Successful Blog

Does Your Website Clearly Explain Your Brand?

by Leave a Comment

When you run a business of any size, it is imperative that you have a sound website.

Yes, before the Internet age several decades back, one could get away without a website. Back then, most businesses relied on word-of-mouth to reach consumers. All it oftentimes took was good service and quality products at fair prices to attract sales.

Fast-forward to today’s digital age and it is a different ballgame.

Without a solid web presence, your business could be on the side of the road as many other companies pass you by.

So, does your website explain your brand?

Let Consumers Know What You Are All About

If you are in a business that is pretty simple, you do not have to put as much emphasis on explaining things.

No, this does not mean you leave them out to dry when it comes to informing them about what your brand does. It means you do not need to focus quite as much on things like your “about us” section of your website.

For those that may not be quite as self-explanatory, their website must fire on all cylinders.

An example of this would be explaining to consumers the need for the right O-ring material.

Now, some consumers are not even going to know what O-rings are for. Such items play a key role in many different aspects of life. Among more notable ones would be the performance of airplane engines, fuel handling systems for autos, and those in chemical processing.

The basic idea behind the O-ring is it keeps air or fluid in or out depending on the needs of the equipment.

As such, when your business makes and/or sells O-rings, you need to inform consumers all there is to know.

Your website is a great place to not only discuss O-ring usage and its configuring, but why yours are second to none.

Along with written details regarding O-rings, show some imagery of such items. You may even want to shoot a few short videos. Those videos can show how the item gets usage with the everyday public.

It is also a good idea to have a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on your website.

Given consumers will likely have questions about your brand, why not answer them on your site?

Last, provide links to other sites that contain pertinent info to the brand you offer.

Doing so is not only helpful to consumers, but shows you are good at researching aspects of your particular industry.

In making sure your website explains your brand; take the time to do whatever it takes to bring more eyes your way.

When you do, the revenue is likely to follow close behind.

Photo credit: Pixibay

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes about business topics on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook up Success for Your Brand

by Leave a Comment

How is your business doing these days when it comes to making revenue?

While all business owners would love to say their companies are running well that is not the case.

With that in mind, you want to do all you can to increase the odds of having a lot of money coming in and growth potential.

So, are you cooking up success for your brand?

Know How to Bring in More Business

In your quest to bring in as much business as possible, remember the following keys:

  1. It all starts with mission plan – Knowing why you went into business and having a mission plan are crucial. Running a business without a purpose can doom you sooner than later. As an example, if you opened up a burger business, did you do ample research on other such eateries around town? If not, you may soon discover that the area is overrun with burger businesses. While everyone should have a piece of the pie, the reality is most consumers will have favorites. Over time, you could find your brand being outdone for a variety of reasons. Know your mission from day one and do your best to stick to it.
  2. Hire the best – Unless you run a one-person show, you’re going to need to hire good help. With that in mind, be sure to investigate each individual you consider bringing on. Even if their role with the company will be minimal at best, you want the brightest talent out there. As important as their skills will be, make sure you hire people who want to work for you. Some individuals are looking for a paycheck and do not care about how much time and effort they put into a job. When you interview someone for a position with your business, get a feel for if they in fact want to be there or not.
  3. Is it time to grow? – If the business is doing well and growing now, when is the right time to expand? Know if another burger franchise for sale is in your best interests. Should you decide to grow, you want to make sure you find the perfect fit for such expansion. This includes the right part of town, the best property, and of course an audience of consumers to sell to.
  4. Give your brand plenty of promotion – Last; be sure to promote your brand as much as possible. This means not only via social media, but having a viable website too. Review your site on a regular basis to make sure it is chock-full of valuable info for consumers. You also want to be sure it loads fast. Many consumers will go elsewhere if they come to websites that are slow and tricky to navigate. Also have contact information easy for consumers to find when perusing your site.

From burger franchises to many other models you can come up with, being a business owner can be rewarding.

That said you need to do everything possible to make it work each day.

So, are you ready to get cooking on your business venture?

Photo credit: Pixibay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

 

 

How to Keep Yourself Motivated to Build Your (Online) Career

by Leave a Comment

 

If you have motivation, you can overcome almost any situation.

~Peter Marshall (source: 51 Greatest Motivational Quotes)

No matter what it is you want to achieve, be it building your personal brand or capturing your dream job, it can be a long and grueling path to reach the goal you have set for yourself.

Staying motivated is hard at the best of times, which is why it is incredibly important to keep track of your progress, making good use of milestone targets to let you know you’re on the right track.

Unclutter Your Environment

Clutter effects a lot of areas of our lives. Researchers say it negatively affects our productivity by preventing us from focusing.

Motivations requires a lot of focus: On our goals, tasks and daily process. To get motivated, you need to focus.

It all starts from your home. An uncluttered home is the first step to clearing your mind and getting motivated.

Set up Your Inspirational Workplace

A big part of being motivated (especially whe you lack tangible goals) is being inspired. Inspiration moves us forward, helps us come up with creative solutions and make our work process much more enjoyable.

Whether you work from home or from an office, spend some time to set up your workplace the way it helps you get inspired. Natural plants, pictures, inspirational quotes help many people get inspired and motivated.

Home office

Buffer offers a great guide on how to set up lighting in your environment to boost your creativity. Here are a few ideas for you:

Share Your Goals with Your Relatives and Close Friends

Letting people who are close to you know what you are trying to achieve is a great way to encourage this kind of behavior. Families and friends are quite likely to check up on your progress regularly, especially if you are doing something they know is important to you.

These kind of support networks can be extremely valuable when trying to achieve a particularly difficult goal, as for many nothing beats regular encouragement from other people when trying to stay motivated.

Use Social Media Communities and Online Support Groups

Engaging your social networks to help keep you on track can be as simple as just telling your friends you are trying to quite smoking. However, in the digital age we do have more options available to use when it comes to letting other people know how we are doing. The usual suspects such as Facebook and Twitter are a good start, as that way, everyone you’re in regular contact with will know what you are trying to do (which can lead to a lot of encouragement and feedback).

Alternatively you could join an email group or forum dedicated to your particular goal (if its something you could do alongside other people striving for the same thing like weight loss). These kind of online communities are dedicated to helping their members achieve certain life goals, providing invaluable advice and neutral feedback to people who otherwise might not have anyone appropriate to turn to.

Keep Track of Your Progress

For some staying motivated will be a personal affair. A lot of people will only share their goals with those closest to them, relying for the most part on their own willpower to keep them going through the more difficult stages of their journeys. If that sound’s like the more appealing option to you, make sure to at least maintain a regular journal of your activities.

Keeping track of your progress, so that you can see whether or not you are achieving the targets that lead to your goal, is the best way to make sure you don’t stray from your intended path.

It can be as simple as keeping a pen and paper style diary. Though it may prove to be easier to use a more high tech solution such as an online goal tracking website or some kind of office application software (such as Open Office or Microsoft Office).

You could even combine the two tech options by using some cloud based office software like Google Docs or Evernote (as these can be accessed from multiple devices which make them easy to keep updated). Colorlib has a great list of many more productivity tools that can help you manage your to-do list and monitor your progress.

Productivity

Whatever method you choose to employ, as long as you keep a clear view of your goal and have a real understanding of your progress towards it, you should be well set for keeping yourself on the road to success.

Featured image via Pixabay

Are You Investing in the Right Business Opportunities?

by Leave a Comment

Trying to come up with the right commercial property investments can prove tricky at times.

Making the right calls more times than not is critical if you want to avoid financial issues now and later.

So, where do you turn for the best business commercial property investment strategies?

You can and should of course talk to the experts. You may also want to do research in business periodicals. Last, the Internet can be a great go-to source. No matter where you go for advice, be sure to do some careful listening to understand what is REIT investing.

With real estate investment trusts, investors can invest in sizable commercial property assets. Those assets would more times than not be unavailable to one to invest through their own doing.

So, will you be placing your money in the right commercial investment opportunities?

Have a Plan in Place Before You Invest

Before you invest one dollar in any commercial property, have a plan in place.

Among some of the key areas to understand:

  1. What most grabs your attention? – Before investing in any commercial property, know what you have the most interest in. Would your dollars best go towards a shopping center, office building or warehouse? By knowing where your money is likely going to grow in time, you are better suited to make a sound decision.
  2. What is the potential growth possible? – In the event you have interest in an investment for an office building, is there potential growth? The factors that go into that can be a handful or many. Be sure to sit down and see how other area properties are doing when it comes to a return on one’s money. While there are slow times in the market, you don’t want to be investing in an area that has seen steady decline.
  3. What obstacles stand in the way of growth? – If thinking of investing in a shopping center, are there any obstacles that could stand in the way of its growth? An example of this would be if businesses have been pulling out of an area for one reason or another. This may be due to financial issues, higher crime etc. in the area. Although some obstacles can be overcome, you don’t want to be investing in areas where there is concern.
  4. Where you are in life – Last, where you are in life can also play a major role in your business investment strategies. A younger investor can be more flexible. They have more time to recover from an investment should it not pan out. Meantime, an older investor doesn’t want bad investments cause issues for retirement.

As you look at investing in the right commercial business opportunities, be sure to do your homework.

When you do, you will more times than not come out on the winning end.

Photo credit: Pixibay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

Could Distractions Be Taking a Toll on Your Business?

by Leave a Comment

To make your business as efficient as it can be, you need to have a myriad of things fall into place.

First, you want to hire the best employees possible.

Sure, there will be times when you make a mistake or two in the hiring process. That said getting it right as often as possible is key to a successful company.

Second, you need to give your brand as much positive promotion as possible.

With your brand getting the right marketing and social media, the sky can be the limit on how far it can go.

Last, while hiring right and promoting your biz are critical, you also need efficiency.

Without an efficient office, your business could very well hit many bumps in the road.

So, is your company doing all it can to take distractions out of the equation?

Be an Efficient Business

In doing all you can to be an efficient business, look at avoiding these distractions:

  1. Employees who are not focused – In hiring the best people, you want those who are most efficient. Yes, their resumes can be quite impressive, but how efficient will those you hire prove to be? Do your best to get those individuals who will focus on work and nothing else when they are on the clock. While you do not want to hire robots, you do want those who know what is necessary to get the job done and still have fun. Unless running a home business, you have to rely on others to help get you to where you want to be in the business world.
  2. Calls and emails that waste time – As a business owner, your phone likely rings countless times a day. That said how many of those calls would you say are worth your time? You want to do your best to avoid phone calls that are a nuisance. Such calls can detract from your daily focus and that of your employees’ too. The same holds true with emails. You and your employees will get a lot of emails on your work computers each day. Be able to discern those which are wasting your time. Although much or all those emails should go to a spam that does not always happen. When you lessen the load of unwanted calls and emails, your work days can prove much more productive. As part of that production, be sure to promote your business with the right marketing plan. From traditional marketing to social media and more, spread the word about your brand.
  3. Family attention – As important as your family is, does it seem at times as if you’re torn between family and work? Do your best to find that happy medium. Yes, your family means the world to you. That said you need your business to do well so that you can support your family now and for many years to come.
  4. Financial concerns – Last, what business owner does not think about their revenue stream? With that in mind, you do not want to get to the point where you are too fixated on it. When you hire right, avoid distractions, and find a happy balance of family and work, revenue will be fine.

In avoiding business distractions, do your best to have the focus in the right areas.

Photo credit: Pixibay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

How to Create and Control Your Business Budget

by 1 Comment

By Kayla Matthews

Striking out with your first startup? Been in business for a few years but still stumped by budgeting? You’re not alone. Budgeting doesn’t come naturally to many business owners, but you can develop the skills needed to create and manage your business budget.

Many scenarios require a business budget to ensure company success and direction. Matching business expenses, both anticipated and real, to revenue helps you determine if you possess enough money to put into operations, expansion and income generation, among other needs. New startups should research their market to replace a history of financial reporting while being realistic about their goals and ambitions. Businesses will use their budget to direct company growth toward income, profit and spending over the future months and years.

Without a budget plan in place, businesses risk going into debt or not spending enough of their financial resources to grow a business to compete in the market.

Starting and Maintaining Your Business Budget

Think of your company budget as a roadmap for your business. A business plan outlines directions and goals, but your budget also informs the end goals of your company. Here are five ways to create and control your business budget:

1. Make a List and Check It Twice

Base your budget off of realistic profit you desire to produce in the coming year. Don’t fret over accuracy too much because budgets focus on realistic forecasts and forward-thinking. Start with a list and build your budget from there.

Pull out your most recent business financial statements. Look at the current profit brought in since it drives other estimates for capital expenditures, expenses and costs. Consider outside factors such as the loss of a major client or a downturn in the economy in your estimates. Don’t forget your operating costs: rent, utilities, research, insurance, taxes and travel. As you would in a personal budget, create an emergency business fund or plan to seek out a loan should the need arise.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Shop Around

Staying on top of your long-term success means continually looking for what’s best for your company and its budget. Why waste money on suppliers that deliver little but issue a hefty invoice every month? Why continue to use lead generation tools that fail to produce results?

Don’t be afraid to shop around for the tools, suppliers and services that best accommodate your company and its success. You may even consider seeking outside capital to grow your business in order to expand your resources using external finances. No matter where you invest, it’s important you get the most out of your money without wasting it.

3. Make a Budget Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets feel intimidating but remain the classic business budget tool for a reason. When opening or operating a business, use a spreadsheet to calculate estimates regarding revenue percentage and total amounts you’ll need to direct to raw materials and other resources. Do the same with your taxes, insurance and operating costs, for example.

Templates will help you plug in the right information to make conservative estimates, and you should pull out your budget spreadsheet every month for review. You’ll track business outcomes against the estimates as you move along in the following months to monitor whether your business is profitable and achieving goals.

4. Show Restraint, Not Rigidity

It’s better to go under budget than over budget in most opinions. Conduct restraint in your budget over rigidity. Going too under repeatedly sets up your business for stagnancy. Invest in new technology or other resources that will help grow your business.

When you go over budget, review areas to cut costs. Focus reduction strategies first on analyzing profit margins on services and products offered. Direct investments primarily in your most profitable services and products. You don’t need to cut positions needlessly, either. Implement a telecommute plan or reduce the workweek for applicable positions to conserve costs and keep employees. Stay on top of tracking your business expenses.

5. There’s an App for That

When it comes to managing expenses, there’s an app for that, too. Many aspects of conducting business are now automated, and budgeting is no exception.

Many budgeting apps focus on various areas of spending, from clocking hours for employees to allowing receipts to be scanned for tax purposes or reimbursement. Examples of helpful apps include LearnVest (tracking goals), DollarBird (includes past and present income) and Level Money (subtracts reoccurring expenses to show what’s left to spend). For those getting started, apps help business owners separate their personal and business lives.

Budgeting feels intimidating for many business owners. To build and maintain an effective budget, companies must see budgeting as a roadmap to future success with forecasts to weather the sunny and stormy business days.

Stay realistic, but don’t be too rigid with your budget. The ultimate goal of your budget is to keep your business running with an eye to the future for competition and growth.

 

About the Author: Kayla Matthews writes about communication and workplace productivity on her blog, Productivity Theory. Her work has also appeared on Talent Culture, MakeUseOf, The Muse and Fast Company.

Featured image: Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash