The Pursuit of Dopeness: The Single Pursuit That Makes All The Sweat Worth It

by Jonas Altman, author of “Shapers: Reinvent the Way You Work and Change the Future“

He was the mastermind that helped sell 72,000 units of Beyonce’s Heat perfume in an hour. This was back in 2010 and the man behind the scenes working his magic was Marcus Collins. Today, he’s an executive at a Motor City advertising firm and a marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business where he teaches a new generation about social engagement.

Collins is a better academic because he’s a practitioner and vice versa. The thread that ties his careers together is in an unrelenting curiosity and desire to understand people. ‘All I want is dopeness,’ is what Collins says when I ask about his unrelenting drive.

Whether gracing the stage at conferences, scooping up advertising awards, supporting students, raising his kid, completing his doctorate, or helping out his church, pursuing dopeness is the guiding principle for his life.

Achieving Dopeness.

Achieving ‘dopeness’ is really an age-old idea dating back to Aristotle’s eudaimonia. Loosely translating to human flourishing, eudaimon is all about living in good spirits. It can extend to your higher self by achieving your unique potential. And it also entails persevering in the face of adversity.

Likewise, dopeness can be realised through small gains and the commitment to continuously learn, practice, and improve. There may be countless posts touting how to hack your way there, but the real question lies in whether you’ll show up and do The Work. For many, the answer is an unequivocal yes–the key to living well comes when it’s virtuously earned.

If we’re really serious about pursuing excellence, we need to put an end to the God-awful habit of multitasking. It’s proven to make us less efficient. We fool ourselves into believing we’re doing many things simultaneously when in reality we’re just switching between tasks super-fast. We’re fracturing our attention because we’re still thinking of the previous task when we embark on the new one. This is precisely why we do well to work in deep focussed intervals, just as athletes train.

A Lab for Self-Development.

‘A classroom where we’re always growing to be better,’ is what Collins replied when I pressed him for his vision for the future of work.

The opportunities to indulge our curiosity in work have never been greater. There are so many ways to integrate our hopes and dreams into our working lives. The trick, it seems, is to see work as a deliberate practice on which to improve. And this means rocking steady with doing the work that matters while staying open to new possibilities and better ways to show up in the world. The dopeness will emerge.

Bad managers can be a drag. So too can disenchanted colleagues that relish moaning about work. So if we really want to be engaged at work, we’ll need to start with ourselves. With over 175 cognitive biases at play, your own story of your place in the world is inherently skewed by how you choose to see things. Yet what never waivers is this: when you’re cognizant that your work matters and happily engaged in what you do, you perform better. Ultimately, you decide how you feel about your work. The possibilities of work, the sorrows and joys, are psychological.

When you’re connected to your work, instead of saying ‘I have to go to work’, you say ‘I get to go to work’. Your family, friends, and colleagues all take notice. When you are hardwired to operate from this genuine place of purpose, it has a glowing butterfly effect. That inner smirk manifests as an outer beam. Envious onlookers want some of what you’re having.

A Quality Only You Control.

Reinventing work so it celebrates the human spirit won’t happen overnight. It’ll likely happen only for some, over time, and probably through small wins. We work for both intrinsic and instrumental rewards, but it’s internal motivations that have the greatest impact on performance. Without the agency to control our work, the feelings of progress will remain illusory.

In the early 1980s, management oracle Charles Handy predicated that work would become more bitty and fractured. His portfolio worker–a lifestyle choice that is now the norm–has led to an endless array of personalised life paths. While it may be a luxury to make a living as an organic Kombucha brewer serving hot yoga patrons, there is no shame in contemplating meaning in work.

When having five different careers in a lifetime is now standard, the road once less travelled is now bumper to bumper. Pursuers of dopeness are in effect system designers, seeking to mix and remix the pieces of an endless work puzzle. They retrofit their work so as to make it more compatible with their unique passions, strengths, and values.

To be and work at your best, take a step back to reveal whether you have autonomy, find what you do meaningful, have the opportunity to continually learn, and enjoy who you work with.

With the continued rise of the global independent workforce, shaping your career in real-time will be necessary to keep yourself fueled. The challenge becomes knowing precisely how. Whether inside or outside the company, shaping a meaningful working life is an evolutionary practice. It’s through this struggle that the rewards come. And like Marcus Collins, the degree to which you shape your work and expand yourself is something only you control.

 

*excerpted from “Shapers: Reinvent the Way You Work and Change the Future“

 

Jonas Altman is a speaker, writer, and entrepreneur on a mission to make the world of work more human. As the founder of award-winning design practice Social Fabric, he creates learning experiences to elevate and grow leaders at the world’s boldest organizations. He is author of “Shapers: Reinvent the Way You Work and Change the Future“.

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Is Working At A Startup Right For You?

If you are considering taking a job at a startup, there are several things to keep in mind. It is often a particular personality type that thrives in the startup environment, so you may want to determine if it sounds like something you would enjoy. While startups can be a great way to get experience fast, they can also be a recipe for burnout.

Many people find they prefer the more predictable, if slightly duller, aspect of traditional employment.

Refinance Your Student Loans.

Before making the jump to an unpredictable work environment, you may want to consider refinancing your student loans. Refinancing can help you out in several ways. Combining multiple student loans into one refinance allows you to have all of your student loan debt in one payment. You can save money on interest and lower your monthly payment. Extending repayment options can remove some of the stress that comes along with the uncertainty that comes with working at a startup.

Understand the Finances.

When you take a job at an established business, you generally don’t need to worry whether your paycheck will show up each week. The startup world is a little different. There are various stages of funding in these companies, from small businesses that only have the owner as investors, to larger ventures backed by huge investment firms. Knowing where the money is coming from, and that it is indeed coming, can help you make a smart choice when taking a job.

Be Honest About What You Look for in a Job.

When you take a job at a large corporation, you can generally count on being able to handle the assignments you are hired to do. If you find yourself stuck, you can typically locate someone who has a solid understanding of the project and help you out. This makes it easy to do a great job. You have time to focus on your work and mentors to guide you to success. Working for a startup is very different. Regardless of the size, there are probably fewer employees available than are needed to fill all the roles. No matter what you were hired to do, you will probably find yourself working outside of your area of expertise. Timelines are often tight, and it can be hard to walk away from your work at the end of the day.

This can be a great atmosphere for growth, but it can also create a tremendous amount of stress. If you are required to do too much work outside your skillset, you may find your confidence shaken. Even if the people you work with are great, the constant demands can create burnout. Startups can be a great opportunity, but they aren’t for everyone. They also aren’t for every stage of your life. You may be in a situation where you have the time and energy to devote to this type of work for a few years. It can be a great learning experience. You may be in a situation where, despite your interest in the job, your responsibilities in your home life are not conducive to taking on this type of employment. Understanding the expectations of the situation helps you may an informed choice.

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Understanding The Three Factors of Franchise Success: Circumstances, Operations, And Humanity

by Scott Greenberg, author of “The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar“

During the 10 years I ran my Edible Arrangements franchises, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my stores’ performance. I monitored my numbers. I analyzed the market. I constantly checked in with my employees. I wanted to understand everything impacting my business. Whether it was the cost of wholesale fruit, new competition or even my own attitude, I wanted stay on top of every element making a difference. I realized I could separate all important factors into three different categories: Circumstances, Operations and Humanity.

Circumstances are the larger, outside issues impacting a business. They’re the landscape where we operate. Circumstances include the economy, government regulation, the weather and other factors we don’t control. Often business owners blame them for poor performance. It’s an easy way to skirt responsibility. These factors are real and can be lethal to a business (think Covid-19). But in most cases, there’s a lot more going on business owners don’t realize or acknowledge.

Operations are the systems, policies and procedures for running a business. They include sales, marketing, the product line and pricing. It’s your recipes, your hiring practices and your bookkeeping. Operations are all the things that keep you busy. If you own a franchise, operations are what you pay your franchisor to teach you.

Humanity is the people element of a business. It’s your attitude and mindset. It’s your level of resilience and your ability to keep a clear head. It’s the social dynamics and culture of your team. It’s the way you make customers feel. The human elements are what most distinguish top businesses from typical ones as they directly impact how operations are executed. They’re the difference between courageous and fearful, friendly and robotic, and supportive and soul-crushing. Humanity is what you bring to the business.

Business thrives when all three factors are monitored and managed. While your level of control varies in each area, remaining active across all three is the key to success. Here are few tips for each:

Three Tips for Better Circumstances.

Monitor and Respond. We may not be able control circumstances, but we need to be aware of them. The more closely we watch the economy, labor laws, consumer trends and other outside factors, the quicker we can take action. That might mean seizing an opportunity or managing adversity. Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry and never let your guard down. Complacency is deadly. Be ready to adapt. Your franchisor is probably watching circumstances closely and will propose changes to the model and product line accordingly. Be ready to adopt.

Anticipate and Prepare. Even without a crystal ball, you can see what’s coming. You can expect new innovations and competitors. You can watch the news. You know that economies are cyclical. And even if you don’t know the specifics, you can still think of ways your business could be impacted by unforeseen circumstances. You may not have predicted a global pandemic, but it’s reasonable to predict a situation that, at some point, could limit or stop sales. Whatever the cause, how can you prepare for that—operationally, financially, and beyond? Before crisis happens, put on your most cynical hat and brainstorm everything that could go wrong. Then come up with plans for if and when they do. Hopefully, this will be time wasted. But should circumstances turn on you, you’ll be glad you prepared in advance, and while you’re clearheaded.

Let Go and Refocus. It’s easy to get consumed by challenges you can’t control. There comes a point when you need to disengage from them and focus instead on where you do have control. Don’t worry about the competition. Put your energy on better execution. You can’t change the economy, but you can reduce expenses and increase marketing. You were never in control of everything. Your time is best spent on the things within your power. And there are more of them than you might think.

Three Tips for Better Operations. 

Stick to the System. One of the great advantages of running a franchise is having a corporate office that has figured how to run the business successfully and is always working to refine their proven system. Rarely do franchisees operate better when they deviate from the model. Leave the innovation to your franchisor and focus instead on great execution.

Continuously improve. While you shouldn’t change the system, you should be forever trying to improve the way you work within it. How can you produce more quickly? What more can you do more safely? How can you decrease costs and increase efficiency? Look at last year’s numbers and seek to build them. Always think in terms of “better.”

Communicate with other franchisees. Another great advantage of a franchise business is the network you get to join. There’s a whole brain trust of folks out there running the same operation. Stay in touch with your fellow franchisees and solicit ideas. See what’s working. How are they controlling costs? How are they driving in customers? Ask these questions, and then ask them again a few months later. Be willing to share your best practices as well.

Three Tips for Better Humanity.

Think better. Your mindset can you be your greatest asset or worst liability. Monitor your thoughts and emotions. Notice how they’re impacting your decisions. A negative attitude can blind you to opportunities, increase your stress and bring down others. An overly positive attitude can cause you to make irresponsible decisions, based less on data and information and more on hope and enthusiasm. Try to keep a clear, calm head. Keep all emotions in check.

Lead better. Rather than directing your employee’s work, focus on their development. Like you, they also have thoughts and emotions and humanity. Build them up. Pump them up. Lovingly (with tough love, if necessary) grow them into leaders. In turn, they’ll help you grow your business.

Serve better. Instead of simply facilitating transactions, create meaningful, memorable experiences. Focus on both what the customer gets and how the customer feels. The feeling you give them is what they’ll remember. It’s what inspires what they say about you, what they post about you and whether or not they’ll return. Work to elevate the emotional state of every customer.

Franchisors respond to circumstances and constantly work on operations. The human element is on you. Work hard to maintain the right individual mindset and the most collaborative business culture. These are essential ingredients in the recipe for franchise success.

 

Scott Greenberg in an internationally recognized speaker, author and coach who helps franchise owners grow their businesses, build high-performing teams and create unforgettable customer experiences. For 10 years, he was a multi-unit franchise owner with Edible Arrangements, winning Best Customer Service and Manager of the Year awards out of more than 1,000 locations worldwide. Learn more about his new book, “The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar“.

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Gaining A Competitive Edge In Business

Starting a business is a time that’s filled with an equal mix of trepidation and excitement (especially if it’s your first business venture). There are many things to overcome, such as developing a USP and gaining the required funds to start your company.

Today, we’re going to cover some ways in which you could gain the competitive edge over other businesses in your industry so that your venture will thrive where others may get left behind. It is also important to note, that first and foremost you need to ensure your business is complying fully with the law, as otherwise issues could arise and put your company in jeopardy further down the line. Contracts need to be precise, safety measures must be dynamic, as well as many other factors that need to be following the right protocol. You must prepare for every possible eventuality – if in doubt, click here for business legal services.

Now, let’s see how to gain that competitive edge in business.

Pay attention to leads (not just sales).

There’s a belief in business that sales are what keeps a business afloat. Obviously, a healthy income stream is the difference between a business that is able to continue to trade and a business that is forced to close its doors. There’s no disputing the importance of sales. However, sales come from leads. Businesses that do not pay enough attention to the needs of their target audience cannot hope to secure the sales they desire – everything begins with leads, and that means you need to identify the issues facing your target audience, so that you can inform them of how your products or services plan to resolve the issue (hopefully gaining more leads). Without leads, sales will suffer.

Don’t sell your product, sell a solution.

Following on from the previous point, identifying your target audience is only half the battle. Next, you need to frame your goods or services in a way that doesn’t just read like a list of features, but rather as a list of benefits. Selling solutions to issues is much more powerful than trying to sell a product purely on the basis of features. Again, this all comes down to highlighting an issue facing your target audience and providing details of how you plan to resolve the issue.

Open late (it may sound simple but it works).

Bricks and mortar companies tend to experience early mid-morning and mid-afternoon lulls during the day, where potential customers are unable to walk through the door and buy their products simply because the customers are in work themselves. While the morning cannot be helped so much, you could try staying open as little as one hour later. This gives all those people who were in work time to get to your store before closing.

Vouchers and coupons.

Depending on which type of business you run, you could find that you bring in more business at certain times of the year (for example, toy stores around the holidays). Competition for customers can be high, and you may begin to wonder if word of mouth about your goods or services is enough to keep the customers happy. Why not try offering discount vouchers or coupons as a way of not only enticing customers to return to your business to redeem the discount offer, but also as a means of creating a buzz.

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How Many Instagram Followers Do You Need To Start Making Money?

When it comes to monetizing your account on Instagram, the first thing you need to look at the number of followers you currently have, if you haven’t even got a thousand followers then there is no point in thinking about monetizing your account until you get to a decent number.

But how do you go about getting more followers and do more followers really translate into money? Here we find out more.

How to Get More Followers.

Before you even consider trying to monetize your account, you need to think about how you can get more followers. You can spend hours following and unfollowing other accounts in your target market, trying to grow it on your own.

Whilst this approach is beneficial as it grows your account organically, it takes up a lot of time and effort. Another approach you can take to garner the same results is by using a growth service. Growth services are an exceptional tool that can help you grow your following and it gives you the freedom to do what you do best and that is creating content.

Using a service such as Growthoid.com means that you can outsource account growth. They will need to know who your target market are before you begin, so it helps to have this on lock. Growthoid will then proceed to organically grow your account by engaging with other users that match your predetermined data points. If you want to give your account a quick boost, you can also use Buzzoid.

They provide high quality followers immediately onto your feed, but if you do this we recommend that you also buy at least 10% of the follower total in likes. This means that you keep your follower to engagement ratio at a good level, we’ll explain the importance of this next.

Follower to Engagement Ratio.

One of the most important algorithms on Instagram is the follower to engagement ratio. It is this ratio that either gets your content out there and in front of others or doesn’t.

The follower to engagement ratio measures the number of followers you have versus how much they engage with your content. If you have a high number of followers that you have bought, these won’t engage with your content and by engage we mean like and comment on it. The better the ratio the more likely you are to find your content on the explorer page.

You will also find that Instagram will put it in front of other users and your account will start to grow. The other side of this is brands are now aware of the follower to engagement ratio and the importance of engagement on Instagram accounts.

Too many people have filled up their Instagram with fake bot accounts, so now, brands will look for this. It is easy to tell a fake account from a real one once you have clicked through to the feed, so brands will now avoid people who use this strategy to try and gain sponsorship deals.

If You Want to Monetise Your Account Aim for Engagement.

With brands becoming increasingly aware of people buying Instagram followers in an attempt to monetize their accounts, this isn’t a behaviour that you want to emulate. Rather, you want to be aiming for engagement over follower number.

This is what brands are now looking at and looking for. They are looking for accounts that have a good rapport with the people that follow them, comment on other posts and receive comments and likes in return. The better the engagement rate, the better the chance of you monetising your account. Instead of trying to boost your follower numbers by following and unfollowing, utilise Growthoid who will grow your account for you, effortlessly.

If you are just starting out and want to monetize your account quickly, there is nothing to say that you can’t use both Growthoid and Buzzoid at the same time, but you need to be smart about it. Start off growing your account with Growthoid and then add some followers and likes on top with Buzzoid.

This way you will retain the all-important follower to engagement ratio and give your account a much-needed boost in the right direction.

Wrap Up.

Gone are the days when you could monetise your Instagram account on follower number alone.

This isn’t something you can do anymore, but what you can do instead is build a rapport with your target market. It is this rapport and engagement that will you in better stead when it comes to monetizing your account, as this is what brands look for.

A good base rate to work off is that you want 10% of your followers to like and engage with your content. If you can increase this further, then you stand a real chance of being able to monetise it. This way, it doesn’t matter if you have 1000 followers or 50,000 followers, brands will start taking notice of you.

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Starting A Carpet Cleaning Business? Here’s What You Need To Know.

Carpets are a ubiquitous part of commercial and residential locations across the land and the need for top-notch cleaning services to keep these carpets in perfect conditions and lasting their full-service life is important. Clean well-maintained carpets are essential to an inviting environment and good presentation.

If you have been considering opening a profession to cater to this need, you have the entrepreneurial itch and could soon be taking home your slice of a $5 Billion pie that is only growing in size and value.

So how to get started in the carpet cleaning industry? Actually, it is a lot like getting started in any industry. Assemble your business strategy, secure financing, register your business and make sure all the foundational steps are completed first.

Then, you will have to move on to some steps that are exclusive to the carpet cleaning industry. For example, collecting the necessary equipment, obtaining certification or accreditation with regulatory boards, taking out the right type of insurance policy that will protect you from claims that only strike in this niche.

It can seem a bit tricky from a distance, but you will find that with an enlightened perspective, getting off on the right foot is relatively straightforward but all necessary in order to get your carpet cleaning company off to a great start.

Here are eight steps to understanding the terrain of the carpet cleaning frontier and how you can lay claim to your personal gold mine.

1. Write a Business Plan.

The first thing to do for any entrepreneur, will be to begin with a solid plan for business. This crucial component of your business campaign provides direction and rhythm to your efforts. You will outliner your business goals and how you plan to reach them within any given time frame. You will also consider the resources at your disposal and how far they will take you.

Your plans can be broad or extremely specific, formal or whimsical whatever you feel comfortable with. You will then find that as your business changes to meet its goals, the business plan, with a mind and intelligence of its own, begins to adapt to suit your progress and direction.

To begin with the most astute business plan possible, you should aim to include the following components in your plan.

• What will you be providing to whom?
• What is your hiring plan?
• What is your marketing plan?
• What are your Financial Goals?
• What do you plan to charge for this service?
• What tools and equipment will you need to begin?

Once more we will emphasize the point that this business plan you will be creating at this moment is not an unwavering constitution to your business. It is more like an initial organizational plan that gives you some scope on your current location in comparison to your goals, which will all change as you begin making progress.

The next important step in forming a business plan will be planning how to effectively allocate your expenses called a budget. Consider how much cash you have on hand in relation to the various expenses you will need to get your business off the ground. It could be that you will need additional financing to make you first move.

So, make sure you count all the costs. You will want to consider costs for starting up a business, obtaining certifications and business licenses as well as all of the conceivable day-to-day expenses associated with carpet cleaning. To do this effectively, you will need to use a business financial plan. The good news is that there are many such options available online.

2. Get Yourself Trained and Certified.

Before you can begin taking your business to your clients you should do what you can earn their trust. Having a good deal of experience under your belt is an important way to begin. But even more importantly will be to get yourself trained and your work licensed with the regulatory board in your region.

A certification from the IICR or Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration is an especially good option. The IICRC offers specific training as a technician in rug cleaning, carpet cleaning and commercial carpet cleaning and maintenance. There are in person training programs available and you may also find an online training module if that is your preference.

There are also certifications available for programs at TMF academy and several equipment suppliers will also offer this service. Rotovac and Jon-Don are two such commercial equipment suppliers that offer these training programs to potential carpet cleaning companies. Then, after you have gotten certification and training, make sure any new employees you hire also have this training.

But no matter what you choose or how you get the certification needed, there is no alternative for on-the-job experience. One of the best options will be to contact a local carpet cleaning company and ask if your employees could shadow their seasoned cleaning teams while they are on the job. It seems like a long shot, but it is worth the effort. You can even ask if the carpet cleaning company owner will allow you to pick their brains on a few important points.

If you meet such an amicable person, prepare some good questions about start-up costs, recommended tools and equipment, how to form good customer relations, tips about hiring staff and managing them effectively.

3. License and Register Your Business.

If you have reached this point you have scoured the land well and portioned off your corner of the market. Now, it is time to let everyone know what you are doing. But first, you need to let the government and the state officials know first. This means you need to take out the licenses and registrations required for your company.

The first thing to do will be to contact your local clerk’s office and ask about the licensing required for cleaning companies operating in your region. Then, you will need to follow these directions completely.

If you own this business all alone, or with your spouse, you can choose sole proprietorship, which precludes the need to register with the state. But, if you do this, your business will not be a separate entity from your personal assets. This means that any debts of liabilities that are taken out on your company will have implications for you as well.

In such a case, it may be better to work as an LLC. Registering your company as an LLC is not a difficult thing and comes with certain protections that you won’t enjoy as a sole proprietor. For example, your personal assets will not be liable for any financial trouble you are having with your company.

4. Open a Business Bank Account.

If you haven’t already, this would be a good time to go ahead and open a second bank account for your business. It is a good idea to keep your personal expenses separate from your business finances. First of all, this will keep your finances safe from any business-related issues. But it will also make it much easier for you to handle your books. And this will also make applying for business lending a much easier option as well.

5. Obtain the Right Insurance.

Finally, there is one more vital piece of paperwork that should be taken into consideration. You will need insurance to protect you from certain potential problems. First off is standard liability insurance which protects you from claims for bodily injury or property damage. Then you will need worker’s compensation insurance, disability insurance and unemployment if you plan on hiring a staff. Finally, consider your transportation as well, take out insurance for the company vehicle just in case it gets into an accident out on the roads.

6. Gather Your Tools.

You won’t get very far in your business if you are not fully equipped for the task at hand. Remember there are many options other than buying top-of-the-line brand new equipment. What you need is the equipment that will do the job right.

You can buy used items and even rent your equipment from hardware stores when you are just beginning. But, once you are seriously heading up the ladder as a reputable carpet company, you may want to just get your own equipment according to your needs. Ergo, it may be best to do this from the start.

Some of the essentials will include a powerful industrial vacuum and a steam carpet cleaner. Then you will need all the detergents and solvents required to operate these devices. Once you get a feel for what you are doing, you will be able to expand your tools set from this point. Other things you may need are upholstery wands, deodorizers, carpet rakes, pet and stain remover as well as any other carpet cleaning tools and apparatus you feel suitable for the job.

This is one more place where getting an expert opinion from other carpet cleaning companies in the area will be a good idea.

7. Fund Your Business.

Obviously, this is all going to cost some cash investment and you may not have all the resources in your pocket to hit every start-up need, no matter how you bootstrap. There are quite a few costs that you have already acquired as you have gotten your company to this point and most start-ups begin by paying heavily out of their own pockets.

Because a small start-up lacks the financial history to take out any financial aid from a bank, owners will typically take out personal loans or even ask friends and family to chip in from the ground up.

But if you will need financing right away there are still some options available. You can pull a credit card out in your companies’ name and this can be used to pay daily expenses and small items. This only takes a matter of minutes and all businesses can acquire such a line of credit no matter their financial history.

Then you may have luck with equipment financing. As the name implies, this loan will be used to purchase the equipment your business needs to get off the ground. The equipment you buy will be the collateral for this loan and this makes the lender a bit more comfortable in extending financial aid to an unproven company.

8. Market Your Business.

It is now time to begin doing business and that requires plenty of customers. With this in mind it will be time to market your company.

Word of mouth will be your most important form of advertising, so go ahead and tell everyone you know and their brother what you are doing. Then you can begin to ask realtors, interior designers, and other domestic service companies to take your name with them and even partner up.

You should also get your website up and running as soon as you possibly can. Having a digital presence online is essential in this market and it provides an easy way for your potential clients to contact you. Then make sure you lay claim to your Yelp, Google Business, and all other local directories in the area you are servicing.

Whether your web presence is large or small, simple, or complex, make sure it is sharp, easy to understand and fully functional.

The Bottom Line.

It is only natural to feel uncertain about taking a leap and starting your own business, but with the following pointers on opening your commercial carpet cleaning company you have a better idea of what to expect. If you take the time to build yourself a solid foundation, you will soon be building a strong company that will be pulling in a profit and making way for expansion.

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Starting A Carpet Cleaning Business? Here’s What You Need To Know.

Carpets are a ubiquitous part of commercial and residential locations across the land and the need for top-notch cleaning services to keep these carpets in perfect conditions and lasting their full-service life is important. Clean well-maintained carpets are essential to an inviting environment and good presentation.

If you have been considering opening a profession to cater to this need, you have the entrepreneurial itch and could soon be taking home your slice of a $5 Billion pie that is only growing in size and value.

So how to get started in the carpet cleaning industry? Actually, it is a lot like getting started in any industry. Assemble your business strategy, secure financing, register your business and make sure all the foundational steps are completed first.

Then, you will have to move on to some steps that are exclusive to the carpet cleaning industry. For example, collecting the necessary equipment, obtaining certification or accreditation with regulatory boards, taking out the right type of insurance policy that will protect you from claims that only strike in this niche.

It can seem a bit tricky from a distance, but you will find that with an enlightened perspective, getting off on the right foot is relatively straightforward but all necessary in order to get your carpet cleaning company off to a great start.

Here are eight steps to understanding the terrain of the carpet cleaning frontier and how you can lay claim to your personal gold mine.

1. Write a Business Plan.

The first thing to do for any entrepreneur, will be to begin with a solid plan for business. This crucial component of your business campaign provides direction and rhythm to your efforts. You will outliner your business goals and how you plan to reach them within any given time frame. You will also consider the resources at your disposal and how far they will take you.

Your plans can be broad or extremely specific, formal or whimsical whatever you feel comfortable with. You will then find that as your business changes to meet its goals, the business plan, with a mind and intelligence of its own, begins to adapt to suit your progress and direction.

To begin with the most astute business plan possible, you should aim to include the following components in your plan.

• What will you be providing to whom?
• What is your hiring plan?
• What is your marketing plan?
• What are your Financial Goals?
• What do you plan to charge for this service?
• What tools and equipment will you need to begin?

Once more we will emphasize the point that this business plan you will be creating at this moment is not an unwavering constitution to your business. It is more like an initial organizational plan that gives you some scope on your current location in comparison to your goals, which will all change as you begin making progress.

The next important step in forming a business plan will be planning how to effectively allocate your expenses called a budget. Consider how much cash you have on hand in relation to the various expenses you will need to get your business off the ground. It could be that you will need additional financing to make you first move.

So, make sure you count all the costs. You will want to consider costs for starting up a business, obtaining certifications and business licenses as well as all of the conceivable day-to-day expenses associated with carpet cleaning. To do this effectively, you will need to use a business financial plan. The good news is that there are many such options available online.

2. Get Yourself Trained and Certified.

Before you can begin taking your business to your clients you should do what you can earn their trust. Having a good deal of experience under your belt is an important way to begin. But even more importantly will be to get yourself trained and your work licensed with the regulatory board in your region.

A certification from the IICR or Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration is an especially good option. The IICRC offers specific training as a technician in rug cleaning, carpet cleaning and commercial carpet cleaning and maintenance. There are in person training programs available and you may also find an online training module if that is your preference.

There are also certifications available for programs at TMF academy and several equipment suppliers will also offer this service. Rotovac and Jon-Don are two such commercial equipment suppliers that offer these training programs to potential carpet cleaning companies. Then, after you have gotten certification and training, make sure any new employees you hire also have this training.

But no matter what you choose or how you get the certification needed, there is no alternative for on-the-job experience. One of the best options will be to contact a local carpet cleaning company and ask if your employees could shadow their seasoned cleaning teams while they are on the job. It seems like a long shot, but it is worth the effort. You can even ask if the carpet cleaning company owner will allow you to pick their brains on a few important points.

If you meet such an amicable person, prepare some good questions about start-up costs, recommended tools and equipment, how to form good customer relations, tips about hiring staff and managing them effectively.

3. License and Register Your Business.

If you have reached this point you have scoured the land well and portioned off your corner of the market. Now, it is time to let everyone know what you are doing. But first, you need to let the government and the state officials know first. This means you need to take out the licenses and registrations required for your company.

The first thing to do will be to contact your local clerk’s office and ask about the licensing required for cleaning companies operating in your region. Then, you will need to follow these directions completely.

If you own this business all alone, or with your spouse, you can choose sole proprietorship, which precludes the need to register with the state. But, if you do this, your business will not be a separate entity from your personal assets. This means that any debts of liabilities that are taken out on your company will have implications for you as well.

In such a case, it may be better to work as an LLC. Registering your company as an LLC is not a difficult thing and comes with certain protections that you won’t enjoy as a sole proprietor. For example, your personal assets will not be liable for any financial trouble you are having with your company.

4. Open a Business Bank Account.

If you haven’t already, this would be a good time to go ahead and open a second bank account for your business. It is a good idea to keep your personal expenses separate from your business finances. First of all, this will keep your finances safe from any business-related issues. But it will also make it much easier for you to handle your books. And this will also make applying for business lending a much easier option as well.

5. Obtain the Right Insurance.

Finally, there is one more vital piece of paperwork that should be taken into consideration. You will need insurance to protect you from certain potential problems. First off is standard liability insurance which protects you from claims for bodily injury or property damage. Then you will need worker’s compensation insurance, disability insurance and unemployment if you plan on hiring a staff. Finally, consider your transportation as well, take out insurance for the company vehicle just in case it gets into an accident out on the roads.

6. Gather Your Tools.

You won’t get very far in your business if you are not fully equipped for the task at hand. Remember there are many options other than buying top-of-the-line brand new equipment. What you need is the equipment that will do the job right.

You can buy used items and even rent your equipment from hardware stores when you are just beginning. But, once you are seriously heading up the ladder as a reputable carpet company, you may want to just get your own equipment according to your needs. Ergo, it may be best to do this from the start.

Some of the essentials will include a powerful industrial vacuum and a steam carpet cleaner. Then you will need all the detergents and solvents required to operate these devices. Once you get a feel for what you are doing, you will be able to expand your tools set from this point. Other things you may need are upholstery wands, deodorizers, carpet rakes, pet and stain remover as well as any other carpet cleaning tools and apparatus you feel suitable for the job.

This is one more place where getting an expert opinion from other carpet cleaning companies in the area will be a good idea.

7. Fund Your Business.

Obviously, this is all going to cost some cash investment and you may not have all the resources in your pocket to hit every start-up need, no matter how you bootstrap. There are quite a few costs that you have already acquired as you have gotten your company to this point and most start-ups begin by paying heavily out of their own pockets.

Because a small start-up lacks the financial history to take out any financial aid from a bank, owners will typically take out personal loans or even ask friends and family to chip in from the ground up.

But if you will need financing right away there are still some options available. You can pull a credit card out in your companies’ name and this can be used to pay daily expenses and small items. This only takes a matter of minutes and all businesses can acquire such a line of credit no matter their financial history.

Then you may have luck with equipment financing. As the name implies, this loan will be used to purchase the equipment your business needs to get off the ground. The equipment you buy will be the collateral for this loan and this makes the lender a bit more comfortable in extending financial aid to an unproven company.

8. Market Your Business.

It is now time to begin doing business and that requires plenty of customers. With this in mind it will be time to market your company.

Word of mouth will be your most important form of advertising, so go ahead and tell everyone you know and their brother what you are doing. Then you can begin to ask realtors, interior designers, and other domestic service companies to take your name with them and even partner up.

You should also get your website up and running as soon as you possibly can. Having a digital presence online is essential in this market and it provides an easy way for your potential clients to contact you. Then make sure you lay claim to your Yelp, Google Business, and all other local directories in the area you are servicing.

Whether your web presence is large or small, simple, or complex, make sure it is sharp, easy to understand and fully functional.

The Bottom Line.

It is only natural to feel uncertain about taking a leap and starting your own business, but with the following pointers on opening your commercial carpet cleaning company you have a better idea of what to expect. If you take the time to build yourself a solid foundation, you will soon be building a strong company that will be pulling in a profit and making way for expansion.

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From The Ground Up: Reasons To Rethink Your Entry-Level Hiring Strategy

by Pablo Listingart, Founder and Executive Director of ComIT

To begin again, to start anew, to have a fresh, blank slate — the corporate advantages of hiring entry level employees, strong professionals at their career beginnings, seem self-explanatory. But for many companies, it’s a source of stress, and an area too often overlooked. Onboarding at the entry level can be resource intensive. New employees require proper training, supervision, and the time and space it takes to navigate the learning curve of a novel corporate landscape.

In any economy, successful entry-level hiring is a crucial aspect of corporate success. New employees bring refreshing perspectives, creative sparks, energized work ethic, and a future orientation. Never have the aforementioned qualities held such importance than in the moment of the COVID-19 market. Today, a company’s ability to innovate, to pivot overnight, to take creative risks and to bet correctly determines their long-term viability. In this era, companies with strong entry-level employees certainly have the upper hand.

And yet, entry-level positions are among the most shed roles, as companies cut budgets to survive the pandemic. While it might be an effective short-term strategy for cutting costs, reducing risk, and ‘surviving,’ it’s an oversight that will plague operations in the long run. Companies that are foregoing entry-level salaries are creating a top-heavy corporate structure that will lack those differences in perspectives, those surges of creativity, and that freshness of an employee with a recent education. In time, the company will have trouble passing on corporate culture and values, and will face a huge divide when it does come time to integrate a new work force into staff consisting of only senior executives.

Even the IT sphere, well known for entry-level hiring and a never-ending search for talent, has shed a number of early stage positions in response to the COVID-19 virus. The factors are manifold. Closed borders prevent job seekers from interacting abroad, and opportunities for mentorship and talent training are restricted. Instead of connecting with competent workers on a global level, companies have adapted their recruitment strategies to contend for local senior talent. Costs are incurred in the form of salary requirements, and the chance to include new perspectives and fresh workers is lost.

Furthermore, with the economic pressures of the virus, many employers have shifted to survival mode. With changing needs and rapid hires, recruiters seek experienced workers who can quickly adjust to the role. While the need for immediate performance is understandable, employers often look in all the wrong places, prioritizing years in the industry over certifications, training, and displays of ability. Survival is the task at hand, but success is the long-term goal. And success depends on a well-developed, entry-level hiring protocol.

Job Descriptions: Details Matter.

Begin at the beginning: the job description. Many employers try to describe a position by recommending or requiring a certain amount of previous experience. Here, specificity is limiting. Should the description suggest one year’s worth of experience in a relevant field, true entry-level individuals won’t have sufficient qualification, and will regard that as a barrier to application. This is one place talent can be lost. On the other hand, job seekers who have more than one year’s experience might assume the role is not a fit, and apply elsewhere. Another black hole for prospective talent.

Instead, consider promoting the soft skills you’d most like to work with. Emphasize a potential employee’s values and strengths, and make clear what the role will offer them as well. The more you’re able to excite an applicant, the more talented, creative individuals you’ll attract.

Training, Training, And More Training.

This is one place that corners cannot be cut. Employee training from the outset reduces turnover rates and increases productivity. Training comes in many shapes and sizes, but it never goes out of style. Begin with a digital onboarding. As people become more comfortable with remote operations, there’s no reason an onboarding process can’t begin online before the first official day. Along with the normal practices of filling out direct deposit forms and signing employee handbooks, new employees can be introduced to mentors or pointed toward learning resources that will be helpful through their roles.

After the initial onboard, continuity is key. Consider investing in opt-in workshops, courses, or online certifications at a number of milestones in a new employee’s journey. There’s always something more to learn, and giving your employees the opportunity to do so will not only keep them engaged but will ensure that the engine of your corporation is engaged with the newer conversations taking place at large in the industry. Soft skills training, new coding languages, a course on mindfulness — there’s never a reason not to learn something new.

Entry-level employees play an important role in the COVID-19 recovery including their zeal, their energy for creative solutions and their forward-thinking mindset. As a corporation looking to weather the storm, or as a successful startup hoping to gain longstanding market traction, consider your entry-level hiring practices, your early stage training, and the investments you make in building your team from the ground up.

 

Pablo Listingart is the Founder and Executive Director of ComIT, a non-profit organization designed to help people overcome employment barriers and re-introduce themselves to their local labor market. With an extensive network, ComIT builds ever-changing courses tailored to immediate industry connecting promising graduates with companies in need of local talent.

 

 

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5 Things That Make Your Ecommerce Business More Valuable

The value of your ecommerce business matters most when you intend to sell your business. In order to set a fair price for your business, you need to know how much your business is worth. Buyers will also want to know the value before they consider committing to a purchase.

Whether you plan to sell your business now or later, you need to know how much it’s worth. It’s not just about revenue. While revenue is taken into consideration, there are more components involved in valuing a business. 

The only way to get an accurate value estimation is to hire a business broker to perform a business valuation. When you have a professional value your business, you’ll get a detailed report explaining how the value was derived. This detailed information will be important to potential buyers.

Are you selling your business? Whether you’ve gotten an official valuation or not, here’s how you can increase the value of your ecommerce business.

1. Increase your email subscriber list.

Businesses with large mailing lists tend to be more valuable than businesses that haven’t bothered to generate a large database of contacts. However, your contacts need to be fresh and targeted. In other words, having 50,000 people in your contact database looks impressive, but if those contacts were collected randomly or you don’t communicate with them often, they’re not worth much.

It’s never too late to start collecting targeted email subscribers. Connect with a marketing specialist who will set you up with a PPC campaign, some landing pages, and optimized web forms. Start growing your contacts database today.

2. Increase quality engagement on social media.

While engagement itself isn’t going to increase the value of your business, potential buyers will notice if your engagement on social media is genuine. If you’re generating authentic interactions on social media with fans, you’re in a good spot. Potential buyers want to know you take the time to engage with your fans, answer questions, and solve problems on social media.

3. Build a strong reputation management campaign.

Great reputations aren’t built overnight; they require hard work and long-term commitment. Your reputation is derived from the way your company is perceived in the public eye. Regardless of what’s actually true, even rumors can affect your reputation.

4. Openly resolve customer issues on Facebook.

Having positive reviews and a happy customer base will increase the value of your business. However, you can’t avoid getting negative feedback or complaints from customers on Facebook. It’s going to happen. Even if your product is the most amazing product in the world, there will be someone with a bad experience who wants to share it publicly. 

Don’t respond defensively to negative Facebook reviews or comments. Instead, take the opportunity to talk with upset customers to find out what the issue is and resolve it. Do this publicly so that everyone can see you are committed to customer satisfaction. 

Taking a proactive, resolution-oriented approach to customer complaints will make your brand more trustworthy and will reassure potential customers who are on the fence. It will also leave a trail of interactions new customers might come across, which will reassure them as well. Resolving problems publicly tells potential customers you’ll solve their problems, too, should they encounter any issues.

Ask customers to edit their negative reviews.

Statistics gathered by Social Media Today reveal that 87% of customers will only buy from businesses that have a rating of 3-5 stars. Negative reviews will hurt you if you don’t turn them around. You can turn negative reviews into positive reviews simply by solving problems to customers’ satisfaction. 

Once a customer’s issue is resolved, ask them to edit their review. Most of the time, customers will be happy to edit their review of your business.

Winning back angry customers isn’t hard. Start doing it now and you’ll increase the value of your business.

5. Grow it before you sell it.

It should go without saying that you really need to grow your business before you sell it. With growth comes higher value, which means more money in your pocket after the sale.

If you need detailed advice on growing your business for the purpose of selling it, check out this guide to selling an ecommerce business, published by Big Commerce.

Value is derived from multiple factors.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The value of your business is derived from a multitude of factors, some of which are out of your control. Increase value wherever you can, and don’t sell yourself short by accepting a lowball offer.

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3 Ways To Think Outside The Box In Business

The concept of “thinking outside the box” is derided by many as a sort of meaningless business buzzphrase.

But despite what cynics may say, entrepreneurs should always seek to challenge traditional approaches in order to find new solutions that boost growth and profit – it’s a surefire way to ensure that your brand stands out from the crowd.

These three tips will push your personal and professional boundaries and encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to your business.

1. Try something new.

Experimentation is a great way to find new approaches to common issues.

Try something with your business you might never have considered before – it could be something small like a discount or promotion, or a more significant move, such as a celebratory event via Zoom that invites your customers to join you, for instance for a company anniversary.

Your first baby-step outside of the box doesn’t have to be overly adventurous – just test the waters to see what works!

2. Actively seek feedback.

Too many companies operate on guesswork when it comes to making their next move.

Unfortunately, this is not an effective way to gauge what your customers want, and leads to a “hit and miss” system where some new elements may be successful but others will miss the mark if they don’t adequately satisfy customers’ needs and interests.

This can be avoided easily by opening up communication between your business and customers! The internet offers countless ways to interact with consumers and seek feedback, meaning it’s easier than ever for your customers to share their thoughts with you, whether through social media comment sections or direct online communication.

Social media is the star of the show for obvious reasons when it comes to building customer relationships, but never underestimate the power of email. While it’s not wise to bombard your customers’ inboxes, many will appreciate an opportunity to share their thoughts following a purchase or customer service interaction. A simple ‘How did we do?’ email is a great, low-maintenance approach to this type of feedback acquisition.

Customer engagement is a great strategy for business development, as it keeps your products relevant to consumers’ needs and ensure they feel listened to. This in turn secures loyal, long-term relationships with your customers that will keep them coming back.

3. Get into networking.

Opportunities for business networking have been thin on the ground in 2020, with many physical events facing cancellation and others going virtual.

However, all is not lost and those looking to connect with other professionals still have plenty of options available.

Business networking hub Arise Innovation is a fantastic example of this. Their premises provide valuable opportunities for experts from professional and academic spheres to join forces, sharing ideas and resources and furthering business ambition.

We hope these three tips provide you with a little entrepreneurial inspiration, but remember, when it comes to thinking outside the box, there are no wrong answers!

How do you approach new challenges in business? Let us know in the comments below!

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How To Boost Your Startup Business Using Affiliate Marketing

For a startup, the first goal is to invest in the advertisement of your business to get customers. Digital marketing is the latest strategy of advertising your business, promoting it to the next level. For this purpose, affiliate marketing is used by which you can advertise your products by letting a publisher website post information about it.

In this strategy, the affiliate link to your website is placed in the promotional content, and by clicking the link, it will lead to your website. The publisher can be any blogger or entrepreneur website that earns a commission by advertising your products. You can maximize your sales by using this sales strategy. Here are some tips that can help you when utilizing affiliate marketing for your startup.

Bloggers Play a Part In Influencing The Public.

These days many people are inspired by their favourite bloggers. When they post about a specific product that they benefited from, their followers most likely purchase it because they trust them. They have a great internet presence; thus, a blogger’s content about any product influences the user’s decisions.

You can ask them to post relevant content about your product with your affiliate link to give your brand more exposure. In return for affiliate marketing, the bloggers are entitled to receive income from you.

Affiliate Networks Are Great for Startups.

If you are confused on how to advertise your startup using affiliate marketing, you can take help from any affiliate network. Affiliate networks UK provides you with the benefit of promoting your products by carrying out all the intermediary steps. They make arrangements with a blogger for posting affiliate links that reaches your website.

They charge you income which is separate for every task. Affiliate networks help you in choosing a great platform for advertising your business by,

• They give you information if the publisher website has enough traffic or not.
• Provide you with the most famous keywords that help with trending on a search engine.

Offer Discounts and Coupons for Your Products.

People love saving money through discounts and promotions. It is a great sales tactic to boost your startup. Many consumers look for deals before making their purchases.

For this purpose, you can hire a famous blogger to advertise your products with discount codes. For example, you may have seen a beauty blogger on Instagram advertising any makeup or skincare products with discount codes. There are also sites available which allow you to post content about discounts with affiliate links.

Optimize Your Business Website.

Affiliate marketing is a great strategy for boosting your sales, but you should also provide them with reasons to purchase your product when they reach your site. Your web page must have excellent customer service, making them satisfied. You can optimize your website pages to increase conversions.

Make sure that your webpage loads faster so that the customers have no issue using your site. When they click on the affiliate links, they should be able to get more relevant information regarding the product.  Post photos that can grab the customer’s attention along with the product description. Another great tactic to convince the customers to buy your product is through posting customer reviews.

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Do You Have The Mercedes Benz Syndrome?

by Ruth King, president of Business Ventures Corporation and the author of “Profit or Wealth?: Simple Rules for Sustainable Business Growth”

A colleague was helping a business owner look for funding for his business. He introduced him to a potential investor at lunch. The next day the investor called my colleague and told him that the person was nice but he would never invest in his business. My colleague asked why. The investor said that he had the “Mercedes Benz syndrome”.

“What’s that?” asked my colleague. The investor explained that during the conversation at lunch he found out that this person was funding a $2200 Porsche lease through the business. He appeared interested in having the business pay for his personal lifestyle. The investor explained to my colleague that his money was not going to pay for a car lease. His investments were supposed to help grow the business; not the owner’s personal “finer things of life”.

He went on to explain that he called this the “Mercedes Benz syndrome” where the business pays for unnecessary personal assets, i.e. the owner’s “Mercedes Benz”. Investment that is supposed to go towards the business’ needs goes towards the owner’s personal needs.

It struck me that a lot of business owners and other people do this too. I know some. You probably know some. These are the people who, when they get a large influx of cash or have a lot of cash saved from their business proceeds, spend it rather than keep it in that savings account.

One of my clients never thought about the consequences of spending money in his savings account. He had a great year and felt he deserved a reward. He went to “The Big Boys Toy Store.”

When I found out what he had done, I firmly asked him whether he knew what he had really done. By taking that money out of the savings account for a toy rather than a business need, he took away his ability to sleep better at night and some of his retirement funds. He was stunned as he realized what he had done. He got it.

The next year, when he had another very profitable year, I asked him whether he was going to the “Big Boys Toy Store” again. He said, “No. I gave my stupid gene to my competitors.”

It took three years to replace the money in that savings account. He learned his lesson.

Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor. However, you can’t do it at the expense of your business. You have to save cash for the downturns. You have to save “for a rainy day.” Most businesses have cash flow emergencies from time to time.

So how do you avoid the Mercedes Benz syndrome? You can actually save relatively painlessly. Save 1% of every check that comes in the door. That means if your deposits for the week total $1,000 you transfer $10 into a savings account. And, if some of your deposits are through credit card payments, you need to put 1% of those funds away too.

For a $1,000 deposit, the $10 doesn’t seem like much. And, you can use the other $990 to cover business expenses.

The savings do build as your business grows. Then, when the amount in that account reaches the maximum Federally Insured Amount, transfer some to another bank or financial institution where these funds can remain fairly liquid.

This savings plan is not difficult to do. However, it takes discipline to do it. Whenever you get revenue in the door, you have to have the discipline to transfer the 1% to a savings account. Some companies do it when they receive the funds. Others do it once a week. It’s your choice. Just make sure it gets done.

How much should you save? This is totally up to you. It depends on how much emergency cash you think you need. Many businesses have lines of credit. If you have a line of credit and it isn’t used, that can be a form of emergency cash.

However, even with that safety net, many company owners like to have at least two to three months overhead expenses saved. Their reasoning is that if nothing came in the door, then they could at least pay their people (or their living expenses) for a reasonable time. You’ll need some savings that are fairly liquid, i.e. you can turn them into cash quickly. Other savings could be more long term which probably will earn more interest.

Hopefully you don’t have the “Mercedes Benz syndrome”.  Good cash management and savings will help prevent cash emergencies.

 

Ruth King is president of Business Ventures Corporation and the author of “Profit or Wealth?: Simple Rules for Sustainable Business Growth” and four other award-winning books. Well-known as “The Profitability Master”, Ruth has a passion for helping small business grow profits and wealth. She began training on the Internet in 1998 and began the first television-like broadcasting in 2002, launching her own TV channel – www.hvacchannel.tv.

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What Is Engagement Marketing And How Does It Help A Business?

Regardless of niche or industry, several businesses need to find, connect, and gain new customers. Some marketing methods tend to be quite effective for certain businesses.

One particular technique that may come to mind is engagement marketing.

What Is Engagement Marketing?

As its name implies, engagement marketing, also called experiential or event marketing, uses well-thought, resourceful methods to engage with targeted audiences. The interactions created may present numerous opportunities to various companies, both large and small. Engagement marketing practices tend to deal with both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) audiences. However, various companies may prefer B2C engagements to B2B.

Here are some examples of engagement marketing techniques:

• Creating a social media page and interacting with new and existing followers
• Promoting athletic wear while offering health and fitness classes
• Publishing videos that help solve specific issues for a targeted niche

Marketing through these channels may also require businesses to measure campaign performance using certain tools. For instance, you may download a software that tracks website or app activity from users. Consequently, some social media portals have built-in analytics tools to measure the traffic and engagement within the platform.

If done efficiently, companies may reap various benefits from the practice. Continue reading to know three ways of how interacting with new and existing consumers may help your business.

1. Leads To Brand Loyalty.

Increasing follower base and producing new customers may also be a good sign for many companies. But, repeat transactions from loyal consumers might look like a better option for growth.

Brand loyalty may open new doors for sales growth. Creating and sustaining those relationships helps build trust from your customers. For example, loyal clients may tell their friends and relatives about your organization, and your excellent products and services. Once those people become your satisfied customers, they may, in turn, become loyal consumers, and the cycle continues. These new sales growth opportunities may come from personal interactions with potential leads and existing customers. Remember, many people like to do business with other human beings instead of talking with artificial intelligence (AI) software.

2. Captures Interests.

Many potential leads might back away from a good deal if a business’s marketing efforts lack substance. For instance, do you expect your sales leads to become loyal customers if you send an email with nothing, but the words ‘Click on the link for a great deal?’  Perhaps, your target audience might find the ‘Unsubscribe’ button more appealing if you send this message.

But, engaging with your leads and customers through your marketing operations may increase and capture interests. In turn, it might produce higher-than-usual sales conversion rates.

Interacting with your leads and consumers needs depth or substance. In other words, you need to use techniques that captivate the leads’ attention within a few seconds. One example would be to interact with potential buyers through email marketing. Perhaps, you’re the proud owner of an online store. Moreover, your site’s visitors receive a popup message upon entering your website, telling them to subscribe to your newsletter. At this point, the newsletters you send should help solve a particular concern or need. The message might be a coupon for an upcoming promotion. Otherwise, you can send out relevant updates about your firm’s charitable missions.

Tell stories in your marketing messages. These tales might become your ticket to winning over your leads and transforming them into loyal consumers.

3. Gathers Relevant Data.

Some businesses believe that gathering valuable data might be more important than gaining new customers. It’s because it might be easier to recover lost cash than restore lost information.

With that in mind, engaging with potential and existing customers, with the help of modern tools, helps you gather relevant information from targeted markets. One example is video marketing through social media channels. The Internet has paved the way for people to learn new things by watching seemingly limitless online videos. Use this platform to engage with social media followers, which might eventually transform them into new and long-term buyers.

Additionally, some social media portals have built-in statistic recording tools for content publishers. These generated figures allow you to check which of your targeted demographics are viewing your content. Then, adjust your campaign using the data collected to increase the likelihood of obtaining marketing success.

As you publish your videos, ensure that you engage by replying to comments and feedback. You may even answer inquiries through livestreams to acknowledge viewers that you’re always reading their statements.

Bottom Line.

Engagement marketing may produce various advantages for businesses, including improved brand loyalty, enhanced opportunities to capture interests, and being able to gather relevant data. Interact with potential and existing customers, and your company may be well on its way to achieving business growth.

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