Successful Blog

Don’t Slack on Those You Hire

by

handshake-1513228_640In order to give your small business the best chance to succeed, much of course depends on those you hire.

That said are you doing the best job possible when it comes to hiring talent?

In some instances, you’re going to miss on a few choices. If you can hire 90 percent or better successfully, you can oftentimes survive those cases where you made the wrong choice.

So, what goes into hiring the best possible talent out there for your small business?

While research on your part is certainly key, a little bit of luck certainly doesn’t hurt too.

From this day forward, will you do everything possible in hiring the right people time and time again?

Put Time and Effort into Your Review Process

When the time comes again for you to hire the right employees, keep in mind the following pointers:

  1. Experience

What employer would tell you that experience isn’t all that important? If you said very true, you’d be correct.

That said a person’s job experience up to this point can mean a myriad of things.

Were they in a position of management? Were they responsible for making key decisions for the employer or employers they worked for up to this point? Were they tasked with overseeing large sums of money? Lastly, were they someone who managed to climb the corporate ladder wherever they were at?

As you look at any candidate’s experience level, dig down deep to see just how thick it truly is.

  1. Research

Assuming you take your time to properly screen each and every prospective employee, that research should include a number of factors.

Along with standard items like education, job experience etc. you really need to be socially active in the process.

Yes, what a potential employee does on social networking sites is having more of an impact today with employers than even just a few years ago. While you should not automatically discount a qualified individual because of political posts etc. that you disagree with, look for the obvious.

If someone exhibits signs of racism, bigotry, questionable acts like inappropriate pictures or videos, yes, those are red flags you should not overlook.

  1. Education

Although some employers will tell you job experience is the overriding factor when it comes to hiring individuals, others certainly do not discount the importance of a quality education.

As you look at hiring educated talent for your small business, be sure you don’t neglect the value of those educations.

For instance, if you are hiring someone to work with your company in the criminal justice system, that education is as important as anything else you will review.

Hopefully, each prospective employee has used what they learned through schooling to put themselves and their experiences in the right position, the position of contributing to your business needs.

Lastly, as crucial as that education is, street smarts are imperative too.

That is especially true if you plan to offer someone a job in a field where snap decisions in law enforcement and related positions of higher responsibility are oftentimes required.

Personalities Can’t Ever Be Overlooked

  1. Personalities

Even as important as experience, education, and social media etiquette are, don’t ever discount the value of each and every personality you come across.

While someone can have fantastic experience and an education that is second-to-none, you want personalities that will mesh with your current team of employees.

That said be sure to keep the current makeup of your office in mind whenever you interview a prospective employee.

Ask yourself if this potential team member would in fact work well with the present team you employ. Could you see any personality clashes, perhaps people with personalities that are too strong or even too weak?

Finally, look to hire those individuals who exhibit a desire to go that extra mile for you and your employees.

In many instances, employees will have to do more than they’re originally hired for. The last thing you want is someone who complains about that.

Remember, when the team effort is in place, it is hard for a company to lose.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

 

 

Your Content Can Mean All the Difference

by

content-is-king-1132261_640When was the last time you stopped and truly looked at the content on your company’s website?

Whether you do it frequently or infrequently, you at least need to be doing it. Preferably, you are checking it rather frequently. By doing so, you will hopefully see how good content is leading more customers your way.

For many companies, their websites are essentially their online calling cards. As such, it is important that they make sure their sites are chock-full of worthwhile information for consumers.

Much of that information starts and ends with their company blogs.

If you find yourself falling short when it comes to guest posting for your brand, there are means with which you can change that.

So, are you ready to see how content can mean all the difference in the world in driving more traffic your way?

Don’t Neglect Your Blog

Given blogs can’t write themselves, it is important that you are feeding your blog a regular dose of authoritative and relevant content.

In some cases, you will reach out to guest bloggers, asking them to author a piece for your blog.

While it is certainly encouraged that you offer such opportunities, be sure that you are getting quality content in return for the chance to promote others.

If someone doesn’t take the time to see who your audience is, what kind of message you are trying to send out etc. the blog posting can be a waste of your time and their time. Worst of all, your audience may begin to slowly tune you and your brand out.

Lastly, make sure you discuss with your guest bloggers the opportunity to do the same on their sites.

Getting your brand’s name out in front of others is a great way to drum up business.

Simply ask the publisher if you can include a relevant link in the copy or bio (preferably the former) in any piece you or someone from your company writes. This then opens the door for you and the other business owner to cross-promote each other’s sites. When that happens, it is typically a win-win situation for all involved.

Socializing Your Content is Critical

If you’re not a big believer in social media promotions, that quite frankly needs to change immediately.

For starters, social media is a medium that continues to be untapped by so many brands.

Whether it is the result of not enough time or effort, feeling like it is going to cost too much to partake in, or the wrong belief that social networking really brings no return on investment (ROI), too many businesses miss out on forming social connections. As a result, they are very likely passing up potential revenue opportunities.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a social media addict, but you should invest some time and energy into it.

Once you have a blog post (your site) or guest blog post (on another’s site) live, be sure to promote it socially. By doing so, you get each and every post in front of countless eyes.

Also, be sure to engage with any and all consumers who reach out to you on your social channels with worthwhile questions and/or comments.

Nothing will send consumers scurrying faster than if they feel ignored by those they are trying to talk to.

Given strong content can make all the difference in the world for your brand’s long-term health, start giving it more attention today.

By doing so, you can see those revenue numbers increase, something that can mean all the difference in the world.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

 

Does Your Brand Get the Right Amount of Advertising?

by

night-692261_640Depending on the size of your business, you may or may not have a tight advertising budget.

No matter where your budget falls, you hopefully know that advertising (and marketing for that matter) is of major importance in your ability to spread your brand’s word.

Minus advertising, you then have to rely on word-of-mouth from satisfied customers. Although such advertising can work to a degree, getting your brand’s name, phone number, website address etc. out there for countless eyes to see is imperative.

Keeping that in mind, is this the year you up your advertising ante, looking to get added bang for your dollar?

If so, determining just where those ads will be placed is the crucial decision at hand.

Where Do You Get the Most Eyes and Ears?

Knowing where you are likely to get the best results for your advertising efforts will, of course, play into how you go about promoting your brand.

On the one hand, you could allocate more funds towards the web and mobile devices, especially given how many consumers use both to browse for and ultimately buy goods and services.

On the other hand, have you opted in recent years (unless of course, you are just opening up a business) for billboard advertising for your brand? If not, look below to the different advantages it offers.

They include:

  • Constant 24/7 exposure until your placement runs out;
  • Competitive prices depending on which advertising agency you go with;
  • Advertisement placement where you may not have direct competition from others in your industry.

Lastly, billboard advertising gives you the opportunity to get it right the first time around, typically with little chance for error.

As an example, how many times have you seen a brand advertise its products or services in a newspaper or magazine, only to see a misspelled word or two? When this occurs, the brand has to ask for a correction. By then, the damage may already have been done.

Even though the brand itself may very well not be responsible for the gaffe (in many cases, the individual at the newspaper or magazine typing in ad copy is responsible), many consumers may pause and giggle about the mistake.

In many cases, the brand has left an impression, one which will not exactly win it lots of new customers.

Where Should You Locate Your Billboard Message?

As important as your brand’s message is with billboard advertising, where exactly should your ad be placed?

Where that billboard message goes and how it is designed will, of course, be determined by several factors.

They include:

  • Whether you want in town or leading into or out of town. Your message will obviously play a role in this.
  • Do you want your billboard near a director competitor’s billboard and/or their office or store?
  • Are you looking for a rotating billboard message, one that is lit in the evening hours, and a message that offers imagery of someone from your company or a local model or actor?

Lastly, determine whether or not you want to add your website address to the billboard or not.

In today’s digital age, it is almost a surprise when companies do not add a website listing to a billboard.

When people are passing by (typically in vehicles); it can be difficult to jot down a company phone number. Your company’s web address should prove much easier for the consumer to remember.

In order for your brand to get the right amount of publicity, billboard ads can do wonders for your business.

With that in mind, are you building more recognition for your brand this year?

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

 

Keep Your Customers in the Communications Loop

by

agent-18741_640How good of a job would you say your business does when it comes to keeping your customers in the loop?

Keeping them in the loop typically revolves around your products and/or services, any issues that you’re having with one or the other and of course letting them know about payment issues etc.

With that being the case, you may at times take for granted how important it is to maintain good customer communications.

For one, you may get so inundated with other tasks at hand that you drop the ball with customer communications. If this happens, some customers may feel like you just treat them as dollar signs and do not really take a genuine interest in them. If that occurs, those current customers could become former ones in quite a hurry.

So, are you ready to review your customer communication initiatives, making sure your customers are in fact in the loop?

Use Various Methods of Communicating

So that you are best able to communicate with customers as much as possible, remember these keys:

  • Channels – What type of channels are you using to communicate with customers? While some businesses are able to get by without using what most would consider today’s modern channels of communication (emails, texts, apps, social media etc.), countless companies use those methods just mentioned and others. In today’s digital age, you have to embrace technology, not literally run away from it. As such, review your communication options to make sure you leave everything on the table;
  • Efforts – Even if you have countless channels with which to communicate with customers, are you putting the time and effort into properly using them? As an example, what if you are aware of a potential hazard with one of your products and/or services? Do you immediately get that word out to those customers who purchased said product or service? If you do not, you not only run the risk of customers being injured, but also potentially facing a personal injury lawsuit. When the latter happens, it can have a major financial impact on your business. Whether it is an issue involving a recall with heaters at Home Depot or another such major home improvement retailer, vehicles with GM, outdoor lawn care equipment with John Deere, you hopefully get the idea. Make sure you alert current and potential customers about the problem through recalls ASAP, thereby lessening the chances of one or more people being injured.

Truth Certainly Does Matter

  • Truth – Although you may be embarrassed and even quite worried about the public relations fallout from dealing with a major recall, be honest with customers. The worst thing a company can do is blatantly lie to its customer base. Not only is it wrong, it gives companies a negative PR image. Just ask some of the businesses over the years that were befallen with a negative public relations image. Many of them simply never recovered to what they were prior to that;
  • Feedback – Lastly, always be open to customer feedback. You can do this via polls, emails, texts, social media and more. By getting feedback from your customer base (positive and negative), you give customers a platform, one which many in fact will end up using. That platform leads many customers to believe that you care about them (and you should). While you will receive some negative feedback, don’t just automatically dispute it as rubbish. Learn from that negative feedback, allowing your business to improve itself on a regular basis.

When you truly learn how important customer communication is in your company, you are much more likely to keep customers in the loop, a loop that includes maintaining their business.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

Take Credit for Properly Running Your Business

by

credit-card-1730085_640In today’s business world, it is imperative that business owners have their eyes on the prize when it comes to finances.

That said you may find yourself at times scratching your head as to why your revenue stream is stuck in neutral or even going in reverse.

One of the ways to make sure your finances are not in the red on a regular basis is properly accounting for all of your expenses. In making sure customers pay their bills on time, you need to be a financial wizard.

When it comes to customers paying you in a timely manner, this typically involves two scenarios.

Many customers will pay you at the time of the business transaction, while others will be billed for your services and/or products. Either way; making sure you’re not running a deficit is crucial.

So, can you definitely take credit for properly running your business?

Avoid Piling up Various Expenses

In order to keep your business financially solvent, keep in mind the following pointers:

  • Timely payments – First and foremost, make sure customers are paying you in a timely manner. While the majority of people doing business with you will be on the up-and-up, some will try and work things to their advantage. If you end up invoicing them for services or products (see more below), some may delay paying you for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons can include that they never intended to pay you in the first place, they didn’t leave the proper forwarding address for the invoice, and they are behind on other bills and you’ve been dropped to the bottom of the priority list. No matter the reason, you’re now left without a payment, meaning you have less money coming in for your own business and personal expenses;
  • Disputed payments – Another matter that oftentimes arises for many business owners is the issue of disputed payments. In such cases, the customer will dispute the charges for the products and/or services you charged them for. By doing so, they reach out to their credit card issuer and ask for a stop payment, leaving you once again in a situation where you are a put in a financial hole until the matter is ultimately decided. In order for you to go about preventing chargebacks, there are options available to you. Most notably, you can use a chargeback management program, one where your payments are in fact protected. Not only does this mean that you will get paid for the goods or services you provided, but you can oftentimes avoid costly fees, not to mention wasting your time following up on such problems. Keep in mind that a number of credit card processors will grant you a handful of chargebacks each month without a fee, though you should definitely know ahead of time which ones operate like that. At the end of the day, chargebacks can have quite the negative impact on your business, so don’t brush them off.

Are You Billing Customers on Time?

  • Invoicing Payments Due – Lastly, another crucial factor to help you take credit for properly running a business is making sure you are invoicing customers who do not pay you immediately for purchases and/or services. For example, if you have a set date each month when it comes to invoicing, don’t skip it. Yes, it can be easy to miss that date when you become overwhelmed with work responsibilities, but stop for a moment and think about the negative repercussions to doing so. Your invoices get sent out late, the customer receives them later than normal, and you end up scurrying to pay business and personal bills. If you find yourself getting too busy to handle the regular invoicing needs, consider hiring a part-time assistant to oversee that need. No matter what it takes, stick with a consistent invoicing schedule. Doing so not only allows you to get paid on time, but it lessens chances customers will forget to pay and/or possibly dispute paying you in the first place.

If you can’t take credit for properly running your business at this time, then you obviously have some work ahead of you.

For your business and personal well-being, never overlook the importance of being a financial wizard.

As a current business owner, how do you go about handling financial disputes with customers?

Photo credit: Pixabay

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

Make an App Work for Your Business

by

iphone-410324_640 (1)Are you satisfied with where your business is as the New Year unfolds?

If the answer is not really, what do you plan to do about it?

Some business owners will simply sit back and hope that things improve, though they know that doing so is certainly taking a chance.

Others, meantime, will be much more pro-active about the situation.

If you’re in that latter group of owners, what do you plan to do this year and for down the road to make your business all the better?

Technology Can Drive Your Business

In the event you have been slow to the wave of technology over the years, you’re likely seeing the ramifications for it when it comes to your revenue.

While you do not have to be a technology geek, you should at least be aware of the different tech products and services out there, both of which could very well help your brand move forward.

With millions of consumers spending time on their mobile devices these days to browse for and ultimately buy goods and services, are you on the other end ready to serve them? If you’re not, there’s a very good chance your competition is.

If you haven’t figured out just yet why an app is a necessity for your business, follow along.

For starters, creating your own app can be a challenge, especially if your skills with such a device are limited at best.

If that’s the case, you are much better off going out and seeking the best app makers available.

Such companies in the app industry can come up with an app that not only will be worth the time of consumers to download on their mobile devices, but it will all but guarantee more cash flow for your business.

In finding the right app maker, be sure to do some research online, looking to see which app makers come with the highest recommendations from experts in the industry. Don’t just assume you are saving time and/or money by selecting the first one that pops up. Compare multiple apps side-by-side, seeing which one truly looks like it would provide you with the best technology, best customer service, and ultimately the best opportunity to bring in sales.

Promoting Your App

Once you have your own business app in place, the next big step is promoting it.

As with any device you try and promote, keep in mind that your competitors are likely doing the same thing. That then begs the question, how can you stand out from the competition?

To start with, put both your website and your social media initiatives to work.

For the former, your blog can be a great tool in marketing your app.

Writing content not only about your own company’s app, but also how consumers can benefit from downloading various business apps, is great information for the latter. Also be sure to put out any notable press releases when you are making additions etc. to your current app and what it has to offer the public.

As for social media, make sure you are as active as possible in promoting your app on the social channels.

This means the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and others.

Also be ready to answer any and all questions from consumers about your app. As with any social media chatter you get from consumers, be sure to answer them back in a courteous and timely manner.

Speaking of consumers, don’t hesitate to ask satisfied customers to help promote your app for you. As they begin to tell their family members and friends about you app and all it has to offer, word spreads, leading to more downloading of your app.

Your app can do so many positive things for your business, so start talking it up today.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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