3 Tips For Creating A Crave-Worthy Blended Customer Experience

by Darshan Mehta, founder and CEO of iResearch

From tikka masala macaroni and cheese to garlic-kimchi pizza, “Frankenstein” food combinations are all the rage. But new takes on old dishes are just one example of the cultural blending that today’s consumers crave.

Blended products are built on a simple idea: To make a good idea even better, combine it with another good idea. From food to furniture to technology, blending adds an intriguing newness to products in crowded marketplaces. For the entrepreneurially minded who are willing to challenge the status quo, blending can be a valuable way to capitalize on consumer trends.

Think about the fundamental questions that brought about some of the biggest blends in recent memory. Why can’t I use an app to match a rider with an independent driver for a better experience? Why can’t I connect travelers with hosts for a more authentic stay? Why can’t I make a ground-breaking taco with a Doritos shell?

Whether you’re trying to enhance an existing product or service or come up with an new customer experience, use these three strategies to create the perfect cocktail:

1. Stop thinking you can’t have it all.

Tesla is rocking the boat in the automobile industry by checking more boxes than most manufacturers or customers thought were possible. The brand blends many desired qualities: inexpensive (relatively), stylish, eco-friendly, and high-performance.

To create a luxurious feel without charging a premium price, Tesla had to innovate. Instead of leather, the interior is the company’s own proprietary material, and an app now starts engines. Most combustion vehicles achieve eco-friendly status by jacking up the price and sacrificing horsepower, but the Model 3 has a top speed of 140 mph and leaps from zero to 60 mph in just over five seconds. Instead of forcing customers to compromise, Tesla figured out how to give them exactly what they want.

2. Make the best of sour grapes.

I mean this figuratively, of course — unless you have a vineyard. Winemaker Dave Phinney wanted to make use of a tank of failed wine by blending it into something delicious. Now, the popular beverage’s production exceeds 200,000 cases per year and is an industry standard.

Blending wine is one of the hottest trends in the industry, and vineyards find it liberating. Winery location no longer matters like it once did, and the blending technique helps protect winemakers against a bad harvest. On the other hand, customers enjoy the taste of blended wines, as well as the increase in variety that it affords — and it all started out of a willingness to use past failures as an opportunity to try something new.

Test your blend with a focus group.

Let’s go back to those innovative tacos. Doritos Locos Tacos from Taco Bell have been a resounding success, with 100 million sold in the first 10 weeks. The reality, however, is that the current blend wasn’t the first iteration.

Initially, the company tried sprinkling some Doritos nacho-cheese flavoring on their own corn taco shells. While focus groups loved the idea, they knew they weren’t crunching into an authentic Doritos experience.

That’s why when you go to Taco Bell today, you’ll get that real Doritos shell the focus groups craved. Look around, and you’ll notice that the advertising constantly reminds you of this by featuring the original Doritos chips and packaging. By testing the taco before rolling it out, Taco Bell created an even tastier product.

Blending is a mindset, and you’ll have to endure experiments that tank while searching for successful ones. Avoid the urge to combine everything. Not everything will lock into place like a nacho-cheese chip and a taco.

Above all, keep the customer experience at the heart of your innovation strategy. Listen to your market, and who knows? You might just do the Doritos Locos Taco one better.

 

Darshan Mehta is the founder and CEO of iResearch, an online insights platform that enables companies to quickly, easily, and affordably extract insights from consumers or employees worldwide. Drawing upon more than 20 years of marketing strategy and research design experience, Mehta is authoring a book, “Getting to Aha! Today’s Insights Are Tomorrow’s Facts,” to help business leaders understand and leverage changing consumer preferences.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2lB1GEp via website design phoenix

Customer Success: The Secret Ingredient For Engagement

by Robbie Kellman Baxter, author of “The Membership Economy: Find Your Super Users, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue“

In today’s competitive market, customer engagement (or lack thereof) could determine whether your company sinks or swims. Due to recent changes in consumer behaviors, wants, and needs, businesses must find better ways to connect with and delight their existing customers. It’s part of a shift toward the Membership Economy, a model based on customer-centric strategy using topics like subscription price, inclusiveness, and digital platforms that draw people in and win their loyalty. At the center is an emerging field you should know about called Customer Success.

Don’t confuse this with Customer Service. That’s the department that handles problems when the customer calls in. Customer Success specialists are the customer’s BFFs — insiders there to help them get the very most out of their product. Customer Success is the ultimate engagement model.

Customer Success Managers (CSMs) are problem solvers and connectors. They do whatever it takes to make their customers happy, and prefer to have the flexibility to find a solution, rather than being hamstrung by bureaucracy. A little bit account management, a little bit support, and a little bit consultant, a CSM is like a best friend inside the company for the customers she serves.

Baxter says even though Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies first established Customer Success departments, other types of businesses can take a page from their model and start engaging with customers today. Why? Because unhappy customers can easily cancel their subscriptions or memberships to most services. Once they move away from your brand, it’s very hard to get them back. But having a Customer Success function is a proactive way to ensure your customers are getting the highest value out of your products. And if done right, your Customer Success department can be a profit center for your business.

It might start with a call from a CSM who asks whether you need help to implement your product. They might follow up a week later if you’re not using the product on a regular basis, to ensure that you understand how to get the most value. And once you’re fully engaged, if they see a change in behavior, they will check in to see if you have concerns. They might also check in by phone, text, or email when a new feature is released to make sure you understand how to use it.

Keep reading to learn more about Customer Success and why it is so beneficial to many organizations today:

Customer Success focuses on more than just retention.

While retention is probably the most important metric these organizations track, good CSMs don’t focus on renewal alone. Trying to win a subscriber back after they’ve canceled is very hard. It’s much easier to make sure that they make your offering a habit in the days, weeks, and months after they sign up. By the time you get to renewal season, especially in businesses with annual subscriptions, the customer has already decided whether they have made this product a habit and whether they’re going to cancel or not.

Customer Success wins loyalty through engagement.

As with Customer Service, Customer Success starts with a phone call, but it’s about more than fixing a problem. If your mom or a friend called you to ask for help, you’d go out of your way to do what you could for them. You’d use your smarts to find the answer to their problem, even if it wasn’t in your manual. You’d be honest about whether they should or shouldn’t upgrade. You’d share insider tips and tricks to get the most out of the services they’re paying for. This is what you should do in Customer Success. And you don’t just wait for the call to come in. Instead, you might make an outbound call to see how your customer is doing.

A CSM is ultimately judged on customer engagement, which is a leading indicator of retention, which leads to revenue and profitability. Additional metrics beyond engagement and retention might include net promoter score (a customer’s likelihood to make a referral), actual referrals made, and willingness to serve as a reference. All of these metrics tie to lifetime customer value (LCV).

Customer Success goes beyond Customer Service.

Customer Service is about solving problems when customers complain. Customer Service is a cost center, and the goal of most Customer Service teams is to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. It’s reactive, as reps wait for calls and then respond. In contrast, Customer Success is proactive and a profit center. From the moment of the initial transaction, Customer Success Managers are reaching out to customers to ensure that they are getting value from the products and services they are already paying for.

Customer Success is generating the development of new side industries.

Companies like Zuora, Gainsight, and Totango have invested in software optimized to support CSMs. Their annual conferences are ‘standing room only’ because so many people are trying to learn about Customer Success.

Customer Success has become a hot new career niche.

As companies try to establish strong Customer Success discipline in their organizations, refugees from customer support, account management, and inside sales are flocking to Customer Success in search of a more exciting career. In fact, Customer Success is one of the fastest growing and most exciting careers available today.

Today, CSMs are found mostly in SaaS businesses, but Customer Success teams are popping up in other places as well. Businesses that depend on long-term engagement to maximize LCV, such as retail and consumer subscriptions, are adding CSMs to their teams at lightning speed. A few unlikely brands with thriving Customer Success functions include Zipcar, Dun & Bradstreet, and Visa.

If you care about engagement and retention, you should definitely think about implementing your own Customer Success function. You might discover a great new way to keep in touch with your customers and give them the BFF treatment. Watch what happens. When they are engaged and feel cared for, they are far more likely to stick with your brand for the long haul.

 

Robbie Kellman Baxter is the author of “The Membership Economy: Find Your Super Users, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue“. She is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a consulting firm based in Menlo Park, CA, that helps companies excel in the Membership Economy.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2zlV3vF via website design phoenix

Dr Paul Lubitz Of Art Of SKIN On Combining Your Calling With An Entrepreneurial Spirit

There are several traits all entrepreneurs share, one of which is a desire to challenge the status quo.

Founder of Art of SKIN Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Paul Lubitz, has this trait in spades. When starting out as a dermatologist, rather than joining an established practice in an urban area, he opted to venture forth on his own and establish his first private dermatology clinic in Edmonton, Alberta in 2003. Dr. Paul Lubitz’s current clinic, Art of SKIN Dermatology, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, located in the picturesque town of Canmore, Alberta, has given the population there the chance to receive specialized dermatological services that they previously would have had to travel to Calgary or beyond for.

At Art of SKIN, Dr. Lubitz feels that he can make a genuine difference in both the standard of patient care and in empowering patients by educating them on the importance of skin care.

He notes that he has always put a very high priority on patient knowledge and education. And in conceiving the idea of Art of SKIN, he wanted to make sure that the clinic would serve as a valuable informational resource for his patients, so that they could have the opportunity to learn more about proper skin care and the type of skin products and procedures they might choose to use in the future.

A licensed and accredited dermatologist, Dr. Paul Lubitz is Board Certified in Dermatology in both Canada and the United States and is considered an expert in the fields of medical dermatology, dermatologic surgery, cosmetic surgery, and laser skin rejuvenation.

Following his formal residency training in Dermatology, Dr. Lubitz received additional training in cosmetic surgery and laser procedures from various international experts in the areas of dermatologic surgery, plastic surgery, and ophthalmology as a way to obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to provide the cosmetic procedures he currently performs.

Dr. Lubitz is eager to share the lessons he has learned on his journey with others who share his entrepreneurial spirit.

At Art of SKIN, what’s your approach to patient care?

Dr. Paul Lubitz: First and foremost, we want our patients to be well-informed about the treatment alternatives available to them. That can only happen when you take the time to really get to know each patient on an individual level and understand what their needs are and how we can specifically help them to be healthy and confident.

We‘ve adopted a low volume patient model for our practice, so that means we’re able to spend more quality time with each patient, both during assessment and during treatment. We know the time of our patients is valuable, so we want them to get the most from their appointments.

How would you describe the Art of SKIN’s facility and initially what inspired you to establish Art of SKIN?

Dr. Paul Lubitz: We’re nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, with gorgeous views from our windows. Inside, we have aimed to create the modern feel of a boutique spa, where patients can really relax and enjoy those views. Careful thought has been put into every aspect of our décor so our patients feel both comfortable and invigorated.

As far as the second question, it really was a mix of two things.  When I came to Canmore, I fell in love with the area and I wanted to establish roots here.  That was one source of inspiration.  The second source of inspiration was to create a clinic that truly served the dermatologic needs of the population.  I think that applies to other industries and entrepreneurs, generally.  If you’re building anything, make sure you are serving the needs of some sort of market.

When it comes to Art of SKIN, what is your practice’s “mission” – what are you trying to accomplish? Have your goals changed since this practice’s founding?

Dr. Paul Lubitz: In our mission statement, we mention the kind of dermatologic care we provide, namely state-of-the-art, professional, comprehensive and highly individualized. That’s the approach we take to patient care. We want to offer patients the most advanced treatment options available and the most complete, customized care we can provide. We also want them to feel comfortable and secure when they visit our facility.  So, to that end we treat patients in what we call a “boutique” setting, an inviting environment where they can fully relax. Those were our goals when we founded the practice, and I think we’ve been successful at meeting them.

How did you go about building your staff? What traits do you look for?

Dr. Paul Lubitz: If you look at the biographies of our team members, you’ll notice the traits all our staffers share. They’re all very experienced at what they do, and they’re all passionate about serving others. So, when I was building my staff, I was looking for caring, knowledgeable people. It goes beyond what they can offer to the practice, too. I’m always impressed by people who choose to spend their leisure time volunteering to help others. That tells me they’re going to bring that same attitude of service to providing our patients with quality results.

For those building new businesses and wondering how to best find staff and support, I suggest considering the accomplishments of potential staff both within and outside of the career environment.  What success stories do they have in their working careers?  And what have they done outside of their career?  Have they volunteered?  What kind of outside interests do they have?  These are also important questions to ask, particularly if you are building a small business where everyone works closely with one another.

What would you say is the single most influential factor in Art of SKIN’s success?

Dr. Paul Lubitz: There’s no doubt location has played a role in our success. There’s no other dermatology and dermasurgery practice in the Bow Valley region. In fact, I am the only dermatologist between Calgary to the east and Kelowna to the west, a distance of some 600 km. Still, I think the most influential factor in our success is that we really pride ourselves on educating and empowering our patients with knowledge, not just in regard to diagnosis but also to treatment options. In order to do that, we have to stay up to date ourselves on the latest trends and developments in skincare and technology so we can share that information with the patients we serve. I think they appreciate being armed with facts so they can make informed decisions that are right for them.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2xBZ8Hk via website design phoenix

How To Build An SEO Strategy To Dominate Search Results

by Mark Woodcock, founder of Bigfoot Digital

If you want to rank well on Google, get to the top spot for specific industry terms related to your business and increase conversions, then you’re in the right place. First and foremost, you need to determine the correct SEO strategy for your business. You might hear that someone has got to position one with a handful of bought, spammy links and it actually works. It might do, at first. Fast forward a couple of months and I can assure you things will have changed significantly.

In this article I’ll discuss five strategies that will help any business dominate SERP’s, along with white hat tactics you can use along the way:

1. Think long tail for long term success.

It’s easy to think “I sell cakes. I want to rank for cakes.” But it’s also lazy to stop there. Sure, if you sell cakes, you want to appear for terms with “cake” in the title, as well as other variations of that word:

Cake shop in London
London cake shop
Top cake shop in London
Best cake shop in London
Cake decorating in London

Think about what people search for. Ask yourself, what types of cakes do I sell? Should I create more targeted posts to secure conversions? Will specific content related to those cakes be relevant? Yes, yes and YES. It’s incredibly important to look at things on a granular level when it comes to SEO. Research the following tools for keyword popularity, trending content and site history: Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner and Majestic SEO.

2. Promote industry leading content.

Position yourself as an industry figure head with creative content, interviews and links back to your work. Publishing content on social media channels, blogging and through influencer marketing will make you appear more trustworthy and authorative in the eyes of your audience.

The added benefit is that along with promoting your business and skills, you can earn trust from Google with a carefully placed follow link. These links pass trust and relevance from one site to another. In the eyes of Google, this acts as a nod from one business to another to say, “these guys can be trusted.”

3. Become an influencer.

Flip the script, and become an influencer yourself. I know you’re thinking it’s probably easier said than done, right? But, if you’re willing to work hard to build a network, then you won’t have to jump through as many hoops to gain exposure and links from others. In fact, when done right, you can actually ask your target market to help promote you and your business.

Here’s a perfect example. I’m in the digital marketing business, so I’m well known here. People know my history and business inside out. Focusing on promoting my business to different industry sectors has grown my target market significantly. Social media advertising, PPC and email marketing have allowed me to reach out to business owners in specific industries. These people do not know my business and may not have considered digital marketing for their business. We automatically become more valuable as they have no means of comparison. Test it for yourself, and monitor the results.

4. Consider alternative methods of search.

Due to the familiarity of technology, use of mobile phones and growth of voice search, SEO has changed somewhat. Instead of someone opening their laptop or desktop and typing in “cake shops in London,” they literally ask Google on their mobile phones. Consider this when putting together your SEO strategy. People are using longer, more complex phrases to find results. To get results yourself, you need to go beyond keywords. Get inside the head of your audience and consider what they are thinking. How will they find your website – organically, paid search or social? Will they have a positive user experience once there? Is your call to action clear? Answer these questions, and you are one step closer to converting clicks into customers.

5. Review your competitors.

Don’t bash your customers with negative SEO, because it will only look like you’re trying to overcompensate for something. Instead, write content that compares your products/ services to theirs with pros and cons. Allow your visitors to make an informed decision about your services based on facts. Your business may appeal to a slightly different audience, so effectively you are promoting both businesses in one post. This tactic is clever and will give your business immediate trust.

 

Founder of the top ranking London digital agency, Bigfoot Digital, Mark Woodcock has been studying the ‘art form’ of SEO and other internet marketing since early 1990’s. With a background in marketing blue chip brands online, Mark naturally progressed his knowledge through self-taught research and dedication to seeing results. His expertise in SEO and social media marketing have seen his clients earn first page rankings on Google.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2A1I1jS via website design phoenix

The High School Handbook For Young Entrepreneurs

by Joe Edgar, CEO of TenantCloud

The tortoise and the hare is a great bedtime story, but also proffers some advice to every young business owner and entrepreneur alike. The egotistical rabbit takes on a race of which they consider themselves to be the best and take no mind of their opponent. The CEO of Blockbuster, John Antioco, said in 2000, “Redbox and Netflix aren’t even on the radar.”

Being a young entrepreneur is the tortoise in this analogy, because oftentimes, they don’t yet have a track record or a vast professional network; however, young entrepreneurs possess something much more powerful – tenacity.

As young people enter the job market for the first time, many think their only option is a traditional hourly position or a 9-5 job – the reality is that they can foster their entrepreneurial side from the start.  For example, I purchased my first investment property at 14 with money I saved from mowing lawns. Although it was fairly run down and located on a reservation town in Oregon, I worked at it. I pushed myself to work night and day to fix up the property, paid it off in 60 days and made a profit –  and then took that and bought more investment properties.

That early experience inspired my passion as an entrepreneur and started me on the path toward becoming a real estate investor.  I realized then that being young and inexperienced gave me the tools I needed to be fervent in my goals. For young entrepreneurs who too are looking for how they can start a race when the odds seem against them I share these tips:

You have more resources than you think.

Most teenagers don’t think they have many resources. I grew up on a Native American reservation as one of 13 children who lived in the garage with siblings, because we couldn’t all fit in the house. The closest town had a population of less than 1,000 people and the only employer in town was a small Texaco gas station that was only open during the day. Yet, right in front of me were unkept yards, trees falling down and fences in disarray. I worked for less than a dollar an hour when I first went around offering my services and found an old lawn mower at the local dump that I fixed up. Right in front of me was an untapped market and that demanded a resource that I soon learned was extremely valuable – me.

Leverage your access to capital.

A young entrepreneur often doesn’t realize the access to capital in which they have. Most startups go after venture because they need money to support themselves while growing a business. Young entrepreneurs have an opportunity in their life when they don’t have family to support, monthly bills to pay and haven’t become beholden to the society with debt. My down payment from mowing lawns was only $3,000, but set the pace for me to find my next investment and grow what became a multi-million dollar portfolio. Had I been a young adult that $3,000 would have been harder and taken longer to save. Not having the expenses that later become unavoidable is like getting access to capital you never knew you had. Take advantage of this time in your life to work and save.

Ignorance can be bliss.

Experience can bring great wisdom, but it can also breed fear, particularly fear of risk and an inclination to take the safest route. When you’re young and inexperienced, you aren’t inhibited by the negative consequences, because most times, you haven’t yet experienced them. This mindset is a real asset and allows you to ponder as to what you’re passionate about and go after it. Take the leap and know that inexperience is where dreams start and these empower you to be fervent in bringing your dreams to fruition

Seek out opportunities to get involved.

Get involved in student council, learn about business classes offered at your school and volunteer with organization. As an entrepreneur you are also agreeing to become a leader in both your community and your businesses, so learning key leaderships skills now will save you many headaches later. You will also find that in volunteering you make many friends and those friendships are priceless. One of my first investors in a rental property (he supplied the funds for me to start buying many properties and we’d split the profit) I met as a volunteer for a local play house.

Stay focused.

Evaluate whether life distractions are worth the risk of losing focus on your quest to learn and grow as an entrepreneur. I traded-in many party nights for late nights working on investment properties or researching new investment ideas. I spent many weekends researching compound interest, tax laws and learning the ins and outs of the industry. Those long hours I spent paid off as later it is that knowledge and those same ideas that I am still using and bringing to fruition.

The tortoise wins the race because it sets the pace and sticks with it. As a young entrepreneur you too need to set the pace at which you plan to pursue your dreams. Having low capital needs and the ability to go after whatever you want in life provides an opportunity.

 

Joe Edgar is the CEO of TenantCloud. Prior to TenantCloud he was a principal investor with Petros Partners, a venture fund focused on clean energy technology and prior to Petros he was the Managing Director of the J4T Venture Fund; a $50 million venture fund focused on Texas early stage companies.  He was also a member of the U.S. Treasury’s SSBCI Venture Capital Steering Committee.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2yYNGHv via website design phoenix

Are You A Unicorn?

[Photo credit: Pexels]

They call them ‘unicorn employees’ – members of staff who have a unique set of qualities that make them as sought-after as the mythical creatures they’re named after. They can be tough to find but have the ability to make a massive impact on your business. You may even be one yourself. So, who are they? How do they work?

And if you aren’t one, how can you become one? We take a look at the traits of a typical unicorn.

Forget the Title.

The term ‘unicorn’ came about in the tech start-up industry, a notoriously cut-throat environment where companies regularly go from being small fry to the major leagues almost overnight. Unicorns were so sought after in this industry precisely because they didn’t define themselves within the parameters of a narrow job title. They needed to be good at a huge variety of tasks, from technical coding to coming up with marketing ideas. Making leaps across different areas is a usual course of action. Similarly, a good unicorn employee will actively expand their exposure to all areas of the business to become multi-skilled – and that makes them valuable.

The Devil in the Details.

We’re used to being told that some people see ‘the big picture’ and work strategically while others are hot on detail and perform better operationally. This just isn’t the case when it comes to unicorns. They have an eye for the smaller things but are also able to think strategically, and this creates rare insight. Keeping in mind company goals, macro-environmental trends and industry connections, but still being able to avoid minor but catastrophic technical glitches is an exceptional talent.

Getting the Job Done Right.

None of the above is helpful if it doesn’t get results. A unicorn can get the job done, whatever it takes – from leading a production meeting to pulling together a mailshot to potential customers. Innovation helps them to drive projects forward. Postgraduate training such as an online MBA programme can help with this follow-through from ideas to delivery. You’re only ever as good as your last set of results, so make sure you become known as someone that can get things done.

Making Wider Connections.

Unicorns are often involved in the broader scene outside of their job – be that mentoring others, authoring articles and blog posts on the industry or speaking at local networking events. So find a way to give back – it could be as simple as running a few lunchtime training sessions on an area of expertise for colleagues, or it could be finding a volunteer opportunity that will expand your skill set in a new direction. This broader experience makes it easier to identify areas to add value to a business and become well versed in problem-solving. Being a unicorn is all about transferable skills that make things run smoother on a day to day basis.

Learning a few unicorn skills can boost your business or get you noticed by senior management. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this elite group?

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2hpshjf via website design phoenix

4 Ways To Find Tranquility In Stressful Times

by Jane Bernard, author of “Lucid Living: in The Virtual Age“

Americans have experienced tense times lately as Mother Nature unleashed her fury with a series of hurricanes that pummeled Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Meanwhile, wildfires ravaged California and the Northwest U.S.

Anyone living through these disasters certainly felt stressed, and to a lesser degree so did millions of others who saw news reports updated constantly on their laptops or phones.

And that’s bad, not just because of potential health problems that stress can bring about, such as hypertension, heart disease and sleep disorders, but also because of how stress affects the simplest tasks of day-to-day living.

Stress jams our ability to reason. When we’re stressed we miss the exit, forget appointments, lose our keys and make decisions that are not smart. It doesn’t take a major disaster to lead to stress. Daily responsibilities also can cause anxiety levels to escalate and blood pressure to rise.

But there are ways to alleviate stress. Those who are feeling stressed – whether because of a major calamity or a routine difficulty – should consider these four tips:

1. Take comfort in the old saying “this, too, shall pass.”

Realize that however good or bad a situation is, it will change. Use your senses and mind to analyze the environment and act to move forward and away from whatever is stressing you.

2. The time-honored “take a deep breath” advice works.

Let breathing help relax your body. Take that deep breath and then exhale all the way. This is especially important when we eat. If our body is tense, the digestive process can be thrown off.

3. Seek distractions.

Read, exercise, or find someone to talk to. Tell a joke, listen to music or take a walk. Develop a strategy based on ways to feel good about yourself when you’re in a stressful environment.

4. Take charge of how you react.

Most people have been told somewhere along the way that while you can’t always control events, you can control how you react to them. Remember that stress comes and stress goes. You are in control of your thinking. Choose to feel smart.

Be determined to override stress by noticing what you sense, and the big picture will come into focus. The world will unfold with new rhythms and problems will get smaller. Time expands when you are aware of what you sense. Then, happiness happens.

 

Jane Bernard, author of “Lucid Living: in The Virtual Age” and other books, is a philosopher and educator who writes and teaches about intuition and sensual thinking. She has appeared on TV and international radio, talking from the intuitive perspective. Jane introduced her first book, “Fine Tuning” on The Montel Williams Show, in 2006.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2xxuZZH via website design phoenix

5 Ways To Turn Your Business Into A Brand

The concept of branding is not something that popularized only recently. It’s been existent for decades, if not centuries. However, even today a large number of businesses don’t realize its true significance, let along try to create one of their own.

So, before you learn about some of the best ways to turn your business into a strong brand, it’s worth understanding why you need it in the first place.

Why do you need a brand?

You need a company brand as well as learn how to create a personal brand because:

• Branding helps your business stand out from the competition and grow the customer
• It allows you to offer your products at premium costs (think Apple, Armani, etc.). You can’t justify the price if you are not a major brand.
• It greatly supports your marketing and advertising efforts. People start recognizing your company through your logos in subways, digital ads, social media, etc.
• It gives an opportunity to connect with your customers on an emotional level. They start caring for your brand and become more active in doing word of mouth publicity for you.

Believe it or not, creating a brand is an important step found in every guide to starting a business. However, if overlooked that, it’s still not too late.

If you are new to branding, then the following are some of the top things you can do to get started:

1. Talk to Your Customers.

You want to create a brand that conveys your company mission as clearly as possible. However, if the message that gets across is unclear, or even worse- opposite to what it should be, then all your branding efforts will go in vain.

To leave no margin for error, it’s best to talk to your current customers. For instance, your social media handles could be a great way to get their feedback. What you want to ask them is what do they feel about your company, whether they understand what it’s all about, what’s its mission statement, etc.

In fact, you can arrange a few focus group sessions just like many other small businesses. You can record the feedback of your customers/participants and then go back to the drawing board to figure out how you can create a brand that hits the nail right on the head.

2. Be Bold, be Honest.

You can’t create a strong brand by taking a conservative approach, worrying too much what others would think. For all you know, you could end up creating a dull and bland brand that’s indistinguishable from all the other run-of-the-mill brands out there.

You must follow your instincts and portray a picture that you really believe in with your brand. It’s important to keep this thought in mind when you create your company logo, tagline, etc.

3. Create Something That Connects.

Always keep your target audience in mind when working on marketing, advertising, and of course- branding. You want to create an identity that your target audience can easily relate to. For instance, if you design and create apparels for teenagers, then you want to create a brand that represents boldness and a “do or die” attitude. Similarly, if you are selling computer peripherals and accessories that you want to focus on the IT professionals, students of computer science, etc.

4. Pick Themes.

A great to create a brand without diverting from your mission statement is to select a few themes that are related to your business. So, if you sell books online, your themes could be- reading, learning, solitude, and introversion. These can become your four ideas to play around with. The good thing is that no matter which way you go with branding, when it’s within the bounds of these four themes only, you won’t divert from your path and stay clear with your brand identity.

5. Focus on Customer Service.

Did you know that the way you treat your customers is a part of your brand itself? When Econsultency conducted a survey on Digital marketing trends, they found that customer service is the single biggest opportunity for marketing. Since marketing affects branding, it’s really something to think about.

There is a reason why a large number of people don’t trust or are interested in brands other than the ones they are already patrons of. They all want to stick to a brand that cares for them and delivers top-notch customer support.

So, if you want to create a strong brand, you must ensure that all your customers are cared for. Give them as many options as possible to connect with you- social media, email, toll-free number, etc. Remember- the happier they are, the stronger your brand will be.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2hkBCJ1 via website design phoenix

4 Realistic Tips for A Successful Business

Entering the world of business is never a walk in the park. There are plenty of responsibilities you have to do once you become an entrepreneur. Managing an enterprise is tough, nevertheless fulfilling. With the right support system as well as tools, you can run your own business properly and successfully.

As an entrepreneur, you have to guarantee that you know every corner of your venture, especially when it comes to finances. No matter how difficult it is to manage a business, everything will pay off eventually. You just have to learn and understand deeply all business matters to keep your venture off the ground.

So, here are some practical business tips for every entrepreneur like you:

1. Create a sensible spending plan.

In order to keep your enterprise going, you have to make a reasonable financial plan.This implies that you can predict if your anticipated income is enough for your business development or not. A spending plan is also a guiding tool that lets you know if you can continue doing a certain project or postpone it until you get sufficient money. Definitely, you will be guided accordingly, so no unexpected move can be done.

2. Invest further.

Be sure to invest your money on things that procure long-term benefits to your business. You need to think of your business’ advantages before anything else. It makes sense to spend more on investments that last long, for these ensure more profit and advances. In addition, you can start creating your own website as an investment. Use some online tools like Whois domain search database that could help you get an edge on your online investment and in return higher profit will be earned. Always keep in mind that when you are running a business, you have to think ahead and wisely.

3. Manage your debts properly.

Business debts need to be overseen constantly. Make sure that you know about business debt management so you would know your options and solutions when searching for financial help to expand your venture. More so, you have to pay all your debts on time and don’t let them grow because you will have to pay a huge amount later on.

4. Concentrate on your strengths.

Focus on your strengths prior to reexamining diverse solutions to make your business more profitable. Although it is also essential to take into consideration other options to make your enterprise prosper, existing solutions should be your top priorities as well. It will be more cost-effective to work with these things and improve them than explore new avenues, which you don’t know about yet.

Certainly, being an entrepreneur is a challenging job. A lot of things need to be considered to make your business flourish. These useful tips specified above are just some things you can do to help you out in achieving all your business goals. Simply follow these and you will see the difference in your venture. There is nothing to regret for everything will be organized and it will be easier and more convenient for you to manage your enterprise in the long run.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2gKOw23 via website design phoenix

Andrew McCubbins: An Entrepreneur Solving World Problems From Salt Lake City, Utah

Andrew McCubbins is an entrepreneur and a philanthropist who has started several successful multibillion-dollar businesses. His businesses range from marketing, Internet marketing, and medical software. He also started a revolutionary telemedicine business which provides 24/7 care to patients from the convenience of their home.

McCubbins believes entrepreneurs can use their skills to solve problems that afflict the world we live in today. It was his experience in the various initiatives he took part in before that equipped him with the skill to identify the problems and find a solution that enabled him to start Bronson Medical.

He has been dedicated to making the world a better place for those who need it most. This is evident from his work in telemedicine where he has managed to make it convenient for people to access healthcare from the convenience of their home.

Unlike most entrepreneurs, he does not simply write a check to a charity organization, he applies his skills to ensure that the project is successful. For example, he started an initiative to help rescue children from different parts of the world who were victims of child trafficking.

He has spent years training with Special Forces to hone his skills in escape and rescue missions. Philanthropist Andrew McCubbins has developed his skills and has been directly involved in rescue missions in Haiti and Mexico. The organization he started, O.U.R (Operation Underground Railroad), has managed to save close to 800 victims of child trafficking around the world.

O.U.R Rescue works with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels to help arrest those who violate children’s rights in the United States and other places around the world. So far, the organization has assisted law enforcement agencies in capturing, arresting and prosecuting more than 365 traffickers.

Not only has he been involved in multiple business ventures, he has also been involved in a number of humanitarian efforts. Working with GlobalAware he went to Costa Rica with his wife and children to help start a church and a community center. As a successful entrepreneur, he used his influence and resources to help start a center that will help the local community.

Andrew McCubbins has also been an Angel investor who has helped several startups with his wisdom and resources. His approach to business has been emphatic. He used his experience in business compelled him to apply his creative and organizational skills to help solve problems around the world.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2ySyqM5 via website design phoenix

UK Startups Get Hacked Too: 3 Security Tips To Implement Today

Start-up businesses in Newcastle are great at getting enthusiastic about their future and being in a rush to get their plans in place. However, one of the last things on their mind is often around the security of their company data.

It is crucial that new businesses make an effort to protect any sensitive material such as employee files and customer information, as well as their own financial data and intellectual property. Making mistakes about overlooking their security can be very expensive and hard to put right.

Cyber criminals have a habit of targeting new start-ups simply because many of them don’t have the experience in business that more established companies have. It doesn’t matter where they are based, from London to Newcastle to Rome – your business can be a target. Most new businesses tend to have far fewer security measures in place, making it much easier and quicker to hack for valuable information.

Lets take a look at 3 ways to make your new start-up more secure:

1. Create a Security Plan.

Formulating a first-line security plan for your business is one of the very first things you should do before starting your company. Define who within your company will have access to sensitive data and create a company policy that your employee’s can use as a guide over access and use of data.

Simply making all mobile devices password protected that can access company data, such as smartphones, laptops and tablets, will make it easier to manage access. Make it a policy to change login and password details at least once in a six month period across all connected devices. This means that any employees leaving your service that had previously accessed your company data through a personal device will no longer be able to do so.

Make sure new security policies are put in place and are enforced and updated as your business grows.

2. Store only what you need.

Under the Data Protection Act, you will be responsible for protecting the customer data that you collect. This being the case, it only makes sense to collect what customer date that you need and plan to use, be that a single payment method and a shipping address. The less information that you gather, the less you will risk losing should you be hacked.

3. Protect your hard copy too.

Any new start-up may dream about being a completely paper-free business, but the reality is that even the greenest of offices still have a certain amount of paper-based files and paperwork at their core. This is still sensitive information that could prove valuable to hackers, so will need to be properly secured too. With paper and file copies, there is no fire-wall to protect them. Good old-fashioned, strong and secure filing cabinets, lockable cupboards and safes are the best barrier toward protecting sensitive data from would-be thieves.

The best way to ensure your central office, or even your home office if you run your business from home, is to call in locksmiths in Newcastle who are close to your central office. They can inspect your premises and draw up a sound security plan to help protect your sensitive physical data from theft. They can also be quickly called out to secure your building after a break-in that can leave your premises vulnerable.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2xwnpyQ via website design phoenix

5 Things To Consider When Trying To Stay Productive Throughout A Business Move

Are you getting ready to relocate your business? When moving to Peru, business owners will need to take a look at http://ift.tt/2lnbLVb for some advice. Trying to move a business without proper planning will generally lead to a variety of costly mistakes being made. Instead of leaving this important process to chance, you have to find out what needs to be done to stay productive throughout this moving process. If you are not able to stay productive while moving, you are going to lose a lot of money.

Read below to find out what you can do to make the business moving process easier.

1. Early Planning is Key.

The worst mistake any business owner can make when it comes to moving is waiting until the last minute to start planning. By doing this, you will be putting yourself in a very compromised position. The time and energy that you put into planning out every detail of this process will pay off in the end. If you are unsure about where to start, working with a professional in the commercial moving industry is a good idea. They will be able to assess your unique situation and figure out how to approach the moving process.

2. Purge Your Office Beforehand.

Before you embark on the journey to relocate your business, purging is a great idea. The last thing you want is to take a lot of unwanted items with you to your new location. Not only will this reduce the amount of stuff you have to take, it can shorten the amount of time it takes to move. This means you can have your employees back up and running in not time. When trying to purge your office space, you need to get everyone involved. Getting all hands on deck will make this process easier and will reduce the amount of work you have to do.

3. Allow Professionals to Help.

The main thing you need to do when trying to stay productive throughout the business moving process is to hire professionals to lend you a hand. While doing all of the work involved in moving your business may save you money, it will usually wreak havoc on productivity levels. Instead of letting your business suffer as a result of your attempt to move everything, you should find knowledgeable professionals to help you. Before hiring a moving company, be sure to do some research to find out whether or not they have previous experience.

Get Workstations in Place First.

If you are concerned with keeping your productivity levels high during a move, then getting workstations set up in your new location is essential. In order to do this, you need to move computers and other essentials to your new location first. Getting your employees a workstation setup at the new location will allow you to carry on with business as usual. If you have hired a moving company, then you need to collaborate with them to ensure the right things are boxed up and taken to the new space.

Stay Organized During the Packing Process.

The most time-consuming part of any move is the packing process. Unless you are organized during this process, you will make a variety of mistakes that can cost you dearly in the long run. Labeling each of the boxes you pack is a great way to make unpacking easier. With this type of labeling, you will know exactly what is in the box and where it needs to go in your new building. If you don’t have time for this type of labeling, then paying extra for a moving company to do this work is a great idea.

Without the right amount of professional help, you will struggle to stay productive during your move. Getting some onsite estimates is a great way to find out which of the moving companies in your area is the best option.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2zOOBJw via website design phoenix

Stress: 3 Ways To Keep it From Killing You

by Marianne Clyde, author of “Zentivity™: How to Eliminate Chaos, Stress and Discontent in Your Workplace“

Stripped naked, tied to a post with a gun to his head for hours, in front of his little cement block house, my friend kept singing “Jesus keep me near the cross…”

A prisoner, held behind enemy lines in Sierra Leone during the civil war in the late 90’s, he subsisted on very little food, and in the end, just fruit and berries. But thankfully, he survived.

I remember, a year or so later, as I was driving in a van with six men, the sinking feeling in my stomach when we crossed those same rebel lines. We were on our way to discuss helping the amputees, who were victims from that civil war. In order to do that, we had to meet with the leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to get permission to aid the very victims of their brutal attacks.

How does one stay centered and focused under such stress? How does one stay centered and focused under any kind of stress?

Acute stress can be debilitating. Chronic stress can lead to physical illness or mental illness. It can put a strain on relationships; it can challenge your ability to think straight. It can make you just want to curl up in a corner and give up, or keep you in such a state of panic that you feel paralyzed and unable to move forward.

One person’s stress can’t really be measured against another person’s stress.  Each case is individual. Every person has different coping mechanisms, different upbringing, different belief systems that will inform how he reacts to stress. However, if you have a belief system in which you recognize your innate value and feel competent to handle difficult situations, those beliefs can help you come out on the other side intact, even stronger than before, knowing that you survived.

There are a few basic principles that can help ground you in difficult circumstances, whether or not you’ve had time to prepare for the situation or not. Having said that, not all stress is negative or externally induced. Our thinking has a lot to do with how we handle stressful situations of any kind.

Back in the U.S., just a couple of years ago, flying 10,000 feet above ground, I was ready to take my first leap out of a perfectly good plane. My choice. But I have to say, sitting there by the open door of the small aircraft getting ready to release myself into thin air, well aware of the risks, I had a final thought that ran through my mind, “Well, if I die, at least the last feeling I get before I land in the arms of God will be one of flying,” and then I jumped. Stress inducing? Oh yeah. Exhilarating? Definitely. But now I have a story to tell that no one can take away from me.

So whether your stress is positive or negative, life threatening or simply irritating, the principles that can help you mange it are the same.

1. Follow the lead of my friend tied naked to a pole with a gun to his head.

He wasn’t singing that song, “Keep me near the cross” because he just heard it on the radio and it stuck. It came from a deep habitual connection to his creator that he nurtured every day. A regular practice of connecting to your source of life, whether you call it God or the Universe or Creator or Nature, is a foundational practice to keep you grounded and centered.  Everyday, you dig your roots deeper into something bigger than yourself, something benevolent and powerful and abundant that can’t be overcome. Meditation is not just a popular trend. It can be a lifesaver whenever you need it, as it was for my friend.

2. Remember, what you focus on increases.

So just like our team who purposely chose to cross a line that could potentially be life threatening, the focus on the good that we could do for the citizens of Sierra Leone was greater.  That is what we focused on and it helped us minimize any fear and work through the stress. Keep your thoughts focused on what is good—things you can be thankful for—and that will increase in your mind while the negative dissipates.

3. Practice good coping mechanisms on a regular basis.

Learn to breathe deeply throughout the day to keep the oxygen circulating. Learn to detach from the drama-du-jour and focus on the bigger picture. Maintain respect for yourself and others. Minimize judgments and jumping to conclusions.  Be humble enough to know you don’t know everything and there’s always another viewpoint. Let go of resentments. Whether they are legitimate or not is not the issue.  The issue is that they will poison your soul.

These few basic principles will serve you well as you encounter stress, so it does not become chronic, potentially leading to depression or anxiety or some life threatening physical illness.

 

Marianne Clyde is an expert in Mental Health in the workplace. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in practice for over 27 years, energizing speaker and dauntless world traveler. After launching 2 best-selling books, “Peaceful Parenting” and “Un-Leashed: Practical Steps to Get Your Life Unstuck“, she has now released her most powerful book to date, “Zentivity: How to Eliminate Chaos, Stress, and Discontent in Your Workplace“.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2gSKo3P via website design phoenix

Surprising Tricks For Powerful Public Speaking

by Paul Geiger, author of “Better Business Speech: Techniques, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work“

Speaking in front of a group in any business setting, whether it’s a formal presentation, a meeting or on a conference call, requires not only that you have a well-prepared message, but that you deliver it clearly. Any number of glitches can sabotage your delivery. It’s critical to recognize and address them before you find yourself in the spotlight.

People who have mastered public speaking exude an “executive presence.” This person isn’t just well groomed or highly intelligent. More than that, this is someone who conveys clear thinking and confident body language. Someone with executive presence can keep an audience rapt through a prolonged pause, and can effortlessly ride the wave created by the “energy of attention” – that surge of energy that hits when all eyes land expectantly on them.

The best tricks for projecting executive presence and communicating with confidence involve both the mental and the physical aspects of public speaking. Yes, speaking is a full-body experience, even when you’re talking on the phone! In fact, research on the importance of gestures shows they help in conveying a message to your audience. When you align your body language with your spoken thoughts, you communicate with more authority and authenticity.

To effectively connecting with your audience means that you first connect to your message and to your body’s language of persuasion. Use these tricks to give power to your public speaking:

1. Find your bumper sticker.

Distilling your message down to a bold, powerful phrase helps give you a firm grasp of what you want to convey. It also clarifies to your audience your unique perspective on the material you’re presenting. This requires asking yourself, “Why is this information important to me, and why should it be important to my listener?”

Your bumper sticker isn’t an elevator pitch; that’s much too long. It’s a very short sentence or phrase that sums it all up. For example, for this article, my bumper sticker might be “Breathing and Bumper Stickers.” Stating your bumper sticker at the outset guarantees a very strong start because it reveals what you need to say right up front. You can return to your bumper sticker through your speech to ground your audience and keep yourself on track.

2. Keep to the three-idea limit.

Once you have your bumper sticker, your explanation should consist of three main reasons why you feel the way you do about the subject. Three ideas in any one sitting is pretty much everyone’s limit. Also, keeping the message concise will project a sense of forward momentum and will allow your listeners to recognize that you are in charge.

3. Own your breathing.

The positive perceptions that good, deliberate breathing can convey range from having forward momentum to relaxation, comfort and confidence. Most individuals mistakenly think that their minds are holding them back. In reality, they’re reacting to the sensations caused by inefficient breathing for speech. Breathing is the key to projecting and enhancing your voice. For example, take a deep breath, then speak the following phrase, emphasizing the word got. “You’ve got to be kidding!” The word feels like it’s coming from your core. It makes your voice sound “fueled” and more resonant. Deliberate breathing also reduces the fight-or-flight response in those first nervous moments of public speaking when you tend to use shallow breathing.

4. Integrate gestures.

Using natural gestures when you speak helps connect your body and your breath. Integrating gestures will noticeably slow down your pace. They also help ground you in your delivery and convey a higher level of commitment to the words you’re speaking. If you only have one “go to” gesture, watch speakers on TED Talks or other speakers to build your arsenal. Break down a section of your presentation sentence by sentence and discipline yourself to not keep repeating a gesture. Being able to change your gestures is also the key to changing the intonation of your speech.

5. Practice makes perfect.

Performers know that each performance hour is equal to about four practice hours. Remember: Memorization is not as important as preparation. When practicing, stand up and speak your presentation out loud in front of a mirror. This helps you in utilizing your breath, integrating your gestures and interjecting your bumper sticker phrase with punch. Synchronizing your message, your breathing and your gestures will allow you to nail it!

 

Paul Geiger helps business people communicate clearly, overcome their fear of public speaking and promote themselves and their ideas with effective speech techniques. He is currently a Senior Associate Instructor at New York Speech Coaching in New York City. Paul is also an accomplished actor, voiceover artist and on camera host. He is the author of “Better Business Speech: Techniques, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work“.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2yTci4s via website design phoenix

Everything You Need To Know About Working Capital Loans

Every business regardless of size needs a certain amount of working capital to make sure smooth business operation. Working capital is nothing but the funds or equity available to business owners to meet their short-term expenditure and financial commitments.

Various types of working capital are present in the business management in different names such as fixed working capital, net or gross working capital, etc. As it is the basic feature for any business, working capital is the fundamental requirement, which can never be compromised.

This is basic reasons why working capital loans are becoming regular finance products offered by the banking entity. It is one of the most demanded types of loans by small, medium, and large companies.

Different types of working capital loans.

Even though all enterprise is eligible to obtain working capital loans, the bank, as well as finance providers, will need company owners to meet some conditions based upon on their operation scale. Until now, they need a security deposit or guarantee to provide working capital loans. Some may need additional security and other prerequisites.

However, the working capital loan provided by the institutions will mostly depend on the company’s credit repayment history. At present, lenders are very comfortable with extending collateral free working capital loans to SMEs and micro businesses. Here is the list of common working capital loans available for business.

Short term loan: This loan is distributed at the fixed rate of interest for a predetermined payment period that is usually over 12 months.

Bank overdraft and loan facility: The terms and availability of this type of loan are completely depending on the company’s relationship with the lender. For this loan, the interest rate is 1 or 2 percent above the prime interest rate charged by the lender.

Account receivable loans: Being the most important and popular form of a working capital loan, this loan is the most sought out by the SMEs. This finance is the best choice for the enterprise that needs to meet expenditure like investing in the asset.

In India, plenty of banks and NBFCs licensed to provide working capital loans to businesses. SMEs would research parameters such as loan tenures, interest rate, security requirements, and repayment terms thoroughly before opting for a lender. This is because it will affect the way you conduct the business and larger credit requires in the future.

Benefits of working capital loans.

Working capital loans are one of the short-term financing options, which are used to cover wages, accounts, payables, and investments in short-term assets. Now, this loan is easily available to SMEs so that they can easily achieve the business targets. When your business grows, the financial needs also increase so you can use working capital loan for any situations. Check out the benefits of getting working capital loans.

• Meets the short-term requirement as it has flexible repayment tenures
• Eliminates the necessity of collateral
• It make getting financing much easier than before
• Maintains cash flow
• Preserves business ownership

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2zHts3W via website design phoenix

5 Unusual Ways To Connect And Engage Your Employees

by Eva Wislow is an entrepreneur and career coach at CareersBooster

To win in business, you must possess the necessary resources. Even today, human resources are the most important “tools” that you can leverage in order to expand your business. The digital tools and solutions and the new technology advancements are not to be neglected, yet employees…well, they must be happy!

In today’s post, we’re showing you 5 brilliant ways that’ll help you connect and engage your employees. If your team is strong, your business is strong. Remember: you do not only need to help them engage with each other; you should engage with them too!

1. Show Them that You Care.

OfficeVibe has recently surveyed a big group of employees. It resulted that 63% of employees do not feel that they are appreciated at work? Well, you might be surprised! Now that you know what one of their main problems is, you can start showing them that you care. How?

First off, begin by appreciating small results. Speak to them frequently, letting them know that you like what they did. Engage with them, and don’t be too serious every time. Moreover, tell me them that every member of the business is like family, and if they encounter any sort of problems, they can freely ask you for help.

2. Give Them Purpose.

Every human being needs a purpose. You can’t expect to see your employees’ full potential without them having a purpose. Every time someone joins the company, let them understand what your organization’s mission is. Let them know the real cause for which you’re fighting for. Money’s not a sufficient motivator; dreams are!

3. Provide Constructive Feedback Consistently.

According to the same survey, an astonishing 69% of employees report that if they would get more feedback, they would work harder. And yet, so many employers forget to leave feedback.

Do things differently by offering your employees consistent feedback. It could be weekly, based on projects, or monthly. Nevertheless, collective feedback and personal feedback are two very distinct concepts. Both are necessary and advised!

4. Help Them with Their Personal & Professional Growth.

If your company’s recruitment policy is based on long-term hires, you might as well invest in your long-term “assets” (employees) right from the start. As a leader of a business, you’re probably well aware of what skills and knowledge an employee would need in order to perform better at work.

Your employees might not think this way. Some of them might even come to work in order to do their hours and get their paycheck. When you give them everything they need in order to progress, “growth” doesn’t look that complicated anymore. If your educational resources are helpful, they’ll remain forever indebted.

5. Build Real Relationships.

Real relationships are based on honest feelings. They’re based on respect, kindness, and consistency. Have you ever imagined having a team of highly efficient professionals who also go out every now and then? That would be great, wouldn’t it? That fusion would make you feel secure that your company’s safe; your employees will not leave because they’re a real team.

How do you build these relationships? Well, get involved. Organize some off-work meetings and invite everyone. Do this every month. You can even organize different activities like hitchhiking or surfing. Do whatever brings positive emotions on a collective level!

Takeaways.

If you want a prosperous business performance, your employees need to be happy and engaged. It’s the leader’s responsibility to guide, organize, and motivate his employees to work better. The more you get involved in this process the better your employees will react to your standards and expectations. Win their trust and their hearts and your business shall experience a stable, long-term growth.

 

Eva Wislow is an entrepreneur and career coach at CareersBooster, online resume writing service. Eva maintains a strong interest in bringing the digital revolution in human resources. She writes for Business.com and other well-known resources. Follow Eva on Twitter.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2yUzi55 via website design phoenix

5 Tips For Developing A Successful Market Intelligence Campaign

A successful market intelligence campaign can be the extra ingredient which pushes your business to new levels of success. By researching your market and channelling the insights into carefully devised strategies, your business can more effectively target the customers it wants to reach – without the guesswork usually involved in devising marketing strategies.

To get a better idea of how smart market intelligence can help your business, let’s look at 5 ways you can prepare your business to adopt a successful market intelligence campaign.

Understand Where You Fit In.

In order to achieve a competitive edge within your market, it’s important to first understand where in that market you fit in.

For example, you may manufacture ice creams. These largely fall into a ‘food and beverage’ manufacture umbrella. It may be tempting to try to compare your enterprise with a large, established company in the same market (such as Coca-Cola, or Cadbury) but in order to do so, you would be ignoring more sensible market comparison.

Identify where your business or your brand fits into your market. If you’re a small business with a local, bespoke reach, your immediate competition is other similar businesses. For the purpose of market intelligence, consider these your peers.

Know Your Competition.

Once you have identified where in the market you fit, and who your competitors are, it is useful to understand how your competitors communicate with their customers, and how they market their product or point of difference.

Competitive intelligence such as web scraping allows your business to automatically extract relevant data from the websites of your competitors. Doing this allows you to track their promotions, interactions, and any trends unfolding so that you can compete preemptively, and plan a strategy to mitigate any competitive advantage they might afford.

Spot The Difference.

If you’ve taken the smart step and engaged the services of competitive intelligence campaign involving website scraping, you’ll now have some data that your business can use to create marketing collateral.

Understanding how to read this data and spot crucial differences is key to unlocking the most value from your market intelligence. Don’t rule out anything – small details such as metadata can even contain hidden competitive advantages.

Take the time to consider the decisions your competitors have made and why they have made them. If your competitor is particularly successful, use this data to unravel why.

By addressing these questions first, you will be able to develop a more effective solution for your own future marketing initiatives.

Keep Perspective.

Data and intelligence are certainly powerful, bankable tools, but they’re not the only forms of knowledge capital you can rely on. In fact, keeping a perspective that is wide enough to take in various resources and strategies is key to remaining competitive and agile.

Resist the urge to blindly follow a competitor’s strategy – seek to understand and have perspective on strategies and evaluate ‘how’ and ‘why’ before making any crucial decisions.

Clear, Concise Data.

When using data-driven market intelligence, make sure that you have a clear understanding of any metrics or terminology used in the data presentations. It may be as simple as utilising an extra service, or engaging your web scraping provider in further questions and guidance.

Developing a successful market intelligence campaign for your business is easier than ever if you take the time to plan out a clear, effective strategy. Using new technology, engaging industry partners, and learning to use data to drive marketing decisions can transform the entire landscape for your company in a powerful and lasting way.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2ySEGWl via website design phoenix

[ADV] Neil Billock On Rebuilding Puerto Rico: A Viable Market For SMBs To Penetrate

Puerto Rico is a US colony but the lack of competition makes it a viable country for mainland-based entrepreneurs to penetrate. The advent of the recent devastations placed the country in the spotlight giving every budding businessman a new environment where they can enjoy rapid growth.

The World Bank has once placed Puerto Rico as one of the most competitive markets in Latin America with high economic growth. Mainland companies who would like to set up a business will find it easy to invade the market primarily because people are looking for competitive products and services

Although Puerto Rico is still finding its way back on its own feet after the devastating natural calamity which brought the country to its feet, much can be said about the beauty of the islands and how it will eventually find its pace with its economic recovery.

Puerto Rico is more than just a paradise you can spend your summer holidays in. It is a country that will get up and become one of the most financially stable countries in Latin America again. Regardless the size of your company, it will be a good venue to launch a business as the economic pickup will sooner or later lead to your company’s eventual growth.

Much of the driving force still holding the economy primarily includes manufacturing, pharmaceutical, electronics, and petrochemicals to name a few. Budding companies, in particular, can enjoy much advantage when catering to the island because the demand for reasonable products and services has always been high.

To enliven Puerto Rico´s market, Neil Billock has recently moved his direct marketing business and entrepreneurship to the country. Having been one of the top direct marketing experts in mainland US, his ability to connect with intended clients and create a marketing strategy will make every company visible in the Puerto Rican market.

Local businesses, in particular, will be able to take advantage of digital marketing as it increases their visibility and takes them to the forefront of the market. Billock´s decision to move his direct marketing expertise to Puerto Rico is intended to rejuvenate the country’s economy by helping local businesses grow.

Neil Billock´s skills can be attested with the rapid growth of Vertical Direct Marketing Group where it became a forerunner in mainland US advertising industry. His work with the company has allowed him to develop strong competence and create a successful career in consulting.

Understanding that the future of commerce will be changed because of online marketing, he wants to make the technology available to Puerto Ricans. The rapid advancement of marketing will contribute to the country’s economic recovery giving every business a chance to participate in the global competition.

Concentrating in the local market is the initial initiative of Neil Billock´s enterprise. The ripple effect will fuel the economy and rejuvenate the devastated country. In many ways, this will also be a living dream for him.

Having visited the country on many occasions, he has been captivated by the beauty of Puerto Rico and considers moving his family for the long term.

The Aftermath of the Puerto Rico Calamities and How the Economy Will Pick Up

Puerto Rico is a key US economic and military asset. The devastating effects of the recent hurricane sent the whole country into an economic turmoil bringing the country to its knees. Weeks after Hurricane Maria lambasted the tropical island, most of the population still does not have a fresh water supply. Restoring electrical supply is also lagging and most of the population is finding starvation a normal everyday challenge.

With the US colony pleading for help, our current government still finds blame in the country´s problems within Puerto Rico itself. It has even escalated to threats of pulling out federal aid workers. The lack of a solid support from the US government makes this tiny island a good venue to restore economic stability and the prospects of a good future may not be far behind as people are rallying to make the country a better place.

The longstanding partnership between the two countries stretches back as far as World War II where the government of Puerto Rico gave privileges, non-inclusions and concession agreements with mainland businesses and entrepreneurs entering the country. Most businesses look at the country as a source of cheap labor and enormous trade incentives making it one of the most viable markets in Latin America.

After Hurricane Maria´s devastation, the whole country was in the limelight and so much negative words have been said.  The prospects of rejuvenating the Puerto Rican economy are much stronger nowadays as people are rallying to sustain economic growth.

One of those who sees a good future for the country is Neil Billock. He is one of the most successful direct marketing experts in mainland US. Working for top marketing companies like Vertical Direct Marketing Group, he was able to combine the conclusive effects of technological developments and advanced marketing strategies to make digital marketing one of the best platforms to grow a business.

Digital marketing has become the best alternative to the traditional advertising channel, making it a highly profitable and customer garnering method. It allows a business to cut back on expenses that would otherwise be used for traditional advertising.

This strategy will be an effective game plan to rejuvenate the Puerto Rican market and boost economic growth. Direct marketing will be able to support local and overseas businesses so they can be used to directly siphon global presence and reach a wider audience.

Neil Billock´s background in direct marketing will be useful to energize the Puerto Rican industry. Having a strong experience in helping businesses create an effective marketing campaign in the US will be a good strategy for Puerto Rican businesses to adopt the mainland ways of growing their enterprise.

Puerto Rico may have been brought down to its knees with the economic crisis and the latest natural calamity, but there are people who still believe in the country. People like Neil Billock give hope to local entrepreneurs that there is hope amidst the country’s economic dilemma.

For donations and helping out to rebuild Puerto Rico Please visit: http://ift.tt/2xsRNNP

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2zG9VB0 via website design phoenix

3 Ways Startups Are Using AI To Improve Daily Operations

San Francisco startup Plenty’s innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted $200 million in funding from SoftBank Vision Fund, the world’s biggest tech fund. Plenty uses AI machine learning in conjunction with IoT sensors to grow crops indoors with only water, nutrients and light. Plenty’s AI-powered growth system uses only 1 percent the water of conventional farming while yielding 350 times as much produce per square foot.

As Plenty’s story illustrates, AI has become mainstream enough to be accessible to startups. Here are three ways startups are already using AI to improve their daily operations.

Customer Service.

One of the most widespread applications of AI is customer service. Forty-two percent of all companies use AI to increase customer satisfaction, a number that rises to 90 percent among the top companies, according to an MIT Technology Review report. One of the most prevalent customer service applications in AI is chatbots, which enable companies to offer customers self-service options, reducing customer wait time in the process.

Another popular customer service application of AI is analytics, which enables companies to use data about the customer to provide personalized service based on the customer’s background and current needs. AI is expected to transform the customer service experience by allowing companies to optimize call center operations and deliver service customized to customer preferences.

Sales.

Customer service applications of artificial intelligence are also helping boost sales, another popular application of AI. Using analytics to deliver personalized service enables call center agents to determine which upsell and cross-sell offers are most likely to appeal to customers. Companies can also use AI to send customers personalized sales offers via email or text.

Another valuable sales application of AI is optimizing sales processes. For instance, most sales reps spend 80 percent of their time qualifying leads and only 20 percent of their time closing, says Conversica CEO Alex Terry. AI automates the qualifying process, enabling sales representatives to spend more of their time closing sales and generating revenue.

Security.

Another important application of AI for IT operations is security. Cybersecurity experts have long used machine learning techniques to identify and analyze threats. AI also helps security specialists identify security breaches more rapidly by analyzing the contrast between normal and abnormal behavior patterns, enabling more rapid responses.

Another important security application of AI is biometric identification. Biometric identification methods that rely on image recognition such as facial recognition require AI. Using AI for this purpose requires more computing power than mobile devices have traditionally had, so recent smartphone innovations such as Qualcomm’s Artificial Intelligence platform have begun increasing their processing speed in order to enable on-device AI. On-device AI allows companies to secure employee smartphones with facial recognition and other biometric identification methods.

Customer service, sales, and security are three of the growing range of areas where AI is helping start-up companies improve their operational performance. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent and more start-ups incorporate AI, their operations will become increasingly more automated, more efficient and more profitable.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2gKda6K via website design phoenix

The 5 Rules Of Growing Your Startup: An Insider’s Take

by Ali Syed, founder and CEO of EZOfficeInventory

‘How hard can it be?’, I mused in early 2011 when the thought of founding my own startup first began creeping into my head. The word ‘techpreneur’ hadn’t made its way into the course of everyday conversation then, but that was exactly what I was – with solid technical experience in the software industry, but with little idea of how to even begin starting and growing my very own business.

6 years down the road, we now helm two market-leading software products with over 20,000 enterprise customers and counting. However, if I had been tasked with creating a ‘How to Grow Your Startup’ Starter Kit back in the days of my startup’s inception, I’m sure I would have missed out on some crucial things, hindsight being 20/20.

My own preoccupations about our startup back in those days were about finances, branding, customer acquisition – bigger fish when I needed to be thinking about the little ones, too. And that’s what it comes down to: When you’re starting out, you can’t lose sight of the big picture, but you also have to pay attention to the strange quirks of owning and running a business.

Below, I’ll distill my thoughts on how to grow a startup into five pieces of actionable advice I hope you can make good use of.

1. Avoid Complexity.

Simplicity is underrated. It needs to be a focus for how work is done in your organization, along with being the foundational principle of your product. Our lives and those of our potential customers are already too complex and hectic. Providing a solution that is easy to use is a breath of fresh air, especially for businesses that are used to having to RTFM (Read The Fat Manual) before taking even the most basic actions on enterprise software! Software that is simple helps improve product adoption, and makes customer retention a breeze. So remember, while simple might not always be easy, it does pay off in the long run.

2. Acknowledge Failure.

Failures are great opportunities to take a step back and root around for better strategies. Every startup goes through phases where they face failures. This would be a great time to reflect, re-evaluate and then improve. As an example, we initially invested a significant portion of our budget on recruiting a sales team for our asset tracking software. The ROI was significantly below our expectations, and it helped us understand the relation between the product’s price point and its sales strategy. We were then able to improve our sales significantly by working on the pricing as well as redistributing the budget between the marketing and sales teams. Think of failure as a way to highlight a bottleneck or a dysfunction, and attack it with all you’ve got!

3. A/B Test.

You can’t always have all the answers you need. Rather than boldly blundering down a singular path, you’ll be better off if you split your risks and try out different things. To this end, A/B Testing is necessary if you want to know what works for your business and what doesn’t. Use it to your advantage by testing it on customer behavior, and even on your own team’s performance. By assigning similar tasks to different teams, we’ve been able to baseline good performance at our organization. In this way, we not only know the strengths and weaknesses of our team members, but also continue to identify and resolve impediments to productivity.

4. Empower Employees.

This means giving everyone on the team the authority to make decisions that they feel are in the best interests of the tasks they’re working on. The way to do this is to not freak out when mistakes are made, because they are a requirement for learning and growth! The only mistakes that should be unacceptable are repeated or careless errors, because that’s when you know your employee’s heart just isn’t in the job. Our current team is continuously redefining its role, learning new skills and pushing the envelope. This ensures that our organization is always prepared to handle the ever-growing challenges we face as we move into bigger markets.

5. Think Big.

There’s something we like to say at our company: if you’re the best product in a niche market, you need to find a bigger market! Making a product entry into a niche is always helpful as there is generally less competition. However, there comes a time when you need to grow out of it and take on harder challenges. Not doing so will restrict your growth and leave you vulnerable to competitors who can easily grow into your niche and beyond. And the best defense is offense.

Of course, every business is different. If these general guidelines help you improve on your execution to starting or accelerating your startup, I’d love to hear from you!

 

Ali Syed is the founder and CEO of EZOfficeInventory, an asset tracking software launched via TechCrunch in 2011. A University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign alumnus, Ali has seen his startup grow to be a market leader, boasting a number of Fortune 500 customers including Amazon, 3M, and Disney.

from Young Upstarts http://ift.tt/2gCpodP via website design phoenix