Successful Blog

Have You Truly Secured Your Business?

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Burglar breaking into houseWhether you run a business out of an office space that you rent or own or direct your business from home, you know (at least you should) how important security is.

While cyber-attacks have gotten many of the headlines in recent years, physical break-ins are still as prevalent as ever. If this happens to you, it could turn your business upside down, leaving you in quite a precarious position moving forward.

With that being the case, what are you doing to make sure your business is as physically secure as possible?

From having it properly alarmed to making sure employees (and you for that matter) don’t leave an open invitation for criminals to break-in, you do have a lot of the say in whether or not you become a crime victim.

So, when you take time at the end of the day to think about it, have you truly secured your business?

Stay a Step Ahead of Criminals

In order to best protect your business (in an office or from home), remember these pointers:

  1. Security packages – Perhaps your best line of defense is looking into protection security packages. With such packages protecting a home office or a building where you work out of, you have a much lesser chance of being broken into. Before buying such a package, be sure to do some searching online, along with asking others you know as to which company they put their trust in. One of the first things you want to know about a security company is how long they’ve been in business. A company with a track record of securing both home and business sites is one that should certainly get your attention. Also look into their customer service dealings, making sure they have the best interests of their customers in mind at all times. Finally, while nothing is essentially free in this day and age (other than advice), be sure that you understand all the costs, avoiding any hidden fees etc.
  2. Not asking for trouble – Criminals have minds all their own, some better than others that is. In protecting your business, don’t leave the door open (literally) for them to come in and steal from you. For instance, if you have an office place in a building or even at home for that matter, you may have customers come to visit to purchase products or services, meet with you for appointments, pay you money for work you did for them etc. As a result, make sure you (or a secretary or other employee) doesn’t let people in to wander around until you get to them. It just takes a minute’s time for someone to steal property (including money) from you and your business;
  3. Don’t announce you’re out of town – Another gaffe that business owners need to avoid is announcing to the world that they are out of town for a period of time. This is especially a problem in today’s world given the millions and millions of people using social media. For instance, if you are operating a company out of your home, one where you would typically have a fair amount of money sitting around for when clients come-and-go to do business with you, don’t then go on social media and tell the world that you are closed and out of town for a week’s vacation. If you work out of an office building and close down for a week or so, be sure all is secure before the lights are turned off and the doors locked until you return for business. Lastly, since there is the possibility you will have a cleaning person and/or crews coming in on occasion to clean your office, make sure their credentials are thoroughly reviewed before hiring them.

No matter what part of the country you are in, your business can prove quite vulnerable, be it in an office building or running it from your home.

Do your best to truly secure your business, keeping criminals on the outside looking in at all times.

In return, you will feel more secure at the end of each and every work day.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Market a Brand Consumers Will Come Home to

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work smarter advice - words in vintage letterpress wood type bloIn today’s world of B2C marketing, it is imperative that businesses do their utmost to get their brands properly marketed.

That said some companies are literally dropping the ball when it comes to telling consumers why the brands they have offer the public are light years better than the competition.

So, what are you doing to go out of your way to market your brand properly?

Whether it is more along the lines of traditional marketing methods, perhaps leaning more for mobile and social media marketing, there are myriad of ways to get your brand heard and recognized.

At the end of the day, the goal should always be to market a brand consumers will come home to.

Get Your Message Out There

In order to have your brand stand out from the competition, make sure you are doing the following:

  1. Properly planning – Your first and foremost objective is to make sure you are properly planning any and all marketing initiatives. For example, if your company’s main offerings are home renovations and other home improvements, be sure your marketing efforts are geared towards the right demographics. While some senior citizens later in years do in fact make notable renovations and/or additions to their homes, many of them are content with what they have at home or are renting properties (senior center apartments or condos etc.). As a result, they’re not going to be your primary source of business. On the flip side, people who are either moving into an older home that needs work or consumers looking to upgrade the homes they have had for a number of years now, these would be some of the individuals/couples you want to target. Having done your research will help you in more effectively targeting the right audience;
  2. Imagery is key – Even though information etc. is certainly important in the area of home renovations and additions, the impact quality imagery has can’t be overlooked. Whether you are Utah web developers or another such brand, showing consumers images that can’t be beat will help you in landing more business. This is where both your website and a quality social media presence are so important. Be sure your website is chock-full of imagery, imagery that shows how quickly a residence can go from looking rather ordinary to looking quite extra-ordinary. That imagery should also be shared on social media sites, especially ones like Instagram and Facebook, both of which are great for telling a story through pictures;
  3. Providing unparalleled customer service – Where are you when it comes to providing customer service? This is one of the critical elements of being a successful brand, so don’t take it lightly. For example, consumers may come to you in-person or via the web to ask questions about home improvements. Don’t use the opportunity to try and push a sale down their throats, but instead use it to not only educate them on the best ways to go about home improvements/renovations/additions etc. but also to show that their interests are your interests too. By being there to answer their questions and give them the information they were hopefully looking for, you potentially gain their trust. Once that is gained, the door can quickly swing open to be a potential business-customer relationship for many years to come.

While sound marketing is not rocket science, it does take some effort and ingenuity, both of which should always be two staples of your business approach.

In the event your brand marketing techniques have been coming up a little short as of late, there is still plenty of time to change course, giving you the opportunity to make headway with consumers.

Some brands naturally sell themselves; others need a little extra push.

If your brand is one of those that needs a little extra kick in the pants to secure more business, don’t be afraid to step outside the box with your marketing initiatives.

Whatever you can do to secure more business, make sure you are doing it.

When consumers know your brand is the one that offers them the most, they are certainly more apt to come home to you.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Put Some Life Back in Protecting Your Identity

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Advanced Technology Innovation Development Evolution ConceptRunning a business in 2016 means many different things.

One of those is making sure both the identities of your business and your customers are safe from I.D. theft thieves.

If an identity theft thief is able to infiltrate your business, he or she could cause irrevocable damage to your company’s reputation. In the event that occurs, you could see your revenue stream come to an abrupt halt.

If your business has an exposed identity, you are flirting with danger, danger that can very easily snowball its way into angry customers and more.

With that in mind, are you putting some life back in protecting your identity?

Know the Danger Signs

In order to stop identity theft thieves from penetrating your business, there are a number of steps you must be taking.

Among them:

  1. Recognize the danger – For starters, don’t think identity theft can’t happen to your business. As it turns out, many businesses are prime targets for I.D. theft thieves, especially smaller ones. Those smaller companies typically do not have all the bells and whistles in place to prevent a notable identity theft attack. As a result, they become prime targets for criminals. To not be cognizant of the danger is like leaving your front doors unlocked when you go to bed in the evening. No, most people do not do that in this day and age, so don’t be the business owner who leaves his or her business exposed to I.D. theft;
  2. Put a plan in motion – One of the best means with which to fight back against identity theft is by having a protection plan in place. For example, working with an I.D. theft protection provider allows you to give your online activities (and others involving finances) as much protection as possible. The question oftentimes becomes, how do I know which protection plan to go with? Along with asking around, do some online scouting to see which services get the highest ratings from folks who know them best. Whether you look to LifeLock reviews or another such provider, be sure to see which service best meets the needs of your brand. Once you decide on a service provider, make sure to protect not only your computers and online activities, but also other related financial activities. For example, you want to make sure that any company credit cards are secure and safe at all times. For instance, if one of your employees is tasked with wining and dining a prospective client, he or she may use the company credit card to pay for the meal etc. If for some reason the employee would misplace the card or someone got ahold of the I.D. numbers on the card, they could easily run up a sizable bill before you even knew what hit. By having a protection plan in place, you can be alerted immediately as to any suspicious activity involving the card;
  3. Don’t overlook your employees – Finally, as much as you want to (and should) trust your employees, workers committing I.D. theft against their employers is certainly not out of the question. As a result, you should never take for granted that such an event could happen to you. Make it clear from the day each and every employee is hired that you trust them, but any breach in that trust will result in notable consequences. Such consequences could include suspensions without pay, termination of one’s job, perhaps even criminal charges being filed.

With all you have on the line, making sure your business does all it can do to minimize the I.D. theft threat is important.

Keep in mind that even just one successful identity breach can change your business and its financial safety forever.

Be the business owner who takes identity theft and its threat seriously, lessening the odds you will be the next victim.

Just as importantly, in the event your business does suffer such a breach, make sure you act immediately to limit the damage. Such actions will give you a better opportunity to stem the tide of lost trust with your customers.

If identity theft was not on your radar before, it certainly should be moving forward.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Are You Getting the Best Employees Possible?

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Employers Happy Of New Pretty ApplicantIn managing your company, do you take stock at times of the quality of employee you hire?

For many businesses, the people come on a rather regular rotation. In fact, you might look at it as a revolving door.

Others, meantime, are rather meticulous in the individuals they hire, looking to keep people for many years to come.

No matter how you approach the hiring process, take note that the costs to retrain employees over and over again add up more than you may think. As a result, spending a little more time on making sure you are getting the best employees possible should be a priority.

Taking Time to Review Each Candidate Carefully

So that you can see which prospective employees take the time to turn in a professional resume and cover letter and which ones do not, along with giving you an interview to remember (for all the right reasons) note these items:

  1. Professionalism – First and foremost, how professional are the resumes that you are receiving? If they look like individuals spent time and effort putting them together, great. On the other hand, resumes looking like they were thrown together in a hurry typically tell you one thing. That is that the individual did not put a lot of emphasis on making a good first impression with you. Take that one step further, would they make a good first impression on a customer? There are typically some signs to look for in seeing how much time and effort went into the resume and cover letter process. For one, a resume writing service pro is not going to give its client a resume that has notable errors in it, let alone is badly worded. It will also be neatly organized, highlighting the client’s most recent work experience, experience that is relative to the job they are applying for. Lastly, the resume will be spaced appropriately, making it easy to follow for the intended employer. If any of these areas are not emphasized, you’re likely looking at a prospective employee who either was not capable of putting together a winning resume on their own or didn’t care who in fact produced it for them;
  2. Skillset – Unless you’re hiring someone to work in a factory or do construction (along with some other jobs), you are typically going to want employees who have some skills for the digital age. This can be anything from overseeing running an online store for your business to promoting your brand on social media etc. While there is more to that of course, the point is that having an online skillset is all but a necessity in today’s workforce. If someone comes to you without these kinds of skills, you can of course always train them, but at what cost to you and your business? Having someone come in with these skills already under their belt makes a big difference;
  3. Attitude – Finally, what kind of attitude are you sensing from those you interview for careers with your company? As good as the credentials on the resume may be, the attitude one brings into the interviewing process is critical. Do the individuals seem excited about the possibility of working with you? Are they interested in learning about the company or just what the salary and benefits would be? Do they seem like the kind of people who would roll up their sleeves and help co-workers out? As many company heads can tell you, personalities oftentimes outshine skills in making for a cohesive workplace.

If you’ve felt in recent times like you have not exactly been hiring the highest quality individuals, change that outcome as you move forward.

No, there isn’t a 100 percent guarantee that the person you offer a job to is a lock to be both very talented and with you for many years to come. If the process were that easy, many business owners would sleep a lot better at night.

Try your best to gauge the mindset of each and every person who comes through your doors for an interview.

In doing that, you could very well have an improved feel for getting the best employees possible.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

 

Finding Leadership within Your Business

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Business people in board room meetingAre you truly confident that you have some leaders from within your business?

While some company owners are quick to answer yes to such a question, others no doubt have to stop and think about it.

If you feel like you are having trouble finding leaders inside your company, do you plan to do anything about that moving forward?

If not, this does not mean your business is doomed for failure anytime soon.

What it does mean, however, is that you may want to take a little time to see if you not only do have some leadership talent within your ranks, but also how best to utilize that talent to motivate others inside your business.

Using Outside Examples to Inspire

Even though there are different ways with which to go about finding and bringing out the leaders in your company, it sometimes just comes down to simple things.

For example, you may have some budding leaders within your ranks, but for one reason or another, they are timid about putting those skills to use. If that’s the case, how do you (and should you) bring out those skills?

Always keep in mind that you should never force an employee into doing something they’re not comfortable with or becoming someone they truly are not meant to be. That said it is perfectly fine (sometimes quite necessary) to ask them to take on more authoritative roles if need be.

If you feel like you aren’t quite sure how to go about getting the most out of them, sometimes you might want to think about turning to others to provide sound examples.

For instance, having your employees view and listen to some individuals that have been proven to demonstrate leadership skills is a good start.

Public speakers such as Ron Fournier can provide their years of experience in the political world, transferring that knowledge over into the business community, all the while providing your team with valuable leadership tips.

When you stop and think about it for a moment, the political and business worlds have more in common than you may think.

For one, political leaders have to do all they can to amass support from their constituents, many of whom are either business leaders or employees of the former. While finding the true leaders from within your organization is not simply deciding by a vote which individual is the most popular and/or poised to do the job, it does mean identifying those employees willing to take on a more important role.

If you are trying to find leadership from within your ranks, remember to look at:

  • Motivation – First and foremost, which employees within your company seem most motivated to be leaders? This is not always something which is easy to tell, so it will likely take some doing on your part to identify such individuals. Search for those workers who come to their jobs each and every day looking to better than the day prior;
  • Helping co-workers – You know how some employees all but despise the idea of helping co-workers. To them, they have enough on their daily plates, so why ask them to assist others? As it turns out, those workers who are true team players within the office could be tomorrow’s leaders. Such individuals don’t think twice about lifting a finger to help their co-workers. In turn, those are the kinds of employees who will typically also go that extra mile for your customers;
  • Asks questions – Finally, which of your employees is always trying to learn more? While some workers may seem a little over the top when it comes to asking questions, you want those employees who are willing to roll their sleeves up and essentially get dirty. Such workers usually are interested in all facets of how the company works, with an eye on staying and growing with the business. These are typically the people who will stick around with you for a longer period of time than those who just come in and do their jobs, showing little or no effort to learn more about how things work (that is not true in all cases, so never punish or look down on those who are quiet and yet do a great job).

If finding leadership from within your business has been a challenge at times, consider taking a look outside to see how others can assist in motivating your team.

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

Avoid Being Left Hanging By Your Clients

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Customer blue puzzle pieces assembledWhat makes your business tick?

For many business owners, it is making sure that they keep their company running on an efficient schedule. Remember, efficiency is key to keeping the customers coming through the front door etc.

That said it can be somewhat easy for business owners to get off track at times, especially if they are not putting technology to great use in running their businesses.

One way this becomes a problem is if clients are not showing up for scheduled appointments or are coming in late. When this happens, a day’s schedule can easily get out of kilter.

So, how are you going about making sure you do not get left hanging by your clients?

Let Technology Work for You

So that you are able to manage your working hours as efficiently as possible, remember these tips:

  1. Understanding your business needs – First and foremost, the type of business you run oftentimes dictates what your time management needs will be. As an example, if your run a salon and/or nail business, keep in mind that clients are regularly coming through your doors. As a result, it is important that you don’t have regular breaks in the action, breaks that can ultimately lead to your revenue stream being impacted in a negative manner. In order to lessen the chances of that happening, having a Salon appointment book is a great way to keep things flowing. For example, if you are open say from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., you expect to have clients coming in during those hours, save maybe except for a lunch or dinner break on your part. If some clients either wonder in a half hour late or miss their appointments altogether, it is real easy for the day to get messed up. What you end up having is an unorganized approach to doing business, one that can mean less money coming in and more customers going out;
  2. Reminding clients of their appointments with you – Just as you get quite busy at times, your clients can be equally as if not busier than you. As a result, sending them a “friendly” reminder about their appointment with you simply makes sense. You are not being a nag, simply reminding them that they committed to time with you on a certain day and time. The reminder can be sent as a simple email or text, leaving them no excuse to say they forgot about their time with you;
  3. Keeping yourself on track – With all you have to do in your personal life, running a business can easily overlap into the former. So that you do not have to worry about that happening, using an online appointment book just makes sense. Such a book makes it easy for you to schedule how many hours you plan to work each day, along with determining how many clients you can squeeze in on a regular basis. Lastly, you can keep track of any time off you plan on taking (a day off, vacation time etc.), allowing you to plan out your working appointments months ahead of time.

Being Your Own Boss

There are many advantages that come with running your own business.

One of the great things in doing this is being able to determine your own working schedule. In doing that, there is still a lot of responsibility that falls on your shoulders on a daily basis.

In the past, many small business owners would rely on a paper calendar or even notepads to record when their clients were scheduled to pay them a visit. Even though that worked for countless business owners (it still does for some), many running small businesses will tell you that they’d be lost without their online software to plan out their days.

If you are in need of better planning your work days, look at the different software programs out there on the market.

Inevitably, you will discover one that is best suited for your business needs, needs that require you to be on time.

As for being on time, the same holds true for your clients.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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