5 Ways Small Businesses Can Show The Planet Some Love On Earth Day

Photo credit: Earth and hands from Shutterstock

by Chad Reid, Director of Communications for JotForm

Does your company do its part to celebrate Earth Day? If not, you’re missing not only an opportunity to help the planet, but also an opportunity to create a bonding experience for your employees by giving them a cause to rally behind.

The great thing is making a big impact doesn’t ask for much additional effort from your company or employees. Below are five ideas that could go a long way this Earth Day:

Replace paper workflows with online workflows.

Spare some trees by not printing application forms, drafts of important documents, or client contracts. Using an online form building tool that includes esignature capabilities lets you collect legally-binding signatures without printing a single sheet of paper. By moving to an online form builder, collaborative word processors like Google Docs or Microsoft 365, and not printing emails, you’d be surprised how little paper you actually need in your office. Our printer hasn’t been used in months.

Walk, ride a bike, or take the bus to work.

Yes, your car is convenient, and so is the company parking spot. But driving every day clogs up the atmosphere with all sorts of pollutants. If you work less than a mile from home, walk to work on Earth day. If you live more than a mile away, bike to work. Don’t have a bike? Enjoy the wonders of public transportation. Plus, all of the above is a fantastic way to get out and enjoy the community. At JotForm, 75 percent of our office employees either take public transit or bike to work; now it’s just part of daily routines.

Have the office go vegetarian for the day.

It’s only one day; you can manage without eating meat. Animal products have shown to cause irreparable harm to the earth resulting in ocean dead spots, drought, global warming, and thousands of miles of cleared land for livestock. As good as that burger is, it’s not doing any good for the environment. So, just for one day, encourage your office to go vegetarian. It’s easy, and it is a great way for your company to honor the planet.

Start a donation pool for an environmental charity.

There are dozens of organizations dedicating themselves to bettering the environment, and they could all use your help. Start an office pool to help support select organizations, and make it interesting by offering to match employee contributions. To keep it all organized, create a form that collects donation payments asking for the name of the employee, which organization they’d like to donate to, and the donation amount. You can centrally administer funds to the organization of their choosing along with company contributions.

End the day early.

Earth Day happens to fall on a Friday this year. This makes it the perfect opportunity to end the work day an hour or two early. Your employees will appreciate the early start to the weekend, and nature will appreciate the reduced energy of an office full of employees turning off their lights and computers early.

These are just a few of the ways your company can do its part this Earth Day – or every day, for that matter. It doesn’t take a ton of extra effort to make a big impact.

Do you have any tips for celebrating Earth Day? Let us know!

 

Chad Reid is a career marketer and currently Director of Communications forJotForm, a popular online form builder. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes for various tech and business publications.

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Money Management Tips For Virtual Assistants & Small Business Owners

by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker, co-authors of “Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“

Money management is one of those topics many virtual assistants and small business owners routinely put off and hope for the best.  It’s front and center on the mind on April 1^st in anticipation of the April 15^th tax deadline, but then it goes straight to the back burner for the rest of the year.  Bookkeeping and money management are best practiced year-round. When done this way, it gives you rewards of more money, more peace of mind, and above all else, a happy IRS!

Smart business owners know the importance of good money management and apply tactics in their business to actually help them.  The following tips are sure to help.

1. Be Smart And Continually Learn More.

Learn as much as you can from the get go.  It’s often said it’s not how much money you earn, but what you do with it that counts.  Totally applies to business decisions regarding money management and budgeting. Follow those you know on social media who offer business and money tips.  Read all you can and know that especially in March and April many will be posting more business tips.  When you see a tip you like, keep it and see how it can apply to your own business.

2. Track Your Income and Expenses.

Seems silly to state the obvious here, but you’d be surprised at the number of business owners who haven’t got a clue about their operating costs, net income/loss, cash flow—none of it. It’s easy to see all of the income and expenses you incur on a regular basis if you keep records and write everything down.  Don’t close your eyes (and your Quickbooks file) and hope things works out.  By writing everything down or entering it into accounting software, you are well aware of your business status and can then plan business finances and make smart decisions on a regular basis.

If you don’t have accounting software that’s okay… log it all in a binder or Excel spreadsheet.  For large purchases (anything over $100)  include item description, use in business, date purchased, what you paid, and any model or serial numbers.  Then you have an accurate accounting of items for tax purposes, an insurance record, and for software user licenses.

3. Budget for The Year Ahead & Start Making Good Choices.

Create a budget and stick with it as best you can.  Be honest and know that each year you will get better at this. Put away money for taxes.  Save for expenses.  And don’t buy things you can’t afford.  Review this budget throughout the year.  Honestly nothing beats looking at your budget and realizing how well you are doing.

Also, know that with your virtual assistant business, income might differ month to month. On those rock’n months, put extra away to compensate for any slower months or invest it back into your business.

4. Review Your Books Monthly.

How much did you make?  How much did you spend?  Were these smart decisions or are there ways you can improve.  While many business owners review their accounts monthly, they don’t spend time looking for ways to improve.  That’s where the magic happens.  By reviewing and analyzing them you also see if you need to make major business adjustments and also can identify trends so you can plan accordingly for upcoming years.

This cannot only save you money, it will also allow you to see if there are any mistakes.  Yes, mistakes happen.  For example, were any automatic payments taken out that shouldn’t have and more?  While you are reviewing these, take a minute to consider if you are fully utilizing the services you are paying for.  Is there a cheaper alternative that can still give you similar results?

5. Pay Yearly When Possible.

If you know you have ongoing expenses, whenever possible pay for the year instead of making monthly payments. This can save you a considerable amount of money as normally businesses give discounts for annual payments.  Web hosting is a good example of this. Look for other cost saving tips as well. 

6. Make Money by Being an Affiliate.

For those services you use on a regular basis, consider signing up as an affiliate. Refer colleagues to this service you know, like and trust so they can reap the same benefits in their business. As a result, you can earn affiliate commission to help offset your costs for using the product or service.

7. Put Money Away.

We hear you, who has extra to do this?  But once it becomes a habit you will find you don’t even miss the money.  Set up a schedule that works for you. Start small if you need to with the main goal of simply getting into the habit of saving.  Put it in a savings account.  This can be your emergency fund for when your computer gives you the blue screen of death or your accountant says you owe more than you thought.

Good money management helps you get — and stay — excited about your business. Done right, it will enable you to save more money and invest wisely, in the right areas. When you have a good handle on your money matters it will directly result in a more successful and satisfying experience as a small business owner.  Ultimately, knowing what the bottom line is will enable you to better focus on the right areas of your business. Or, you’ll have peace of mind that you’ve got things under control.

 

Diana Ennen (pictured) and Kelly Poelker are the co-authors of “Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“. Stop by their site for complete information on starting your own VA business http://ift.tt/24648ys.  Connect with them on Twitter at @learntobeava or at http://ift.tt/24648yv

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Building A Business: Getting The Word Out Fast

When you build a new business from scratch, there is plenty to take on board. If you are like most people, you will probably find that there is more to do than you had anticipated. However, don’t let this put you off. If anything, those who succeed in business are those who actively enjoy the challenges. Nothing is a hurdle with the right approach! One of the major challenges early on will be spreading the word about your company. It can sometimes seem that this whole area is a minefield. There are reams and reams of conflicting information about marketing out there. Knowing who to believe and what, exactly, to do can be tough. But don’t be disheartened. Underneath it all, there are some basic nuggets of truth which you can take home.

Let’s take a look at the most effective methods for spreading the word about your startup:

Word Of Mouth.

Don’t listen to any gurus who try to claim that word of mouth no longer has a place in business. The truth is, it is just as important as ever. There is no evidence to suggest that the rise of the Web and everything it entails has had any effect on the effectiveness of word of mouth. In fact, it is sound advice indeed for any budding business owner to utilise word of mouth as much as possible. Ideally, start talking to people long before you even get your business set up. That way, you will have hopefully provoked a lot of interest before you begin trading. This is a strong position to be in. Spend as much of your free time as possible telling everyone you can about your venture. What’s more encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Trade Shows.

Trade shows are a classic marketing plot of almost legendary status in the business world. The real beauty of a trade show is its multiple functionality. Not only do you get to show off your wares – but you have a chance to look at the competition, as well. If you are confident in your business vision, then these places can be a lot of fun. Why not have fun with it, and show off a little? As well as competing, however, you might also like to consider making partnerships or trade deals with others. One word of advice: if you do attend a trade show, ensure you have hired a Video Production Agency to make your trade video. A shoddily made video shows you up as an amateur immediately.

Social Media.

The Internet has indeed made a huge difference to the face of marketing. Nowhere is this truer or clearer than in social media. For all its potential pitfalls, social media is a blessing for any budding business owner. With social media, you essentially have a tool which allows you to communicate with the whole world. Not only that, but it won’t cost you a penny. The key to a stand-out presence on social media is interaction. Talk to people as much as possible – treat them like friends. And if there are any suggestions or comments – reply to them. People will be sure to remember your business’ name in that case.

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Free Yourself From The Email Overload

By Fauzia Burke, author of “Online Marketing for Busy Authors“

Forget the time you’ve lost on Facebook, email can take over your life and become a true time sink. It’s easy to get inundated with emails and then feel overwhelmed when our inbox keeps populating faster than we can hit delete. I recently heard someone say they have 4,000 email messages in their in-box. What can you do when you are getting emails faster than you can take care of them?

That was my dilemma when I decided something had to change. I started keeping track of the amount of time I was spending with email, and the results were shocking. I realized I was spending majority of my day just responding to emails, which is not my job. Email is just a tool to do my job. I immediately made a promise to myself to end every day with zero emails in my inbox. With 200-300 emails a day, I thought it was an impossible goal, but as I set out to conquer my email inbox, I quickly got more efficient and felt more in charge of my day.

Here’s what I’ve learned from freeing myself from my email overload:

Don’t work from your inbox.

While it can be easy – almost addictive – to get drawn into working from your inbox, I realized it’s counterproductive. I like to organize my day the night before so I can identify top priorities and know exactly where I should be spending my time each day. Having a system to direct your day (whether that’s a to-do list in a day planner or using your iPhone) can help prevent using your email to direct your day. If your email becomes your go-to place to start your day you can lose tons of time answering emails as they come in instead of working on your highest priorities. I like to have designated times to check my email.

Unsubscribe.

Take some time to unsubscribe to any email newsletters you receive that you don’t love. If there are emails from particular places or people that you delete all the time, just go ahead and take an extra minute to unsubscribe. Less email coming in is an easy fix to manage your inbox.

Turn off automatic notifications.

Who doesn’t like to get email? Like snail mail, there are a lot of emails that are exciting to receive. That said, the email notification pop-ups are distracting and interrupt your work flow. You might be surprised at how much time you lose if you continually pop over to your email, even if you tell yourself it’s only for a few seconds. Plus, it’s usually taking you away from what you are supposed to be working on at that moment. Studies now tell us that we can’t effectively multi-task because our brains just don’t work that way. Let yourself focus by turning off your email notification.

Every email is not important.

I used to think all of my emails were important, but they aren’t. Every client is important. Many of my emails are just disruptive. I finally made a choice not to let other people set the agenda for my day. Every email usually pulls me in a different direction, but it’s my job to prioritize and value my time. Set specific times to check email and only respond to the important emails that are aligned with your priorities.

Close down your email.

I usually turn my mail program off while I am writing or working on a report or coming up with promotional ideas for my clients. Every few hours I take a look at my inbox, delete the many FYI emails, and file the ones that are important to save.

Create an action list and delete emails as you go.

Once my inbox is cleaned up, I assess the emails that need some reply or action. If I can reply quickly, I do and delete the email. If it needs action, I decide what needs to happen and transfer that action item to my calendar. To my calendar I will add “send proposal to Jeff for the web publicity campaign for his book.” This way I can use my email time to identify the things that are most important and prioritize them in my calendar. If I don’t get something done, I just move it to the next day. But I know I won’t forget to do something important or lose an important email at the bottom of the email pile.

Never read an email twice.

Before I started using my calendar system, I would leave my emails in my inbox until I took care of them. So every day there would be dozens of emails I had to read again and remind myself what action I needed to take. Since they were usually not urgent, I would just leave them there. The next day same thing would happen. Thankfully I finally realized I was wasting a lot of time and energy using my inbox as a to-do list. Now I hardly ever read an email twice.

Focus on priorities.

Time management experts tell us there’s a difference between being busy and being productive, and they are right. You can make yourself busy all day long just answering irrelevant emails, but at the end of the day you will feel defeated if you don’t make any progress on your top priorities.

Take breaks.

We all need a break from the constant flow of email. Some days it can be hard to even think. It took me a long time to realize that I was more productive, more creative and more enthusiastic about my work when I took regular unplugged breaks from email and social media. If possible give yourself some hours or even a day, certainly the weekend when you don’t check email at all. Open up some space for creative ideas and big-picture thinking. When you go back to your email, you will be able to go through it with clarity.

You don’t have to be a slave to your inbox. Managing your email more effectively will not only increase your productivity, it will also help you set priorities, and will help you truly unplug when you stop working. You can set your phone down because your email will be at zero, at least for a minute.

© 2016 Fauzia Burke, author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors (Berrett-Koehler, April 2016)

 

Fauzia Burke is the founder and president of FSB Associates, an online publicity and marketing firm specializing in creating awareness for books and authors. She’s the author of “Online Marketing for Busy Authors“. Fauzia has promoted the books of authors such as Alan Alda, Arianna Huffington, Deepak Chopra, Melissa Francis, S. C. Gwynne, Mika Brzezinski, Charles Spencer and many more. A nationally recognized speaker and online branding expert, Fauzia writes for the Huffington Post, Maria Shriver and MindBodyGreen. For online marketing, book publishing and social media advice, follow Fauzia on Twitter (@FauziaBurke).

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Dont Miss Your Window Of Opportunity

By Lea Schneider

If you are looking for new opportunities to market your business, the answer may be right in front of you. Your store window opens a pathway to get your message to consumers on a daily basis and should be used as a promotional tool for your business.

Window displays are not just for retail stores. Every sector of business should use their windows to get attention. No matter if you own an insurance agency, a nail salon or a payroll accounting service, you have a message to impart. Sure, it’s great to concentrate intensely on your website and social media marketing but it might mean you are missing old-school opportunities for foot traffic or drive-by customers.

Get started on your visual marketing plan with this checklist:

1. Take a Look at the Window.

Don’t shrug off this window of opportunity if you don’t have a display window. Often, adding a window isn’t as difficult as you imagine. Consider it an investment in long-term marketing.

If you already have a window, there is no point in bringing attention to it if it is an eyesore. If you need to replace damaged or weathered glass with a new, clear window, then do so. At the very least, make sure your window trim is caulked, painted and sparkling clean.

2. Develop a Plan.

Like all good marketing, a great window display doesn’t happen by accident – it happens by planning. Remember, your window is a reflection of your brand. If your store is an elegant boutique, then your window should be elegant, too. If your business is a skateboard shop, then have some crazy fun. Perhaps your business offers a specific service, such as carpet cleaning or graphic design. Your window should reflect exactly what it is you have to offer. Make sure each window has a message.

While you want the window to share your brand, don’t be too afraid to try something new. After all, windows can and should be changed often. Create a schedule for window changes to reflect the seasons or big industry events, and mesh them with your promotions and online marketing plans.

3. Be Talked About.

Just like you hope your social media posts get shared, you’ll want people to talk about your windows. Surely you’ve chuckled over a funny saying, such as “Free Tacos Yesterday,” on a business marquee. So get smart and get clever.

Use bold colors to catch the eye and be seen from a distance. Go big with lettering on signs. Mock up something on a roll of paper and tape it in the window. Get outside and across the street. Make sure you can actually read it before having it printed that size.

If creative ideas are not your strong suit, get ideas from others. Open your eyes as you drive around and see what colors, signs and displays catch your eye. Bring your employees and even your customers into the mix by offering a prize for great ideas.

4. Think in Emoticons.

You can text an entire paragraph to someone and get one little emoticon back. They were able to convey their response to you in just one click.

Keep that concept in mind for your store window. Try to “emoticon” it, meaning you should convey your message in as few terms as possible. Unless you are at the longest stoplight in the world, people don’t have much time to see your display.

Likewise, keep it simple and uncluttered. Too many objects create a visual blur to the passerby. You might try a solitary message or item, or use a quantity of the same item over and over, such as a row of rakes or red shoes.

5. Success is in the Details.

Don’t forget you have hours of marketing available after dark. In fact, your window display might stand out more in the night than during the day. Make sure your window is well lit. Add spotlights or uplights inside your window or exterior lighting that illuminates your window signs.

Remember to place signs and products at the eye level of a person on the street. Too often, items are placed on the floor of the window display, which is too low to be seen clearly. Elevate products and displays so they are at exterior eye level.

6. Market Your Marketing.

Once your window display is up, take the opportunity to market your marketing. Connect your old-school marketing with your current digital plan. Post a picture of your window on your website and share it on social media. Tie it in to a promotion going on or invite readers to suggest window ideas.

A big, creative window display may be just the thing you need to drive your business even more and attract new customers.

 

Lea Schneider owns her own business as a professional organizer. She writes about topics such as organizing your day to be more productive and creating window displays to market your business. If your business doesn’t have a window but would like to add one, check out the selection of bay windows at The Home Depot.

 

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How To Brief A Design Team

If you’re planning to exhibit your products/services at an exhibition, it’s very important to know how to brief your design team. Key performance indicators (KPIs) play a huge part in demonstrating the effectiveness of companies that want to achieve key business objectives. It’s therefore essential that a design team knows what you want to achieve at the exhibition – which can be aided from the design of your stand. The secret is to not get too focused on design details in your brief. Instead, you should have an open mind and keep your focus on what your goals and objectives of exhibiting at the show are.

When you focus on your objectives, it will ensure that you are concentrating on your key messaging which ultimately is more powerful than overcomplicating your stand with mixed messaging.

You should look to get in touch with exhibition experts as soon as you have the date, time and venue of the next exhibition you intend showing at. Hiring a stand is a great option especially if you:-

• Don’t exhibit your products and services very often
• Wish to test exhibition stands before making a purchase
• Want to exhibit at many locations in quick succession
• Need to change the exhibition stand design to accommodate new products or service lines

Consult professional designers.

It’s recommended to consult professional stand designers well in advance of the actual exhibition date. Specialists can help you to plan the way your particular exhibition stand will look and feel on the day and with what you hope to achieve from the show.

You should aim to maximise your stand and staff to:-

1. Pull in visitors
2. Improve your data capture by using digital engagement tools
3. Communicate your brand and message
4. Give advice and guidance

Turn your leads into sales.

You can create maximum impact by talking to design teams who can help you with archways, frameworks, counters, plinths, lighting and much more. Consultants have many years of experience in this field and are the best people to get in touch with.

Award-winning designers.

Exhibition stand designers are passionate about what they do. They take into account your specific objectives and creatively communicate your message via your exhibition stand. Professional designers will also make sure your products or information about your services are aesthetically pleasing and ergonomical.

Designers like to put their creativity to the test and will do their utmost to customise your requirements to compliment your brand. Their objective is to create a bespoke exhibition stand that not only meets your budget but also exceeds your expectations.

If you need some inspiration, check out exhibition stand designers’ portfolios to get an idea of their previous work.

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5 Ways To Unleash Your Creativity Through Humor

Photo credit: LOL from Shutterstock

By Will Becker, Copywriter & Social Content Strategist, Trepoint

Comedy brings perspective. It brings the refreshing release of laughter and joy. It brings a critical eye and a necessary commentary on the world around us. Whether you yourself are a funny person or not, we turn to humor to help us better understand this big old mess we’re all a part of.

At the core of any joke, riff or moment of comedic improvisation rests a crucial element of critical thinking. In this way, humor does not simply provide much needed levity to our lives, but also beautifully demonstrates our brain’s ability to process information, analyze a situation and synthesize those inputs into a particular point of view.

There is room for this type of strategic thought in every aspect of content marketing and advertising. And through comedy’s many forms, we can infuse a variety of influences into the creative approach we take when solving problems, writing content and promoting new ideas.

Utilizing these five simple practices, you can help to unlock and unleash your creative skill sets through humor:

Watch Stand Up – New & Old.

Every comic provides both an introspective voice and a unique perspective of the culture in which they live. It’s this singular creative interpretation of our collective society that showcases our ability to make sense of situations through story. Honing in on this process can be especially handy for content writers looking to create clever and concise material that breaks through the highly-strained attention spans of today’s audiences .

Find a Funny Podcast.

The podcast boom is most certainly upon us, and the medium is keenly used by many great voices within the comedy world. I personally love the behind-the-scenes insights and personal anecdotes of podcasts such as You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, but there is a vast sea of shows out there to discover. The Onion’s A.V. Club and comedy blog Splitsider both offer weekly roundups of their favorite episodes for those looking to find something new. Bringing a wider depth of knowledge to the brainstorming phase of any project is a massive benefit, and by listening to differing viewpoints, attitudes and opinions we can alter our creative approach for the better.

Schedule Time With Friends.

Usually the people you choose to be friends with aren’t a bunch of wet blankets. So get together, grab a drink and enjoy the fun and conversation that unfolds. Even if you’re not riding in cool cars getting coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, chances are some laughs will be shared that you can draw on as future reference.

Read – Short-form, Long-form, Fiction & Non-Fiction.

Reading comes with a myriad of benefits, but simply put it is an endless source of stimulation and inspiration. Whether it’s a collection of essays from David Sedaris, a biography by Steve Martin, or a blog stocked with a constant stream of fresh wit, these stories can serve as the source materials to your next great idea.

Observe & Report.

This last one is dead simple: take notes. They can be scribbles and sketches inside a pocket sized notebook or memos to yourself saved on a phone. By marking these moments in your memory, you make yourself more aware, and help to sharpen your aptitude for expounding upon the peculiarities of your daily life.

 

With a background in media planning, Will Becker brings a balance of right and left brain skills to his work as a Copywriter & Social Content Strategist at Trepoint. On every project, he pushes to find the unique foundation upon which captivating ideas can find their creative inspiration. He believes strongly that work derived from real insight delivers deeper impact for clients and more meaningful emotional connections for the end consumer.

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