Successful Blog

Businesses Must Not Neglect Employees’ Health

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Concept: Successful business trend. Happy talented businesswomanDo you ever stop to think about how much time and money you have invested in your employees?

Whether you run a company with just a handful of workers or one with dozens and dozens of people under your employ, your team is critical to your success.

If you have employees that are healthy and raring to go day after day, you stand a good chance of being a successful, long-running business.

On the other hand, a staff where some employees are missing work regularly due to sickness and injuries, well that can be a recipe for disaster.

So, which is it for your company?

Help Your Workers Practice Better Health

Even though you can’t (and shouldn’t) babysit your employees once they leave the office each day, it is important that they lead relatively healthy lives outside your presence.

Sure, some will smoke on a regular basis. Others, meantime, never turn down junk food or the ability to not exercise. Some are even accident prone.

No matter what kind of employees you have, you want them to be relatively healthy for several reasons.

First, you hopefully are an employee who cares about the well-being of his or her team.

Secondly, healthy employees tend to do better on the job, not to mention show up for work more times than not.

Third, healthy workers typically have a better attitude about now just the responsibilities of their jobs, but life in general.

So, what are you doing to be as sure as you can that your team is relatively fit and happy?

Incentives Typically Work in the Workplace

Giving them incentives to be as healthy as possible is certainly a good start.

Among the areas to focus on:

  • Healthy habits – First and foremost, your workplace (just like schools, hospitals and other public gathering places) can be a breeding ground for germs. Do your best to encourage workers to show up for work as healthy as they can be. This means not coming into work when one is sneezing, coughing, running a fever etc. Having allergies is one thing; bringing the next bad cold into the office to infect others is totally different. Be insistent that workers not come to the office when they’re battling colds, the flu, and other such illnesses. It doesn’t take long for one person to spread the illness around the office;
  • Knowing how to help others – While you hope and pray that you never will have a major health incident in your workplace, all too many business owners have seen otherwise. Knowing CPR, how to treat injuries on the job etc. is important for both employer and employee. If the majority (or all) of your employees do not formally know CPR, find CPR in your area and get them trained. You never know when one of your workers or even a client/customer visiting your office could develop chest pains and other related problems. Being able to deliver CPR on the spot until medical professionals arrive could mean the difference between life and death;
  • Fitness does matter – Remember earlier when told that you can’t babysit your workers 24/7/365? While that is true, it does not mean you can’t or shouldn’t encourage them to be relatively fit. More businesses are doing their part these days by helping employees get and stay fit. You can consider offering fitness memberships to your team or even allowing them to workout at a fitness facility in your building (oftentimes, buildings where a number of companies call home will have a fitness area available to workers). Another option is having company workouts. Know, you all don’t have to go and see which employee can lift the most weights or do the most push-ups. Outings after work or on the weekends to go bowling, bike riding, hiking etc. can be great physical excursions, not to mention more bonding for the company.

No matter what option/s you choose to keep your team as healthy as possible, do it in a productive and professional manner.

While you can’t force employees to be as fit or as healthy as you may like, always tout the positive, letting them know why this can help them and others over time.

If you haven’t thought too much in the past about the importance of employee health, change that train of thought.

Have a healthier outlook on the men and women helping you stay in business.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Picture More Business When You Use Video

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Schoolboy standing in front of a blackboard with a bright idea lHow often does your brand turn to video in order to spread its message?

If the answer is infrequently or even never, then you definitely might want to reconsider such thoughts.

When it comes right down to it, video can do myriad of positive things for your brand.

So, are you ready to give it a try?

Put Your Brand in a Positive Light

Start by looking at what resources you will need to put together not just one, but a series of videos tied to your brand.

One of the necessary resources will of course be someone to shoot the production. The question then is, do you do it in-house or do you outsource such needs to providers like a video production Orlando and others in the business?

If you opt for the first choice, you can save your business some money. In the event you want to outsource the video needs, while you will be spending additional money, you stand a better chance of getting a higher quality video production. That is unless of course you have hired someone (or even a team) of video production experts.

From there, you need to determine what your video message will say.

You may opt to make it rather simple, touting your product or service as the best one out there for the consumer.

On the other hand, you may choose to profile your company itself, including your team of employees.

Lastly, you might go in the direction of a video that demonstrates current happenings in your respective industry.

Whatever the choice may be; put 100 percent time and effort behind it, knowing that you are giving your brand a chance to shine in front of countless eyes.

Another important piece of the puzzle is how you can set your video/videos apart from the competition.

Differentiate Your Brand from the Competition

With more businesses turning to videos these days, it is important in your particular industry that you differentiate your brand from others.

You can do that by not only featuring your product or service, but also one or more of your employees.

Face it; your business probably doesn’t have the depth or financial pockets to go the direction of some more famous brands such as Progressive, AT&T, KFC and others, all of which generally have one character playing the lead role time and time again. That respective character ultimately comes into so many homes (commercials, magazines etc.) that they become a household fixture (at least their image does).

So, how best to feature one or more of your staff and still drive your brand’s message home?

Make sure you have someone on your team that is not only personable, but comfortable in front of a camera.

You probably know as well as anyone else that not everyone in your office is cool and collected when asked to perform in front of others, be it a talk or even a commercial.

Also make sure you to give any video productions you do plenty of social media love.

Just as you would hopefully promote your blog posts and other written initiatives on social networking sites, it is important to do likewise with videos.

There are myriad of sites that can help you with promotional needs, most notably Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

As it relates to YouTube, many companies have opted for this site, a site that has only grown leaps and bounds in recent years when it comes to videos.

You should keep your brand videos short and sweet, getting your message out without putting the viewer to sleep or wanting to leave, never come back to your brand again.

So, are you ready to picture more business when it comes to using video?

Properly done videos can play a key role in helping you promote and ultimately sell your brand to consumers.

If video has not been part of your marketing strategy up to this point, give it some strong thought moving forward.

There is a good chance that you will see video not only promoting your brand, but helping it ring-in revenue.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

 

Make It Your Business to Go Paperless

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Hr Manager Conducting An InterviewHave you sat down recently to see what your small business is ultimately costing you as far as expenses?

If the answer to that question is no, it probably would not be a bad idea to schedule some time to do just that. In the end, you may find yourself saving some money over the long run, money that could help keep you in business for years to come.

As many business owners can tell you, it is oftentimes the expenses of running a company that weight on them most.

So, where can you look into cutting expenses to keep your small business moving along smoothly?

Do an Inventory of Your Expenses

Start by breaking down your costs (including if you have staff), seeing where you might save some money.

This includes:

  • Employees – Oftentimes the most expensive component in running a business, your help typically doesn’t come cheap. That said having employees takes a huge burden off of you when running a small business. Even if you are a really small business that relies on just an assistant, he or she can prove more than worth their weight in gold over time. If money is tight (yet you still need help), you can look to reimburse the employee or employees in other ways besides income. Partial or full healthcare benefits, providing them with discounts to other area merchants, allowing them to work from home (saves them commuting time and gas bills etc.) are some ways to compensate for lower salaries. Most importantly, weigh the true costs of not having others help you. Those costs in added time away from your family, additional stress etc. can certainly give you reason to want assistance in running your business;
  • Supplies – How often do you run the numbers in what it costs you as far as office expenses? You may be surprised to learn just how much money you truly are shelling out in terms of supplies etc. More businesses are going paperless (or at least attempting to) not only to save money, but expedite how they deal with clients. Instead of there being a long and expensive paper trail, your business can ultimately save money and have faster and more precise contact with clients through technology. Whether you run a medical office or another form of business, getting information to your customers via electronic means is a win-win for both parties. This is also true when it comes to billing clients. Instead of the cumbersome paper trail, everything can be neatly viewed online. When ordering supplies yourself, you should also do as much online as possible, saving you and the vendor time and money;
  • Teleconferencing – While in-person meetings with clients are sometimes necessary (don’t underestimate the value of such interactions), doing teleconferences has benefits too. Instead of having to run in and out of your office meeting with this person and that person, doing it over the computer, by phone etc. can save you time and money in the long run. If you run your business from home, set up an area in your residence where you can shield yourself from distractions, allowing you to do Skype and other video conference calls with customers. This saves you the hassles of being stuck in traffic and spending gas money driving all over town to meet with clients. In many cases, you will discover your customers prefer this mode of communication too;
  • Deductions – Given tax season is in full bloom, have you made sure to deduct everything but the kitchen sink for your 2015 returns? Oftentimes, small business owners will miss key deductions, deductions that ultimately end up costing them money. Take the time now to do a thorough review of your 2015 taxes, looking for any possible missed deductions. You might be surprised to see the money you are literally leaving on the table.

From paperless projects at work to making your meetings with clients more productive, there are many ways your small business can save on expenses in 2016 and beyond.

The goal is to take the time to find those savings, knowing that it is a worthwhile investment over the long run.

So, as a small business owner in 2016, how are you saving money?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Needing Designs on a Better Website?

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bigstock-Brand-Branding-Marketing-Produ-104597561-300x263Is it about time that your business website got some spring cleaning?

For too many business owners, their websites almost become an afterthought following years in the business or even when starting up. Unfortunately, such thinking can lead to missed revenue and a low Google ranking.

So, what designs will you move forward with now and down the road to make sure your website is a proven winner?

Look and Feel of Success

You first need to start with realizing that your business website can always use some improving.

From there, what kind of improvements might you need?

Among the areas to focus on:

  • Design – First and foremost, is your site eye-catching, a site that will keep returning customers and those you are looking to land coming to your site again and again? The design of your site goes a long way in determining how inspired consumers will be to keep returning. Whether you opt for phoenix web design or numerous other choices, make the best selection the first time around. When you find the right designed from day one, you spend less time and effort getting your designs the way you want them, ultimately saving money over time;
  • Content – What goes on your site certainly matters too. If you toss up any content (without determining why it should be on the site in the first place), you risk several things. First, lackluster content is a problem because your website traffic is likely to be minimal at best. Secondly, your search engine ranking will suffer as a result, leaving your site way down the list when consumers search for your respective product or service. Be sure the content is not only authoritative and informative, but also is free of major gaffes. You also need to have content that consumers (and other businesses for that matter) will want to share with the public. When they do that, your traffic is likely to pick up, giving you the ability to drive more business in your direction;
  • Imagery – As important as your content is, having nothing other than content is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Colorful images should dot your site’s landscape. You would also be well-served to include some relevant videos. Having a company video about what your team does and how your brand stands apart from competitors is a great tool to have. Also look to include as many people-friendly images and videos as possible. When making videos, be sure they are exciting (include some music in the background while you are at it). A five-minute webinar with a person sitting there reading a script will put viewers to sleep in record time;
  • Podcasts – If you haven’t taken notice, podcasts are becoming more and more of an attraction to business websites. Companies see the value in making short podcasts available to the public, especially ones that are informative on trends in respective industries, how products or services impact the lives of consumers, what the future is for a respective market etc. You can even consider including short commercial breaks in the podcasts, though keep them to a minimum. In offering these, you can attract advertisers and increase your advertising dollars;
  • Accessibility – How accessible your website is (especially contacting you, your department managers etc.) is also something you should never overlook. When a consumer pulls up a business site, they might very well have questions, issues etc. they want to discuss. In doing so, they need easy access to a contact email or phone number. Better yet, if you have myriad of departments in your business, be sure to list those in charge of each unit (email, office phone etc.). This is better than having a general office email or phone number for consumers to have to contact. When a consumer can go directly to the individual they need, it saves them time and also saves your office team time.

Your website is oftentimes the bread and butter of your brand, so don’t underestimate how powerful of a tool it can be.

If your site has been lacking that punch as of late, put a focus on needing designs on a better one.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

Is Your Business Staying up with the Times?

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Man Hand writing Resource with black marker on visual screen.How do you set your business apart from those you are competing with?

One of the ways to do this is making sure your brand is current with the times. This means a number of things, most importantly of which is technology. If you’re lagging when it comes to the tech world, you could very well be watching business and money pass you by.

So, how do you make sure your brand is current when it comes to staying up with the times?

Review and React

Start by doing a review of all your business activities, checking each and every pertinent one.

How much emphasis does your company place on technology?

As the tech world continues to change and grow on seemingly a monthly basis, it is crucial that your brand is along for the ride.

One such area is the uptick in mobile sales in recent years, something your business can be capitalizing on with sound marketing initiatives.

As more and more customers continue trending towards browsing and buying goods/services on mobile devices, your brand must be along for the ride. This includes when it comes to customers and their payment processing options.

Is your company doing all it can to make sure customers have a smooth checkout when completing a sale with you?

Secondly, look at how your employees treat not only the customers that do business with you, but also their co-workers.

Running a successful business in 2016 and beyond means having a workplace where things run like a fine-tuned automobile. That means doing whatever is deemed necessary to make the business tick.

Sure, some co-workers will not get along entirely well with other ones, but always emphasize that it is the company which today, tomorrow, and the next day that ultimately comes first.

Don’t Forget the Social Experience

Also review how relevant your brand is on social media.

Face it; not being active in the social networking world in 2016 is akin to not having an ATM card or still using dial-up to get on the Internet.

Businesses with that social media presence stand a leg-up on their competitors for several reasons.

They include:

  • If a customer isn’t happy with the service he or she received from a business, they’re more apt to tell the world about it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or any number of other social vehicles. The last thing you want as a business owner is having your brand talked about in a negative manner. This is one of the reasons having a voice on social media is important for your brand;
  • You should also use social media as a tool for your promotional efforts. Your products and/or services essentially receive free advertising when mentioned on social networking sites, so why wouldn’t you turn to these? While you want to go easy on the sales pitches on social sites, you should use social networking to tout why your brand stands apart from others. If you are running special deals for current and/or potential customers, use social sites to broadcast such news. You can even include coupons and other rewards on these pages that consumers can then download for savings;
  • You’d probably be lying if you said you never truly cared what the competition is up to. With that in mind, social media is a great means whereby you can learn about your competition. See how they use social media to promote their brands. Do they run contests on their Facebook pages? Do they use their Twitter page to retweet a number of interesting blog posts either from their site or industry-specific to them? Do they have a regular presence on Instagram, allowing them to post images of their products or services? These should all be areas of interest to you as you look to improve upon your own brand.

As you can see, there are many things for you to do in staying up with the times.

When you do just that, it is your business which stands to benefit the most.

Not only are you up to speed on technology, customer intuitions and what the competition is doing, but you show your brand to be relevant in 2016 and hopefully beyond.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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

The Business of Earning More Money

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Budget ConceptWhat are you doing to earn more money?

Some business owners (and regular consumers for that matter) will try and come up with myriad of ways to bring in some extra income, especially in a day and age when media incomes are stagnant for many people.

With that in mind, have you been toying with ideas in 2016 as to how to make your wallet or purse a little fatter in terms of the green stuff?

Be Innovative

So that you can increase your income this year and moving forward, have you thought about some of these ideas?

  • Selling products on the side – From Avon to jewelry and much more, selling a product or products on the side from your full-time job is a good means to earn extra money. In fact, some individuals sell such products as their regular jobs. This allows them in essence to be their own bosses, work from home, set the hours best suited to them and more. If this might sound of interest to you, going online is a good place to start. Doing a Google search of such items will get you going in the right direction. You may also have a friend or friends that sell such items on the side or full-time, so they would be great reference points;
  • Overtime hours – While some companies have strict rules on working overtime, many others will allow employees some overtime opportunities from time to time. Get with your boss to see if you in fact are eligible for some bonus hours at work. This is great because you do not have to (unless you so choose) find a part-time job or two on the side. Working extra hours at your full-time job also allows you to build up more experience in your current position, something which could help you with a possible promotion and raise down the road. One thing to avoid, however, is working too many hours to the point where you essentially suffer burnout at some point;
  • Consulting – It is not uncommon to see older workers turn to consulting, something which can lead to less stress and still provide a decent stream of revenue. This is especially a good option if you have years and/or decades in a chosen field. Go online and do some Google searches for consulting in your field of expertise;
  • Leasing your land – Not everything revolves around your resume when it comes to making some extra money. If you own a sizable amount of land, you could lease it out on occasion for a variety of purposes. Hunting on leased land has become more popular in recent years, especially given the fact that more and more land is being consumed by developers, those same developers that are looking to build office spaces, shopping facilities and more. If you are willing to rent out some of your property for hunting, fishing or other such outdoor activities, be sure to draw up a contract each time, making it clear what the rules and regulations are for anyone spending time on your property. You might also consider renting out space on your property if it is large enough for someone to run a small business from there. With rents oftentimes sky-high in cities and towns, small business owners on a shoestring budget wouldn’t mind saving some money. Having them renting a portion of your property to get or keep their businesses up-and-running until they have more resources to expand one day makes sense. Still another idea is renting out extra parking spaces if you have them on your premises. Neighbors may be willing to pay you on a monthly or yearly basis to use such spots, especially if they are limited where they can currently park and/or have multiple vehicles. While your land is your pride and joy, there could be cash-flow opportunities sitting right under your nose;
  • Helping those in your community – From family and friends to neighbors, there are probably a number of extra income opportunities you have not thought of before. Some of these involve helping those closest to you. From babysitting to working on people’s properties, get creative and see how you can pad your wallet or purse. Sometimes knowing you are helping others, all the while adding a little extra to your income reservoirs, is a great feeling.

No matter what you do full-time for a living, are you interested in earning more money?

If the answer is yes (you might be hard-pressed to find those who would say no), then put your thinking cap on and get to work at it.

Being savvy when it comes to earning more money and just improving your overall life is something you should always be thinking about.

What are you doing in today’s challenging economy (business or personal) to make more money?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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