House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans “welcome” the dysfunction wrought in the Senate over its border security and supplemental aid bill. Johnson has made no secret of his opposition to the bipartisan deal, declaring it “dead on arrival” multiple times since its release on Sunday night, including during House GOP leaders’ … Continue reading Speaker Johnson cheers on Senate border deal’s potential demise: 'We welcome it'
Tag: Cheers
Three Cheers for Creative Interactive Content –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week
The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Make Awesome Creative Interactive Content and More
Our research ninjas at Credit Suite smuggled out ten amazing business tips for you! Be fierce and score in business with the best tips around the web. You can use them today and see fast results. You can take that to the bank – these are foolproof! Creative interactive content is in your future!
Stop making stupid decisions and start powering up your business. Demolish your business nightmares and start celebrating as your business fulfills its promise.
And these brilliant business tips are all here for free! So settle in and scoop up these tantalizing goodies before your competition does!
#10. Tricky Marketing
Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about tips and tricks for marketing your small business. Young Upstarts says there are a few inexpensive ways you can stand out and start to build customer loyalty.
Perhaps our favorite tip was the one about being seen. But what does that mean, anyway?
Be Seen – Be Present
It means, quite simply, to get out from behind your keyboard and go amongst the people. Now, this is probably something which is more likely to be important if yours is a local business. But it probably can’t hurt even if your business is more or less 100% online.
True story time.
The Event
So, did you know what your intrepid blog post writer is also a published author? Yeppers.
And there is a species of marketing which goes along with being an author. In fact, every author has to do something or other like this to market their book. Yes, even Stephen King and JK Rowling! Gone are the days of just letting a publisher’s publicity department do the work. Every author has to help sell their work these days. Bigger name authors go on talk shows; little indies might take out ads on Twitter or run groups on Facebook.
And a couple of years ago, this meant going to a local convention with an indie author friend. We rented a table together and we also ran a panel discussion. Lots of fun!
But beyond fun, it was also a chance to look at marketing. For we were far from the only vendors there. And many vendors were not authors.
One which stood out was a vendor which sold comic books online. Now, they didn’t have to go to the convention. They could have simply continued their advertising efforts online. But it was a golden opportunity. Their audience dovetailed rather well with the people going to the convention (yes, we’re geeks).
Presence was exceptionally valuable. And for this company, it also meant not having to depend on Google’s search algorithms. It meant they could just meet and greet people.
Did they add to their mailing list? Probably. And those people are warm if not hot prospects. Pretty good for a $75 table and about five hours out of two people’s lives.
#9. Finding Your Elusive First Customers
The next awesome tip is about zeroing in and finding your first customers. The SBA gives us the lowdown. Now, this is kind of similar to tip #10, but also not so much.
See, they, too, suggest you be present. And they pulled a leaf right from my indie author marketing book (please put it back – don’t deface books! ), to team up with someone with a complementary but not competitive product.
But they had one great tip which was different.
Make a List and Check it Twice
Oh, Santa. You could be a great marketer the other 11 months of the year.
It’s kind of true! But what do they mean by this?
For startup companies hunting for their first customers, scouring your network is a smart way to get started. Why? Because these people already know you. Even if you’re just Facebook pals from playing Words With Friends, you’re still more familiar than someone who they’ve never, ever interacted with.
Plus most people have an altruistic streak in them. Even when it can sometimes feel as if the world is collapsing, there are a lot of folks who truly enjoy helping others.
How do you ask? Be polite and direct. “Hi, I’m starting a business. Do you know someone who might be interested in ___? Thank you for any leads you may have, and for your time.”
One thing the article doesn’t say, but your intrepid blog writer will tell you – don’t expect perfect answers. And don’t expect everyone to answer. If you can get 25% of your network to reply, and have 75% of those replies be on point, then you’re hitting it out of the park.
If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Engage your customers and prospects with creative interactive content.
#8. Networking for Us Introverts
Our following life-changing tip concerns networking tips for those of us who don’t find networking quite so intuitive. Small Biz Trends notes there are a lot of options if you just can’t get the hang of what often looks like a lot of glad handing.
What impressed us the most is that the listed tips tackle certain introvert anxieties head-on.
For example, for people who fear being alone with no one to talk to – bring someone with you! And for those who fear being stuck with someone they have nothing in common with – connect online first! Plus for those who can’t figure out how to break the ice – wear or carry something which is a conversation starter.
This last one truly resonated with us. It’s easy to add an interesting pin to a lapel or carry a funky purse or wear a remarkable tie. Someone is bound to ask you about your NASA pin or your dolphin tie or your Victorian era reproduction purse.
Hey, it can’t hurt.
#7. Management Rescues for Overwhelmed Team Leaders
For our next sensational tip, we looked at helping out overwhelmed team leaders with management. Entrepreneur lays it all out for us.
#6. What’s a Venture Capitalist? Why Should They Matter to You?
A venture capitalist is essentially a professional investor in new businesses. Now, not every business will be able to get VC funding. They mainly just want to toss cash at truly groundbreaking products and services. Think of Uber and Twitter.
But keep in mind – VCs don’t give money out of the goodness of their hearts. They will want a substantial chunk of your business, and they are expecting you to deliver. But if you’ve got a business which is taking off, fast, and you can’t keep up, then your business and a venture capitalist could be a match made in funding heaven.
This tip is so interesting, and it works! The Self Employed says there are best practices in every area, and that includes pitch decks. A pitch deck is the slide show you use to try to convince the VC that they should invest in your business.
We really loved the tip about bringing two separate pitch decks. One is the teaser, for when the VC doesn’t have enough time to really get into things. The other is longer, for when the VC has time and you can get into the nitty gritty.
And consider this – how considerate are you if you ask the VC if they’ve got only a little or a lot of time? Without just launching into something long without asking, you’re telegraphing a lack of respect for the VC’s time and interest level.
Food for thought, eh?
#5. Amp Up the Engagement with Creative Interactive Content
Grab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot!
Creative interactive content is where it’s at! Buzz Sumo tells us all about it.
Different Kinds of Creative Interactive Content
So you have undoubtedly seen most if not all of these. And the first and perhaps most prevalent one is … (drum roll please)
The mighty quiz!
If you’ve ever whiled away a few minutes to figure out which type of plum you are, then you’ve taken an online quiz. And while such a topic is utterly silly (for the record – your intrepid blog writer has never seen such a quiz although there is a fruit quiz – I’m a banana, apparently).
Quizzes are simple, and they are also kind of a sneaky way of getting information on people. After all, let’s say you sold women’s shoes. Then it would help to know who’s daring and who’s more sedate. That could change how you market to some people – the stilettos or the sneakers.
Figure it Out
We also loved the calculators. And, in fact, we’ve looked at online business calculators before.
The beauty of creative interactive content is that it’s not just helpful to your customers and prospects. It’s also helpful for keeping your website visitors on the page.
If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Engage your customers and prospects with creative interactive content.
#4. This is How We Get Skynet
Check out this spectacular tip, all about using artificial intelligence in your business. Quuu says there are some terrific ways to incorporate using AI. Now, we’ve heard of chat bots already (and we’ve even covered them).
But there was one area which we really loved.
AI Hiring
Here us out. Or, rather, hear Quuu out. There are any number of lower level tasks which run through the hiring process. Use AI to weed out candidates and to bring other candidates to the fore. You know, the folks with better qualifications.
AI can also bring analytics into the process – and you know how much we love analytics here! Imagine understanding why one version of an ad worked, and another didn’t. Or understanding how and why a few changed words cut down the number of applicants who aren’t good for the job. Because weeding through applicants who have no business being in the applicant pool is a waste of time!
But our favorite part had to do with bias. Using artificial intelligence in hiring can help combat conscious and unconscious biases, so you hire people because of their qualifications, not their looks.
#3. Get on the Training Train
It’s not your imagination: this winning tip can help you with employee training. Effortless HR tells us something which we wish was more intuitive. What’s that?
People have differing learning styles.
So for the people who do best with repeated phrases, big posters might not do the trick. And for folks who need to be hands-on, just showing them won’t help until they can do the work for themselves.
#2. Find Fresh New Vendors
Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on scouting for new vendors. Under 30 CEO points out working with vendors is vital to every business. And this is beyond the vendor credit tier.
Which vendor is the best one to handle your shipping needs? Or packaging? They aren’t all the same. So the article – which we highly recommend you read in its entirety – points out some considerations you may not have, well, considered.
Price, location, and product quality are pretty much a given when it comes to what to think about. But your packager – are they green? Do they offer bulk discounts? How big an order do you need to make before the discount kicks in? After all, a discount is meaningless if your business will never qualify for it.
#1. Create a Great Google Shopping Feed
We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on success in the Google shopping feed. Founder U says there are a number of things to think about. By the way, the Google shopping feed is just another way to talk about the ads which come up when you search.
The article thoughtfully explains how to best write ad copy for the Google shopping feed. We loved their idea of thinking about a game of ‘I Spy’ when writing product copy. The other tip we loved was to use the most common name for what you’re talking about.
So it’s a movie, not a film. And it’s a shoe, not a brogan.
The entire article is so helpful we recommend reading it in its entirety. And get better placement and results!
So which one of our brilliant business tips was your favorite? And which one will you be implementing now?
If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Engage your customers and prospects with creative interactive content.
The post Three Cheers for Creative Interactive Content –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.