly surprising was the increase in sales for Cyber Monday, which was up 16 percent from 2015.

Wanting to cash in on these digital trends, a number of companies implemented the latest personalization, visual search and ecommerce tools this year to help boost their share of sales.

Personalization.

One of the most prevalent tools digital retailers are using is personalization. Using Artificial Intelligence technologies, personalization tools use filters and algorithms to collect unique data about you allowing for a more tailored and unique shopping experience. Unlike the collaborative filters already in use in the digital marketplace, AI creates recommendations based on a seamless customer experience across all of those channels.

Previous collaborative filters that didn’t utilize AI based their results on most viewed history, best sellers, location, and other general parameters. However, they were severely limited because they could only gather data from one channel, a problem AI personalization has solved with its multi-channel approach.

“Personalization is a multi-dimensional problem,” says Akash Bhatia, CEO of Infinite Analytics. “A lot of information gathered on shopping habits is very subtle, requiring a lot of data to be analyzed for proper personalization. With deep learning algorithms, online retailers can continuously learn every new signal as it gets uncovered to showcase personalized products better.”

Visual Search.

Visual search is also reshaping the way shoppers find merchandise. Hinging on our love of photography and visual stimulation, visual search tools enable shoppers to find exactly what they are looking for more quickly and efficiently.

Already adopted by large retailers like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, J.C. Penney, Urban Outfitters, and Home Depot, all companies that have integrated visual search tools into their mobile apps, smaller niche retailers are also implementing visual search into their digital model.

This integration is being facilitated by tech firms like Slyce that offer visual search tools customized to a specific company’s goals and needs. Slyce’s Universal Scanner utilizes the latest and most accurate image recognition software to scan, recognize and search any real world image, barcode, QR code and coupon. Users then immediately receive a list of exact matches as well as similar results based on the image or code searched.

Slyce founder Cameron Chell describes visual search as giving a ‘customer’s camera a buy button.’

“Visual search is the future of retail,” says Cameron Chell. “With visual social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat becoming more popular, we are seeing the growing potential that visual search hold. It’s easier, faster and more accurate than trying to describe a product through text.”

Mobile Payments.

By the end of this year, it is estimated that there will be more than 4.8 billion mobile phone users around the world. With more people than ever carrying a mobile phone, it comes as little surprise that there has been steady growth in the mobile payment industry.

Companies like Apple, Samsung and even Google have all released mobile payment tools and apps over the last 24 months and the growth is expected to continue well into 2020. Whether it’s digital currency, mobile apps or virtual banking, there is a mobile payment option for everyone and there are a number of new technologies in the pipeline also looking to revolutionize how people pay for goods.

“When it comes to “pay” as a feature, Apple, Android and Samsung are just the tip of the iceberg,” notes tech reporter John Rampton. “Wearable tech will be next. Don’t think that mobile payments will be limited to your smartphone or tablet.”

According to Rampant, there is also room in the mobile payment sector for a number of tech unicorns to emerge. He points to a summer report in which 39 percent of all American mobile users reported making a mobile payment in 2015. “This is up from 14 percent in 2014 and by my estimations will in the 70 percent range by 2017.”

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Getting Organized: Business Cards

by Lea Schneider

It’s a pretty sure bet that somewhere on your desk is a business card that’s not your own.

While some might tell you that keeping contact information stored in your smartphone is the only way to stay organized, there are a billion reasons why that isn’t true. Actually, there are 10 billion reasons — the number of business cards printed in a year. Clearly, the exchange of business cards isn’t a dying art.

While working as a professional organizer with small business owners, I absorbed a lot of lessons about business card usage. Tucked into desk drawers, under keyboards and wrapped into bundles with rubber bands, they often represent lost opportunity.

As we’d sort paperwork and files, creating a sense of desktop order, I’d find business cards and set them aside. Eventually, we’d work to organize all of those contacts. As we went through the cards one by one, the reaction varied from joy over finding a possible business contact they’d forgotten to not being able to recall who gave them the card or why.

Business cards provide an opportunity for business growth. The more you network, the bigger your circle grows. The more it expands, the more contacts you meet and the more chances you have to build relationships and clients.

A business card’s effectiveness as a marketing and networking tool depends on how well it is organized. Try some of these professional organizer tips for getting your cards out and managing incoming ones:

Get Your Message Out.

• Keep business cards on your person and in your vehicle. It’s hard to fit a stack into a wallet, so get in the habit of carrying a business card holder.
• Keep them displayed in a holder on your desk or reception area for clients to grab.
• Exchange business cards in twos. Give one for your new contact to keep and one for them to share.
• Attach them to printed material. Tuck them into letters you send and affix them to packages.
• Customers hang on to a colored card 10 times longer than a white one. Consider that as you create and print your card’s design.

Manage Your Collection.

Keep in mind that gathering business cards is not a game where the person with the most cards wins. The winner is the person with the most information. If you can’t remember who the card is from, why you wanted it or when you got it, there is no point to keeping the card.

• As you receive a card, take a moment to jot a note on it. Add a keyword that will remind you later if the person is a potential client, vendor or employee, or what it is they were knowledgeable about that might help you. You can also add notes that help you remember the person by noting if you met them at a particular event or were introduced by an acquaintance.
• Follow up on cards. Take a minute back at the office to shoot off a fast email. It only takes a second to say you enjoyed meeting them and offer your services.
• File cards based on the keyword you added to the card. Potential client cards become a pool that you contact again with a special promotion, follow up in a week, reach out to on social media or invite them to follow your company. Having a file of vendors or sub-contractors to turn to is handy. Being able to quickly turn to a particular category is key to using the cards.
• Don’t hesitate to toss cards that don’t relate to you. If the card seems to be a dead end, let it go. It takes enough time to keep up with the contacts you have already.
• While you can add business contacts to your smartphone, doing so can get time-consuming. Considering there are billions of cards out there, you may be taking up valuable time and data to store information you may not use. Try limiting your digital contact info to only those people you actually do business with.
• Store business cards in card file boxes and add dividers to separate them. If you plan to reach out to a person several times, create divisions in the box for first, second and third contact. Move the cards from space to space to keep track.
• You can also scan business cards and store them electronically. If you intend to follow this method, be sure to set up a regular time to scan and store. Because your electronic files are not as visible a reminder as a paper file box, set up an electronic reminder for following up with contacts.
• If you’re not good with names, consider storing the card by what you remember about that person. If you remember that they are a plumber or graphic artist, write the job title on the top of the card and file accordingly. For example, file graphic artists under “G.” A consistent routine of this will soon have all your graphic artists’ cards in one spot.

There are many ways to store and organize cards. The right way for you is one that helps you actually use the wealth of knowledge you have acquired. The only wrong way is just creating piles you eventually toss.

 

Lea Schneider is a professional organizer who helps people manage their personal and business lives. She has a toolbox of tricks and tips to help you organize your office, which includes desk organizers and storage bins. Visit The Home Depot to find all your storage needs.

 

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Why Brand Consistency Is Key When Creating Your Website

When done right, branding can be a powerful thing. There are hundreds of companies out there that most of us would instantly recognise by their logo alone, and this is something we should all aspire to achieve. One way to start is through the development of your website.

In creating your website, you need clear communication throughout in what your company represents. Confusing messages can cause problems in what you are trying to convey.

Why is brand consistency important for your site?

To put it simply, it’s your identity. Brand consistency incorporates your distinct personality in every part of your business, from your website and graphic design to your content. In the end, it helps you stand out from the competition.

It also helps to build trust. Every marketer knows most potential clients have to see an offer multiple times before purchasing. Having a continuation of your specific brand in your domain name, logo, newsletter, social media covers and writing increases exposure and soon will result in inquiries and loyal customers.

Furthermore, it can help you make more sales. Individuals browse with their eyes before buying. When there is a harmonious uniformity within your website, people are more apt to think you are a professional and they will share the content. A website design agency can ensure you have an aesthetically pleasing website and take away the headache of trying to figure it all out by yourself.

Some of the difficulties a website design agency can help you handle…

• Pick the colour scheme for your brand’s message and discuss how to utilise them for the perfect affect.
• Choose a layout for your site and format it, making it customer-friendly and easy to navigate.
• They can make sure you have the correct logo for your brand, this include the best size, and colour.
• Use the perfect fonts and style typefaces to enhance your brand name.
• Help you with photographs and graphics to complement your content.

Keeping up the consistency on your website can be a difficult task to handle unless you’re an expert. Even if you have a plan in place, it’s easy to go off course with the design and content. If you want outside help, you could look into the web development company Pelling Design who can help you to plan, build and test a consistent and creative site.

Your customers will judge your website as soon as they arrive, so to ensure a low bounce rate, you need to ensure that every aspect is professional and attractive. Use a colour scheme that can both stand out as well as represent your company. In time, if you build your business up enough, people will begin to associate those colours with you.

The same goes with all of the other content on your website. For example, it’s vital that you’re consistent with your content. You should always try and address your customers in the same way and maintain that tone of voice in the copy. This includes all of the page contents as well as the blog.

There’s a lot you’ll have to implement, but that’s where a design agency will be able to help. It may take time, but the end result will be a well-developed website that with the right marketing, will appeal to the masses.

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Don’t Let Your Employees Become Bored

Boredom spells death in many a relationship. This holds true for the employer-employee connection as well, and when employees are uninterested, their productivity drops. Their engagement and loyalty to a business sinks, and the operation as a whole suffers.

Act proactively to ensure this does not happen to your company.

Challenge Employees.

Employees thrive on challenges. Provide cross-training opportunities that let people learn more about positions in other departments; well-rounded employees collaborate better, too. Encourage your workers to pursue diverse forms of education (for example, they can learn more about WSU’s MBA here). Use tuition payments or tuition reimbursement programs to show your sincerity.

Give your employees independence. Trust them to get their work done; no micromanagement necessary. Of course, it is possible that some employees will not rise to the challenge. You can replace them with people who better fit the culture of your business.

Get Everyone Involved in Marketing.

Marketing has become something that should involve all aspects and all departments of a business, and it has grown past simply publishing a website and a text-based blog. For example, this infographic shows that short-form video on platforms such as Instagram and Vine can drive customer engagement.

No matter what a person’s specific job is, the person can, and should, get involved in marketing. A computer programmer could help make a short recruitment video or write a blog post filled with pictures about tips on becoming a computer programmer. Consumers love educational and relevant content. Use infographics, comics, memes, SlideShare presentations, and much more to engage employees in marketing your business.

Focus on Results.

One way to avoid boredom is to prioritize results based on clocking in and out at certain times. In fact, employees who telecommute and who meet via, say, video chat, can be just as productive, or more productive, than employees who are together in a physical location. The choice of whether to telecommute can promote a better work-life balance and gives employees a sense of being in control. Some companies even allow unlimited vacation time; people can enjoy time off as long as they communicate and their work is done satisfactorily.

Cut the Fluff.

Meetings. Tons of emails. Piles of administrative busywork. All are pieces of “fluff” that drain productivity and lead to boredom. Explore standing instead of sitting during meetings; standing cuts meeting length, leads to more efficiency, and is better overall for your health. Standing also gives employees more time to focus on the tasks that matter to them. Another option is to have walking meetings and/or meetings that take place outside. Promote the writing of succinct emails, and investigate cloud or software programs that use automation to cut down on responsibilities such as data entry.

There are many ways to ensure that employees do not become bored. Perhaps the most important — and not mentioned on the list above — is to give them meaningful and valuable work that they care about. Otherwise, strategies such as cutting the fluff, focusing on results, and challenging employees are liable to fall flat. A solid base of an employee-position-company compatibility fit must exist in the first place.

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Workplace Laws Most Important For Entrepreneurs And Emerging Companies In 2017

By Jason Brown, associate in the San Francisco office of Fisher Phillips

Independent contractors, interns, wage exemptions, hiring and firing, trade secrets… these are the most common concerns that impact entrepreneurs and emerging companies. Most young companies face ambitious tasks in the realm of funding, securities, corporate formation, insurance, intellectual property, and compliance; however, for many of these companies, it is the people that come and go that will have the most significant impact. Decisions on hiring, firing, and employee classification are often the most difficult to navigate legally, and trade secret theft is always a looming threat.

Classification.

Classification is the way in which a company defines employees, independent contractors, interns, owners, partners, and exempt salespersons. For an emerging business, the word “employee” tends to be the least attractive option for a number of economic reasons. This year, due to the numerous state and federal laws in place to protect employees and make sure they are properly designated, we saw an increase in the number of lawsuits filed against employers. In 2017, we will likely see an increase in the number of cases, which can involve a single employee or an entire class, challenging the company’s decision to classify a worker as anything other than an employee. What makes these cases scary is that under both state and federal laws, significant penalties may be imposed on employers, and lawmakers will continue to view any creativity in classification as negative.

That doesn’t mean that these models are toxic. In fact, for most emerging companies and entrepreneurs, hiring independent contractors or interns and establishing creative ownership structures can be an effective means to building business with very little cost of labor. Generally, interns can be used if they are primarily in training, while independent contractors and consultants can be used if they are given complete autonomy to provide the service requested. Furthermore, salespersons can be exempt if they are paid certain thresholds and are paid under certain properly structured conditions. Businesses can create company ownership structures via stock allocation that eliminate the need to designate someone an employee at all. For example, in 2017, it will still be possible to have someone legally “work for free,” but it must be under specific conditions recognized by federal and state law. Eventually, the company will grow, the compliance and human resources functions will develop further, and employees will most likely emerge as the preferred classification. But until then, there are other classification options that can be deployed, so long as they are reviewed closely and carefully and adhere to all laws.

Retaliation.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) releases stats annually on the number and type of claims it receives and processes. According to recent findings, the trend is clear. Retaliation is the #1 filing with the EEOC, and it has consistently been the top legal filing at all levels. But what is retaliation exactly? It is an examination of behavior after the allegation, and it is a major problem for emerging companies and entrepreneurs. Because of potential federal changes in 2017, it will be hard to predict at this time whether claims for race discrimination, gender discrimination, and disability discrimination (the other three major filings) will increase or decrease. But it can be certain that retaliation will stay, because it is unrelated to any of these. Retaliation arises far more from ego, emotion, business necessity, and employee malingering than from actual discriminatory conduct – and that is what many entrepreneurs fail to recognize. Retaliation prevention also takes the most sophisticated form of compliance to prevent, so emerging companies often either don’t realize it is occurring, or don’t have the resources to prevent it. 2017 will undoubtedly continue to see retaliation claims being foremost among claims for wrongful hiring and firing, and should be a major concern for the compliance-minded entrepreneur.

Trade Secrets Protections.

In the world of copyright, patent, and trademark laws, trade secrets tend to be the outsider, and for good reason. Trade secrets are very different from the other forms of intellectual property, as it is softer and more flexible, but also more prone to covert theft and clandestine mobility. Trade secrets disputes can be expensive, can involve lengthy legal battles, and will always pit a person against the company that they left. Emerging companies and entrepreneurs cannot afford to have their confidential work, client lists, and proprietary models taken, but they also cannot keep those secrets locked in a vault. Most employees have access to information in its entirety, and we now live in a world in which employees tend to change employers more often than ever before. 2017 will continue to move toward this trend of increased employee mobility, and less safeguards for employers on things like drug tests, background checks, permissible interview questions, and others. With increased employee mobility and less questions, illegal trade secret mobility must be a critical concern for entrepreneurs and emerging companies, and this is equally important whether the company is losing an employee or gaining one from somewhere else. Having the proper policies and contracts in place to avoid the improper transfer of trade secrets in either direction could be the difference between an amicable transition and a lawsuit.

The Big Picture.

For entrepreneurs and emerging companies, now is a dynamic time. 2017 will bring a big change to the federal political landscape, and with it will be changes to federal workplace laws – changes that many think will be favorable to employers. But make no mistake, worker classification, retaliation, and trade secrets will continue to be on the top of the list for workplace law compliance for entrepreneurs and emerging companies, and having clear plans for addressing each of these issues should be the core focus for 2017.

 

Jason Brown is an associate in the San Francisco office of Fisher Phillips. Jason focuses on litigation prevention and litigation defense, as well as generally advising management and human resources professional on the myriad issues that arise in the California workplace.

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The 4 Barriers To Starting A Business And How You Can Solve Them

Some of us are simply born with the entrepreneurial mindset. There is nothing more appealing than having the ability to go out into the world, make our mark, and support ourselves while we’re doing it. It takes a certain kind of person to withstand all the pressures of self-employment, but the rewards are virtually unlimited. Unfortunately, most people are a force to give up before they start. Some of the hardest parts of business ownership need to be addressed before you even begin.

Here are the 4 things that are stopping you from starting your business, and what you can do about them:

An Idea.

While this may seem basic, many people want to work for themselves but have no idea where to start. It’s easy to write off your ideas. Many of them may be good, but the threats of failure make it easy to write off. Here’s the trick, you don’t always have to do something new. There are lots of good business ideas that aren’t the next billion-dollar corporation. All you need to do is solve a problem in your life. Then, package this solution to help other people. It’s often the simple, reproducible solutions that are the most profitable.

Money.

Staff, and office, sales people, material, the list just seems to go on. No matter what you start, there is always an issue of finding a way to pay for it. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest issues to solve. Some banks will issue quick cash loans with nothing more than a sound plant. This is probably the first place to start. Alternately, look for ways that you can offer your product at a discount, in exchange for your customers financing your operation. Crowdfunding is the best example. Without money, these ideas wouldn’t exist. If a market exists, you’ll be able to finance it yourself.

Customers.

You’ve got the idea, and you’ve got the money to build the product. Now, how do you find people to buy the product? All you have to do is ask yourself where you would go. There are lots of opportunities for guerrilla marketing, or taking advantage of nontraditional channels to find clients. Join discussion groups. Give samples to market influencers. If you’re truly passionate about your product, you’ll have no problem finding ways to get it in front of the eyes of people who could use it.

Respect.

This might seem a little narcissistic, but respect is very important in the business world. When you’re trying to leverage relationships, you’ll be taken advantage of if your potential partners don’t see the value in both yourself and your idea. Fortunately, you only need two things to earn respect. You need a sound business plan and self-respect. It’s common to be aware of the challenges you face, and you might even have doubts. But as long as you can say confidently that you’re the best person for the job, then others will be able to see that.

These ideas might all seem pretty simple, but these are the four most common reasons potential entrepreneurs give up on their dreams. If you can handle these four challenges, you’re surely ready for whatever else the capitalist market throws at you.

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4 Ways Restaurant Entrepreneurs Can Get Ahead Of Competition Using Technology

by Nate Vickery, editor-in-chief of Bizzmarkblog.com

With the development of technology and tech industries, all aspects of our lives are irrevocably and permanently changed. Just think about our everyday lives! We usually take for granted that technology is now advancing more than ever before – changing our environment, making us more connected, changing the way we work, play and eat. Yes, that’s right! New technologies are definitely changing our old habits, but they are also transforming our industries. The restaurant industry is one of them.

When it comes to the restaurant industry, on the surface it seems that it hasn’t changed much over time. Many restaurants still rely on very basic technologies, but there are plenty of them which have taken advantage of the latest advancement in technology. For example, many restaurants now feature online menus, online ordering or online reservations.

Furthermore, the restaurant industry is now unimaginable without restaurant software systems, mobile apps, social media campaigns or automated services. And what about those in the industry who wait too long? They are simply left behind by both the competition and customers.

Having that said, let me show you 4 ways you can use technology as part of your success recipe:

Online payments.

Today’s consumers are slowly moving away from using cash, or even credit cards, as their central currency and adopting more advanced forms of online payments such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay. It is crucial for restaurants to integrate these payment methods in their everyday business in order to accommodate to users.

Especially younger ones! Maybe they are not the biggest spenders at restaurants because of their income, but they are dining out regularly. They have the tendency to use restaurants as a place to gather with their friends, so it’s of great importance for restaurants to know their needs and their unique way of socialising. So-called Millennials, who are currently between the ages of 20 and 35, tend to see technology as their most defining characteristic, so making available for them to use new online payment methods is very important.

Automated services.

In some years from now, maybe we will be experiencing a kind of revolution in the restaurant industry. Our restaurant experience is perhaps going to be fully automated in a near future.

Nowadays, automation is slowly transforming the restaurant industry. Online reservations, touch screens that enable you to customise your meals, new online paying methods, just to name a few automation processes that will change the way our restaurants function. A major reason why these technologies are successful today is consumer preference. Simply put, consumers appreciate the speed, order accuracy and enjoyment of using touch screens, for example, when ordering food. Believe it or not, but Millennials will be very satisfied with the opportunity to implement these technologies in their restaurant experience. And you, as a restaurant entrepreneur, will get increased productivity, reduced costs, and satisfied and loyal consumers.

Employee productivity.

Before we enter the era of fully automated restaurants and robots that prepare your delicious meals, having a hard working employee is key to maximising your restaurant success. When your staff works hard, then your customers are more happy, more loyal, and definitely much more likely to return to your place. And how can you use technology to improve your staff productivity? Let me show you.

The most important task any restaurant must cope with every single day is proper scheduling. There are cloud-based software, for example, that enables you to take full control of maybe the most difficult task you face every day, and that’s work scheduling.

There are so many positions to manage – servers, kitchen staff, bartenders, dishwashers – so many tasks to be completed, so many details. Take kitchen labour shifts. With cloud-based software that will help you manage it easily and more accurately, both you and your kitchen staff will be more relaxed, spending less time scheduling and more on customer satisfaction. It will greatly improve your business and will keep you ahead of the competition.

More consumer data.

And finally, another great way to use technology in your restaurant business is to gather and interpret mass customer data. What that exactly mean? It means that restaurants could greatly improve their service by capturing all kinds of information with the right technology. From the type of people you serve at your restaurant to the types of food they like to eat, how satisfied they are with your service and how often they return to your place, all the information is very valuable, especially for small and local restaurants.

By leveraging consumer data, restaurants can make more personalised recommendations, inform their customers about new meals or drinks, or offer them promotions that are most relevant to them. Also, having feedback from your customers can truly and immensely improve the quality of your service.

It seems that technology and restaurants are rapidly co-evolving together. Consumers want to see new technologies become part of their restaurant experience, and restaurant entrepreneurs and employees want technology that will bring them less stress and more productivity and success. Now you see that all this is possible!

 

Nate Vickery is a business technology consultant mostly engaged in management and marketing for SMB and startups. Nate is also the editor-in-chief at a business oriented blog Bizzmarkblog.com.

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7 Ways To Master The Art Of Running A One-Person Business

By Greg Waldorf, CEO of Invoice2go

Being a one-man or woman-show is a tough gig, but for someone taking the leap of faith on a business idea, and taking control of your own destiny outside the 9 to 5, it can be extremely rewarding too. There are many solopreneur success stories out there. Some of these businesses are founded by people who are passionate about a cause, like Saha Global’s mission to help with the world water crisis, others are entrepreneurs seeking to fill an underserved niche, as these 12 business owners did. Despite their differences, all of them had one thing in common: they succeeded by learning the art of running a one-person business and by focusing on a few key elements.

Here are the top tips for running a successful business on your own:

1. Take full advantage of your most productive times.

Reflect on what your most productive hours in the day are, and set yourself up for success within those hours. If you’re thinking clearest and working most effectively in the early morning hours, block those hours out for your most important work. Don’t waste those precious hours on cleaning out your email or reworking your schedule.

2. Actively manage your cash flow.

Income can be sporadic when you’re a solo business owner. By taking an active role in managing cash flow, you can smooth out ups and downs and be more in control. Apps like Invoice2go enable you to invoice your clients immediately from your mobile phone, and collect online payments straight from the invoice. The longer you wait to send an invoice, and the more difficult you make it to pay, the longer they’ll take to pay you. According to the Federal Reserve’s Cash Product’s Office, 65% of people prefer paying by debit and credit card, over cash or checks. Give people the payment options they expect, track who still owes you money, and follow up on unpaid invoices.

3. Streamline all your administrative tasks.

It’s incredible how much time people waste doing simple admin tasks the long, manual way. If you spend hours figuring out your expenses at the end of the week, you can likely tighten your process. Receipt capture apps are great for keeping track of expenses as you incur them. If you are filing papers away in a physical file, you’re probably losing time every time you need to search, scan, and email a copy to someone else. Use cloud-storage through Google Drive or Dropbox so you can do all these tasks online in seconds.

4. Delegate to get stuff done.

The idea of delegating out tasks may seem counterintuitive, but with a host of online tools designed specifically to help business owners like you, you can get creative with using outside talent. Decide what takes up the most time out of your day. If it’s writing, research, or admin work, hire freelancers via the likes of Upwork. Even physical jobs like setting up a home office, or doing computer repairs can be outsourced easily with sites like Thumbtack which help you find pros in your area that can get the job done for you.

5. Pin down your elevator pitch.

Everyone knows what an elevator pitch is, but many underestimate the importance of investing the time and energy into getting it right. Being able to communicate this in an engaging, convincing way will help you not only attract new customers, but also get others in your network enthusiastic about what you’re doing. It can also help you stay focused on your goals, and keep you steered in the right direction as your business evolves. Main points to hit: What do you value? Who are your customers? What problem does your business solve?

6. Put effort into your existing customers.

Running a solo business means time is precious. You don’t have a marketing and advertising team. But what you do have is word-of-mouth, and this comes from happy, loyal customers. Whether it’s your first, 20^th or 500^th customer, encourage them to share their feedback with you and with others. You could include customer testimonials on your website or ask customers to leave reviews on relevant sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook or TripAdvisor. This will let you know how you’re doing and will encourage other people to seek you out. Maintain honesty and loyalty to your brand and customers. Offer incentives to encourage repeat business, and make them feel appreciated by writing a thank you note or just sending a personal email to let them know they’re valued. The small details can go a long way.

7. Avoid burnout at all costs.

Work is necessary and fulfilling, but you also have a life apart from your business. It’s important to establish the line between running your business and time for yourself, and ultimately determine what is most important to you. For Craig, the owner of Dent Tech of Lexington, being available for quality family time is the priority. His number one tip on achieving balance while running a business is, “Be consistent and accountable in setting a firm schedule that dictates when you start and finish work each day. When a firm schedule is set, it’s easy to stick to it.” Things like exercise and adequate sleep are also critical for getting your mind and body ready for the work day.

Mastering the art of being a solopreneur takes time and commitment. You’ll make mistakes, so let go of perfection and work steadily toward your goals. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so give your business time to grow while also making time for you.

 

Greg Waldorf is CEO of Invoice2go and is responsible for driving global expansion of the business. He has a long history of involvement with leading technology businesses. Prior to joining Invoice2go, Greg was affiliated with Accel Partners as CEO-in-residence. Greg also served as CEO of eHarmony from 2006-2010 where he drove significant global growth through an expansion to 15 countries worldwide.

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Gold Falls And Crude Oil Rises As U.S. Elections Dominates News

As the financial market experienced some firming of risk appetite at the beginning of the trading week, crude oil prices rose significantly alongside shares as gold prices plunged. Donald Trump was elected as the new president of the United States, and this also caused the price of the dollar to plunge. While the economy is looking uncertain, and may remain this way into the near future, there has never been a better time to invest in gold.

Election Results.

As the U.S. election dominates the news, financial markets are suffering from a degree of uncertainty which will be set to continue with the Trump victory. Futures tracking both U.S. and European stock benchmarks are currently pointing firmly higher, with hints that risk-on dynamics are likely to carry forward during the forthcoming months. In this regard, a relatively quiet economic data pocket is likely to help. Political news remains a crucial consideration for the financial market; however, knee-jerk volatility is increasingly more concerning as markets weigh up the impact of the Trump presidency and what this will ultimately mean for the U.S. economy.

Investing in Gold.

The drop in gold prices has been taken advantage of by a number of commodities investors, with now being the best time to take the plunge if you are thinking of opening a gold IRA or 401(k) through Goldco Precious Metals. Once again, gold prices have challenged the $1,300/oz figure, falling to $1,292.75 per troy ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange Comex division. Along with this, commodities investors interested in crude oil may want to use the market instability to their advantage, with crude oil prices falling for a sixth consecutive day, the longest losing streak experienced by this industry in the last four months.

Why Invest in Commodities Now?

The drop in prices of commodities such as gold or crude oil has made now a prime time to make investments. The uncertainty and instability of the current financial market means investors can take advantage of lower prices and a variety of bargains, if they know where to buy. Commodities are becoming an increasingly popular choice for many investors, as they reduce risk by creating less portfolio volatility. Along with that, investing in certain commodities can also help to increase the strength and weight of various stocks, such as metal mining companies. However, for those considering investing in commodities, experts advise entering the market at the right time, which is to say when prices are advantageous, in order to avoid as much risk as possible.

The uncertainty surrounding the economy in the wake of the U.S. presidential election is creating a high level of instability in the financial markets, with prices of gold and crude oil at lows that haven’t been seen in months. This presents a great opportunity for investors who are willing to take the risk. With a few weeks to go, though, until Trump is in the White House, there is time to monitor the conditions of the market before investing.

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How To Use Technology To Enhance Your Business

Keeping up with all the latest gadgets and gizmos can be tiring, especially in this fast-paced digital age. However, in business, in can be essential for keeping ahead of the game, especially when trying to compete with the big leagues. Your staff may be the most competent and efficient human beings available, but equipped with ancient tech, you might as well be taking fists to a gunfight.

In order to arm yourself against the business giants, here is some technology that you should be picking up right now:

Cloud-based Storage.

Don’t shell out on an expensive shared network. Use the Cloud to store your files and documents for free and save up on storage space. Cloud technology also allows users to access the same document remotely and work on it together – a great training tool for correcting other people’s work. You can also set up all your emails to be sent to the cloud to free up storage space in your inbox. This magical technology also makes it much easier to send huge files that before were a mission to send by email. Popular services include Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.

Digital Timesheets.

Keeping a record of employees’ hours can be a real headache. Why not use Avaza for it? This software is one of many digital timesheet programmes available on the market that can do all the calculations for you quickly and efficiently. You’ll no longer be prodding around on a calculator, manually trying to work out people’s overtime and sick pay. Timers can also be set to find out that exact time an employee starts work – a great way of keeping an eye on those working remotely.

Video-calling.

There’s no need waste time and fuel travelling miles to have a twenty minute meeting with someone. Simply use Skype or another video-calling service and host the meeting from the comfort of your office chair. Video-calling allows you to still have that face-to-face interaction unavailable on a phone, so you can actually see the person you’re talking to. You can also give presentations this way and share images and diagrams. A pub lunch may be a good excuse for a nice meal. But it can be time-consuming and in a busy office environment, time is everything.

Smartphone/tablet/laptop.

Many business owners still use nothing but desktop computers, because they seem more ‘professional’. However there are bounteous business uses to going portable. Having a portable device means that you can work on the move, when you commute, when you’re at home, whenever you need to. It may be worth buying a smartphone or tablet purely for business use, to separate your personal life from your work life. There’s nothing worse than meeting your friends in the evening and getting a constant stream of work email alerts. Similarly you can demonstrate things to clients on your business phone/tablet without personal texts and social media messages popping up.

By all means, keep your desktop computer too so that you still have that steady workplace. Just know that you don’t have to be rooted to your desk to work.

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Climb the Ladder Of Intentionality To Unleash Your Potential

by Jeremy Cage, President of The Cage Group and author of “All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work“

Most of us will die full of potential – and that includes businesses as well as people. One of the key drivers of this phenomenon is the lack of intentionality. We all have dreams – for our businesses, our careers and our lives – but far too often we lack the intentionality to make them happen.

Enter “the ladder of intentionality.” I love the metaphor of the ladder, because the higher you climb, the scarier it gets. And so it is with intentionality. But getting to the top also means that you dramatically reduce the chances that you, or your business, will die full of potential.

The First Rung: Think About It.

Let’s start on the lowest rung of the ladder – where many of our thoughts and dreams reside. This is not an unimportant rung on the ladder, because all our great thoughts and plans have to start somewhere. You’re musing to yourself over a nice hot cup of coffee while listening to your favorite music on your playlist. “Mmm – maybe, one day, I’ll become a rock star, start a business, get a degree, you name it…”. Many of these thoughts and dreams enter your consciousness, bounce around a bit – then leave – almost without a trace. No one, other than you, even knows you’ve had the thought – so there’s no-one to hold you accountable. Not even yourself. There is literally NO intentionality here.

The Second Rung: Write It Down.

Now a couple of those ideas might stick around – and when that happens, it’s time to climb up to the next rung of the ladder of intentionality. On this rung, it’s time to write these thoughts or dreams down. Just by doing this simple act, you are becoming more intentional. Someone could read them and hold you accountable! And by the way – that someone could be you. We love ‘to-do’ lists because they help us hold ourselves accountable for getting the things we need to get done, done (and we derive great satisfaction scratching them out when the task is complete). If, after writing them down, a couple of dreams are still sticking around and getting you excited – then it’s time for the next rung.

The Third Rung: Declare It Out Loud.

Here on the third rung of the ladder, it’s time to actually declare your thought or dream out loud! Now your level of intentionality has kicked into a whole new gear – because it is your WORD. You are sharing with friends, family, and colleagues that you have this dream or that dream, and you fully intend to make it happen. Depending on the nature of the dream, you may be met with either enthusiasm, support, skepticism or opposition. In my experience, it’s usually a combination of all four. My counsel here is to start with your inner circle – the people you trust. At least then you know that the reactions you’re getting are coming from people you know care about you. If you remain determined after having declared your intention out loud, then you are well on your way – but still not on the highest rung of the ladder.

The Top Rung: Get Others Talking About It.

The highest rung on the ladder of intentionality is when you get others talking about it. You have declared your dream and your intention to realize that business or personal dream with such passion, conviction and specificity, that everybody is talking about it, and you’d actually be letting them down too (in addition to yourself) by not following through. JFK was a master at this. He did not just write a memo at his desk that we were going to send a man to the moon and bring him back safely to earth within a decade (when we had no idea how to do it by the way). He did not just tell his friends, family and colleagues. No – he declared it out loud during a joint session of Congress in May 1961, and in such a compelling way that not only was everyone in the US talking about it, everyone around the world was talking about it. It drove everyone to action, and we got there and back in 1969 – well ahead of schedule!

Not every dream has to be a ‘Get to the Moon’ big dream. They come in all shapes and sizes. But don’t just let them sit on the bottom rung of the ladder. Don’t let them, or you die full of potential. Climb up the ladder and make them happen.

 

Jeremy Cage, author of “All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work“, is President of The Cage Group, which focuses on unleashing the full potential of businesses and people throughout the world. He has held senior management positions at Procter and Gamble and PepsiCo; served as CEO of The Lighting Science Group; has lived and worked in Sweden, England, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and the United States; and took 16 months to sail around the world with his family. Cage is also co-founder of several start-up companies in the areas of healthy foods and nutrition.

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5 Hacks For Streamlined IT Efforts

by Ashley Walsh, VP of Marketing for Formstack

IT problems can create major setbacks for small and medium businesses. Staying on task and accomplishing goals becomes a problem when technology needs get in the way. Resolving tech issues quickly and efficiently allows businesses to focus on more important projects that better the company as a whole.

Below are five time-saving hacks to streamline IT efforts and enhance overall performance and success throughout your business:

Hack 1: Standardize Service Requests.

IT departments often spend large chunks of their time addressing service requests. When these requests are complex and unorganized, IT teams can be overrun with chaos. Keep things simple and avoid the burden by using online IT service request forms. These forms create a standardized workflow or structured process that allows departments to quickly submit requests while helping the IT team compile the necessary information in an organized space.

Hack 2: Use Templates Whenever Possible.

Frequently used forms and documents can be easily transformed into reusable templates that eliminate the process of writing the same information over and over and, instead, allow you to simply add minor updates when necessary. Your team can build a template for responses to common maintenance issues or get a head start and streamline the approach by providing a standardized form with FAQs.

Hack 3: Eliminate Unnecessary Meetings.

Maximize productivity and avoid wasted time by cutting meeting times or eliminating unnecessary meetings all together. Intuitive information-gathering tools and internal communication platforms, like online form builders or HipChat, can replace a physical meeting by allowing team members to quickly share written information. For example, a project proposal form can gather project details in one place, all while using project management functions to notify team members and managers of pending approvals. With this technology, your team can save time and focus on more important priorities.

Hack 4: Implement a Project Management Tool.

Task and project management tools like Jell or Basecamp can also help eliminate unnecessary meetings. Using these tools to share status updates and project progress allows all team members to stay in the loop. IT departments often have many projects to tackle at once. By using a project management platform, they can manage their various priorities, tasks and communications in one place—instead of communicating through email, instant messages and other sources.

Hack 5: Keep Important Information Organized and Accessible.

Being able to easily find asset information, such as serial numbers, passwords and other security details, is crucial for an IT department. One way to avoid wasted time searching for this type of information is to have new employees fill out a standard IT information form during the new-hire process. The IT department can then collect asset information in one place and limit future search efforts.

Conclusion.

Although the IT team can provide an easy maintenance fix, there are many other priorities for this department to tackle. The IT department keeps the business functioning through managing assets, responding to service requests and controlling all technology functions. These five hacks will help your team members streamline IT processes, which will ultimately give them more time to focus on overall business performance and success.

 

Ashley Walsh has worked in multiple areas of the B2B marketing sector and is currently the Director of Marketing for Formstack, an online form building solution based in Indianapolis.

 

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Top 10 Considerations Of Medical Website Design

In this contemporary era, more and more medical business owners are realizing that having a great website can empower them to attain new patients and optimize their conversion rates. If you’re new to the world of web design and want to know how you can use it to your medical company’s advantage, this is the article for you.

Below you will find the top 10 considerations you should keep in mind as you plan to put a website together:

1. Content, Content, Content.

Many digital marketing experts believe that content is the single most important form of online advertising that an individual can engage in. This is so for numerous reasons. First, content is typically the primary resource that an online reader/viewer will use to develop an impression of your brand. Additionally, content is a tool that can be used to make your company go viral. Specifically, if someone chooses to share one of your medical videos or web articles via Twitter, that piece of content has the potential of reaching millions of people in a matter of minutes. With all of this in mind, developing absolutely amazing content for your website is not just important. It is imperative.

2. The Call To Action.

In addition to ensuring that your medical website has excellent content, you want to focus on developing an incredible call to action. This helps ensure that your prospective client or current patient is motivated to perform an action that will somehow contribute to your business. This could be anything from making an appointment to joining a referral program. The call to action should be concise and clever. An example would be “Don’t Delay-Sign Up Now And Get 50% Off Today!”

3. Website Layout.

Many online users report that they will not do business with a company that has an unappealing or sloppy website. As such, you need to focus on optimizing the aesthetic appeal of your website. There are many graphic elements that can be used to realize this objective, and some of them include: colors, backgrounds, templates, and layouts.

4. Mobile Friendliness.

When you start the web design process, make sure that all of your product pages are mobile friendly. This technique ensures that people who use mobile devices experience no challenges or frustrations when accessing your medical pages. You can accomplish this objective by utilizing responsive web design techniques.

5. E-Newsletters.

E-newsletters are important when you’re marketing your medical company via Internet. The newsletter enables you to remain in constant contact with your current patients and prospective clients. Be sure you have a region of the website dedicated to asking visitors to sign up for your free e-newsletter.

6. Blog.

While having a great medical website is important, so is maintaining an incredible blog. Blogs are important because they generally enable you to engage your audience in a personal manner that helps accelerate the relationship-building process. You can optimize results from this strategy by periodically or regularly posting Q & A blog posts that enable your audience to ask questions and receive answers directly from you.

7. Share Buttons.

Share Buttons are a wonderful web design and development tool that can be used to make your medical brand go viral. When people click your Share Buttons, they will be sharing your content with everyone in their social networks. This tool can take your conversion rates from average to awesome.

8. Target Market Research.

No matter how amazing your website is, it won’t matter if you’re not tailoring it to your audience. This is why conducting target market research is so important. Taking this step ensures that the language and images you use to brand your medical company will appeal to the individuals who are most likely to invest in your services.

9. Hiring The Right Web Design And Development Team.

Unless you’re a digital expert, you probably need a team of professional web design and development mavens to put together your medical site. When you start looking for the right team, make sure that you locate a firm that conforms to all of the following attributes:

• positive online reviews from former or current clients
• fair pricing
• industry experience (preferably 10 years or more)

Also make sure that you locate a web design and development firm that can offer comprehensive services. Some of those services will include:

• content marketing
• social media marketing
• link building
• online reputation management
• keyword analysis
• responsive web design

Solution21 is one example of such medical website design company with hundreds of clients served and a wide range of complementary services such as medical SEO.

10. Do Your Own Research.

While hiring a professional team of web experts is important, so is doing your own research. Knowing how the world of digital marketing works will empower you to make prudent decisions regarding the form and content of your website. You can use resources like the website Search Engine Land to attains valuable information and web-building tips that help make your site as amazing as possible.

Don’t Delay: Obtain Excellent Medical Web Design Services Today!

If you want your medical business to grow, know that maintaining a great website can help you realize the goal. Use the information and advice outlined above to get on the road to developing a dynamic online presence for your medical brand!

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Turning Ride Sharing Into A Superb Moneymaking Opportunity

The sharing economy is really transforming the way we live. Instead of doing things as individuals, there is so much more to be achieved by working together and sharing. Ride sharing is a particularly successful industry based on the principles of sharing economy. Companies like Uber and Lyft are growing at a staggering rate as the market grows just as rapidly.

Ride sharing offers a lot of opportunities to make money. You can work in your own time and still make a living driving for the companies and services we have today. Here are some interesting insights to know before you get started:

Make Money from the Start.

Ride sharing service providers are looking for more cars and drivers to keep up with the increasing demand. As a result, it is not surprising to find interesting offers being made available for drivers, especially new drivers who are just getting started.

Take a look into Lyft driver promotion and you’ll think you’re seeing a typo. Believe me; you’re not. Lyft does offer a whopping $5,000 bonus for new drivers joining the company’s fleet. This is a sign-up bonus designed to help you stay profitable from the start.

These bonuses are tied to certain terms. With the Lyft driver promotion we talked about earlier, you need to give a certain number of rides before you can claim the sign-up bonus. Of course, you’re still getting paid normally for each ride, so it’s win-win for the driver.

Set Your Own Pace.

You don’t have to be a full time driver to make money. A lot of drivers who are working for Uber, Lyft and other similar services actually drive part-time, taking passengers only at select times. Since there are so many orders to benefit from, you can drive at any time of the day and make as much money as you like.

A good approach to the sharing economy is to pace yourself. Instead of driving as much as possible, don’t forget to allow yourself some leisure time. Allocating 4 to 5 hours a day for driving is already more than enough for most drivers trying to make a living from the sharing economy.

Setting a pace you’re comfortable with will help you avoid burn-out. You can keep up a high level of service and provide your customers with the best experience possible when you’re fresh and highly motivated.

Get Started!

The last thing to know about ride sharing is the best time to get started. That time is right now. Don’t wait. The market is growing at an incredible rate; if there’s a perfect time to take advantage of the increasing demand, that time is now.

Signing up as a driver is easy. You still have to go through several verification steps, but this is so that the service providers can maintain the standards they have. You’ll start accepting passengers and making money from ride sharing in no time at all. Don’t forget to claim the sign-up bonus and meet the terms associated with the bonus for a nice boost of income.

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How Parcel Tracking Has Changed The Parcel Delivery Process

Sending packages a few years back was a daunting procedure as you would have to take your parcel to the post office, stand in the queue to pay for it and then leave it under a charge of the post office authorities for safe couriering. After this lengthy procedure, you can expect your parcel to be delivered successfully at the mentioned address within a few days.

However, till the parcel is delivered, you cannot breathe a puff of relief because once it is in transit, a lot of things can happen. And by a lot of things, includes bad things too – like your parcel can be lost, or it may not get delivered at all or can be delayed for months, whatsoever. With no parcel tracking system, people faced a lot of difficulties in hunting their parcels for days and nights. Countless phone calls to the courier company and walking up to the nearest courier offices often didn’t solve the problem. Hence, welcome parcel tracking system – reliable and the most efficient solution launched by parcel delivery companies. With technological modifications and the advent of the internet, efficient tracking systems have been launched by parcel delivery companies worldwide.

Once you decide to send parcels through an online parcel delivery company, you will be ushered with myriad facilities and beneficial services and one such integral service is allowing the customers to keep a tab on their package as it travels to a lot of places before it reaches its destination. Tracking of packages has made lives simpler and easier, especially for those whose loved ones live across the globe.

The parcel delivery guys will dispatch your parcel after doing the necessary formalities and to keep you updated about the location of your parcel will present you a unique tracking code, which will give you access to the interior operations of the parcel delivery company and the exact location of where your parcel was last received.

The parcel in transit will be stamped with a barcode sticker, which will be related to the tracking code given to you by your courier company. Now, as parcel enters and leaves different centers, the barcode will be scanned each time and these scanning results will be updated on the company’s databases. And from there, you will receive the status of your parcel and once you know your parcel is in safe hands and have reached halfway you will be instantly at ease and tension-free.

Soon after the delivery is completed, the company will notify you by sending an email in which they will confirm you that the package has been safely received by the recipient along with the exact date, time and a digitally scanned signature of the person who received the package. All of this ensures clear transparency and credibility of the job done.

The entire procedure of tracking of a parcel is very simple and easy using top parcel tracking system. What you have to do is just visit their website and type the unique tracking code. The rest that will follow will surely give you the peace of mind you want.

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The 3 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Entering The Competitive Travel Marketplace

Despite the perceived impact of Brexit, small businesses in the UK appear excited about the prospect of a future outside of the EU. SMEs are planning with renewed confidence ahead of 2017, with the level of business sentiment having risen by a staggering 11% during the last financial quarter.

Such confidence is sure to be alluring to aspiring entrepreneurs, many of whom may be tempted to launch their own ventures as a result. Business success relies on more than a strong economy and positive sentiment, however, particularly when entering competitive market spaces where start-ups must compete with far more established competition.

3 of the Biggest Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make When Entering a Competitive Space. 

The failure to recognise is this is just one of the many mistakes that travel entrepreneurs, in particular, make when starting out in the competitive market, but it is far from the only.

Business class flights and luxury holiday market leaders JustFlyBusiness have listed the three other errors that have the potential to derail even the brightest business ideas:

1. Failing to Plan or Scale Towards Future Growth.

Let’s start with what is arguably the single biggest mistake, as failing to plan or scale towards future growth can be extremely detrimental. Most importantly, it can prevent a business from growing organically in line with demand, as it remains bound by a restrictive infrastructure and lack of funds.

To resolve this, entrepreneurs must have detailed two, five and 10 year business plans in place from the outset. While there must be room for flexibility, such plans at least offer an indication of how they intend to develop their business over time. Beyond this, they must also consider ways of boosting their working capital and generating income, whether this is through diversification or external investment.

The travel industry is ever-changing, and with external factors significantly changing the popularity of certain destinations, it does make it difficult to completely ‘future-proof’ your business strategy.

2. Not Delegating Work and Responsibility.

When managing a business, there are two main types of tasks; strategic and non-strategic. While the former relate to the optimisation of profit through activities such as marketing and sales, the latter revolves around daily operational tasks that drive the function of your business.

As an entrepreneur, it is imperative that you focus heavily on the strategic elements of your business, as you look to stimulate growth in line with your plans and overall vision. This requires you to delegate non-strategic tasks to trusted employees within your venture, as otherwise your run the risk of being overwhelmed and consumed by relatively unimportant details on a daily basis.

3. Failing to Strike the Balance Between Passion and Profitability. 

One of the most common pieces of advice that entrepreneurs receive is that they should follow their passion, as this helps them to remain motivated in a challenging and competitive market. While this is sound advice, however, it is also important that entrepreneurs do not become obsessed with their passion and overlook the need to create a commercial viable business idea.

The balance between passion and profitability is crucial, particularly when you are competing for a relatively small and coveted market share. Without it, you will either lose interest in pursuing your business idea or invest heavily in a concept that simply does not have demand among a particular consumer base.

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How To Keep Track Of Employees’ Hours

Keeping track of the hours your employees are working is essential. Upon starting out a business it may seem like a simple task. But once you start taking into account lunch breaks, people having to go home early or working overtime, holidays, sick days, jury duty and all other manner of paid absences, it can all get very complex. There are various methods in action today for keeping on top of your staff’s working hours.

Here are some of those methods:

Pen and Paper.

This old-skool approach is still used by many companies for its simplicity, although it has reliability issues. Time cards are a system used by many service industries that require staff to write down their hours upon clocking in and clocking out. There is a huge margin here for error and fraud, so this system generally requires few employees and an employer with a strong memory and a careful eye.

Some employees will sidestep employee-recorded-timekeeping altogether, recording it all down themselves, but this can be tricky and time-consuming business.

Employee badge swipe.

This electronic system is widely used and involves employees clocking into a machine manually either by entering a code, inserting a card or key, entering their fingerprint or a combination of all of these. This system prevents other employees from filling in false details, as well as digitally recording the precise time of clocking in and clocking out so that an exact hourly rate can be given.

Occasionally, employees will forget to punch in and out, and so some diligence is still required. Clocks can also play up occasionally, so having a backup written method can be advantageous.

Digital timesheets.

For employees that aren’t purely confined to one building or office for work, a digital timesheet could be the option. These can be accessed from a remote location such as a computer or phone. Some work on GPS, only beginning to calculate a worker’s hours once they enter a certain area. Others require the user to manually clock in and clock out. If your hourly calculation relies on a variety of different timekeeping methods, you can use Avaza for it or another all-purpose timekeeping software. These can be the most accurate timekeeping methods but are more suited to companies with lots of remote staff.

Other aspects to consider.

Even with a digital system in place, people will make mistakes, whether it’s the employee or you the employer. Aforementioned aspects such as overtime, holidays and absence due to sickness can catch people out.  It’s important to correct these as soon as possible to prevent underpaying or overpaying someone. Generally an employee would be quite happy if you paid them for too many hours, although you would lose out on it. The worst you can do is pay someone too little, as this could incite a lawsuit. Keeping observant is therefore important, to avoid swindling your staff or being swindled.  Having another trusted employee who can also keep on top of this and cover for you when you are absent may benefit.

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Top Startup Ideas That Allow You To Interact Directly With Your Customers

These days, many businesses function at a distance from the people that they aim to serve. Thanks to the internet, it’s possible for a business to find success without ever meeting its customers. Can this ever be truly sustainable, though? And even if it can be, is it the way you want to run a business? Many people prefer to make their companies part of the community and build one to one relationships with customers. This can be a great way of creating a business with strong roots.

Here are some startup ideas that allow you to do that:

Bars and Restaurants.

Bars and restaurants are social areas that people come to when they want to have a good time. So, the people who walk through the doors of your premises need to have an experience. Maybe your business will offer the perfect setting, a great service or incredible food. Maybe it will do all three of those things and more. Of course, running a restaurant isn’t all fun and games. You’ll have to deal with problems in the kitchen, source the right drinks and find wholesale beef suppliers you can trust. But catering to the needs of the customer will still be what’s most important.

Plumbing and Electrics.

When something goes wrong in the home, most people call in the experts. The most common home problems relate to the plumbing and electrics in the home. Calling out a company to deal with these problems means letting a stranger or a group of strangers into your home. So, it’s important to feel at ease immediately. This can only happen if the people from the company are friendly and trustworthy. It gives people like you the chance to start a business that people keep coming back to whenever they have a problem in the home.

Beauty and Cosmetic Services.

Offering cosmetic or beauty services is something that can only ever be done in person. And requires a certain level of trust on behalf of the customer. They are trusting you to make them look great and protect them at the same time. Some of those treatments can be dangerous when carried out by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. These businesses can build up loyal customer bases if they do what they do well. People are always in need of companies like this, so build up trust and win them over.

Local Non-Profit Organisations.

Sometimes, it’s not all about making money. You might want to start a non-profit organisation that can do good things for the local people where you live. This is the kind of venture that is sure to have a presence in the community because its sole aim is to help that community. It could be about offering young people a safe place to get together and get off the streets. Or it could offer care and support to people in the community who are most isolated or vulnerable. Doing good things like that can help to win people over and have them take an interest in what you’re doing.

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