Successful Blog

How to Use Images and Artwork for Inspiration at work

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Work from home jobs and home based businesses have several benefits, but there are certain disadvantages as well, for instance, the lack of motivation. Ideally, freelancers or home based businesses should be a lot more motivated as compared to someone working in a firm.

After all, you are working for yourself and it’s you who will reap all the benefits of your hard-work, but as many freelancers or home based workers find out, it can be incredibly hard to keep yourself motivated, in the absence of a manager, or fellow workers to compete with. As a freelancer, you are still answerable to your clients, but you are not as concerned about losing a client as someone might be about losing a job. You need to continuously push yourself to work harder, at least as much as you would have done in a typical job 9 to 5 jobs.

Even worse is the situation when things are just not going your way. You are putting the hard work, but it’s not paying off for one reason or another. You are not getting enough orders for your freelance job or enough sales at your online store, so you need some sort of a reminder and encouragement. In all these situations, it is important to keep your spirits high and find some reason to smile. And one of the most effective ways of doing so is to look at some memorable friends or family photographs, a painting or artwork, religious sculpture, or a simple quote that will help you get out of depressive mode and give you the strength to keep going.

But then, it’s not always possible to find a specific photograph, or remind yourself of some saying when you are in depressive mood, mainly because when you are down, it’s hard to find the strength in yourself and think clearly, let alone searching for some motivational quote to cheer you up.

Following are some ways to keep some sort of inspiring or motivational stuff in sight for immediate help when you are in need …

Get it framed:

Picture frames are mostly used to preserve and present the memorable photograph, but frames are not just meant for pictures. You can get in touch with a picture framing service and get your favorite quote, religious verses, or some inspirational painting framed, and hang it on a wall in the room where you work. Not only it will give you some much needed motivation, but looking and admiring the painting or going through the text every now and then will serve as a stress reliever because it will take your mind away from work (AKA computer screen) for some time. Good thing is, you can invest on a good quality custom frame once, and simply change the painting or quote with another one after some time.

Put it in wallet:

Doesn’t matter how depress or miserable you are, your wallet or handbag is something you will need to take out and use every once in a while. Usually all wallets have picture holders with plastic covers where you can insert a pocket size photograph of your loved ones, some inspirational saying, or an uplifting quote in these pockets and there’s every chance you will hit upon these pictures when you are feeling down.

Smart Phones:

Another thing you are bound to carry and use, irrespective of your mood and mental state, is the mobile phone or smart phone. Doesn’t matter if it’s a smartphone or a simple mobile phone, you can always set the picture or religious verses about faith or hope as the background on main screen for constant reminder.

Background & Screen Savers:

If you are working from home as a freelancer or home based business, chances are that you will be spending most of your time in front of your computer or laptop screen (which in itself can cast a negative effect on your mood). So it’s better to change your background or screen saver from the default black screen to some photograph or inspiring image/text.

Social Media Has the Power to Change Lives

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By Robert Derington

There are many people who need help, and many who set about helping them. In this day and age, social media goes a long way to getting the word out. As a resource it can reach huge numbers of people all across the world, and greatly increase the success of any fund raising that needs to be done. With sites such as Facebook and Twitter, where millions of people can be reached, the potential for achieving goals is raised dramatically.

Social Media has a powerful ability to inform people of worthy causes, based simply on the fact so many people use it. But getting the word out can still be difficult. It takes commitment to see a cause through from first posting to its goal. Constant updates to remind people, sharing and reposting the information all helps keep it in the public awareness. It’s not enough to just state your target, you must keep the impetus going to achieve what you want.

But the power of social media to change lives is not just theoretical. We are currently involved in helping restore a real person’s life. On December 12th, Cireena endured a tragic event. Her apartment caught fire and was burnt out. She lost everything in the fire. It wasn’t just her possessions that were destroyed, but also those things precious to her that she had inherited from her parents. Photos and other items that are literally irreplaceable are gone, as has anything she had hoped to one day pass down to her children.

Cireena escaped the fire with only the clothes she was wearing. In the immediate aftermath, friends and relatives have rallied around her, collecting what they can for her most immediate needs. However, Cireena has been made homeless by the fire, and finds herself living in a homeless shelter for the immediate future.

At this time of great emotional upheaval, the best Cireena can do is think positive. She is grateful she wasn’t harmed in the fire, and still has her health. However, this is not going to help her get her life back on track. Even the strongest people need a little help sometimes, and it was this desire to assist her that resulted in us deciding to use Social Media to highlight her cause.

Social media is the surest way we could think of to not only raise funds but also raise awareness. Even though there are support agencies that can help, these can take time, and will not provide everything that is needed. Getting the word out via Facebook and Twitter, as well as through any other form of mass communication, increases the chance of success in the fundraising arena, as it draws attention to these issues, and people to the website.

It can be hard knowing which issue is worthy of your donation. That must be a personal choice. But if you have a few spare dollars, I urge you to look through your favourite social media sites. You are sure to find a cause that inspires you to click the “donate” button.

As you do your search, please keep an eye out for “Cireena’s House Fire Fund”, and consider a donation. Anything you give will go a long way to helping someone keep smiling.

Author’s Bio: Robert Derington is the Manager of Mosaic Magazine, the Writer’s Magazine online.

Make It Your Business to Secure the Right Title Loan

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As many small business owners can report, today’s Internet world is a great way to do business.

In many cases, all companies need is computers and an Internet connection in order to do business with the vast number of their clients. Sounds simple, right?

In other instances, however, physically coming into contact with your customers is a requirement, especially in those cases where the customer can’t come to you and doing business over the phone or via an online connection is not feasible and/or the best option.

If you’re a business owner starting out or one that needs to improve your company’s vehicle fleet operations, obtaining one or more vehicles is not as easy as picking a few cars or trucks off of a showroom and driving off with them. For many new business owners, money can be a precious commodity.

For those business owners that need title loans to secure their company vehicles, knowing where to shop and who to buy from is as important as some of the other major decisions you will make over time.

Minimal or Bad Credit Can Be Passed Over

In many cases, individuals starting out small businesses can be stretched for cash.

They oftentimes will have to take out a loan in order to get the new business up and running in the first place. With little or no money to spare, securing one or more company vehicles can be a challenging proposition to say the least.

When those challenges occur, business owners should consider options such as TitleMax and other such providers to secure the necessary title loans.

With companies such as these, business owners can find themselves with a title loan minus many hassles, even in cases where the individual has little, no, or even bad credit to worry about, that is as long as a clear car title is present.

Before you run out and assume that all title loans providers are the same, make sure you do some research.

Among the factors to look at:

  • How long the title loan provider has been in business;
  • Their level of customer service. This can oftentimes be checked by asking friends, coworkers or family members that have used a title service and/or turning to online reviews of such providers;
  • Whether or not they have had any legal issues over time with state regulators and/or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). If there are some red flags, be sure to give it some thought as to whether you can fully trust what they are telling you;
  • The state you and the title provider are in. Not all title loan rules are the same from state to state, so check this information out first.

With all you have to do as a current or new small business owner, securing company vehicles should never be overlooked. Some clients will require that you come to them to deliver products and/or services, and asking employees to use their own vehicles is not always an option.

When you secure the right title loan, you can drive your business to new heights.

Photo credit: dbav.net

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers a variety of business topics for different websites, including owning a small business, marketing, and social media.

 

6 Mobile Web Design Blunders to Avoid

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By Charles Mburugu

In recent years, people have increasingly shifted from using computers to accessing the internet from their mobile devices. Therefore it’s essential for every blogger, webmaster and business owner to have a mobile-friendly website.

Here are some of the major blunders you need to avoid when designing your mobile site.

1. Failing to optimize images

Images are a very important element for any mobile website design. However, using images or elements that have large file sizes will significantly slow down the loading speed of your pages. When your pages take too long to load, visitors will simply click away and go elsewhere. This is why it is very important to optimize the images on your site. Preferably, only use images and elements which are small in size.

2. Not considering screen sizes

Compared to desktop and laptop monitors, the screens of mobile devices are relatively small. Therefore, when designing your mobile site, you need to take into account screen width and size. Your design should be able to fit well in different screen sizes with all page elements displaying correctly. Make sure your buttons and icons are large enough for users to tap with their finger. Don’t forget to have enough space between your links and buttons.

3. Excess content

Content is what drives visitors to your site and keeps them coming back. Make sure your content is arranged in a way which is pleasant to the eye and easy to read. Avoid having excessively lengthy posts on your mobile site. If you would like to share a lot of information, you could break it down into short sections with a ‘read more’ link at the end of each section. Make sure the text is spaced out and large enough for mobile users to read without straining their eyes. In addition, use a background color which contrasts sufficiently with your text.

4. Not having collapsible navigation

Most mobile users are very impatient people who access the internet while on the go. Therefore, your mobile site should be designed in a way that allows visitors to find what they are looking for as fast as possible. One of the best ways of presenting content on your site is through using collapsible categories. This allows you to keep the pages of your site clean and neat, thus ensuring that visitors can find information on your site easily.

5. Having long input forms

Typing on the keyboard of a smartphone is not as easy as typing on a computer keyboard. With this consideration, it would be advisable to keep the forms on your mobile site as short as possible. Users should only be required to complete the few fields that are critical. Alternatively, you could consider providing a multiple choice option with check boxes, radio buttons or combo boxes. This will save your visitors the trouble of having to type their entries.

6. Not testing your design

Once your design is complete, you need to test it using different kinds of mobile devices. This will enable you to identify any concerns with regard to your site’s feel, content and usability. You can also get useful feedback by sharing the design with your friends and business associates. Take time to tweak your site until it works well on as many mobile devices as possible.

Author’s Bio: Charles Mburugu is a HubSpot-certified content writer/marketer for B2B, B2C and SaaS companies. He has worked with brands such as GetResponse, Neil Patel, Shopify, 99 Designs, Oberlo, Salesforce and Condor. Check out his portfolio and connect on LinkedIn.

How to Boost Revenue by Up-Selling & Cross-Selling

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By Jacklin Altman

Most of us recognize up-selling in its most basic form: “Would you like fries with that?” Cross-selling too, “would you like to pair that with a soda?” Sticking with that same example, if just half of the people asked say yes, think about that bump in revenue.

Seems pretty nice, doesn’t it?

Up-selling and cross-selling are valuable skills that you should engrain into all of your sales and customer service representatives. If a customer comes to you looking to buy a certain item, there is no harm in suggesting an upgraded version or attempting to cross sell an item that would pair nicely with it.

Who knows, they might love the pairing and always buy both from now on. They might recommend those items to their friends and so on. Now you’ve started a chain reaction that is sure to boost revenue.

Now, you see the benefits of up-selling and cross-selling but how do you go about it? Train your people. Have your customer service representatives be as well-versed in sales as your sales people. You will increase the efficiency of your workforce while simultaneously increasing your bottom line. There are many ways to go about educating your employees, and what you choose is entirely up to you.

You could go the old-fashioned route and hold a seminar where you, a sales rep, or a hired professional could teach up-selling and cross-selling tactics.

You could distribute reading material (though there is the chance that it will be ignored).

You could also try to pair your customer service reps with your sales reps to have your salespeople teach some of their best tips and tricks to your customer service employees. This will help foster healthy inter-workplace relationships, while also cross training your employees.

Additionally, your customers benefit. Their needs are better met when they receive better products and upgraded services, and more satisfied customers mean more customers, period.

A word of caution; avoid being too sales-y. People are quick to catch on when they’re being fooled, so don’t lie to your customers. Give them honest facts as to why your product is superior to others, and why they should buy an upgraded version or another item with it. If they politely refuse, don’t push it. You risk upsetting customers and scaring away business if you push too hard, so learn to suggest rather than force. Still not quite sure how to up-sell? Check out these up-selling and cross-selling tactics that work.

With you, your employees, and your customers all potentially benefiting, don’t delay. Train your customer service operators (as well as your salespeople) to up-sell and cross-sell to ensure that your company stays profitable and your customers receive the best products and services possible.

Author’s Bio: Jacklin Altman is the current Digital Marketing Specialist at LiveHelpNow (www.livehelpnow.net), a PA-based customer service software company. Jacklin handles new marketing initiatives, maintains the company blog, and handles customer outreach.

Photography Secrets for Bloggers

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You’re already aware of the shift toward image-centric content, and I’m sure you’ve already started amping up the graphics in your blog posts, right?

The latest development is that even the Creative Commons licensed and free photography you’ve been using is not 100% reliable.

The safest thing to do by far is to take your own photographs. (Professional photographers, please stop reading here…)

Chances are, you’re carrying around a pretty decent camera already, inside your smartphone. If you invest a little bit of time in learning some composition and editing skills, you can stop worrying about stock photos and image licenses forever. And you have unique photos on your site to boot! You may even find a new hobby, and decide to purchase a standalone camera to take it to the next level.

photography for bloggers

Top Photography Secrets for Bloggers

  • Keep a visual mindset all the time. See that coil of rope? Could it illustrate a post about pathways? How about those birds lined up on the shore? Make it a habit to look around you for imagery wherever you go.
  • Horizontal is good for blog posts. Don’t just reflexively hold your phone vertically all the time. Horizontal orientation works better most of the time for blogs, and for sliders and other graphics as well.
  • Go as high resolution as you can. You’ll be glad later when you want to zoom in to a specific part of the picture.
  • Use online editing tools like Picmonkey to make nice text overlays for social sharing or to add your site URL or copyright.
  • Take a TON of photos. Think about the pros and how their shutters are snapping a hundred times during a photo session. If you want to capture that one great picture, take 10x the snaps.
  • Make a spot to organize them (Evernote, digital albums, Dropbox folders). Create a dedicated place to upload your blog photos after you take them, and name them with descriptive names that will make them easy to pull into the right posts. Consider organizing into categories like Nature, Office, Architecture, or whatever suits your niche.
  • Keep a backup. Be sure you keep a backup of your photo files, and don’t rely on your computer/laptop. Use the free services that are available, like Google Drive or Dropbox to keep them secure.
  • Think micro. For casual photography, we often look at the big picture, or the family group, or the huge vista. For blog posts, you might want to think about the way a shadow hits the sidewalk, or the ladybug sitting on a leaf. Get small.
  • Consider buying some pro tools. To get the lighting perfect on small objects, you can buy inexpensive, portable studios like a Modahaus. There are also inexpensive lighting kits like the Kick.
  • Pay attention to tips from the pros, like these excellent photo ideas from National Geographic, or these great composition tips from Digital Photography School.

Have you tried your hand at digital photography? As a blogger, it can be a very useful skill-set!

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee