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Need Employee Training ASAP? Why Online Training Is the Best Solution Need Employee Training ASAP? Why Online Training Is the Best Solution You rarely find something of great quality that’s also cheap. The same principle applies to hiring a workforce. While hiring trained professionals might a little too pricey for you, a good alternative would be hiring people and training them yourself. Moreover, it might not be a matter of giving them basic training but one of furthering their existing training. Either way, if you want your employees to do a good job, it seems like you’ll have to pull out your wallet. There are more ways to train personnel, however, than just sending them off to school. Online training is becoming a very popular solution, thanks to the advantages it offers. RELATED ARTICLE: WHY BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD MAKE STUDYING A HABIT (AND HOW TO DO THAT) It’s Really Easy to Get The Job Done One of the things that recommends online training the most is the fact that it’s incredibly easy to use. Online courses require nothing more than a couple of clicks in your internet browser and you’re ready to start learning. That’s great for employees who aren’t really tech savvy or don’t use a computer that often. More than that, once their studies are complete, receiving their diploma or document of authenticity is also a breeze, as it can be mailed to them swiftly. A Better Medium Compared to traditional classrooms, the online medium is superior because students are able to retain a lot more information. What could be a boring lecture in a classroom can easily turn into a fun and engaging lesson thanks to interactive learning tools. These are at your disposal online, depending on the education platform you’re using. Learning on Demand With traditional education, you are limited by staff hours and resources. Learning online gives you access to an overwhelming collection of lessons and studies. What’s more, you can access them at any hour of the day or night. That’s not an option with traditional training methods. Need to start a new lesson? Just go right ahead and pop it open from the lesson library. It’s a lot simpler than having to wait for that limited time window in which you can listen to someone talk about that subject. Training doesn’t get any more convenient than this. Flexible Scheduling With online learning you are pretty much in charge of the schedule. You can pick up your training at any hour that’s convenient for you. That means that you can manage your time efficiently between family time and work hours. Otherwise, you would have to fit school time somewhere between finishing your work and spending time at home, which is not at all convenient or effective. Learning something new has never been easier. Today’s solutions make it extremely convenient for businesses to get their employees started on online training courses. The large variety of lessons and the unlimited availability make them really efficient. Online training also makes it very easy to get qualified, efficient and productive personnel for your business. And you don’t need to invest nearly as much time or money as you would with formal, traditional education. The post Need Employee Training ASAP? Why Online Training Is the Best Solution appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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The Best Ways to Build an Effective Mattress-Selling Website The Best Ways to Build an Effective Mattress-Selling Website In this post, we will be looking at some of the best ways to build an effective mattress-selling website. The last few years have witnessed a major change in shopping trends. That is, many people these days prefer to purchase most, if not all, of what they want and need online, and that includes mattresses. Therefore, taking your mattress-selling business online is in the best interests of both your customers and your business. However, there is a lot that goes into developing a business website. That’s because website development is not just a one-time task. What’s more, the way you develop a website can either build trust with customers or drive them away from your business. Read on to find out ways to make your mattress-selling website better. RELATED ARTICLE: 3 TIPS FOR HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY Adopt a Clean and Sophisticated Look A mattress-selling website that looks clean and organized encourages people to stay on it for a longer time. Furthermore, people prefer browsing on systematic and intuitive websites. Such websites place the right buttons in the right places for easy navigation. Sleepjunkie.org is an example of one of these attractive and well organized websites. It is a highly rated website that sells superior mattresses of various brands. Be sure to leave a good amount of white space by using only relevant material and limiting the use of graphics. The cleaner your mattress-selling website looks the more engagement it is likely to create with users. The key to a professional look is an uncomplicated and uncluttered design. Make It Search Engine Friendly Implement effective SEO strategies in order to get the most out of your website. SEO stands for “search engine optimization,” and it refers to strategies you employ to attract the internet’s search engines to your site. When the search engines can find you, your customers can, too. Effective SEO strategies include appropriate and unique content, persuasive marketing methods, fast loading speed, and relevant keywords. If you are building a mattress-selling website, adopt these methods to increase your sales. Additionally, ensure that all of the information you include on your website is accurate and up-to-date. Whether it’s on your contact page or in your product descriptions, accuracy is important. Check, as well, to be sure that the URL’s for any backlinks work properly. Use a Good Content Management System A good content management system (CMS) will help your mattress-selling website work smoothly and efficiently. Drupal is an example of a CMS, as is WordPress. Some of these programs are fairly easy to use without any professional assistance. If you are looking for greater functionality, however, then you should look into advanced CMS software. There are several web professionals and web design companies who can help you to build an impressive interactive mattress-selling website with advanced CMS software. Make It Mobile-Friendly Many people these days browse the web on their smartphones even more than they do on their personal computers. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you could lose business. Therefore, be sure to create a mobile version of your website as well as a desktop version. Website design professionals can help you by providing a clear and user-friendly experience for your customers, whatever device they may be using at any one time. This is to your advantage, of course, because if more people can view your website, your sales are bound to improve. Conclusion A business’s website is immensely important for any business. As with anything else, first impressions can be lasting ones, so be sure to develop the best functioning and most attractive mattress-selling website you can afford. The post The Best Ways to Build an Effective Mattress-Selling Website appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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How to Increase Sales on Your Website in 4 Simple Steps How to Increase Sales on Your Website in 4 Simple Steps With a great website, you can sell your products to people in every corner of the world. However, there’s more to it than just setting up your online store and letting it sit there. People’s buying habits are constantly changing, and there are some important things you can do to boost sales. Read on to find out more. 1. Product Reviews Online product reviews, along with personal recommendations, influence the purchasing decisions of 88% of consumers. Websites that have positive online reviews from customers get far more views and visits than do websites that have none. Therefore, in order to boost sales on your website, be sure to encourage your customers to review your products and services. Then, monitor online review sites regularly. If you provide high quality products and services and give excellent customer service, your website’s reviews will be generally positive. However, if your business should receive a negative review, respond promptly and courteously. If possible, offer your dissatisfied customer a refund or otherwise try to make things right with them. Remember, too, that online reviews can often steer potential customers toward your business website. For example, http://bit.ly/2ygV9Be is one of the leading and most reputable mattress review websites. They offer reviews on a wide range of top-quality mattress brands. 2. Unique, Informative and Compelling Product Descriptions People are attracted to content that is genuine, unique, and relevant. Your website’s product descriptions are no exception. Just because you use them to promote your products doesn’t mean they have to be poorly written or boring. Use crisp and precise descriptions for each and every product. While you need to keep product descriptions concise—about 300 words maximum—include as much information as you can about how the product will benefit the buyer. The more complete the information is, the easier it will be for a customer to make a purchasing decision. Keep in mind, though, that as with any other piece of content, the headline is the most important line of all. Most website visitors scan quickly, reading only the top lines of your product descriptions. 3. Robust Keywords Proper selection of keywords is essential. That’s because your potential customers will use keywords to find the products and services they are looking for. Use online tools such as Google keyword planner and SE Ranking to help you choose the right keywords for your website. RELATED ARTICLE: THE MISTAKES YOU’RE MAKING WITH SEO ARE COSTING YOU TRAFFIC 4. Optimized Load Speed If your website takes too long to load, your customers will be outa there. People these days have very little patience. They’ve grown accustomed to speed. They want what they want and they want it now. So don’t frustrate your customers and potential customers with a website that loads too slowly. A fast load speed will lead to more conversions. Learn how to optimize your website’s loading speed and boost your sales. Conclusion Hosting a successful online store requires dedication, a commitment to excellence, and plenty of effort. But if you follow the tips here, you’ll be well on your way to success. The post How to Increase Sales on Your Website in 4 Simple Steps appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Why an Online Mattress Business Is the Right Business for You Why an Online Mattress Business Is the Right Business for You It might surprise you to know that an online mattress business is one of the up-and-coming business models right now. People are choosing to purchase more and more of what they want and need online, including mattresses. People love being able to purchase anything they want or need from the comfort of their own homes. Entrepreneurs, always on the lookout for new opportunities, stand to benefit from these digital trends, too, because they can make their products and services available to millions of people everywhere. Beyond these obvious points, though, why would a customer seek out an online mattress business? Quick and Hassle-Free Shopping Shopping for a mattress at a local store can be a time-consuming process. A customer might have to drive all over town in order to compare different brands and styles of mattresses. It could take them days to come to a decision. When they shop at an online mattress business, however, their choices are right in front of them, all in a single place. They can compare dozens of different mattresses with a few quick clicks. RELATED ARTICLE: ECOMMERCE WEBSITES: A LOOK AT 6 SUCCESS FACTORS Less Sales Pressure By shopping online, they can avoid pushy salespeople, too. Have you ever felt pressured to buy something you really didn’t want? Something that didn’t suit your needs, but for which you’re pretty sure the salesperson earned a high commission? Customers are learning they don’t have to tolerate such treatment, and that’s one of the reasons they’re flocking toward online businesses. When customers shop for a mattress at an online mattress business, they can take their time to weigh the pros and cons before arriving at a decision. Plus, they can easily check out online reviews first. For instance, at thebest-mattress.org they will find authentic reviews of the top selling mattresses of 2017. Lower Prices One of the biggest reasons why people choose to buy mattresses at an online store is that they’re learning they will get a better buy that way. An online mattress business has the advantage over a brick-and-mortar retail store, as they can offer greatly reduced prices. Furthermore, once you’ve set up your online mattress business, be sure to offer frequent promotions and sales to get ahead of your competition. Your customers will love these sales, and your business will prosper as well. Easy and Quick Return and Replacement Another thing that online mattress businesses are offering their customers—and you should, too—is easy return and replacement of a mattress if the customer is not satisfied with it. As a matter of fact, you could even offer a lengthy trial period, too. After price, the length of the trial period is a major buying issue for customers. That’s because a person sometimes needs to sleep on a mattress for several successive nights before they know if it’s right for them. Conclusion If you decide that an online mattress business is the way you want to go, be sure to do your research first. Find good, low-cost suppliers that provide an excellent product. Then set up your online store and market it intelligently. When you’ve done all that, you can begin selling a comfortable night’s sleep to customers who visit to your site. The post Why an Online Mattress Business Is the Right Business for You appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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How Benchmarking Can Help Your Organization Crush the Competition How Benchmarking Can Help Your Organization Crush the Competition How good of a driver are you? If you make your own espresso at home, how would you rate yourself? If you play basketball, how good are you at free throws? What these assessments have in common is that they rely on your generally having formed an opinion about your abilities based on comparing them with somebody else’s. They’re examples of informal benchmarking. The only real way to know the quality of your free throwing, for example, is by sizing up the competition (hopefully it’s not Shaquille O’Neal) and then drawing an analogy. Companies have a more formalized process to size up their competition and make improvements accordingly. Aptly, it’s called “formal benchmarking.” If used correctly, an effective benchmarking process can help a company implement changes and stay ahead of the competition. RELATED ARTICLE: SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE THEY BECOME UNAVAILABLE Why Benchmarking Is Important Benchmarking performance is important because it enables a company to determine whether its business processes and practices, products, and services are the best they can be. When you know these benchmarks, you will be better able to compete successfully in the marketplace. Moreover, the best companies want to do more than simply compete. They want to dominate the market. They want to be the go-to choice for the markets they’re serving. Consider Amazon.com. It’s not content just to capture some of the business away from its competitors. It’s continuing to invest in big-move acquisitions, such as Whole Foods, to dominate. When companies can see what other companies are doing and compare and contrast—which is essentially what benchmarking is all about—they can modify their supply chains and make other improvements. Profit margins can always be fatter, so cutting costs and streamlining where appropriate are measures that always look good to shareholders and C-suite executives. Comparing Apples to Apples It might seem easy to benchmark performance, but it’s not always. Just doing a comparison may not get the immediate results that a company would like. What works for one company may not always work for another. This is why many companies freely share on CNBC and in the business press about how they operate. Yes, a competitor is free to try to copy them, but many times, the copycat will fail. Even if a company hires bigwigs at a highly respected organization like McKinsey & Co. to do its competitive benchmarking, it may find that another’s procedures, methodologies and initiatives don’t sync up with the company’s own operational playbook. As a result, the company will be greatly disappointed in the end. On the other hand, sometimes there is indeed success. A company will discover “secrets” it didn’t know before and put them to use to improve its own operations. The key lies in a true apples-to-apples match-up versus an apples-to-oranges comparison. What to Do with the Benchmarking Metrics When done right, benchmarking can lead to strategic insights that can be put into practice right away. The right metrics can help a company with both internal and external operational factors. Armed with this comparative data, a company can better determine how much to charge for a product or a service, for example. The company can see what it’s lacking that a rival is providing. Whatever it is, it might be just the lure to draw in new customers and keep existing customers loyal. An example is how Gillette has decided to start a shaving club, or subscription-based offering, after the huge success that low-cost providers like the Dollar Shave Club have had with similar subscription services. Further, a company armed with the right metrics can figure out the best compensation packages for all levels of employees. It can understand how to improve manufacturing times as well. And benchmarking can help you decide what purchases you should make to speed up operations, among other cost-saving factors. Benchmarking Is No Superman, but It Can Save the Day All companies want to do better, and they should. Otherwise more nimble organizations with a better read on consumer behaviors and other insights could come along and put them out of business. There are plenty of examples of companies that were once footholds in their respective industries that have gone out of business. Companies like Amazon.com have upended many existing businesses, for instance. And few saw it coming. Benchmarking is no savior, but it can enable businesses to have keen insight that enables them to better prepare for their futures. It’s one piece of a larger strategy to keep organizations competitive and ahead of the game. The post How Benchmarking Can Help Your Organization Crush the Competition appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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6 Innovative Apps for Buying and Selling Used Products 6 Innovative Apps for Buying and Selling Used Products Thrift store shopping and antique shop hunting is always fun. But sometimes, you just don’t feel like going out. Thanks to the continual growth of e-commerce and some innovative entrepreneurs, there’s a way to do both! Instead of heading out to your local second-hand store, download one (or all) of these online discount shopping apps and shop for gently used luxury items, neat gadgets, cool accessories, or whatever else you have your heart set on. And if shopping is not exactly your thing, you could clear out your garage with one of these apps. Or maybe you’ll get some ideas for your e-commerce store when you read this post. RELATED ARTICLE: HOP ON BOARD THE E-COMMERCE TRAIN AND HANG ON FOR THE RIDE AHEAD Tictail Tictail’s visually beautiful layout makes it a lovely experience to shop or sell used products. Tictail’s marketplace offers access to local creative brands from 140 different countries. Tictail is an online luxury incubator for users to find and sell gorgeous used items. The site encourages small companies to build their brand with them. Find beautiful clothing, stunning home decor, and one-of-a-kind art pieces made from talented designers all over the world. You’ll also find kids’ items, including carefully stitched sweaters and artsy toys. Tictail featured a story about Rashida Jones, a popular actress who wore “head-to-toe Tictail” while exploring Stockholm. Tictail sells items that are anything but run-of-the-mill. This is the ultimate source for perfect pieces you won’t find anywhere else. Poshmark While everyone loves to find deals on trendy items, it can be tough finding a good discount clothing resource that condenses them all into one place. There are plenty of destinations to find amazing fashion deals, but Poshmark offers a unique approach. Poshmark has their description in their name. This used clothing shopping app gives customers the opportunity to find high end men’s, women’s, and kids’ items for a fraction of the original price. Users can find discounted fashion items from outlets like Brandy Melville, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, Gucci, Coach, Michael Kors, and other must-have brands. Poshmark is basically a condensed version of eBay for those who want to limit their choices to only luxury brands. Easy to browse and simple to buy, it’s no wonder that Poshmark is a leading online discount luxury brand shopping app. Something that makes Poshmark stand out from the crowd are Poshmark Parties. These are virtual social shopping events where people meet up in the app to buy and sell products. These parties are real-time and real fun. The benefit of attending a Poshmark Party is that you’ll find a curated selection of items, carefully chosen based on the party theme. GOAT The simplicity of GOAT’s sleek browser experience mirrors its no-nonsense vibe. It’s such an easy-to-use sneaker shopping app. Offering a safe place to buy and sell sneakers, GOAT paves the way for de-scamming the market. Never get ripped off again or worry about authenticity. When you use GOAT, you know you’ll soon receive 100% real deal shoes. Find those perfect authentic shoes on your phone anytime, anywhere. StockX Another online sneaker app is StockX. This shopping app depends on a bid/ask sales system with a more integrated buyer/seller relationship. Find deals on the hottest looks and styles. Just like GOAT, StockX verifies every pair of shoes, ensuring that you don’t get a dud. Find Yeezys, Jordans, and every other brand name sneaker that you must have in your collection. Since the 90’s are back in style, now is the perfect time to take advantage of StackX’s vintage selection. This innovative app also offers authentic purses and watches that make great gifts for friends and family or a treat for yourself. Check out their blog section and stay up-to-date on the latest in what’s going on at StockX. Get that rare item and wear it knowing no one else will show up to the party in the same thing. Letgo Letgo is cornering the buying and selling of the local market. Reportedly, letgo has tens of millions of users nationwide selling clothes, electronics, home items, and more every day. The home screen is filled with big colorful photos of items currently available. Once it knows your location, it gives you a variety of local options to choose from. Letgo’s intelligently designed website makes it a breeze to communicate with the seller. When you click on an item, it allows you to instantly send a message to the seller. The site harbors a smooth back and forth between the buyer and the seller, limiting the chances for miscommunication or dreaded buyer’s remorse. As you can see, the item page layout is modern yet informational enough that you’re not left with many (if any) questions about the product. This mobile shopping app is free to use and easy to sell. Simply take a photo of the item you are selling, and the app will categorize it for you. The technology letgo uses is so advanced, it uses image recognition to place your listing in the correct place. OfferUp Similar to letgo, OfferUp is a used goods website that helps you find or sell items locally. OfferUp was founded by two CEO’s who found that they had “more stuff than they wanted and less stuff than they needed.” Their solution was to create an online digital marketplace for people to easily exchange items, ridding their home of things they don’t want and acquiring things they do. With the same layout design as letgo, the home screen invites you in with enticing items close to where you live. Item pages use big impossible-to-miss buttons and a large photo of the seller to familiarize yourself with the person you’re buying from. OfferUp features an offer option in which the buyer can give a price of what they think the item is worth. Similar to letgo, there’s a button you as the buyer can push to communicate with the seller if there’s any need for more information about the product. This community-bonding strategy ends the need for time-consuming garage sales while still enabling communication with your neighbor. Get Shopping Unlike department stores with brand new items, second-hand shops let you find that unique discounted item you can’t find in any assembly line retailer store. Now that we’ve done the research for you, start finding fabulous items by downloading these awesome discount shopping apps today! The post 6 Innovative Apps for Buying and Selling Used Products appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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What Are the Pitfalls of Working as a Freelancer? What Are the Pitfalls of Working as a Freelancer? Many people dream of ditching the 9-5 routine and working for themselves instead. But what about the pitfalls of this type of career move? Over recent years, a rising number of people have actually managed to achieve the goal of being their own boss. They have broken free from employment to enjoy the many benefits of working for themselves on a freelance basis. However, it is important to consider the pitfalls of working for yourself. Only then can you make an informed choice about whether this is the right move for you. For instance, you have to sort out all financial issues. You need to deal with taxes as well as working capital financing. Further, you will need to organize yourself. There will be nobody to pass the buck to if things go awry. In fact, there are many possible pitfalls to consider. On the other hand, most still agree that the pros outweigh the cons. What’s more, with perseverance and hard work, you can avoid the common pitfalls. RELATED ARTICLE: WHY MORE PEOPLE ARE CREATING THEIR OWN BUSINESS How to Avoid Some Common Pitfalls Be mindful about the pitfalls of working for yourself on a freelance basis. When you are, you can better choose the best route forward for your career. Some of the pitfalls that you need to consider include: Developing a Routine Many freelancers find it difficult to develop a working routine. They end up working all sorts of strange hours. This is not only bad for your health but can also have an effect on your work-life balance. Try to start at about the same time every workday as well as finish at a certain time. This will take discipline and practice, key skills you’ll need to develop if you want to avoid the pitfalls and be successful at being your own boss. Constant Interruptions Many freelancers work from home. The downside to this is that you may find yourself being constantly interrupted by family and friends. It can be easy to lose your train of thought because of people constantly coming in and out of your work space and interrupting you. To avoid this pitfall, set aside a space in your home where you conduct your business. Lovingly but firmly, inform your family and friends that they are not to come into your work space and interrupt you during your set business hours unless the house is on fire. Electronic distractions can take time out of your workday as well, so keep them to a minimum. Turn the ringer off on your phone unless you’re expecting calls from clients. Also, sign out of your social media accounts during your workday, unless you need them for your work projects. Dealing with Everything If you work alone as a freelancer, you will have to deal with every aspect of your business yourself. This includes the actual work that you do, as well as the running of your business. You’ll need to keep up with and file your own taxes, for example. In order to do this, you’ll need to maintain a running log of your earnings and expenses. Set aside an hour or two each week to handle your business’s administrative details so that they don’t pile up and become a burden. Irregular Income When you work for an employer you know the date you will be paid and how much you will get. As a freelancer, this is a bygone luxury. You have to wait until your clients decide to make their payments to you. You won’t have any way of knowing from one month to the next what your earnings will be. The best remedy for this problem is to develop great relationships with good clients. Choose clients with whom you’re compatible, and do the best work you can possibly do for them. Establish agreements ahead of time about how much and when you will be paid for your work. You deserve to be paid in a timely manner for the work that you do, and good clients know and understand this. Also, set income targets for yourself. Make them realistic, based on what you know you need every week or month to meet your minimum expenses. You’ll know what those minimum requirements are from the basic record-keeping you do. Once again, a disciplined approach can save the day. While may not meet your minimum income targets all the time, if you keep aiming toward them consistently, you’ll do just fine over time. That’s because sometimes you’ll make more than you need, and you can begin setting aside some funds for the lean times. Overcome the Pitfalls and Rise to the Top These are some of the key disadvantages that come with working for yourself as a freelancer compared to working for an employer. However, with many live news reports detailing the rising number of people going it alone, people can clearly see the upside of freelancing as well. With your own steady discipline and commitment to excellence, you’re bound to be one of the freelancers who rises to the top. The post What Are the Pitfalls of Working as a Freelancer? appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Steve Wozniak’s Words of Wisdom for New Age Entrepreneurs Photo by geralt, CC0 1.0 Steve Wozniak’s Words of Wisdom for New Age Entrepreneurs When you think about the famous company Apple, you probably also think about Steve Jobs. We know Jobs as the founder of Apple and its ubiquitous iPhone, but there was someone else behind the development of this powerful company as well. And that person was Steve Wozniak, Apple’s co-founder. I’m here to tell you that you should learn more about this guy, because he’s super intelligent and influential in both the business and the technology worlds. Keep reading for some of his words of wisdom below. Don’t Worry About the Spotlight When You’re Trying to Make a Difference in The World Many entrepreneurs are under the impression that they need to be in the spotlight in order to make a difference in the world. However, many technology giants and founders of world-class businesses are rarely in the spotlight. Instead, they are silently working to develop the companies that are out to change the world. They don’t have time to worry about what other people think of them or whether lots of people know their names. Take a hint from Wozniak’s words of wisdom and focus your energy on developing great ideas that can change the world, rather than worrying about getting and keeping the spotlight. You’ve Got to Have Passion for What You’re Doing If you don’t have passion for what you do, you shouldn’t be doing it at all. Why waste your time on on something you don’t care about? We each have a limited amount of time on Earth and we should be making the most of it, not wasting our time on jobs we hate. If you find yourself starting up a company that you hate running or in a job that you despise going to, then the best thing to do is run with all of your energy toward that one thing you are passionate about. RELATED ARTICLE: HOW ANYBODY CAN BE AN ENTREPRENEUR—EVEN YOU Don’t Be Afraid to Start Your Business in Your Garage Many people believe that you need tons of resources to start up your business and make it a success. And sure, if you want to have a huge business that changes the world, you’re going to need resources. But that’s not where companies like Apple started from. They started from a simple idea out of a garage in California. When that idea started to take form, that’s when the resources started coming in. Wozniak’s words of wisdom here are that you should focus more on the idea you’re trying to build, rather than where you’re building it. If you need to build your idea from your garage or your parents’ house, then just go for it! Eventually your company, too, could become the next multi-million-dollar leviathan that changes the world. Create a Product That You and Your Team Actually Want to Use It sounds obvious, but these words of wisdom ring true: Develop a product that people actually want to use. And who better to test that on than your team and yourself? If you or your team don’t like the product you’re developing, then why even develop it? If you don’t understand the product or the value it brings, your customers are not going to understand it, either. And if they don’t see the value, they’re not going to pick up your product in the store and buy it. For instance, the iPhone 8 is loaded with extraordinary features such as increased storage, enhanced camera quality, quick charging, biometrical ID and more. These features are a result of what the team wanted in the leading smartphone. Always Listen to Your Entry-Level Employees and Respect Their Opinions Always remember that the opinion of entry level employees is important. You might have the opinion that new employees should learn your company and its products before they start giving advice. However, these people are usually the ones who have the freshest opinions and the newest takes on the company. They have only seen your company from the outside. Therefore, they will have some great ideas of how to improve your products or services from a fresh perspective. When management shows a clear interest in what their employees have to say, those employees will be more engaged at work. And they’re more apt to stick around for longer, too. Always Remain Accessible to Your Employees One of the best parts about working at Apple is the accessibility of the CEO and upper management. When both Steves were working at Apple, every employee knew they could reach out to them at any time. It becomes way too bureaucratic when you have to follow the chain of command. You tell your boss about something, she tells her boss, he tells his boss, and so on and so forth. It’s much better if you speak to your staff members and tell them that you are open to their suggestions and want to speak with them about any work problems they may have. Finally… Follow these words of wisdom from Steve Wozniak if you want to achieve success as an entrepreneur. The post Steve Wozniak’s Words of Wisdom for New Age Entrepreneurs appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Is Your Appearance Honestly Good for Your Business? Is Your Appearance Honestly Good for Your Business? Speaking of your appearance, do both of us a favor and go to a museum or art gallery. Be sure to note how the lights, displays and pedestals are focused on the main feature. This is good presentation of the artwork. This high quality, attentive focus highlights the product. It influences you to think it’s highly valued and worth coveting. In business, you are the product. And you need to spend as much attentive focus on presenting yourself as well as art pieces are presented in galleries. Project Authority Fashion trends in business come and go, but to maintain authority in your business, wear darker colors. You’ll appear more fashionable as well as more powerful. This has a lot to do with color psychology: darker colors such as black, gray and charcoal represent mystery, timelessness and power. In The 48 Laws of Power, author Robert Greene reveals how people with high expectations make a self-fulfilling prophecy for themselves. “If we believe we are destined for great things,” he says, “our belief will radiate outward, just as a crown creates an aura around a king. This outward radiance will infect the people around us, who will think we must have reasons to feel so confident.” People like confidence. Children look up to confident adults. Customers give confident businesses their money. People enjoy buying from confident salespeople. Confidence is attractive. And choosing darker-colored fashion gives you a more confident appearance. Dress Appropriately for Your Industry Different industries require different dress codes. For example, you’d never show up in a t-shirt and jeans at lawyer’s office. Just as you’d attract a lot of stares by wearing a business suit to a guitar store. Take the time to match your appearance to your industry and your company’s dress code. If you don’t, your managers and colleagues will wonder if you truly belong, putting the fabric of your job on the line. Show Some Nail Love How often do you notice people’s feet and hands? Often, and you can be sure they notice yours. Take care of your fingernails and toenails by getting regular manicures and pedicures. Otherwise, you’ll be sending out the message that you don’t pay attention to small details in your work. Wear Clothes That Fit Nobody in the world looks good in clothes that don’t fit. A proper fit not only flatters your physique, but makes you look competent at the same time. Tailors can take care of clothes that are too big, but the problem of buying too-small clothes remains. Measuring yourself fixes that. Plus, you’ll save money because you won’t have to take your clothes to the tailor. RELATED ARTICLE: 7 WAYS EXERCISING CAN HELP YOU SUCCEED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR Fix Your Hair Messy hair is rarely appealing in business, and bedhead is never appropriate in public settings. When you’re in a jam and you need a quick fix, wet a comb and comb your hair from roots to ends. Better yet, treat your head to a stylish cut that looks good no matter what. Exude Vibrant Youth It’s a sad fact that wrinkles and lines in our faces make us look older. While we can’t always fight every effect of time, there are a number of skin care products that can help to restore youthful skin. While it may not be fair, people generally think of younger-looking people as having more energy and enthusiasm as well as a stronger work ethic. Be Pithy For whatever reason, people have short attention spans these days. We are all busy people, and part of presenting yourself professionally means developing a sixth sense for respecting people’s time. Prepare Half the art of conquering appearances is mastering preparation. Think about Hollywood A-listers and how much time they spend rehearsing their lines. Similarly, draw up scenarios that could happen in your life, and prepare responses to them. This is an extraordinary tactic that will allow you never to feel off-balance, even when you’re meeting with the person who signs your paychecks. Stay Calm Nearly everyone knows by now that smiling increases the flow of feel-good hormones in our bodies. These hormones calm us down and reduce anxiety. Smiling also shows confidence and enthusiasm. So when you’re out in public, look people in the eye and smile. Another way to stay calm is by pumping yourself up. Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm by giving yourself a vigorous pep talk, and you’ll lose the nerve-wracking jitters. People love enthusiasm, as it literally is contagious. This is a handy skill to nurture, because staying calm while everybody else is freaking out will keep you on top of the situation. And that’s the skill head managers are made of. Tell Stories Presenting yourself well means engaging audiences, even if it’s an audience of only one. Storytellers have woven tales and anecdotes into their conversations since the dawn of time. That’s because humans crave stories. “Most people live in gray worlds devoid of stories,” writes legendary copywriter John Carlton in his book Entrepreneur’s Guide to Getting Your Sh** Together. He goes on to say, “They are too self-contained and unaware to see the action swirling around them. They are bored, sad to have missed out on the party, and convinced all hope for a better life is lost. Then YOU arrive… and yeah!… suddenly here are tales to get their blood moving and their imagination fired up and their dreams rekindled.” Last Thoughts How you present yourself to your business and the world determines how others perceive your performance. Just imagine, for example, walking into a restaurant and seeing crumbs on the floor, smelling a rank odor, and encountering an obviously bored waiter. Wouldn’t you immediately judge the quality of the food there? The same concept applies to your appearance. Your appearance affects how others perceive you. The post Is Your Appearance Honestly Good for Your Business? appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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An Income Conveyor Belt: How to Build Passive Income An Income Conveyor Belt: How to Build Passive Income Passive income is everyone’s ultimate dream, right? Having passive income is like having an income conveyor belt that allows you to make money for your business while you do absolutely nothing. However, achieving the reality is far from easy. Being able to rely on a passive income requires hard work upfront. There is no magic switch you can install on your business’s website. You’ll have to be willing to do the work in the beginning and keep things running with routine maintenance after that. That’s because if there’s a chink in the chain, that chain isn’t moving at optimum speed. And speed is essential to keep your business’s passive income running along. Here are a few methods to help you get started. 1. Start a Blog Blogs are one of the most popular way to earn income passively. This is because the content you create for your blog remains there, often for years after you created it. When a business has a blog that’s vibrant and informative, that business is generally seen as an authority figure in the industry. If you don’t know where to start, there are some courses on Udemy that will teach you how to set a blog up in under a week. If your content contains affiliate links, ads and sponsors and continually gets high traffic, then you can sit back and watch the passive income roll in. However, blogging is a huge industry, and there are a lot of players. What’s more, these people are not resting on their laurels. No, they’re doing everything they can to make sure they get the most clicks and traffic. Your main source of income from blogs depends on your industry connections. For instance, you could link to affiliates on your blog site. This means that other people pay you to advertise their relevant services on your site. Whenever someone visits your blog then clicks on a link there and uses those services, you receive a commission fee. RELATED ARTICLE: 6 TIPS TO GET THE MOST VALUE FROM YOUR QUALITY WEBSITE 2. Build a Membership Community In time, your audience will respect you as an authority figure in your niche. Once this happens, you’ll have little trouble getting members to join a membership community. Think of a membership community as being like one of those loyalty cards that shops and stores hand out to their frequent customers. It’s like a secret club that only your best customers can belong to. For example, a lot of online businesses encourage people to subscribe to their free newsletter. However, those same businesses often have more valuable information and more thorough services for which they charge a higher fee. Keep in mind, though, that the information or the products and services you offer in your special access package must be of premium quality. Those customers are paying more than the average person, and therefore they deserve services and products that the average person can’t get. 3. Sell Yourself Everyone on Earth is unique, and we each have our own natural talents. You can market those talents of yours, even if you’re running your business in your spare time. An example of someone who has been successful in this vein is the creator of the YouTube channel Valuetainment, who has a net worth of $10 million. Selling yourself, or info-marketing goes like this: Identify your skill. This needs to be whatever it is you do best, something that comes as easily to you as breathing. Outline in easy-to-follow steps how to perform that skill. Record and document those steps, showing other people how to perform that skill. Market those recordings and sell them to your target audience. Easy, right? Not so much. I’ve been producing successful info-products for 2 years and spend a large chunk of my time and energy creating them. Know, though, that once the basic leg work is done, it’s pretty much smooth sailing, depending on your list and customer base. That’s because the hard part is done. Now all you have to do is market the thing! However, once you have a dedicated list of subscribers and customers, many of them will be willing to buy additional products and services from you. And that truly is passive income if those products are online only. 4. Invest One of the most time-consuming but rewarding options for earning passive income is investing in dividend-bearing stocks. These stocks let you collect dividends on a monthly or quarterly basis. Additionally, many companies offer dividend reinvestment programs that automatically use those dividends to purchase extra shares of company stock. This automatic system is the basis of earning passive income. However, investing requires a long-term commitment, somewhere between 10-20 years. To achieve true diversification and ensure all your eggs are in enough baskets, you’ll need to invest in roughly 10-15 stocks. Stock investment is not necessarily easy money. However, during those 10-20 years of waiting, those reinvested dividends accumulate more shares, which collect more dividends, and so on. You can learn the basics of how dividend-bearing stock investing works in a weekend or so. 5. Network like a Son of a Gun Businesses thrive on customers. We all know that. What we tend to forget, though, is that a hefty number of customers come to us through referrals. When customers need something one store doesn’t have, that business often refers customers to another business. If you’re on bad terms with other players in your industry, they’re not going to refer to you. The larger your network, the more opportunities you’ll get for inside deals and hidden insights for expanding your business. Often in ways you couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do alone. Everybody you meet knows someone who knows someone who could bring value to you. 6. Advertise In this day and age, good content is determined by a few factors, which legendary marketing king Neil Patel talks extensively about. However, good content can be boiled down to one question: Is it helpful? Content that does not benefit someone, answer a question, solve a problem, or show someone how to do something new isn’t going to generate a lot of traffic. That’s a given. Advertisers naturally want to do business with sites that promote a huge amount of traffic on a routine basis. The more your traffic grows, the more likely it will be that people will click the ads that are not intrusive and promise genuine help. Few people look forward to seeing an ad. A lot of people hate ads and consider them a real nuisance. Ads are often the biggest reason why people stay away from sites in droves. Therefore, advertisements on your site that are actually useful and non-intrusive will endear you to your customer base and random visitors. Further, once you have a good number of advertisements on your site that offer meaningful solutions to your audience’s problems, you’ll enjoy a generous amount of passive income. Conclusion Making your business a receptor for passive income requires tenacity and dedication. It also requires investments of money and time. However, a passive income system, once it’s operational, will give your business a reliable income conveyor belt. The post An Income Conveyor Belt: How to Build Passive Income appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Fleet Management Software: Can It Reduce Risks and Increase Returns? Photo by Pixounaut, CC0 1.0 Fleet Management Software: Can It Reduce Risks and Increase Returns? Many companies run their fleets manually without the help of fleet management software. If this is your company, then it’s time to think again about how you are managing your fleet vehicles. High quality fleet management software will provide your company with a much more efficient way of doing things. It will reduce your risks and increase returns as well. Keep reading to learn more about the top ways that fleet management software can help your company and increase your profitability. Keep an Inventory of Your Vehicles It’s almost impossible to keep up with a large fleet on a manual basis. However, everyone in your company can be more productive and efficient if they have a centralized location where they can see which fleet vehicles are available at any given time. Further, managers will be able to know overall which vehicles are not being used as much, which are the most used, and which could be outfitted to increase their environmental sustainability. When you have this information at your fingertips, it’s so much easier to manage your inventory of vehicles. Plan Driving Routes Efficiently When you have fleet management software on your side, you will be able to plan routes for your fleet more efficiently. You will be able to tell which vehicles are going where and which routes are going to spend the least amount of fuel. You will also be able to forecast the safest routes. More effective planning will help your company save money by bringing down the costs of maintenance and repairs. Prepare for Seasonal Fluctuations Many businesses have seasonal variations in the amount of business they handle. Fleet management software will help you better manage these fluctuations and mitigate your risks. With fleet management software, you’ll be better able to organize your fleet during peak seasons and cut down on costs when business is slower. Monitor Your Drivers With fleet management software, you can easily monitor your drivers’ behavior. Fleet supervisors will be able to tell from the software whether drivers are acting recklessly on the roads or taking unnecessary personal trips outside of the planned route. This is crucial information, because drivers’ behavior is one of the biggest factors affecting the efficiency of your fleet. RELATED ARTICLE: 3 MODERN TOOLS FOR MANAGING REMOTE WORKERS Track Your Assets’ Locations Fuel theft is a huge problem in many companies with large fleets. That’s because drivers are easily distracted while they’re on the road. Some of them seem to think it’s all right to take fleet vehicles on personal trips away from the planned route. However, these side trips can cost your business a pretty penny. With fleet management software, on the other hand, you will be able to track exactly where your fleet vehicles are at all times. Schedule Regular Maintenance Maintenance is a critical part of managing any fleet. Without regularly scheduled maintenance, maintenance costs will likely rise as the number of needed repairs increases. However, with fleet management software, you can easily schedule regular maintenance on your fleet vehicles. What’s more, you can remind your drivers when that maintenance is going to be happening. That way, your drivers can know which vehicles they will not be driving. This makes everything more efficient than just randomly performing maintenance on your fleet vehicles whenever you happen to remember it. Perform Vehicle Inspections One of the most important ways to ensure efficiency and long-term health in your fleet is for your drivers to perform regular inspections on vehicles, both before and after their shifts. Inspections are normally submitted on paper, but fleet management software handles these inspections much more efficiently. Your drivers and their supervisors can have pertinent data right at their fingertips, instead of having to wait for information to get filed into the system. As a matter of fact, drivers can perform inspections from their smartphone or tablet before they head out onto the road. Store Details About Your Assets A major benefit of having fleet management software is that you can store all of your vehicles’ details right on the software. This information will be easily accessible by anyone in the company from their smartphone or tablet, making everyone’s job easier. The Bottom Line Fleet management software will increase the efficiency of your business and increase your returns. So what are you waiting for? The post Fleet Management Software: Can It Reduce Risks and Increase Returns? appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Direct and Indirect Costs Involved in Workplace Accidents Photo by pexels, CC0 1.0 Direct and Indirect Costs Involved in Workplace Accidents Accidents are among the worst things that can happen at your workplace. Things can be even worse if you are running a workplace that is especially dangerous. For example, if the work space you are running is in a warehouse, the likelihood of a workplace injury is higher than if you were running an office. That’s why it’s important to follow some business safety tips. Whenever there’s an accident in the workplace, there are indirect and direct costs to your business. Keep reading to educate yourself about these costs. RELATED ARTICLE: 7 WAYS TO PROMOTE A CULTURE OF SAFETY IN YOUR ORGANIZATION Direct Costs of the Accident Of course, the first costs you need to think about are the costs that come directly from the accident itself. Generally speaking, direct costs of a workplace accident include compensation payments and medical costs such as the costs of hospital stays and ambulance rides. While insurance will pay most of the direct costs, your business will likely need to absorb most of the indirect costs of accidents, those costs that are outside of direct medical and compensation costs. Indirect Costs of the Accident The insurance company that pays the direct costs most likely won’t be the same as the one that covers your indirect costs. Further, indirect costs will be hidden below the surface. Here are some of the indirect costs to watch out for when accidents occur in your workplace: Time Away from the Job The injured worker might have to be away from the job for longer than the amount of time that is covered by workers’ compensation. When that happens, it’s going to cost your company. There are usually only a certain number of days that are covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Other Workers Accidents can affect other workers besides the injured parties. For instance, other workers might have spent time helping and looking after the injured worker, even if they themselves weren’t hurt in any way. Additionally, other workers might have to do the injured worker’s job in order to be able to complete their own jobs. Equipment Losses Equipment is often involved when there’s a workplace accident, and insurance might not cover all of the costs for replacement or repair of any damaged equipment. Overtime You might need to pay other workers overtime in order to stay on top of production schedules. Productivity The supervisor who was on the floor at the time of the accident will need to investigate its causes. That person will need to then complete the appropriate paperwork. This all amounts to his or her time lost on the company’s actual work. Additionally, this person is going to have to take the time to figure out how to get everything back on track. Further, when one person gets injured while at work, it disrupts the entire normal process. Very likely, you’ll need to rearrange employees, find a temporary employee to fill the injured person’s spot, or retrain other employees to get everything up and running again. The costs relating to this disruption can add up quickly. Other employees will lose productivity as well, when they have to take time to work on processing claims and handling phone calls to insurance companies, emails to the injured person, and so on. Then too, your other employees are going to be wary about working after a workplace accident has occurred, at least for a while. It could take them longer to do their normal jobs. Additionally, they’ll probably spend spend at least some of their working time talking with other workers about the accident. All of this adds up to lost wages and lost productivity in the end. Uncovered Medical Claims There could be medical costs that your insurance won’t cover. Extreme injuries, for example, might not be fully covered, depending on your insurance plan. Your business might have to shoulder the costs of specialized treatment facilities or medical personnel if your insurance company doesn’t. Legal Costs You might also have legal costs associated with a workplace accident. Additionally, you might have to make some changes in your workplace so that a similar accident doesn’t happen. Conclusion When it comes to the costs associated with workplace accidents, there are both indirect and direct costs. Your insurance will cover most of the direct costs. However, the indirect costs will most likely come out of your company’s profits. The post Direct and Indirect Costs Involved in Workplace Accidents appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Using Freelancers in a Small Business: The Pros and Cons Using Freelancers in a Small Business: The Pros and Cons One of the ways that many small businesses can be flexible when it comes to spending is by relying on freelancers for some tasks. Operating any small business naturally means keeping a tight rein on costs. Most small business owners minimize expenditures by focusing spending on those elements that make a difference to customer service. In other words, they focus on the customer’s experience and the quality of their product or service. Companies that make sure their cost structure is flexible are better able to cope with a fall in business, making them more likely to survive an economic downturn. Over the last decade many startups have only been able to start up by building a strong network of freelancers that they can rely on to get a job done. RELATED ARTICLE: WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEING A FREELANCER? The Cons Companies such as the online personal finance experts Solution Loans use freelancers to provide support in a number of key business areas. Some of these include digital marketing, content creation and front- and back-end web development. One advantage of this approach is that it provides resource and cost flexibility. But it also has some disadvantages, such as: Freelancers do not dedicate 100% of their time to one company. Freelancers may not be as committed to the company because they are not a permanent employee. This could affect the quality of work they perform. The hourly rate of freelancers may be higher than for a permanent employee doing the same job. And the Pros Equally, there are advantages to using freelancers. For instance, there may be role that does not require a full-time worker. Or there could be a mix of tasks for which a single individual is unlikely to have all the skills. When a company can only afford the equivalent of a single salary, they can employ several freelancers on a part-time basis (or task basis). Moreover, they can do so more cost effectively than employing several permanent but part-time employees. That’s because freelancers do not come with the associated costs of the benefits that regular employees require. Think of expenses such as healthcare and pensions, office space and equipment, and others. Of course, using freelancers also allows a company to use them only when they need them. Further, the company only pays for the services the freelancer provides. In addition, if the quality of work of the freelancer is not up to scratch, it is much easier to cease working with them. Business owners are always free to move on and find another, better qualified or more experienced person to provide the service in the future A Road Map Toward Workability So, the challenge for any small business is to address the potential pitfalls, while at the same time trying to retain the benefits brought about by the flexibility of using freelancers. Here’s what hiring managers at Solution Loans do to achieve the right balance: They clearly specify all tasks that will be done by a freelancer before they begin interviewing. This helps to ensure that freelancers who are chosen are a good fit for the roles. They take the time they need to find the people who are a good match for the role in terms of experience and skills. This means they don’t wait until a task is urgent before they look to get it done. They provide freelancers with a clear description of the work that needs to be completed, once the freelancer has been engaged. They always talk to freelancers in person before hiring, preferably face-to-face, although phone or video calls work well, too. This builds a level of trust on both sides. The business will be confident that the work will be done well, and the freelancer will be confident that they will be paid promptly for their work. They hold regular status and update meetings to make sure the work is on target to meet any deadlines. Build Trust Not all working relationships can be 100% successful. Moreover, this can be true just as much for the relationship between business owner and a permanent employee as it can for a freelancer. However, business owners can work proactively to find the right people in the first instance. Thereafter, they can build a good, trusting relationship. This strategy is very effective in ensuring that a company gets the best out of the people it works with. Although some news reports suggest freelance work is insecure, there are many instances where freelancers have worked with companies for nearly 10 years. Therefore, there must be some benefit to both sides in situations such as these. Business plans may not always work out as expected, but that’s where flexibility comes into play. Suppose a freelancer doesn’t perform the tasks set for them to the expected standard. Then it is simple to replace them with another person. There can also be periods where there is less work available than expected. However, if both freelancer and business owner have established a good working relationship, then it is possible to pause further work until business picks up again. Freelancers have been a significant driver of business success in the past decade. Moreover, they are likely to continue being so for the foreseeable future. A small business which manages them well will likely come out ahead. The post Using Freelancers in a Small Business: The Pros and Cons appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Promoting Your Company in the Information Age Promoting Your Company in the Information Age Today’s business owners face challenges in promoting their companies that are very different from the ones their parents and great-grandparents faced. Gone are the days of a few local competitors, to say nothing of the days of one general store in each town. Today’s business world is cutthroat and crowded, full of monolithic online competitors and an ever-changing cast of local challengers. It’s a fast-moving world. It’s so fast-moving, in fact, that the very terms we used to describe the changes of the 1990’s and 2000’s—terms like “information superhighway” and “information age”—already sound hopelessly quaint in the 2010’s. But we used the term “information age” in the title for a reason. That’s because modern businesses’ many challenges almost all have something in common: the root of them is the increased amount of information available to the customer. Being Heard In theory, at least, more information sounds like a good thing. After all, how many local contractors and auto mechanics have slogans along the lines of, “An informed customer is our best friend”? And it’s certainly true that the information age has allowed news about good reputations (and bad ones) to spread faster and wider than they did in the past. But with all of this information comes a new challenge: being heard. Instead of knowing the names of the two plumbers in town, the modern customer has dozens of choices, from local crews to national chains to the guy from the next town over who isn’t really the closest, but is the first result on Google. Yes, Google is the source of much of the noise, but it’s also your path to cutting through it. The key is search engine optimization (SEO), a fancy term that just means making your company’s online presence as friendly as possible to Google. With some know-how and some wisely chosen keywords, you can get your company’s website to pop up more often when people search. Of course, it isn’t quite that easy, which is why you can find professionals who earn their living by specializing in just this task. Consider reaching out to one to improve your prospects for promoting your company. RELATED ARTICLE: AFFORDABLE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS It’s All Online But what about your business? Is it different? Maybe you rely on word-of-mouth for promoting your company, or you just don’t see how your business has anything to do with the internet. Unfortunately, no business is exempt from the need to be online these days. In fact, your business may already be online, whether you know it or not. Here are a few ways that the internet is changing business. Take note of the ones that seem most relevant to your industry, and make sure that your company is available in those places. Deals and Promotions Yes, these happen online now. Companies like CoupontoPay.com aggregate coupons and deals for customers to find online, influencing their purchase decisions. Are your coupons available online? They should be. And deals also appear through the next item on our list: Social Media Yes, you need to be on it. Your customers certainly are, and having a Facebook and Twitter account will remind those customers that you exist. Plus, it gives you a new avenue for feedback, allowing customers to reach out to you for solutions or venting before they turn to… Online Review Sites Even if you don’t think your business is online, you’re likely to find it here. And a bad review on Yelp or Google can be bad news for your business, so monitor these sites and respond. You can outsource this task, if you’d like. Maps Apps Customers Google on the go now. Therefore, you want to make sure that the major navigation applications have your location in them. Show your customers you’re nearby, and make it easy for them to get directions from their favorite app. At the End of the Day, Nothing Has Really Changed, Though These are just a few of the most important areas where the internet is changing everything. However, promoting your company in the information age is as simple as it ever was. You just need to supply information and make it easy to find. Once your customers have the facts, they’ll be able to focus on your business’s reputation and quality. And that will make things, at long last, as simple as they’ve always been. The post Promoting Your Company in the Information Age appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Don’t Let a Glitch Cause Your Business Monetary Loss Don’t Let a Glitch Cause Your Business Monetary Loss In 2015, Starbucks suffered a loss of more than $4 million because of a simple glitch that prevented sales during the course of a few hours on a busy day. The malfunction affected them internationally (between Canada and the USA), which multiplied their monetary loss. This loss was triggered by a simple and easily avoidable malfunction. That is, despite being such a large corporation, it is clear that they did not prioritize their point of sale (POS) system. Luckily, business owners have ways to grapple with and even anticipate such a glitch. RELATED ARTICLE: THE OVERLOOKED BENEFITS OF CLOUD ERP SOFTWARE Find the Right Company First, it’s important to seek out a trustworthy merchant services provider, such as the Malaqy Group, as opposed to such companies as Visa or Mastercard. Indeed, the right company can help you prevent these problems from ever happening. They will provide the best possible customer service and guide you every step of the way. In short, they will help you overcome whatever glitch may be interfering with your business. The fact of the matter is that providers like Visa, who have absurdly high volumes of customers, are more likely to encounter unforeseeable technological troubles. Switch to Smaller Networks You might also want to avoid the vastness of the internet, if possible, by switching to smaller networks. Use a locally installed system to avoid being dependent on WiFi. This will keep your business safer from hackers coming in from the outside. It will also allow your business to evade WiFi outage issues entirely, which are mostly out of your control. Understandably, however, many people are determined to use the latest cloud system on the market. If this is the case, at least purchase a high-end internet package from a reliable provider. You want to be using the very best WiFi connection possible. Additionally, good hardware, it goes without saying, should accompany all of this extensive and elaborate software. Train Your Staff Train your staff and have a specific set of guidelines for them to follow, if ever you should be without a payment processor. For example, make sure everyone on your staff knows what to do during those hopefully rare times when your business can accept only cash. Stay Calm Despite taking all of these precautions, problems can still arise. A glitch can still happen. Technological conundrums are sometimes out of our control, after all. However, no matter how severe the situation, maintain a clear head. Stay cool, and keep any monetary loss to a minimum. Even if you’re unable to completely prevent a glitch. Nothing is foolproof, but it’s important to do the best you can to protect business transactions. Specifically, adopt the best possible security measures at the point of sale. When you do, you will protect your revenue. What might be even more important, though, is that you will protect your business’s reputation. And that, without a doubt, is one of the best reasons to be proactive about the safety of your payment processes as soon as possible. The post Don’t Let a Glitch Cause Your Business Monetary Loss appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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Paying Your Fair Share: A Brief Guide to Paying Taxes as a Freelancer Paying Your Fair Share: A Brief Guide to Paying Taxes as a Freelancer If you’re currently in the process of moving from a full-time job into becoming a freelancer, you’re probably experiencing changes in every aspect of your life. The way you file taxes is also changing. Instead of having taxes deducted from your income, you now must navigate paying taxes as a business owner. Most people have the same questions about getting started on paying freelancer taxes. Here are some of the most common ones. RELATED ARTICLE: WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEING A FREELANCER? Do I Need to Start a Business? No, you don’t need to formally start a business if you’re operating under your legal name and not a business name. You do, however, need to pay taxes on your income regardless of what name you trade under. If you’re trading under a registered business name, you’ll want to register your business as a sole proprietorship. You may even choose to incorporate your business. That’s because incorporation provides you legal protection in the event a client, supplier, or anyone else tries to sue your business. If you aren’t incorporated, your personal assets become a target. However, if you are incorporated, then your personal assets, like life insurance, are protected. This gives a good incentive to become incorporated. Insurance policies are particularly important to a freelancer, as there is less job security. You should use services like Intelliquote to find the best policies for you and your work. Additionally, it is easier to request an extension on your tax return when your business is incorporated. This will help you balance cash flow in your first few years. What Is Business Income and What Do I Have to Declare? According to the IRS, income can be received in money, property, or services. This means that even if you’re receiving goods or services for your work, it still counts as revenue, and you still should declare it. For example, if you’re a web developer and you trade a website for free SEO marketing services, you need to declare the value of those services as income. Additionally, you also need to declare any income you receive from renting out property, stocks, or any fringe benefits. The bottom line is you should declare on your taxes any money or goods you receive outside of gifts. Do I Need to Charge Sales Tax? The answer to this question depends on the kind of business you’re running, how large the business is, what state you live in, and what state you’re selling in. Generally, you’ll need to assess sales tax on any invoices for tangible goods. However, for those who provide services like graphic design, programming, or website development, distinguishing what can be a tangible good is often problematic. The best course of action is to speak with an accountant who is licensed in your state, They’ll have a good interpretation of both federal tax law and the nuances of your individual state’s tax codes. However, if you need to charge sales tax, you’ll also typically need a sales tax permit from your state, so don’t put the question off. The Last Word These are some of the most common questions freelancers ask. Moreover, they affect everyone who earns any additional income. Getting to know the ins and outs of these issues is key. Knowing them will make the first few years of running your business go as smoothly as possible. Do you have any burning questions about taxes, invoices, or starting your own business? The post Paying Your Fair Share: A Brief Guide to Paying Taxes as a Freelancer appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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15 Fun Activities You Can Do with Your Employees 15 Fun Activities You Can Do with Your Employees Midwinter is the season for fun activities, so plan some enjoyable entertainments for your office staff during the holidays. While you might not have the budget for some of the activity ideas on this list, that’s okay. Get creative with the budget you do have, because it won’t be any fun if you have to be miserly about it. RELATED ARTICLE: THE IDEAL BUSINESS OUTING: TAKE YOUR EMPLOYEES ON A HIKE 1. Invite Their Families During the holiday season, nothing spells good cheer like inviting the families and friends of your employees along to any event you’re holding. Even if your staff enjoys working with you, it’s a sad fact that nobody likes being at work during the holidays. That is, they dislike being away from their families during this family time of year. Inviting families along is a great morale booster. 2. Make Cookies No party or activity is complete without giant platters of cookies. Invite your workers to bring in a variety of cookies—or some unique candies—whether they’re homemade or store bought. Your company can supply soft drinks and punch. 3. Hold Contests Contests are the lifeblood of fun activities. And everyone has an ugly Christmas sweater. Why not hold a contest, inviting your workers to bring in those disastrous sweaters of Satan? Whoever has the ugliest sweater wins a prize. Think along the lines of a plasma TV, a board game, a laptop, or an equally ugly tie. 4. Karaoke Ever since I saw an episode of The Office where Kevin sang Alanis Morrissette’s “You Oughta Know,” I’ve been hoping for having karaoke night at an office holiday party. Karaoke is one of those fun activities in which people to reveal another side of themselves. And it’s always good for laughs around the water cooler the next day. 5. Switch Things Up No matter what you decide to do for this year’s parties, don’t make the mistake of doing the same boring thing you did last year. People want new and exciting fun activities, not the same old and tired tricks. That’s a sure-fire way to extinguish the fun. 6. Employee Potluck Lunch Everyone in my town loves potluck lunches and dinners. They are a fantastic way to try out everybody’s special cooking talents and give people a chance to let their culinary skills shine. Be sure to pick a theme and encourage people to create their specialty dishes. 7. Trim a Tree Together You know those ornaments and toys that let you record whatever you want for some amount of time? Make your employees feel like they’re a team by encouraging them to record a message together. Then hang that ornament on the office tree. Alternatively, if you’ve been taking pictures of funny things that happened over the year, place those in lightweight frames and place them on the tree. 8. Record It All A special way to make your clients and customers feel like you truly value them is to record a video or photograph an album. In it, feature various members of your staff thanking those clients and customers. All the while you’ll be having a blast of a party, complete with plenty of wish-you-were-here greetings and other fun activities. 9. Gift Baskets Encourage people to make holiday gift baskets for their colleagues using money from their own pockets. Set a reasonable and fairly inexpensive spending limit. Alternatively, buy some Christmas baskets for each of your employees on the sly and play Secret Santa. 10. Chair Race This activity is sure to be a hit. Clear out the biggest space in the office you possibly can. Next, create a finish line using paper taped together. Once it’s all set up, encourage your employees to have a race on rolling office chairs. Before the hilarity ensues, decide together what the first, second and third place prizes will be. 11. Video Game Challenges Most people enjoy playing video games. Consoles such as Wii, Wii U, PS4 and Xbox One all have 4-player games that you can turn into a challenge or tournament. Maybe the winner gets a paid day off work? 12. Best Decorated Department Contest Do you have a lot of departments in your company? Give each of them an hour to decorate their areas. Then have a company-wide vote on which is the best or funniest. 13. Donations of Clothes or Food The holidays are a time of giving, and it goes beyond presents for each other. If there is a clothing or food drive that’s happening in your town, encourage your employees to participate. 14. Go out for a Bite If you have the money, rent out a private room at a local restaurant and personally buy a dinner for your employees. This is a wonderful morale booster. While you’re at it, invite people who attend to bring a an inexpensive gift for a Secret Santa exchange. 15. Door-to-Door Driver Services Especially if you offer alcohol at your holiday party, hire personal door-to-door drivers for each of your employees. This will ensure they get home safely. Alternatively, hold the holiday activities during the lunch hour, and keep the alcohol consumption to a minimum—if you offer it at all. Last Call There is no reason you can’t make the most of your office days during the holidays. Just let your inner child out and encourage everyone to let their freak flags fly. The post 15 Fun Activities You Can Do with Your Employees appeared first on Business Opportunities.  

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