Fall Doormats You’ll Love

Amazon, Babysitter, or Joanna Gaines Doormat I‘m so glad you guys are looking forward to the Fall Nesting series! Me, too! It’s fun to have a yearly ritual to share with you. This is actually my first fall with our Dutch doors, so of course I felt inspired to go on a little hunt for […]

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Save the Date: Fall Nesting for the Homebody

Terrain Hi sweet friends! This is our “last week of summer” before my son goes back to school! Are you already back to back to your fall routines? I’m so glad we still have one more week. While I really will hate to see these lazy summer days end, y’all know I’m pretty excited about […]

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Magnolia Market & Silos {Out to See}

Have you had an opportunity to visit Chip & Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market & the Silos in Waco, Texas? I haven’t been there, but my daughter Courtney was there recently with a couple of friends. She had a great time, so I hope to have the chance to visit someday. But until then, she was […]

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My Organized Spice Drawer

This post is sponsored by Brother We’ve been really enjoying cooking meals in our newly remodeled kitchen over the past eight months! We were getting used to cooking outside or in our electric skillet in our laundry room, but it’s so nice to have a real designated space again for daily meals. We try to eat at home […]

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Lessons from A White Painted Fireplace Makeover

You know that house in blogland or on Instagram (or in your neighborhood) where everything about it seems absolutely perfect? Well, I think “perfect” can be a misunderstood standard. Especially in our own home. What does perfect mean to you? Will a house be perfect if you can spend a lot of money on it? […]

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Small Space Solutions: Seattle Apartment Dining Area

Small space solutions, tips and inspiration. Plus, how to fit a dining area into a small apartment! This small space solutions post is in partnership with World Market If you love small spaces or happen to live in one, you know it can sometimes be challenging to fit everything you need into the little space […]

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Starting a Home Business? Take Care of These SEO Fundamentals

Starting your own small business is no easy task, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with business in general. Even a city such as Madison, Wisconsin, can be a challenging environment for a new business. So making your entrepreneur debut from home might be a great idea. If you’re going to do everything yourself, though, you will soon enough find that it’s less rewarding than you might have thought. That’s especially true when you consider the amount of work you have to put in. However, you’ll find it easier to gain traction if you pay attention to some SEO fundamentals.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: GIVE YOUR BUSINESS A HEAD START WITH A SMART SEO STRATEGY

 

Learn SEO Fundamentals

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” Keep in mind your website’s SEO plays a huge role in how people and other companies discover and view your business online.

If you don’t have any experience with SEO you can find help. For instance, you can turn to the best Madison SEO company for guidance. If you’re not ready for that yet, though, here are some SEO fundamentals that you can handle yourself. Just be sure and do so as soon as possible.

 

Give Your Pages Titles

It’s very important to give every page on your website its own title. Today’s tools let you name every page and give it a description as well. It’s a very bad move not to take advantage of this ability. Make sure you don’t name everything the same, either. Don’t just slap your company name on every page, or give it a dull, barely informative name or description like “News” or “Tools.” Give each page a keyword-rich title and search engines will reward you handsomely.

 

Consider Your Keywords

Give your keyword selection some good, solid thought.

It’s important to have good keywords that will redirect people towards your business. However, the best keywords are usually already used. If you choose an overly used keyword as your own, you will have gobs of competition from more popular websites and companies.

So it’s important to go about choosing your keywords systematically. Make a list of all the keywords you want search engines to associate with your website and go through them, one by one. Use a keyword planner, such as the one offered by Google’s AdWords, to get a better handle on things.

The worst thing that you could do is wing it, and just make up keywords as you go. Don’t do that. Think of everything that could be positively associated with your site. Come up with variations of saying the same thing, too. That way, you will gain a valuable keyword but without all the heat that would come from the more popular version.

 

 

Promote Your Own Site

Make sure that people find out about your website by posting about it on social media. Make use of all the popular social media platforms to further boost awareness of your brand. Make sure people access more than just your homepage by linking specific, important pages from your domain onto social media and other platforms of your choice.

So many startups make the mistake of assuming that once people are on their homepage, they will automatically check out their other pages as well. However, that’s rarely the case. Sometimes the homepage design just isn’t appealing enough for people to want to see more, so you have to take them directly to other pages that might interest them.

 

Ask for Help from Friends

If you have friends, family or acquaintances who have some kind of online business, such as a website of their own or a blog perhaps, make sure you ask them about posting an article about your endeavors. Having other sites and companies promote your own website is extremely beneficial. It does more than just bring new visitors to your site. It also means the people promoting you are vouching for you.

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Why Choose a Career in Corporate Hospitality?

Are you leaving school in the near future and looking for a career that fits you? Or are you wanting a change of direction in your career that offers excitement, rewards and enjoyment? Or perhaps you’re looking for something to fill the gap while you’re building your startup. If so, then employment within the corporate hospitality and events sector might just be a perfect option for you.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO PREPARE TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL

 

Ditch the Desk Job

Corporate hospitality careers allow you to be creative and let your personality shine. They often offer an amazing experience, not only for the paying customer but also for you the worker.

In a typical job you sit behind a desk in an office. It usually involves staring at a computer screen and seeing the same old faces day after day. However, with a job in corporate hospitality you won’t have the same old routine day after day. Your job will include a variety of events. You will experience different venues and meet many different people from all kinds of social backgrounds. And the old 9-to 5 job simply doesn’t exist in this field. Your hours will generally be flexible.

 

A Job for People Persons

There are two appealing aspects of a career in hospitality. The first is the actual events you will attend. These can be anything from world class sporting events, such as football matches and Wimbledon, to team-building days and corporate events designed to create an enjoyable atmosphere.

The second appealing thing would be the people that you meet each time you go to work. These can include celebrities, sports heroes and leaders of industry. Most of these people you would never have a chance of meeting without working in this sector. Meeting lots of new and exciting people from all walks of life could make your work life thrilling.

 

Using your Social Skills to Please Others

A career in corporate hospitality will always involve providing enjoyment and happiness to others. To achieve this, you will need to have good skills in a social setting and be able to communicate effectively and freely. You will also need to be able to work well both as a part of a team and by yourself. Your work will involve creating events that are enjoyable and memorable for clients. The phrase, “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving,” comes to mind. For this reason alone, many find this career to be quite rewarding.

 

 

Be Creative in Your Career

As well as being rewarding in a social way, corporate hospitality allows you to be creative. You will be required to create ways to make your guests feel welcome and well looked after. Your will want to leave them feeling that they have had a great and memorable experience, one that they will talk about with others. In this kind of ever-changing work environment, you will learn new skills continuously.

So, if a choosing a career in which no two days are ever the same sounds good to you, why not consider working in the corporate hospitality sector? It can offer fun, excitement and the development of a whole range of social skills each time you go to work.

After all, we all like to know that we have made a positive difference in someone else’s life. A career in corporate hospitality could make you feel like that every day!

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Level Up Your Marketing with Effective Gamification Strategies

Gamification is a process that integrates game mechanics into something that already exists. This could be your website, your social media channel, even your day-to-day operations. Its purpose in marketing is to boost customer engagement and loyalty.

It has also been used in other arenas, such as education, where it is used to improve learning.

Basically, gamification adds the elements of a game to something that is not a game. It adds motivational elements to something you were already doing anyway, in order to make that something more interesting. For instance, when you offer your customers a discount for bringing in the post card they received from you in your direct-mail campaign, you’re using gamification.

 

Gamification in Marketing

When people think about marketing gamification, they commonly think about loyalty programs. However, it has moved far beyond simple loyalty programs. Now, it is creeping more and more into other marketing strategies and even product development.

 

Why Gamification?

Gamification is coming of age with today’s mobile-driven consumers. Gaming concepts are being used to encourage user engagement, attract new customers, and build brand loyalty.

The process is customer-oriented and personalized. This appeals to consumers, so much so that they quietly acquiesce and allow businesses to collect vital customer data to be used in the future.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: MARKETING FOR NON-MARKETERS: GET GOOD AT IT BY LEARNING TO LOVE IT

 

Successful Gamification Methods

There are many unsuccessful gamification methods, and it is important to be aware of what these are and to avoid them. However, there are also many methods that have been shown to be successful, including:

 

Prizes and Rewards

You might not have even realized this, but companies that offer rewards if their users share their system are using gamification. By providing rewards, the company is capitalizing on people’s competitive nature. For example, Dropbox offers extra storage if you refer a colleague, and Uber offers a free ride if you share the Uber app with a friend.

 

Rewards for Engagement

Some sites offer rewards for engagement. That is, users who engage with the site receive badges or points. However, in order to collect the points, users must register with the site. This increases participation and draws potential customers further into a marketing funnel.

For instance, Code Academy allows users to engage and use its code-learning system by completing assignments without having to sign up. However, users can only collect their badges after they have registered.

 

Countdowns

Countdowns added to a website can be time counters that tick down until a special price expires. Or they might be a counter which displays the number of units left until an item sells out.

Timers and countdowns create a sense of urgency among users. Site visitors therefore take action faster, fearing they’re going to miss out. A sense of scarcity results in more conversions, which is always great for marketing. Ebay’s bidding process is good example of a countdown.

 

Leaderboards

Leaderboards capitalize on human beings’ drive to compete. Users can accumulate points for all sorts of actions, including dollars spent, Facebook shares, reviews written, or surveys answered.

When users see others with more points than they have, they are inspired to play harder and more often. Points are often redeemable for discounts on purchases.

 

Loyalty Programs

Businesses both online and offline use loyalty programs in their marketing strategies.

Casinos, particularly online casinos, have mastered the art of loyalty programs by offering multiple levels, thereby adding in an element of competition as well. Users begin participating by downloading their mobile gambling applications or playing the games that are available on their sites. Players accumulate points which they can redeem for casino cash, encouraging them to stay longer and spend more money.

Then, too, people love their coffee. Coffee houses such as Starbucks reward customers with stars for every purchase. Customers earn free food or drinks once they have collected enough stars. This is an excellent way to gain return customers and build brand loyalty.

 

Interactive Games

Interactive games used as a marketing strategy can increase customer awareness about a product. When M&Ms launched their flavored pretzel product, for example, they launched a game on their Facebook page that had customers looking for the “pretzel guy” among the M&Ms. Tens of thousands of people played, shared, and liked this game, a simple and inexpensive—and effective—marketing strategy.

 

 

Are You Leveraging Gamification?

More and more businesses across the spectrum, both large and small, are starting to catch onto and use the power of gamification. Gamification subtly encourages interaction and input, and it works across verticals and product types.

Are you leveraging gamification in your marketing strategy? If not, it’s time to level up.

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What Is a White Label, and Why Should You Care?

The term “white label” refers to a product that is made by one company and sold to other companies. Those companies, in turn, sell that product as if they had made it themselves.

The phrase can be traced back to the days of vinyl records. Back then, artists would distribute their new music to DJs and nightclubs inside a plain white sleeve ahead of the record’s official distribution. The purpose in those days was to gauge the level of interest in the artist’s new music. With any luck, it would also generate some buzz.

These days, though, if you’ve been struggling as an entrepreneur, a white label product could be your doorway to success.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 TYPES OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

 

What Is a White Label Product?

White label products are often consumer goods or electronics, mass-produced by one company in order to be sold by other companies. However, these products can also be digital. For example, you could invest in a white label product and use it on a website that belongs to you. In return for your investment, you would be freed of having to create the technology and build the infrastructure yourself.

In other words, the big plus is that as an entrepreneur you can focus on what you do best—business and marketing—while the provider does all the heavy lifting.

It sounds complicated, but it isn’t. White labeling is the process of taking a ready, unbranded product, then repackaging it and selling it as your own. It’s incredibly common in digital industries. And it’s a made-in-heaven solution for those who find focusing on backend issues such as operations and technological workings either beyond their capability, too time-consuming, or too expensive.

 

An Example of a White Label Digital Product

With a white label digital product, businesses or individuals whose primary strengths are front-end related—that is, marketing, branding, customer acquisition, and retention—can focus their time doing what they do best.

For instance, many gaming sites are based on white label digital products, as evidenced in New Zealand by the rise of review sites dedicated to the gaming industry.

While this kind of business is not for everyone, white labeling makes it easier to break into this kind of digital market. There are some big players in the field such as Playtech, so finding a provider is not all that difficult. Of course, you’ll have to get licensed and pay the required fees, but your provider will guide you through that process.

Neither will you have to worry about payments and back-end support. That’s because your provider will have already built in the infrastructure for accepting online payments. Risk management, fraud detection and prevention, and more will all be provided by your provider. Additionally, every piece of the customer support process is provided as a part of the package.

 

 

The Big White Label Providers

Playtech is the biggest operator in the white label gaming field. Established in 1999, their games are legendary in the online gaming world.  Another heavy hitter is Realtime Gaming. Though not quite as a big as Playtech, they are incredibly popular and offer an excellent white label service. Last but not least is Tain. The least well known of the 3, Tain has been around since 1999. Tain has a proven reputation as a white label provider.

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Drive By: Highland Park in Dallas (and video!)

Come with us on a Highland Park Neighborhood Drive By! Hey friends! You all know how I love driving through neighborhoods and admiring beautiful homes, right? We call them drive bys ’round here. Well, my daughter Courtney was in Dallas, Texas this past weekend with friends and they drove by some jaw-dropping beauties in the […]

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7 Tips for Choosing the Best CRM for Small Business

It is no secret that a large business begins with a small one. Automating business processes is the first step to making a small business bigger, and a CRM for small business could be your company’s first step in this direction.

If human beings must perform all of a business’s processes, business growth can slow or stop altogether. However, a CRM system (Customer Relationship Management) will help your business to increase sales, optimize marketing activities and improve customer service. It will store all your customer data and the history of your customer interactions. It will also set and enhance business processes and analyze the results, saving resources for further business development. However, many small business owners still doubt their business requires a CRM system.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE LEADS TO INCREASED PROFITS AND SOMETHING MORE

 

Signs Your Small Business Needs a CRM

Some signs that your company might be ready for a CRM for small business include:

• Is your company’s data on its partners, customers, suppliers and competitors stored in different places so that it takes lots time to consolidate data?
• Do you have a way to record the history of your customers’ interactions with your company? Missing history leads to neglected orders and unhappy customers.
• Is it difficult to control employee performance? Can you track their activities, correctly divide the workload and accurately evaluate employees?
• Does miscommunication between your company’s departments occur all too often? Blunders such as these result in lost time and inaccurate information on orders, customers and partners.
• Do your employees spend most of their working day on routine activities, leaving no time for important and complicated tasks?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your company would benefit from a good CRM system.

 

Must-Have Core Functions for a CRM for Small Business

Nowadays, the software market bursts with a plenitude of CRM systems. However, it is extremely vital to choose the appropriate CRM for small business needs. Take into account the following factors:

 

Availability of Necessary Functions

Modern CRM systems have different built-in functionality. While one might offer all the necessary tools, another could require you to install additional applications. On the other hand, leading solutions combine all the necessary tools to provide a full customer view, document flow, collaboration tools, project management, analytic tools, and more.

 

Tools for Communicating with Customers and Your Team

By this we mean telephony, internal messaging system, e-mail system and so on.

 

Data Migration Tools

Make sure you purchase a CRM system that doesn’t require your employees to manually enter your data into it. Otherwise, the process of implementation can run past your deadline, costing your business time and money.

 

Cost

Usually the cost of a CRM for small business consists of several components: license prices, implementation and support. Familiarize yourself with the developer’s prices for these services.

 

Deployment Options

Premium vendors provide several deployment options to make sure every customer can find something that meets their requirements.

 

Quality Technical Support

The stability of the CRM you choose will depend not only on the quality of the software itself, but also on the professionalism of the tech support team.

 

Mobile Applications

With good mobile applications, you will be able to work from wherever you are. This will save time and allow you to more promptly serve your customers.

 

 

Finally…

The proper CRM solution for your business will lead to higher profits and more accurate sales forecasting. Further, thanks to analytic tools and better employee productivity, you’ll be better able to define strategy gaps.

However, the most important benefit of CRM is enhanced customer service. This feature alone leads to better customer experience and stronger customer loyalty.

An example of a CRM system that perfectly meets the requirements of a small-sized company is bpm’online. The reasons are many:

Synergy

• They provide a unique synergy of business process management (BPM) technology and CRM. This will help you to align sales, service and marketing on a single platform. Further, the system will efficiently manage a customer’s entire journey.

Options

• They have several editions of their products so that you can find a solution that’s right for your business. In addition, they offer several licensing options and three levels of technical support.

Ease of Use

• You can keep all your data in a single database and record your customer interactions. All the communication options are available right in the system.

Smooth Integration

• You can easily transfer data from and to Excel. Also, you can simplify the processes of synchronizing email, contacts and tasks because of their integration with MS Exchange, MS Outlook and Google.

Technical Support

• Depending on the technical support level you buy, the services vary. Still, all the support levels include consultations on functionality and customization, identification and elimination of malfunctions, updates to new versions, access to the company’s online community and offline support.

Mobile Application

• A mobile application allows you to access data so you can plan meetings and activities from wherever you are.

Free Trial Version

• Testing new software is extremely important, and bpm’online offers a free trial version for you to make sure the CRM will meet all your expectations.

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3 Ways to Boost Your Car Replacement Parts Business

Automotive businesses have great potential to grow, considering the industry’s steady rise over the past few years. As people look for convenient transportation, car financing has become more accessible. More consumers are also keeping their older vehicles, choosing to do scheduled servicing to prolong their lifespan. These trends all point to a bright future for your car replacement parts business. Things start to get tricky, however, when it comes to automotive industry marketing.

Compared to other businesses, automotive ventures prove to be more difficult to advertise. That’s because people don’t look for your services until they need them. Now, the challenge is being the first service provider with a relevant offer. But amidst the sea of competition, how can you tread the waters? Here are some tips for boosting the sales of your car replacement parts business.

 

Enhance Your Site and Customer Service

Yes, every business should set up a website. You also need social media profiles and an e-commerce store. These improvements will maximize exposure and grab the attention of your customers.

However, the process doesn’t end here. Providing convenience to your clients should be your top priority. Take, for example, 247 Spares. They are an online car parts retailer that provides optimal user experience. They do this by streamlining the process of finding the right parts and delivering them to straight to their customers.

Ultimately, a well optimized website and excellent customer care services are two necessary ingredients to your marketing strategy. Once a client falls in love with the convenience your brand offers, he or she is likely to be a repeat customer and a loyal brand advocate.

 

 

Provide Referral Incentives

Who doesn’t love free stuff? Giving out freebies will encourage customers to refer your brand to friends and family. New car owners, particularly, may be skeptical about any service provider. However, a referral by friends or family members can push them over the edge. Showing your appreciation to brand advocates can increase brand recognition and sales. More importantly, you form personal relationships with your existing client base.

 

Be an Expert in Your Industry

Without question, one of the best things you can do to market your business is to position yourself as an authority in your field. You can achieve this lofty goal by sharing useful information through your blog posts or newsletters. Make sure you look beyond traditional text and consider all sorts of rich media, such as infographics, videos, and even GIFs. By providing something the competition doesn’t, you will have a better chance at capturing the interest of your target audience.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO APPEAL TO YOUR BUSINESS’S TARGET AUDIENCE

 

These tips are not only meant to generate more sales. They are also intended to bring your brand closer to your customers, allowing them to connect with your business on a more personal level. By providing optimal user experience, showing genuine care for your existing customers, and establishing yourself as the go-to resource for the automotive industry, success is almost guaranteed. With more and more people looking for affordable aftermarket auto parts, there’s surely a lot of room for your business to thrive.

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The Benefits of Inventory Management with CMMS Software

Managing the maintenance of a facility can be highly challenging. Fortunately, Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS) can help improve efficiency of maintenance departments of all sizes. Integrating CMMS software is so effective because it prevents the occurrence of maintenance issues that lead to costly repairs.

This puts the emphasis where it belongs—on proactive maintenance, rather than on reactive maintenance. It is always better for facilities to be prepared for the future than for potential issues to arise. This type of approach reduces maintenance costs and ensures equipment is kept in good order. Overall, there are several benefits to inventory management with CMMS software.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: STORAGE IDEAS FOR SPACE-STARVED STARTUPS

 

Better Data, Better Insight

The primary function of CMMS software is to provide management with insight into maintenance needs. This includes accurate inventory forecasts, comprehensive reports, and detailed work order schedules. CMMS software tracks data over time, providing businesses with detailed insight into what’s working best and what can be improved.

One of the biggest benefits of CMMS software for inventory managers is having the ability to recognize patterns and make decisions based on those findings. Processing such a large volume of data would be difficult with traditional software techniques and databases. CMMS is able to successfully capture this data and translate it into something meaningful.

That data can then be used to help improve operations, help management make quicker, more intelligent business decisions, and increase profit. According to Facilities Net, this data can also help managers identify parts that technicians use frequently and understand which parts go unused and can be eliminated. This helps them keep minimum and maximum stock levels and better pinpoint accurate reorder points.

 

Manage Work Orders and Spare Parts

CMMS allows maintenance managers to stay organized and easily locate the parts they need. Not only can managers track the assets they need whenever they need them, but they can set up automatic reordering for parts, and therefore always have the right spare parts on deck for quick repairs. With CMMS software, managers will also know the exact location of those spare parts. There will be no need for manual searches through different stockrooms.

Additionally, CMMS improves workflow by allowing managers to assign, schedule, and close work orders easily. Managers can configure work order screens using desired fields, capture the history associated with each piece of equipment, and automatically track each work order in the system.

 

Location Tracking

CMMS software keeps track of each product using real-time inventory tracking. This makes location transfers especially easy to manage, and locating equipment is simpler than ever. This is also makes work order transfers more manageable, because the software updates the location of each item automatically.

 

Low-Inventory Alerts

Getting low on inventory is a management disaster. To prevent an inventory fiasco, CMMS delivers low-inventory alerts to maintain great inventory control. CMMS software closely monitors your current inventory levels and reorder points, so you’re always on track with what’s in stock. This means management no longer has to keep close watch on what’s low, and can focus their efforts on more productive matters in the business.

 

 

Compliance with Regulatory Standards

Regulatory agencies routinely require maintenance managers to submit material in accordance with periodic audits or inspections. With CMMS, managers can easily show regulatory compliance. What’s more, they won’t have to spend an overwhelming amount of time preparing the required paperwork. They can generate reports automatically to demonstrate the work performed on vital machinery. This type of compliance keeps a thorough paper trail and reduces the risk of penalties.

 

Less Equipment Downtime

It’s not uncommon for large facilities to run into issues with heavy machinery. However, the longer equipment is down, the less money the facility makes and the less efficient it becomes. With quick repairs, all machinery will run efficiently, and the aforementioned benefits and features of CMMS make this possible. Any parts critical to repairs will always be in stock and easy to locate. In short, CMMS software dramatically reduces downtime.

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Back to School Organization: Homework & Home Office

Are you in need of some back to school and home office organization? I know I am!  Build Your Own – Daily System Fall is almost here and that means back to school season is upon us. If you’re like me, you’re probably realizing about now that it’s time to get back into the swing […]

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How to Use SEO Case Studies to Find the Best Agency for Your Company

You should never agree to work with an SEO agency that shies away from sharing their SEO case studies or other details about their previous and current clients.

Why? It just makes good sense to examine an agency’s SEO case studies before you choose to work with them. How else will you be able to determine the quality of their work?

However, knowing what to look for in an SEO case study will help you to make an educated decision about which agency you want to work with. In this article, we look at the questions you should be asking.

 

Is the Client’s Niche the Same as Yours?

When you’re first reading through an SEO case study, one of the first things you’ll notice is the niche the client works in. Is it the same as—or similar to—yours? If it is, you’ll be better able to draw parallels and understand the concepts.

Therefore, if possible, choose a case study about a client who works in the same niche as yours or a similar one. However, if a case study about a client in your niche is not available, you can still gauge a company’s skills by paying attention to other details.

One of the things you can look for is the level of difficulty of ranking in a particular niche. If an industry is not very crowded, then a high ranking is not all that impressive. On the other hand, if the SEO agency was able to help their client rank well in a competitive niche, and your niche is also competitive, this might be the agency for you.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: GIVE YOUR BUSINESS A HEAD START WITH A SMART SEO STRATEGY

 

What Techniques Did the Agency Use?

Most SEO agencies play their cards close to their vests. You can’t really blame them, after all. How they do their work is how they make their money, and they don’t want to lose their competitive edge. So when you read the case studies they share with you, you’re going to have to read between the lines in order to learn what you need to know.

It’s critical that you make sure the company does not use black hat techniques. These are underhanded strategies such as keyword stuffing and paid backlinks. Black hat SEO techniques may well produce results in the short term. However, they are blacklisted by Google and other search engines, and they will get you into trouble sooner or later. If a company uses black hat SEO, you would do well to stay away from them.

 

How Long Did It Take for Results to Show Up?

Keep in mind that achieving success with SEO, no matter how skilled the agency, is going to take some time. An ethical and savvy SEO agency will tell you that it takes at least 3 months before you’ll see any positive results from their efforts, and sometimes it can take even longer.

As a matter of fact, quick results can be a red flag. They may well mean that the SEO agency used black hat techniques for the client whose case study you’re reading. While you might just love to see your company at the top of the rankings for a little while, you’re sure to come crashing down before too long if your SEO agency is engaging in unethical practices.

 

 

How Do the Client’s Expectations Compare with the Results?

Most case studies will include both the client’s expectations and the actual results. As you’re reading a particular case study, compare these categories to see if the company was able to meet their client’s expectations. Also, do a quick search to check the website rankings yourself, regardless of what the case study tells you. If the client still ranks well today, and the agency was able to exceed their expectations, you might have found a winner.

 

Is the Client Still Working with the Agency?

Lastly, is the client still working with this SEO agency? If so, that is evidence of good results and a good working relationship. Aren’t these the very things you want in the SEO agency you choose to work with?

As you look into SEO agencies, you’ll find that there are lots of them out there, including Local Directory Submission services UAE. Make sure to do your research. Also, carefully peruse SEO case studies before you pick the SEO agency you want to work with.

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Keeping Commercial Spaces Affordable for Local Businesses

Rents for commercial spaces continue to rise for various reasons. Among these reasons are speculations of higher prices for commercial spaces, as well as an increase in demand for space from national chains and a decline in small spaces. Additionally, most commercial property owners now prefer to rent their properties to national companies. The sharp increase in commercial rents is a threat to the survival of small businesses in the cities.

A recent study by the UK’s Institute for Local Self-Reliance shows that the sharp increase in rents cuts across all communities in the UK. However, local businesses in lower-income communities are the worst hit. Local governments have a role to play in protecting the interests of small business owners. Here are some strategies that cities can implement to keep commercial rents affordable for local businesses.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: COULD INVESTING IN A NEW OFFICE SPACE BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN YOU THINK?

 

Encourage and Support Ownership

One of the solutions to the rising threat to small businesses is empowering business owners to buy their commercial spaces. Most small business owners are at the mercy of property owners. Large companies offer better rates and consistent rent income to property owners. Hence, property owners are reserving commercial spaces for national companies. One of the things that cities can do is to organize programs that will enable local business owners to access loans to buy buildings.

Additionally, real estate investment cooperatives can help small business owners to buy commercial buildings in their respective cities. Most investors join such cooperatives for residential housing, but cooperatives can help foster joint ownership of commercial spaces. Each investor in the cooperative would have dedicated space to run his or her business without fears of rising rent charges.

 

Empower Commercial Tenants in Lease Negotiations

Commercial tenants have limited power when negotiating a lease for their office spaces. Most local businesses pay rent on a monthly basis. Hence, property owners give such entrepreneurs short notices to vacate their spaces in favor of larger companies. Commercial tenants cannot control the lease terms that property owners set. However, local governments can intervene in lease negotiations and regulate the lease renewal terms.

Most municipalities have been formulating policies to protect residential tenants from displacement. However, similar policies are lacking in commercial lease negotiations. Municipalities should start implementing policies that enable commercial tenants to sign long-term agreements with property owners. The policies should restrict landlords from breaching such agreements.

 

 

Prioritize Local Businesses in Renting Public Buildings

One way to keep rent for business space in Manchester and others cities affordable is by changing the approach in renting publicly owned properties. Local governments should consider the current threats to small businesses and prioritize them when allocating spaces in such buildings. Cities can give favorable terms to small businesses to enable them to retain their spaces in city-owned buildings. For instance, the cities can give tenants options to extend their lease terms before considering other tenants for their spaces.

Cities are also involved in developing new commercial spaces. Given the current situation in the market for commercial spaces, cities can allocate specific regions or spaces to local businesses. A specific portion of spaces in all new developments should be set aside for local businesses. The policy can be extended from city projects to private projects to ensure that local businesses remain in the cities.

 

Impose Fines on Landlords with Vacant Properties

As the rent for commercial space in some cities rise, some landlords have been holding off renting out their space as they wait for the highest bidder. Landlords have limited chances of adjusting their rent prices after signing lease agreements. Hence, they have been holding out after small businesses vacate, hoping that large national companies will offer more profitable deals. Municipalities should consider imposing fines on such landlords.

The fines can be imposed on commercial spaces that have been vacant for a month or more. Birmingham has an ordinance that proposes a fine for any commercial space that stays vacant for more than 30 days. Edinburgh has a similar ordinance but extends the grace period to 6 months. Other cities in the UK should consider adopting such ordinances to enable small businesses access to any vacant space in the city.

 

A Final Thought

Cities have a critical role to play in protecting commercial tenants, especially local business owners. The majority of small business owners have limited resources to buy commercial buildings. However, organizing them into cooperatives and enabling them to access funds will increase their power in acquiring their own spaces. Municipalities should also consider formulating and implementing new ordinances that protect commercial tenants in lease negotiations. If municipalities ignore the current trend in commercial rents, large companies will continue to displace local businesses in the cities.

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How to Find Balance Between Business and Life

Time is a precious commodity. There never seems to be enough hours in the workday to get it all done. You may feel like you are struggling to keep afloat and working long hours to do so. There’s just no way to keep up with all the work you have and find balance between business and life.

Unless, of course, you are not using your time wisely in the first place. These tips can help you stretch the hours in your workday and make time for the personal activities that you really want to do, so you can find that delicate balance between business and life.

 

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Organize Your Life

Get both your business and personal life under control by dealing with the clutter that is bogging you down. Think about how much time you spend looking for things, whether it is at your desk or in your home. Take the time to organize your desk, emails, and computer files. Also, organize your belongings at home, so you can quickly and efficiently find what you need.

 

 

Schedule Time for Yourself

With a schedule that includes meetings, paperwork, emails, and phone calls, you may feel like you never have a free moment when you are working. Find balance by learning to schedule time for yourself each day to do something that you love during that time. This will help you recharge and be more focused while you are at your desk, even if it is only for thirty minutes a day.

Try learning a new skill during your newfound free time by signing up for a class at Lyghtly. With Lyghtly, you can connect with teachers and tutors to learn everything from cooking to yoga to playing the xylophone. If you can’t find what you are looking for, you can even fill out a form so an instructor can be found.

 

Maximize Your Wait Times

In business, we spend a great deal of time waiting for business flights to depart and meetings to start. These are the perfect opportunities to make a shopping list, read through those emails, or even balance your checkbook. Make the most of these wait times and use every moment you have to do something useful.

 

Add in Some Exercise

You may think you don’t have time to go to the gym each day with all the meetings, deadlines, and emails you must address. But it will be difficult to find balance without adding some exercise to your life. Exercise will make you more productive, allowing you to get more work done. You’ll feel energized after a quick workout and be ready to get down to business without delay. Plus, exercise can help you avoid that afternoon slump and give you the stamina to keep longer office hours.

 

Learn to Say No

You may be taking on too much at work. In turn, that can be sucking the precious free time that you do have available. You need to understand that saying no doesn’t make you weak. It can empower you and allow you to get back your life both at home and at the office. Decide what is important to you and how you want to spend the time you have available. If a business event comes up that doesn’t fall into line with your new priorities, you should say no unless you really want to go.

Making more time at work may be a challenge at first, but once you get the hang of it and realize how much more time you actually have, you’ll embrace the concept because you can do the things you love and finally find balance between business and life.

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Internships: 3 Reasons Why Your MBA Is Incomplete Without One

Perhaps, on your way to owning your own business, you’re studying for a master’s degree in business, an MBA. Consider that an internship with your MBA program can be critical to your success.

An MBA program with internships at reputable companies will give you a competitive edge in your field. Such a program will offer a space for testing your learning. It will also allow you to put the practical skills you obtained in the classroom to use. Furthermore, it will provide you with strong references upon graduation. Then, too, the connections you’ll gain within your industry will increase your chances for being hired later.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO PREPARE TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL

 

1. Internships Put Students on the Fast Track to Success

Even a degree as prestigious as an MBA might not help you win the job of your dreams. However, if you have relevant experience in the field, you will have a leg up on the competition.

Internships provide this experience, along with the opportunity to specialize. They also provide exposure to the inner workings of a given field, be it accounting, supply chain management, or international business.

When a candidate performs well in their internship, there may also be the opportunity to land a position at the company with which they interned. That’s because they’ve proven they’re capable and hard working. In this way, the internship is used as an opportunity to develop a relationship. These relationships, moreover, benefit prospective employers as well as interns themselves.

 

2. Internships Help Candidates Specialize and Choose a Career Path

Sometimes students completing their MBAs still haven’t found their best fit career-wise. Internships are excellent opportunities for changing industries and finding the right fit. The internship can be used to find a line of work that the candidates believe in and excel in.

It also allows students to see whether the specialization they’ve chosen translates to their enjoyment of that working environment. An MBA from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics provides students with a wide range of 10 specializations to choose from. And an internship can further help them to navigate those opportunities.

 

 

3. Internships Prepare Graduates for the Demands of the Business World

Not only do internships give evidence of a graduate’s abilities, they also give students opportunities to take chances. In these placements, students can make mistakes and grow, so that upon entering into (or back into) the workforce, they will also have an established confidence when chasing those high-tier positions. Those running the business world ask prospective applicants to be sure they can perform the work competently, and to be ready to use their previous experience as support.

Internships with your MBA program can help you to see where you need to make changes. They can help you to determine what is working and what is not working in your approach. And, finally, internships offer a concrete assessment of where you can improve when that next opportunity arrives.

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Turn to SMS for Both Routine Tasks and Irresistible Marketing Solutions

If you’re like most business owners, managing resources in your company is not an easy task. And when resources seem scarce, effective marketing can fall by the wayside.

You’re probably looking for ways in which to promote your company and at the same time reduce costs. Have you ever considered reconfiguring your business model to become more efficient? Believe it or not, much of your daily routine, including managing internal human resources, can be reduced to well managed computerized activities.

And if you can free up your time and resources in these ways, you will be able to focus on developing a cost-effective and compelling marketing plan.

There are solutions available. INTIS telecom, for instance, has developed unique software that can help you to manage your business.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: BUILDING YOUR BRAND: WHAT EVERY ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD KNOW

 

Managing Your Business by SMS

SMS stands for “short message service.” Most of us use SMS routinely when we send texts to our friends and family. But have you ever considered that you can also use SMS for your business?

One of the ways in which you can do this is by requesting feedback in SMS form from your employees and customers. Instant feedback will help you to refine your products and services on the go.

You’ll provide better customer service for your clients and customers in this way. When you can answer customers’ comments, queries, and concerns within minutes instead of within days or weeks, they’ll feel more rapport with you and your company. In this way, SMS can represent a happy marriage between customer service and effective marketing.

Additionally, your employees will feel well taken care of when they know that they can reach you at a moment’s notice. You can provide them with the guidance they need, even when you’re traveling. You’ll have more peace of mind, too, just knowing that you can reach your employees—and they can reach you—at a moment’s notice.

With SMS you can share business ideas with your team and optimize your business model on the go. Your business need never again suffer from a lack of your attention.

 

Use SMS for Marketing, Too

Smartphones now outnumber standard computers by 4 to 1. What does this mean in terms of your marketing? It means that your customers are nearly always on their phones. And if you want customers to pay attention to your marketing, that’s where your marketing messages need to be.

This is where SMS comes in.

Just as SMS makes it easy for your customers to reach you, so also does it make it easy for you to reach them. What’s more, a text message will most likely be seen as a friendly suggestion rather than an intrusion. Again, you’re keeping things cordial and sociable with SMS, and your customers’ loyalty to your brand will be sure to grow as a result.

And the best part? Marketing by SMS is far less expensive than most other methods.

 

 

A Multi-Purpose SMS

In the world of rapidly evolving technologies, SMS is a new tool that will help you to save time on routine business tasks. What’s more, it can make your marketing efforts more successful, too.

If this sounds like something your business could use, look for a telecom company that will help you to set your SMS system up in ways that work for you. You will need a telecom company that can be flexible in terms of setup as well as give you payment terms that suit your budget.

 

Keep in mind that you’ll want a service that provides you with mobile marketing advantages as well as ways to stay in touch with your team.

Business has always been a matter of intelligence. Free up your creativity and curiosity by using SMS to take care of your routine tasks. And give your marketing a boost, too, by adding SMS to your marketing plans.

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