Successful Blog

Are You Insured to be a Successful Entrepreneur?

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Disaster RecoveryIn business, contracts hold a lot of weight.

A contract is a legally binding agreement that states that you, as the business owner, will fulfill certain obligations to the client. But what if a contract is not enough on its own?

This is where surety bonds come in.

A surety bond is an agreement that goes a step beyond a simple contract in that it utilizes a third party that vouches for, and becomes obligated to, the service provider being able to get the job done.

Essentially, a surety bond is a guaranteed agreement between your company, the client, and the bond provider.

The bond provider is telling the client that if your company is unable to complete the agreed upon work, someone will be brought in to finish the job. The client can be “sure” of that

Do You Need a Surety Bond?

Think of a surety bond as insurance.

In traditional business insurance scenarios, the insurance provider will cover costs in the case of damage or injuries. Surety bonds work in the same manner such that, if your company is unable to complete the agreed upon work, the client will be financially rewarded and protected.

Many types of businesses can benefit from surety bonds, including those that work on long-term creative projects.

The truth is that, in such circumstance, a clear resolution is not always available when a conflict arises. When hitting such a crossroads, surety bonds can make a big difference in satisfying the client and avoiding a lengthy and costly lawsuit.

How Do You Obtain a Surety Bond?

In the article, “Step-by-Step Guide to Obtaining Surety Bond Insurance,” the author discusses a number of steps that need to be taken prior to obtaining surety bond insurance.

The first step is to ensure that your personal or business credit is at a high enough level to receive a security bond.

You should also have all business information, including financials and safety records, available to present to a potential insurance provider.

From there, you will also need to determine whether paying your premium upfront is the best option or whether making monthly payments works best.

In the end, you may benefit more from speaking with a surety bond expert who can examine your individual needs and make recommendations.

Just as no two businesses are the same, no two surety bond options are the same.

By consulting with an expert, you may be able to save yourself and your company time, money, and headaches in the future.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Andrew Rusnak is an author who writes on topics that include business development and insurance.

7 Principles For Building Your Resiliency in Life and Business

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By Zaheen Nanji

Resiliency means the ability to bounce back from misfortunes, challenges or setbacks. What does bounce back really mean? It’s not about forgetting all that happened and continuing in misery. Bouncing back is the ability to get unstuck from a problem by finding a solution and continuing to function. Bouncing back is the ability to feel the fear and do it anyway because you will come through with new learnings. In my research on resiliency, these seven principles are important to bouncing back.

1. Approach challenges with flexibility

When something doesn’t work, do you tend to give up after the first try and think you’ve failed? View a challenge like a chess game where you have to not only think ahead but come up with several different strategies. This demonstrates flexibility. Finding different methods to overcome a challenge keeps a person more in control of the situation. Having only one strategy is inadequate preparation.

2. Excellent communication skills

Think of a leader or manager whom you admire and notice how he or she interacts with you or with others at all levels in the company or when networking. You will notice that she’s listening to your words and your communication style and communicates back in your style. She’s looking for the underlying reason behind your communication so she can relate to you. Finally, she’s subconsciously picking up on your body language and tone of voice and mirrors it. These communication skills come naturally to resilient individuals because they want to create rapport with you.

3. Live life with positive attitude

When resilient individuals approach a difficult situation, they have an attitude of being curious, but a positive attitude also encompasses the following three traits:

Realistic Optimism – All the research on optimism says that people who are optimistic are happier, have great relationships and are good at problem solving. However, what makes a person happier? It’s when they maximize their strengths and accomplish what they want knowing there are risks involved.

Embrace Change – research has shown that change becomes easier when we have the resources we need or seek out the resources we lack. Most people hate change because they fear the unknown. If you seek out the resources that can help you, managing change becomes easier.

Sense of Humor – laughter is the best medicine and being able to laugh at life’s frustrations is a great way to bounce back and strategize your next move.

4. Have a mentor

When a resilient individual feels stuck and finds herself in a worrisome state, the first thing she’ll do is contact a mentor or pretend to be her mentor. Imagine you’re faced with an obstacle right now. Think of a mentor who’d be able to overcome that obstacle. Now pretend you are your mentor and step into your mentor. Ask, as your mentor, “What would I do to overcome this problem?” Make sure you are seeing life through his/her eyes and listening through his/her ears. You’ll notice that you’ll have solutions right away.

5. Turn a challenge into an advantage

When you focus on your failures, you dwell on the past and the problems you experienced, which in turn, drives the fear of failure even deeper. Resilient individuals don’t view failure as failure; instead they view it as learned outcomes. Why? They look for insights that can be used as great learning opportunities. They then use that learning to their advantage which leads to the creation of new possibilities and outcome.

6. Create an outcome mindset

Most of us get stuck in the “blame mindset” when we are faced with challenges. In this mindset, you may catch yourself saying things, such as:

• Why do I have this problem?

• How long will I have this problem?

• Whose fault is it that I have this problem?

When you use this type of questioning method, you’ll feel oppressed and you’ll lack choices. However, it’s possible to re-program yourself to an “outcome mindset” by asking alternative questions, such as:

• What do I want and when do I want it?

• When I get what I want, what else in my life will improve?

• What resources do I have available to help me with this challenge?

• Can I use these resources to the best of my ability or do I require extra help?

• What can I do now to improve this situation and get what I want?

Having an outcome mindset propels a person to start thinking of solutions right away.

7. Park negative emotions and live for fulfillment

Resilient individuals accept hardship and work through it instead of dwelling in negative emotions and thoughts. They have the ability to park these emotions by using positive language while simultaneously focusing on the current challenge and finding solutions. This principle of dominating their negative emotions allows them to shift their focus from feeling anxious to feeling hopeful.

Zaheen Nanji is a resilience champion and a business owner in Alberta, Canada.  Embracing change and fear is Zaheen’s trademark because she overcame her speech impediment, her struggles with weight and learned to live in a new country, at the age of 15, without her parents. Her book, The Resilience Reflex – 8 Keys to Transforming Barriers into Success in Life and Business, became an International Best-Seller on Amazon Kindle. Zaheen teaches people how to make resilience their first reflex using her 3-step system: Release, Re-program and Resolve. She can be reached at http://www.zaheennanji.com

Give Your Mobile Subscribers What They Desire

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Internet Of ThingsMuch of what consumers do electronically these days is done on their mobile devices.

People have grown accustomed to the ease and convenience of communicating and getting information without having to sit in front of a computer. Mobile devices are easy, convenient, efficient, and well, mobile.

As a business owner, it’s up to you to deliver great mobile marketing to keep your customers happy and engaged, while reaching out to new ones at the same time.

If nothing else spurs you on to develop great mobile marketing, these two facts from Forbes should:

  • Ninety-one percent of adults keep their smartphones within arm’s reach. (Source: Morgan Stanley).
  • Even more important to entrepreneurs: nine out of 10 mobile searches lead to action. More than half lead to sales. (Source: SearchEngineLand).

Yeah – mobile marketing is pretty important.

As the article, “Do You Know What Your Mobile Subscribers Want from Your Business?” looks at, it’s important to know what your subscribers want.

You don’t want to send them the wrong information, or content with no personal value, that’s a waste of everyone’s time.

Know Your Audience

One of the biggest keys to mobile marketing is to know your audience.

Lots of data is compiled to find target audiences, whether through surveys or digital or print campaigns, now use that information to create a target base.

Keep in mind:

Shareable, valuable content

Once you have your target audience, deliver what they want. The more valuable the content you give them is the better chance your audience will act upon it. And that isn’t just purchasing a good or service; it’s also sharing the information to extend your customer base. One of the marvels of mobile marketing is that it’s so easy to share content, for your customers to reach out and share your great business.

Good mobility

Another thing you can do is work the mobility factor. A great website that works well on a mobile device is vital. Even if you have a stunning, easy to navigate, informative website from a desktop, if it isn’t mobile friendly, you’re hurting yourself. Think about how many times you’ve looked up something on your mobile device that doesn’t read well – you usually find something else. Don’t’ let that happen to your business.

Besides your website, make sure you have the right social media and it’s easy to follow.

You also want it easy for your customers to subscribe to any SMS or email services you offer.

These are great ways to engage customers and keep them abreast of anything new going on with you.

You can also send out deals and promotions to your subscribers. If they receive it on a mobile device, they are much more prone to act on it.

Trust that the time and effort you put into your mobile campaigns will pay off.

Just like social media, it may take some extra time, but through the marketing pay out, you’ll be glad you did.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Heather Legg is an independent writer who covers topics related small business, social media, and working from home.

How You Say Goodbye Matters

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This past weekend, my husband and I went to the gym to cancel our membership. We had never been to this particular location before, but when we went in, we were surprised by how much nicer it was than others we had been to. We spoke with the associate at the counter, let’s call him Rich. When we had a question, he called someone to make sure he had the right answer for us. He was very courteous, easy-to-talk-to and he served us well. He put no pressure on us to stay and he didn’t try to sell us on a different level membership.

My husband noted to me how nice Rich had been to us. I agreed and considered not canceling our membership. I considered this only because of the kindness of Rich and how nice this particular location looked.

I was struck by Rich and how kind he was. He treated us as if we were signing up instead of ending our relationship with the gym. How he treated us changed our view and made us consider staying.

Have you ever broke up with someone and they treated you so badly afterward that you knew you made the right choice?

It’s because of this – how you say goodbye matters.

It always matters – from when you’re saying goodbye to friends who are moving away to when a customer is leaving your business.

If we treat people with respect and seek to serve them at all their points of contact with us (beginning, middle and end), they’ll naturally gravitate toward us in the future. It’s hard to lose customers, but if you end relationships with customers bitterly or coldly, they’ll be less likely to come back.

So let’s consider how we can serve customers better when they say goodbye. Here are some things I thought of:

  • Put some time into a kind and creative goodbye for customers when they unsubscribe from your email newsletters. Don’t add a coupon or a sales pitch. Just a note at the unsubscribe page that creatively thanks and respects them. I’ve enjoyed several that have made me reconsider my choice.
  • Train your employees to treat unhappy and leaving customers with care and respect, just as much as you do for potential customers.
  • Make leaving less painful. Have you ever broken up with someone and they made it so easy that you kind of liked them more for it? Me either. But how nice would that be, right? Instead of making customers jump through complex hoops to cancel services, make it as easy as it is to sign up and serve them superbly even when they’re exiting.

This doesn’t sound like typical business strategy. I’m sure there are many who would push instead for you to craft a better sales pitch for exiting customers or make it as difficult as possible for them to leave so that you keep raking in their money. But typical businesses have been missing the mark. When we start treating customers like people and do everything in our power to serve them well from beginning to end, we all win.

What are some others ways we can serve customers better as they’re exiting?

 

Cover image info: Original, royalty-free image from Gratisography.

About the author: Lindsey Tolino comes alongside artisans, craftsman and people monetizing their passions to help them create healthy businesses. She shares her heart at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino .

How Local Businesses Can Run Their Blogs Like Online Pros

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By Jessy Troy

Local businesses have a bit of a reputation for having awful blogs. It isn’t surprising; local companies tend to be brick and mortar, and the ever changing world of online marketing can be difficult to keep up with, even for experts. Local businesses are used to promoting on a more traditional level.

But blogging offers a cost efficient, simple and effective means of reaching your target audience. Having a good content strategy in place means getting more for less, and competing with those local companies that have managed to figure out a good social angle.

Here are some ways that local businesses can run their company like pros.

Remember That SEO Counts, But Has To Be Modified For Location

Search engine optimization has moved leaps and bounds since the days of keyword stuffing and page spamming. Google’s shifting algorithm has made the rules a lot harder to follow, but thankfully taken some of the power from shady practices that rewarded bad, or even stolen, content.

When scaling for local content, you have to remember that location is going to be your best friend. Your industry is probably vast, so you can’t compete based on those keywords alone. But add your city and you have a much smaller pool.

For example, “Thai restaurant” is going to generate way too many leads, and Google will narrow it for the user, but maybe not narrowed enough. But “Thai restaurant San Francisco” is much better. “Thai restaurant San Francisco Hyde Street” is another one you could use, or your area code.

Not only will this narrow results, but it is what people are more likely to search for.

Make sure you submit your blog to high-quality local directories like this one. This helps you get found!

Being hosted locally increases search visibility dramatically. Here’s the list of hosting providers where you can use country filters to search. Handy!

Integrate With Social, Then Target Based On Geolocation Stats

You can integrate your blog with social networking, and start taking advantage of ads. Then use those pages to target people as they come into your area. It is one of the many benefits of mobile social use, such as through Facebook apps.

In fact, Facebook has a whole host of ways to market as a local business. Check out their page on Local Awareness Ads for more information.

Write About What People In Your Area Care About

Most of your blog’s success is going to come down to the content. While you can offer general information about your industry, including helpful how-to’s, people can get these anywhere on the web. You should be trying to exploit the fact that you are local, and so have a local touch to your business.

Write about things you know your community cares about. Follow a tone that is appropriate for the customers you know you will be looking to speak to. Are these people with large families. Young professional couples? Singles?

Advertise Your Blog On Local Media

You can make people aware of your blog by talking about it on local media. Many local news shows, radio stations, newsletters and newspapers will do features of local businesses. You can casually mention during one of these spots that you have a blog people can go to for whatever information you provide.

Of course, this should not be the primary message behind a media spot. But it is a nice aside that could help create a loyal reader base.

Find Other Blogs With A Following Locally, Then Guest Post

Are there other blogs that are locally based and get a decent amount of visitors? They might be a good place to go to look for a guest spot! Contact the blog owners and pitch a post that you think would be valuable to their readers. Tell the who you are and offer to put a link to their blog on your website.

Connections like this can be very helpful for both parties. Not to mention a good chance to begin networking offline with others in your area.

Ask Local Experts For Interviews, Advice, and Quotes

There is a local blog in my city that has an attorney on every two weeks to write a blog post answering people’s questions about accident claims and issues. The company in question is an auto shop that specializes in fixing accident damage.

Notice how they managed to expand out of their direct industry topic, while remaining relevant, and in a way that is much more helpful to their customers. After all, people are going to them to fix their car, so blog posts teaching how to do anything more than basic maintenance would be pointless. But they know their customers would be facing legal claims, and so offer help that way.

It is an ingenious idea we can all take note of.

Blog About Local Events

What local events are coming to your area? Find out, build hype, attend, and then blog about it. Write a big post showing pictures taken, telling stories, and thanking people for attending. Run a contest in the lead up to get customer participations. Set up a booth with gifts, or interactive party activities.

You can even microblog live, using the event hashtag on Twitter. This is a great way to piggy back off the popularity of, say, a festival.

Tell Local Stories

You have an entire community of people who you can introduce on your blog! Tell the stories of those around you. Do interviews, and find out the interesting details about people’s lives. Do spotlights, and show your appreciation for the people in your area that make your city a great place to live.

Small, local businesses can really get away with this tactic in a way corporations can’t. Imagine for a second that Walmart releases a campaign talking about an old woman who has saved money and lives off of her small pension shopping at Walmart. Seems exploitive, and possibly a fake story by an actor, right?

Now imagine that same situation, but on the blog of a small, local shop. The impact is much greater there, more genuine.

Take Your Local Business Blogging Level To ‘Expert’

Blogging is a great way for local businesses to get into the online marketing game. Do you have any tips? Let us know in the comments!

Author’s Bio: Jessy Troy is a creative writer and editor at Social Media Sun. She Tweets as @JessyTroy.

Know the Merits of Guest Posting

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Brand Branding Marketing Product Copyright ConceptWhat takes up the majority of your time running a business?

Some business owners will point out the task of keeping customers happy. Others will note overseeing employees takes up a fair amount of their work week. Meantime, some will state that marketing and advertising their brand constitutes countless hours weekly.

One of those aspects of marketing is content marketing. More specifically; having an authoritative and popular blog on your website grows by the importance each day.

So, what happens when you don’t have the time and/or resources to field a noteworthy blog? What happens when you’d like to contribute to other relevant blogs, yet time and resources are again issues?

Is it too late to change course or can you make your blog worthwhile, along with contributing to others in order to drive more business and revenue your way?

Your Content is Critical

With 2016 knocking on the door, it is more important than ever that you don’t lose focus on the importance of content marketing for your brand, material that oftentimes will be displayed on your website.

Among the ways to make your content marketing stand out:

  • Hiring the right talent to write copy – If you find that you’re too busy yourself (and also your staff) to do the content marketing writing, look to guest posting services. By using such a service, you eliminate the need for you and/or your staff to research and write the copy. As long as you hire a service provider that knows their stuff, has a feel for your industry and can provide that necessary voice (see more below), and promotes your brand in a variety of ways, you can stand out in the content marketing arena, By doing so, you increase the odds of landing more business;
  • Talk to your audience – All too often, companies will try and tell the consumer what the business owner wants them to hear, something that is not necessarily always what the consumer in turns wants to hear. When using a guest posting service, make sure they properly represent your brand, something which will receive a better response from many consumers. The copy should be informative, yet not too heavy on the sales side. If the voice is one of simply a salesperson, you may very well push the consumer/s in the direction of your competitors. Talking to your audience also means being a social butterfly (see more below), so don’t be shy about talking-up your brand;
  • Socializing is where it is at – Finally, properly using social media to promote your content marketing initiatives is very important. You can have the best content/writers in the world, but what if no one or few people are reading it? Use various social media vehicles (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.) to promote your brand. Yes, YouTube has become more and more popular with companies looking to market their products and services. Having a small amount of worthwhile content with the video/slides etc. you want to show can go a long way in converting a potential client into a delivered client.

If you’re finding that you don’t have the time and/or expertise for properly doing content marketing now and down the road, a guest posting service could be just the right call.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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