Successful Blog

Is Your Small Business on Solid Financial Ground?

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dollar-1362243_640Does anything scare you when it comes to managing your small business?

If you are like many other small business owners, you know all too well how things can change in a heartbeat.

At one point and time, things are humming along. Take a look a couple of months down the road and you’re nearing or in the red.

So, how do you go about doing all you can to keep your small business on solid financial ground?

While there are many ways to approach this, some work better than others.

Are You on Top of Your Business Needs?

To do your best to keep your small business running along, file away these tips:

  1. Expenditures

One area of major importance is of course your office expenditures.

Are you spending too much money, money that can be saved with some ingenuity on your part?

Always look to see where you can cut costs without cutting performance.

Areas to scale back on include supplies, transportation, and how many hours the office is open.

With that last one, letting employees work from home one day a week can lessen your need to be open five days a week. How much could you save with an extra day a week having the office closed?

Also, go back and review what you spend for office supplies.

In many instances, you are not doing needed things like recycling or buying supplies in bulk.

And when it comes to transportation needs, think how you use any office vehicles.

For instance, if you have to make deliveries to and/or meet with customers, think about how you schedule them.

Try and get with several customers all in a period of time the same day, avoiding running in and out of the office.

  1. Growth

Understanding when to grow your small business is important.

While you might be timid, know that increasing your company’s capacity can be what the doctor ordered.

In doing this, you might need some fast cash for your small business.

If you do need some cash infusion, be sure to research the options available to you.

Knowing where that money will be coming from, what to expect in return etc. are both quite important.

Take the time to think about any growth plans.

The worst thing you could do is rush into an expansion. This would be one in which you were not prepared on many fronts.

  1. Security

Even if wanting to grow moving forward, don’t fall asleep on your company’s security.

As an example, has your company ever faced a security breach? If not, consider yourself lucky.

Too many companies over the last decade have in fact suffered security breaches. They can be even more impactful when it is the small business owner taking the hit.

To keep on solid financial ground, be sure to invest in whatever security needs are necessary.

From your online efforts to what you do as a small business owner offline, never think it can’t happen to you.

So, as you move forward this year, do you consider your small business to be on solid financial ground?

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

4 Tips for Better Brand Marketing

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google-76517_640Are you more than a tad concerned about where your brand marketing efforts are headed (or not headed for that matter)?

In the event the answer is yes, what do you plan on doing?

For many business owners, it isn’t necessarily an issue of not attempting the right brand marketing initiatives, but more of a matter of being reluctant to do them in the first place.

That being the case, step back for a few minutes and look at how you’ve approached brand marketing up to this point. Are you simply not connecting with your target market, a market that undoubtedly is your key to making more revenue?

If you’ve been reluctant to move full-steam ahead, is that because of a lack of money, thinking that possibly brand marketing isn’t your strongest forte, or maybe even just not finding the right people to do the job?

It All Begins with SEO Plan

Before you can even begin to mount numerous effective brand marketing initiatives, you must make sure you have the right people in place to launch them.

With that being said, stop and look to see if the time has indeed come to reach out for assistance.

If so, that assistance might very well start and end by working with a San Diego SEO agency or one closer to home.

Keep in mind that search engine optimization (SEO) can do so many positive things for your business, things that you likely have been missing out on up to this point. In the event you do reach out to an SEO agency for help, how do you know which one is best suited to your needs?

Before just working with anyone, be sure you look for these qualities in an SEO partner:

  • Years of experience
  • Proven record of results
  • Open lines of communication
  • Pricing that is fair for the work in return
  • Honesty about how SEO really works

Once you’ve decided on an SEO partner, the next step is of course to improve your brand marketing initiatives.

Content is a Great Starting Point

So that your business can nail a number of key areas in the SEO brand marketing process, focus on these four for starters:

  1. Blog content

When was the last time you assessed your website’s blog? If it was recently, were you happy with what you came across?

For many business owners, their blogs unfortunately rank at or near the bottom of importance on their list of things to do. As a result, they miss out on a number of opportunities to connect with consumers.

In working on your blog, not only write content that is authoritative and informative, but that also connects with consumers. By doing so, the doors to increased revenue opportunities are certainly opened up.

  1. Drive off with better keywords

As part of that winning blog content strategy, it is imperative that you select winning keywords for your blogging content efforts.

One example would be for those in the auto selling business, specifically offering used cars for sale.

Sure, many used car dealers rely on TV commercials, newspaper ads; even word-of-mouth etc. in order to bring in business, but their websites shouldn’t be taken for granted.

With that in mind, your focus when writing content for this industry should include long-tail keywords, keywords that emphasize the auto industry and selling used vehicles.

Lastly, make sure you avoid any keyword stuffing, something that can send your Google search engine rankings into reverse sooner rather than later.

  1. Social media outreach

Just as lackluster efforts towards blog content can hurt your brand, the same holds true with mediocre social media outreach.

Given the fact millions of consumers are on various social networking sites at any point and time of the day, shouldn’t your brand be there too?

With the answer being of course so, make sure you are active on a number of social media sites, but with that activity, also be sure to make your time there count.

Along with posting links to your blog content and other relevant industry content (whatever line of business you are in), also take the time to engage consumers. Remember, the more engagement possible the better.

  1. Review your website regularly

Finally, do you take the time on a regular basis to review your website? If not, you could be hurting your brand more than you’ll ever know.

In reviewing your website; look for any and all glitches that could be hampering your efforts to make better inroads with consumers.

Such glitches can include:

  • Long downloading times
  • Pages that are broken
  • Hard to locate contact information
  • If you have an online store, difficulty for consumers in completing sales

Those are but some of the SEO website issues that could easily be curtailing you from better brand marketing, not to mention making more sales.

When it comes to better brand marketing, has the time come for you to invest some more time and energy in what you do?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes for Organic Media Group on SEO and marketing topics.

Don’t Let a Workplace Injury Derail Your Future

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accident-1238329_640Whether you have been in the workforce for many years or a short time, you know how important a good job is in today’s world.

Now, what happens when you’ve suffered a serious workplace injury, one that can very derail your future?

For too many workers, that scenario is all too familiar. When it happens to them, their worlds can turn upside down.

If you’ve suffered a serious injury while on the job, where will you turn for help?

Yes, your medical well-being is of course of the utmost importance, but your financial health can’t be overlooked either.

With your future up in the air, getting the legal help you need is a must.

Whether in need of Idaho workers comp or help in another state, don’t wait a day to make that call.

Give Your Legal Counsel All the Facts

Once you’re injured on the job, you have two choices in front of you.

One, you can deal with the medical costs and injury/injuries on your own, hoping things work out for the best.

Two, you can reach out to a workers comp lawyer, someone who will stand by your side and fight with you.

In working with a legal pro, make sure he or she has all the facts as you know them on how you were injured.

Among the areas of focus:

  • Accident – Of utmost importance, how were you injured? If the injury in your mind is the fault of your employer, can you prove so? It would be worthwhile to have evidence in the form of an eyewitness and/or video evidence to show you were not to blame.
  • Safety – What safety protocols did your employer have in place? In the event you’re injured in a construction accident, did your employer have the necessary safety procedures in place? If not, were you still told to go about the work anyway?
  • History – Does your employer have a history of non-fatal and/or fatal injuries on the job? If so, has this problem been discussed and/or acted upon? An unsafe work environment is a breeding ground for health issues, workers’ safety.

Financial Fallout
As bad as the physical pain can be from a serious workplace injury, the financial fallout can be as troublesome if not worse.

Even if you have medical coverage, the bills can mount quickly, especially if you will need long-term rehab.

In the event this will lead to you not being able to work, how will you pay your everyday bills?

When your finances are in doubt, this is yet another reason to seek a workers’ comp attorney, someone who will go to work for you.

If there is a pattern of workplace injuries with your employer, see if other current or former employees will speak out on the issue.

Also be sure to hold any other negligent parties besides your employer accountable for your injuries.

This can include product manufacturers etc.

When injured on the job, time is of the essence.

Fight back so your future is not left in doubt.

Given how serious workplace injuries can be, it is imperative that you don’t let someone’s negligence derail your future.

With that being the case, are you prepared to stand up and fight today?

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

Avoid Letting Your Business Go Down the Drain

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dollar-941246_640 (1)Do you ever stop as a business owner and look to see where your company might have some leaks taking place?

No, not the kinds of leaks that typically goes on in Washington, D.C. and other political settings.

The leaks here are those where money is being lost, specifically your money.

With that in mind, what steps can you take in order to keep your business from ultimately going down the drain?

Check to See Why You’re Losing Money

In the event your small business is leaking money more times than not, will you not only recognize where the problems are, but also do something about them?

With the answers hopefully being yes, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

  1. Customer payment issues

One of the most well-known (yet devastating) problems is when customers ultimately decide not to pay for the goods and/or services they purchase from you. For those not aware, these are called chargebacks.

While a number of chargebacks occur when a customer has changed his or her mind in terms of actually wanting what they initially purchased, others revolve around fraud.

Yes, some customers will buy something and charge it to their credit card, only to then decide they don’t want to pay for it. In the end, you the business owner are left with the payment issue square in your lap.

So that you can do a better job of fighting chargebacks and recovering profits, work with a company that will assist you in the fight.

For instance a company that offers a chargeback recovery revenue service can get you the assistance your business needs, thereby preventing you from losing countless dollars over and over again.

Best of all, using such a service will help you when it comes to better identifying issues to begin with, permitting you to have more sound chargeback prevention measures in place.

Lastly, be sure you make it as easy as possible for customers to pay in the first place.

For example, if you offer an online store, make sure the process is simple all the way through, a process that goes from a customer starting to place an order, and running all the way through checkout.

         2. Missed marketing opportunities

Another gaping financial hole can likely be closed when you spend the right amount of time and effort with marketing and social media initiatives.

For your marketing efforts, you should be marketing each and every time you get the chance.

For too many small business owners, they go light on the marketing efforts, figuring such activities will cost them too much money. If you’re one of these people, fall back on the old adage of having to spend money to make money.

Not only should you be marketing offline (newspaper ads, some television and/or radio, networking conferences, and community events), but also online. Those online efforts should include email marketing, mobile marketing etc.

When it comes to social media, this is about as free a marketing opportunity as you can get.

Use social media to push your blog content, engage with consumers, see what the competition is up to and much more.

While some small business owners might claim that they can’t see much return on investment (ROI) when it comes to social media, don’t believe them.

Make sure you do your own social media outreach, seeing if it truly can prove effective for your bran

          3. What you pay for office supplies

Last but not least, are you overpaying for office supplies?

Sure, you might think that an extra roll of copy paper or a few more ink cartridges for the printer do not add up over time, but the reality is that they do.

You will be best-served when you shop around for the best vendor deals out there, saving money whenever and wherever you can. By doing so, this will be one less area that you have to plug in terms of potentially losing money.

If money for office supplies is rather tight, you might even think about some trading options, options where you get a discount on some supplies in return for promoting the vendor or vendors supplying you.

Although you hopefully never get to the point where you have to close your small business due to financial issues, knowing where and when the leaks may come is something you want to be aware of.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Providing Your Employees with a Safer Workplace

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interior-design-828545_640 (1)When you rely on others to help make your business a success, going out of your way for them certainly makes sense.

That said you can only do so much in and out of the office for your employees, especially when some of them might not be heeding your warnings.

Whether you try and care for them in the office with an extra amount of attention towards safety, matching that with an equal effort of care and compassion outside the workplace, always remember that you can only do so much.

With that in mind, what are you doing these days to provide your employees with a safer workplace?

Drill Home the Importance of Safety

So that you can hopefully strike a note with your employees when it comes to the importance of safety in and out of the office, remember these tips:

  1. Workplace environment

First and foremost, you have the most interaction with your employees obviously when they are in your presence. That said do your best to promote a safe workplace environment, one where workers know that you take their safety more seriously than anyone else.

Among the ways to do this:

  • Having monthly safety meetings for your staff, especially if you are in an industry (construction etc.) where workers do put themselves at risk on a regular basis.
  • Having protocol in place in the event an employee is injured. Make sure they know what to do in terms of seeking treatment, along with reporting the injuries, and of course making sure all paperwork is handled properly.
  • Having a system in place where employees can report unsafe work conditions, something many may be afraid to do if their name will be provided. Have an “anonymous box” or some other method in (or out of the office) where workers can report safety concerns without fear of reprisals, including possibly losing their jobs.
  1. Out on the road

When your employees go out on the road during part of their work responsibilities, do you do your best to ensure their safety?

Among the ways to do this:

  • Having safe company vehicles for your employees, vehicles that you have the utmost faith in. As an example, if you have workers who go out using company cars and/or trucks to meet with clients, make deliveries, assess projects out in the field etc. are they as safe as possible? By being properly maintained, offering backup camera systems, even lane-changing warning systems, your employees stand a better chance of staying alive.
  • Having a system in place where employees can check in with the home office regularly. For instance, there have unfortunately been incidents (especially in recent years) of workers being injured or even killed on the job in the real estate industry. If you work in this industry (or any business for that matter), be sure when employees go out to meet a client, they’ve alerted a co-worker as to where they are.
  • Having a solid set of rules in place regarding employee conduct behind the wheel. Although most employees never cross the line when it comes to operating company vehicles, some in fact do. As a result, they can put themselves, others on the road, even their employees in harm’s way. Make it clear whenever hiring someone that they are expected to operate company vehicles (or their own if they use them for work-related matters) with the utmost respect. This also means avoiding speeding and other reckless driving habits, along with not drinking and driving on the job.

As important as making a dollar is as a business owner, make sure you never take your eyes off the importance of workplace safety, notably that of your employees.

By focusing and refocusing on safety in and out of the workplace, you and your team will be the better for it.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

 

 

 

Let Guest Posting Market Your Brand

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blogging-1168076_640Are you at a loss for words as to why your brand is struggling these days?

If so, the answer might be right in front of you.

For many business owners, their brands have trouble getting traction as a result of inefficient and/or ineffective marketing.

As a result, there is missed sales revenue, revenue that could very well be the difference between a solid month of sales and a lackadaisical one at best.

With that in mind, what should be you doing to give your brand a boost?

While there are a myriad of options available to you, some typically prove to be more successful than others.

One such option is guest posting.

Between guest posting on other blogs and allowing relevant and authoritative authors to provide your site with guest posts, you can oftentimes increase your site’s traffic before long.

Although there are several reasons you will likely see a spike in your website traffic, one is that your site could very well improve its search engine rankings, most notably with Google.

So, has the time come to let guest posting for your brand be the possible boost it has been missing up to this point and time?

Knowing Where to Start

In order to understand why guest posting matters to your brand, start by looking at some of your competitors and their websites.

Are they running guest posts on a regular basis and/or guest posting on other sites? If they are, what are some of the topics they are routinely covering? While there are a myriad of things to discuss, search for posts that will be most useful to your regular audience.

As an example, if you work in the real estate business, consumers would tend to want to know the following:

  • Current trends – What is happening in the market as of now for both buyers and sellers?
  • Future forecast – What are experts saying about the market’s pluses or minuses over the next six months to a year?
  • Home repairs – For someone looking to sell, how much time and money should they invest in repairs? Oftentimes, repairs done prior to listing the home can increase the value of the residence.

As you prepare to do guest posts, the above-mentioned topics are just a few of the many things you can discuss on other real estate and financial blogs. Likewise, encourage those looking to post on your site to hit some of those areas and more.

Lastly, no matter what industry you are in, guest blogging won’t be all that successful for you if you don’t engage your readers.

Although some comments may slip through the cracks on occasion, do your best to read all of the remarks you get from readers. If you feel there is the need for a response and/or to continue the discussion, by all means do.

Promoting Your Guest Posts

Finally, turning to social media to promote your blog posts is imperative, especially if you are new to the guest posting scene.

For the best results possible, use a variety of social networking sites, with Facebook and Twitter the top two. You can also opt for Instagram and Pinterest, though both of those platforms tend to be more focused on imagery.

Going back to Facebook and Twitter for a moment, be sure to do some cross-promoting, allowing both you and others in your industry (except for direct competitors in most cases) to benefit from helping one another out.

As with your guest posts, be sure to engage those on social media taking the time to comment about your efforts.

If you’ve been lackadaisical about using guest posting in the past to market your brand, start changing that mindset today.

As a business owner, how are you using guest posting to bring more awareness around to your brand?

Photo credit: Pixabay

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