Article URL: https://www.aptdeco.com/careers Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21122154 Points: 1 # Comments: 0
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AptDeco (YC W14) Hiring a Director Of Customer Experience, Growth Marketer, more
Article URL: https://www.aptdeco.com/careers
Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21122154
Points: 1
# Comments: 0
Crush Your Overwhelming Business Workload and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week
The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Smash an Overwhelming Business Workload 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! Your overwhelming business workload doesn’t stand a chance.
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!
We’re back after a few weeks out and ready to dig into some amazing business tips… Ready?
#10. Ladies – Make the Halo Connection
Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about how women can find angel investors. Succeed as Your Own Boss says there are a lot of options for female founders/entrepreneurs. You just need to know where to look.
We were particularly interested in this one because we’ve looked into whether women entrepreneurs can change a sexist system, when 98% of VC funding goes to men.
Hit the Gas With an Accelerator
We were impressed at the depth of information available in this article, when it came to startup accelerators. Do they work? They can – and the article lays out exactly how to find a good one.
So we highly recommend reading the entire article.
More ideas included crowdfunding and finding grants. These kind of are angel investors and kind of aren’t. So essentially this bypasses the issue, replacing it with a different method. Certainly, this is a method that can work.
One tip at the end was a tad off-topic, we felt, but still helpful. That is, to certify as a female-owned business for corporate and government contracts. With limited competition, the idea is you could simply earn the funding you’d want from angel investors. It’s certainly worth a shot, if your company could get these kinds of contracts.
#9. Social Media + Google = How to Rank Better Through Social
The next awesome tip is about how social media can help your content rank better on Google. The Self-Employed notes there are great ways that social can help. Note: we found the best copy of the infographic here.
One quick caveat – this infographic needs to be updated! It still refers to Google+, which is no more. But apart from that, the information is sound.
Your best (or at least better) positioning on SERP (the search engine results page) can, in part, depend on your network. And what better way to develop a network than on social? Americans are more loyal to brands they follow on social media.
So if you’ve been hesitating before jumping into Twitter and Facebook (at minimum), now’s the time to leap.
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! Even your overwhelming business workload doesn’t stand a chance.
#8. Satisfy Your Link-Building Ambitions
Our following life-changing tip concerns how to build links. Under 30 CEO lays it all out for us. This strategy is still alive and well in 2019!
So, how do you do it?
Start with pulling down the low-hanging fruit. As in, is your business on major directories? That’s places like Google My Business or Yahoo. You want to be found, eh?
So, by the way, if your business fits well with Yelp, then you had better be there. Because they may very well already have a listing for you. And if you haven’t been contributing to it, then you have no guarantees that anything on the listing is at all favorable to your business.
And our fave – create great content! Hey, we kinda like doing that. Quality over quantity counts.
What a concept.
#7. We’re Working So Hard, Even Our Intelligence is Competitive
For our next sensational tip, we looked at some great competitive intelligence tools. SEM Rush says that one of the keys to success is to understand how your competition is doing. This makes a great deal of sense.
Let them make the mistakes, and suffer the consequences. You’ll be too busy reaping the rewards of their successes.
At least, that’s the theory.
Specific Intelligence
There are a ton of ways to measure how a company is doing. This long, comprehensive list was a lot easier to tackle because it was split up intelligently.
It’s more than the general competitive landscape or market trends or following any news stories about the competition. Although those are also on the list.
Did you know you can check how shoppers are doing on a competitor’s website, to see where in the sales funnel they are? Or you can check out how a website was put together, and know when it was changed? You can look up digital, video, or email marketing strategies.
And you can follow price changes, too. Or look up how a competitor’s apps are doing.
The most interesting (er, invasive) bit of information involved how much a company is paying for cloud infrastructure. Pretty wild.
#6. E-Commerce UX Best Practices to Kick Your Sales into High Gear
This tip is so smart, and it works! Opt In Monster tells us that user experience can really make or break online sales.
How many times have you gone to a website to do something or other and been stymied by lousy web design? Slow websites, confusing layouts, and parts which don’t work are all reasons why customers get frustrated. Frustrated customers abandon their shopping carts.
These are things you can fix!
So what are you waiting for?
#5. Tackle Your Overwhelming Business Workload the Smart Way
Grab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot!
If you’ve got an overwhelming business workload, then this one’s for you.
Startup Professionals (quoting the fantastic Martin Zwilling) says organization is your best friend.
The truth is, these are fabulous tips for any sort of overwhelming to-do list. That can be your chores, or even planning a wedding.
Kill the Phantoms in Your Overwhelming Business Workload
We really loved this tip. The idea is, essentially, do you have stuff sitting on your to-do list (or in a to-do pile) which you’re just plain avoiding? We all know about those.
It’s the client you can’t stand – but they pay on time and give you a lot of business, so you’re stuck. Or it may be the project which you’re not 100% certain needs to happen. So you’re pushing back. Yeah, that’s kinda passive-aggressive.
It all boils down to one thing. You’re probably never going to do these things unless things change rather dramatically. They are contributing to an overwhelming business workload, potentially forever. Ugh.
Or Maybe You Can Rehab the Phantoms
For the client you don’t like, can you delegate some of the responsibility to someone else? Of course you can’t do this every single time (at least, you probably can’t). But you may be able to hand over some of the more basic work to another. Do you have to be the person who makes appointments with this person?
You might not have to be. And you can also try differing forms of communication. Email is good because you can communicate at any time of the day or night. Phone calls are good because you can get an idea of tone. In-person meetings are good because they’re a better way to understand the nuances of what someone is saying.
For the project where you’re not sure if it needs to happen, why not talk to the project’s manager? If the project’s own advocate can’t clearly articulate why the project needs to happen, then maybe it doesn’t. Maybe your instincts are right.
The Triple Tip – Write Tasks Down, Cross Them Off When Done, and Reprioritize Constantly
These three tips go together. Personally, your intrepid blog writer can’t get through most days without a to-do list. Welcome to your fifties, the decade of, “Why did I come in this room, again?”
But in all seriousness, lists help. When your brain isn’t juggling your to-do list on top of everything else, then you’re freed to, you know, actually work on tackling the times on it.
Crossing off the done items from a to-do list is satisfying! And it also serves as a visual reminder of how much you’ve already accomplished. Because let’s face it, sometimes the only pat on the back we’re going to get during any given day will be self-administered.
And reprioritizing should be a no-brainer. Sometimes that task which seemed oh so urgent last night isn’t as on fire in the light of day. Or the reverse is true. The main thing is to not be married to the order.
Personal Pro Tip
When it comes to prioritizing, two things which help a lot, I’ve found, are to locate whatever you can delegate and whatever you can do fast. Sometimes those are the same thing. Either way, the faster you delegate, the more time the other person has to work on the task you’ve delegated to them. As for the fast stuff, reward yourself with one (only one!) of those tasks to start.
You’ll be happy to see a task is already crossed off. But then, yeah, you’d better start on something substantial, particularly if it’s a priority. There’s a different degree of satisfaction from getting through something big. And, you’ll be handling the hardest stuff when you’re less tired.
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! Even your overwhelming business workload doesn’t stand a chance.
#4. Life Preservers for Failing Teams
Check out this spectacular tip, all about how managers can rescue failing teams. Proof Hub notes that a lot of team failures come from the top down, although not all of them. There can be problematic people in a group – what sports people call a ‘locker room cancer’. Or there can even be an all-out conflict between team members.
But teams can also do poorly if they feel underappreciated, or if they feel there’s no way for them to professionally develop. Another problem is teams which just plain don’t have the right training, or enough training.
We were particularly happy that two of the tips were to build rapport and to ask the team what they think is happening. After all, they’ve been there.
Managerial Styles
Essentially, this the persuader method in action. The manager is asking for input, and is listening. And they can be persuaded to act one way or another.
Personal tip from me – as a manager, I look at my experiences as an employee for guidance. The better managers communicated more, and were a lot more likely to say please and thank you. That was even for the smallest of favors. It was even just on the heels of a previous please and thank you.
As a result, I don’t let a meeting go by without telling the people who work with me that I appreciate them. Because I know what it’s like to not be appreciated, and I don’t want the people who work with me to ever feel that way, if I have anything to say about it.
#3. Hack Your Way to Better Productivity
It’s not your imagination: this winning tip can make you more productive. Young Upstarts tells us there are some helpful, and often inexpensive hacks to tackling your overwhelming business workload and becoming more productive.
Our favorite tip was to delegate. Oh God, yes!
You don’t have to do everything. Seriously.
#2. Keep Your Client Relationships Close
Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on avoiding losing your largest accounts. Sales Hacker reveals all about maintaining and nurturing client relationships.
The reality is, you should be doing this with all of your clients. But we all know there are just so many hours in a day. So, you need to prioritize your bigger clients. Otherwise, you’d end up with even more of an overwhelming business workload.
The gist of the article is to make listening a big part of your relations with your biggest clients. Ask them – what can I do differently? And then, you know, actually listen to what they say. Be empathetic. Again, listen.
After all, if your biggest clients don’t think you care about their problems, then they’ll find someone who does.
Ouch.
#1. The Holidays Are Coming – Ready or Not (We Prefer Ready)
We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on getting ready for the holidays. Yes, that! They’ll be here before you think. Kabbage says there are ways to get organized in anticipation of what is often the busiest time of the year for online retail sales.
We particularly liked the idea of taking the time now to fix issues on your website. It’s a good time to attack any issues such as slow loading times.
We also liked the first order of business, which is to get input from the employees. After all, they’re at the front lines.
One thing to add from us – now’s a really, really good time to get a handle on what everyone in your organization does. Get procedures in writing. Cross-train more employees so if that one vital person decides they want to take December off (there are people with that much accumulated vacation time), your business won’t fall apart.
The list even goes into decorating, assuming you have a brick and mortar establishment as well.
But from me – for the love of all things holiday – please don’t put up Xmas lights this week.
It’s still September.
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! Even your overwhelming business workload doesn’t stand a chance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuM4Kolf26g
The post Crush Your Overwhelming Business Workload and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.
The Muse (YC W12) Is Hiring an Engineering Manager for Data and More
Article URL: https://www.themuse.com/jobs/themuse/engineering-manager-data
Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20915292
Points: 1
# Comments: 0
Stocks to Watch: Slack, Palo Alto Networks, MongoDB, and More
Try Some Warmer Cold Calling and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week
The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Try Some Warmer Cold Calling 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! Summer’s about over – it’s time for warmer cold calling!
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. Upsell Like a Champ
Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about upselling. Small Biz Trends says there are some techniques out there which are more effective than not. It’s a bit like warmer cold calling.
25 Percenters
So, here’s an interesting one. Did you know that an offered upsell shouldn’t add more than 25% onto the initial price? But why?
Because otherwise it can feel overwhelming to the customer. This one is truly brilliant. And you see it in practice all the time.
“You want fries with that?”
“For an extra $2, we’ll throw in a pack of pens with your notebook purchase.”
“If you get the sport package, you get a spoiler and a sunroof.”
“Add a salad and we’ll call it a dinner. Then you can get free dessert!”
“Now that you got a new pair of running shoes, wouldn’t you love a new pair of running shorts?”
“Ever notice how when you paint a room, a lot of other things look dull? Buy six gallons of our matte finish latex paint and we’ll throw in a new picture frame.”
You get the idea. It doesn’t work if you offer a second Big Mac (usually). And if you’re already getting an entrée, you probably don’t want a second. But you might be tempted to have a salad. In fact, having a salad translate into a free dessert also takes advantage of people wanting to be virtuous by eating a salad – and then decadent by capping their meal with a hot fudge sundae.
Unbundling
By the way, unbundling can feel weird! Your intrepid blog writer owns a pretty basic car but it’s got a sun roof. And it was quite the chore to get the extra – it had to be specially added. Because sun roofs tend to go with sporty packages, not basic sedans.
Still, I got my sun roof. It was a lot like warmer cold calling in that I was already there and buying. The dealer just had to make sure I was 100% happy so I wouldn’t run off to a dealer down the street.
So try this rule of 25% the next time you’re putting together upselling ideas. And can I have some of your fries?
#9. Scratch ‘Create an Email List’ Off Your To-Do List in an Hour
The next awesome tip is about creating an email list from scratch – fast. Sumo notes it’s easy to get email lists wrong. No argument here.
Now, keep in mind, the article isn’t much more than a long ad for Sumo. But Sumo is free, so we’re okay with that. And it does make one point which we would like to showcase.
Not all of your contacts are alike.
As a result of this insight – which we will be the first to admit isn’t much of an insight – you should be segmenting your email list. We tend to do this intuitively, and we don’t even know we’re doing it.
As in, if your grandmother is in your address book, you probably won’t invite her to go out clubbing with you (or maybe you will…). But your pals from college? You’re a lot more likely to invite them. And you’ll even go more granular. Your quiet roommate might not make the invitation list, but your clubbing partner from back in the day is more likely to.
So the moral of the story is – don’t treat your customers and prospects as one big monolith.
Gee, where have we heard that before?
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! Leave the sales freezer behind with warmer cold calling and more.
#8. A Lot Better Than Vacation Slides
Our following life-changing tip concerns using Facebook slideshow ads to their fullest potential. Wordstream lays it all out for us.
You’ve probably seen these. In fact, you may not have seen these on Facebook (or been aware that they were what you were seeing). Slideshows.
For example, have you ever been on a site for a clothing retailer and been served both the front and back versions of an outfit? Not separate images – more that the front images change to the back on occasion, and then back again. That’s a slideshow.
For Facebook, one great idea is to showcase variety. If you’re a residential real estate agent, why not show one-family and two-family houses? Or big apartments and studios? Or both the east and west sides of town?
We highly recommend reading the entire article. Yes, it’s that helpful. It’s as good as warmer cold calling – and may even be better.
#7. Great Business Leaders – Are They Born or Made?
For our next sensational tip, we looked at what a new business leader should really be like. Startup Professionals notes a charismatic, innovative leader has certain characteristics.
They looked at people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, but also Elon Musk. And the one characteristic we preferred was doing good works. But our second chance characteristic was lifelong learning.
Hey, you don’t need to be a big time innovator to do either, or both.
#6. Being a Great Boss – An Argument for Nurture Versus Nature
This tip is so cool, and it works! Work It Daily tells us all about developing leadership skills. They note there are some great methods for learning leadership skills. Perhaps our two favorites were all about enthusiasm and knowing yourself.
True Story
Over 20 years ago, your intrepid blog writer worked in the insurance industry. Often, these jobs were dull and repetitious. And that attitude came straight from the top. When management acted uninterested in being there, so did everyone else. Talk about your downers!
Then in 2004, I worked for Dictaphone, in voice recognition (this late lamented company no longer exists). And there things were waaaaaay different. The boss was not just friendly and approachable. She loved her job. And everyone under her caught her fever. We loved working there, and we loved working for her. It all came from her enthusiastic, whole-hearted embrace of our projects.
Want to build voice recognition for lawyers? Awesome! For police officers? Let’s help them catch some criminals. For firefighters? Cool, let’s make their lives easier so they can go back to saving people. For doctors? Terrific – let’s make this chore simple so they can cure cancer and hangnails.
And it goes on.
Want to be a good leader? Then be excited about what you and your team do. And if you aren’t, then maybe you should be considering a new line of work.
#5. Get Out of the Sales Ice Box With Warmer Cold Calling
Grab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot!
Warmer cold calling is where it’s at. LinkedIn says there are a number of things you can do which aren’t cold calling!
We loved these. Now, keep in mind, we are research fans here, so the first tip was a great one. And it’s LinkedIn! Egad, if you’re going to find out stuff about a prospect, then the prospect’s company website (and maybe blog) plus LinkedIn are THE places to go.
The Times, They Are A-Changin’
So here’s a question. When was the last time you saw someone selling door to door? Not people talking religion – real-live salespeople. For your intrepid blog writer, it was maybe eight to ten years ago, possibly more.
I was sitting on the front porch steps, eating ice cream. And this guy was walking past and he said something from the sidewalk. Now, keep in mind, this is a secondary access road, so there’s traffic on it, and it can be loud.
My “What?” was, to him, an invitation to walk up my front walk and try to hand me literature on buying a satellite dish. And here I was thinking he wanted to know how to get to the Thai place on the corner.
So he hands me papers. I had them back. He hands them to me again. And I give them back again. We do this little dance a couple of times. The big recycling bin is nearby, so the next time I get the papers, I toss them in there.
Oh, I got an earful then. Well, guess what, dude? You weren’t welcome. You slid in under false pretenses. And you didn’t listen to me, not one bit.
What the heck did you honestly expect was going to happen?
C’mon Already!
Don’t be that guy. Do your research and know your prospects. Because if this guy had, he would’ve known that my house is over 100 years old and there is no way I am ever putting a dish anywhere near it.
Please don’t write to us about the merits of satellite dishes. Thank you in advance.
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! Leave the sales freezer behind with warmer cold calling and more.
#4. Time is Running Out to Write Scarcity Emails!
Check out this spectacular tip, all about scarcity marketing techniques to boost email conversions. Sleek Note informs us that you can tap into customer fear of missing out in any number of ingenious ways. Talk about creating what is essentially a form of warmer cold calling!
There’s More Than Way to be Scarce
So the first thing we noticed was there’s more than one way to convey scarcity. Sometimes it’s the scarcity of the product. You know the drill – they tell you they’re about to sell out of something or other. But did you know that adding a number makes the claim more believable?
But there’s another way to show scarcity – it’s a scarcity of time. “Time is running out!” “You’ve got just two hours left to get …”
Yet another way is via exclusivity. This also appeals to customer desires to be and feel special. And they feel they can be seen as special by others. Social currency is absolutely a thing – and for many people, it feels scarce. A lot of folks will do just about anything to have more of it.
NOW.
#3. You Oughta Be in Pictures
It’s not your imagination: this winning tip can help you grow your YouTube channel. Noobpreneur tells us going with a niche is a great strategy. We agree!
Consider this. Do you listen to the radio? It can be in the car or at home or via satellite. Doesn’t matter. But what does matter is the radio doesn’t play just anything. You’re highly unlikely to hear gangsta rap right after a classical piece. And that’s true even if you, personally, like both pieces of music.
This is because the radio is segmented, big time. And maybe a little too much these days. You can get more than one version of 80s music, for example.
So consider such a strategy for YouTube, and don’t try to be all things to all people. Not even Casey Kasem was.
#2. Tapping into Influence
Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on how influencers can promote their platforms. Young Upstarts reveals all about it.
The biggest insight we got was to adapt messaging depending on which platform you’re on. And that works for us. In particular, it matters in terms of platforms you’re trying to break into.
If you’re awesome on Facebook, guess what? You need a whole new approach for Snapchat.
Another great idea was to provide something in return for following. Truth is, we do that here.
That’s kinda what this blog is all about, folks.
#1. Dear Sir or Madam: Please Buy Ad Space On My Blog kthxbai
We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on getting companies to buy advertising space on your blog. The Work At Home Woman says you, too, can grab this blogging Holy Grail.
One thing the article goes into is working directly with an advertiser versus an ad network. To our eyes, it looks like an ad network is a great way to get started. The network will do the legwork in terms of finding advertisers. But be aware – for most of the ones mentioned, you need 25,000 or more clicks per month on your blog.
Yeah. About that.
Affiliate Marketing
So there’s another way to monetize things, and it doesn’t hinge on clicks. It’s affiliate marketing. That’s where bloggers add (for example) a link to Amazon for selling a book. The link is particular to the blogger so, if you click through and buy the book, the blogger will get a cut of the proceeds. Because you’re there voluntarily, it’s better than warmer cold calling – you’re actually a hot prospect!
But…
Just like for ads, though, recognize one thing. If your blog isn’t uber-popular, you’re not going to make a lot of money. The number of people who do isn’t very large. Still, you can make some mad money with ads and affiliate marketing. After all, there are some ad networks which aren’t looking for such huge blogs with so much traffic (although shop around and do your homework, to make sure the ad network is reputable and will pay you).
Just don’t quit your day job.
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! Leave the sales freezer behind with warmer cold calling and more.
The post Try Some Warmer Cold Calling and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.
Achieve Perfect Productivity and More! –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week
The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Perfect Productivity Can Be Yours – 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! Perfect productivity is within your reach!
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. Love the ‘Gram
Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about marketing your business on Instagram. Noobpreneur tells us it’s better to talk to your customers than just blast them with sales messages. And we agree with that! Consider, if you will, why you follow a company on Instagram or any other social media platform.
It’s probably for something like – coupons, contests, information/training, or job openings. Most of us aren’t following, say, Coca-Cola, because we feel like watching or reading or listening to an ad. We see enough of those, day in, day out.
So stand out by showcasing something different.
#9. Multiply the Value of Every Customer
The next awesome tip is about selling more to existing customers. G2 has the details. Some of these should be fairly familiar. For example, the idea of upselling or offering cross-selling is nothing new. Upselling can be if you offer an extra something or other when the customer is ready to check out. This is something you base on what they have in their shopping cart.
Cross-selling is bundling – we’re used to seeing it with cable TV. Your customer is buying shoes, so they might also need socks. You get the idea.
But our favorite tip was seemingly counterintuitive.
Downselling.
Say what?
Offer Less to Keep the Prospect Interested
What an interesting concept. When customers abandon their shopping carts, over half the time it’s due to price. So why not offer them lower-priced items in your cart abandonment emails? Or coupon codes or discounts or the like – any of these can work.
Once you’ve proven yourself and your company to your customers, they might be inclined to buy that more expensive item anyway.
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! Perfect productivity can be yours.
#8. An Awesome Business Plan is But a Week Away
Our following life-changing tip concerns writing a killer business plan in just about no time. Succeed As Your Own Boss says you’re looking for quality, and not quantity.
We really loved the first two tips. One was to look at problems as business opportunities. And the other was an old chestnut – know your customers.
A Fer-Instance
Let’s say the problem you’ve identified in the world is how easy it is for umbrellas to turn inside out in high winds. We all know what happens – people toss out the old brolly and buy a replacement. No biggie, yes?
Well, what happens if we suggest a different outcome? Our reinforced umbrella is probably going to cost more, at least to start. And it may be heavier than your garden variety umbrella. So who are our customers? People with some money and some upper arm strength. Hence our customers might not be the elderly or people with disabilities. At least, not yet.
Once you understand both these things, you start to have a clue about the framework of your business plan.
Of course, this example is simplistic. But there’s no reason you can’t do something similar when figuring out your own business plan.
Oh, and business plans can be changed. So don’t sweat it if oh my goodness your business is expanding and the plan no longer fits.
Just change the plan.
#7. Deals – Faster Than the Speed Of Business
For our next sensational tip, we looked at streamlining your deal flow. Mail Shake lays it all out for us. We were so pleased that the first task is research! After all, how can you understand your prospect if you don’t take even the minimal amount of time to get to know what motivates them? What do they want? And what will turn them right off?
True Story
So this probably doesn’t apply to most people, but what the hey. Your intrepid blog writer does not have children – and none planned. Hence, this is a minority position.
As a result, when talking to a sales person, being told something or other is good for my utterly mythological children is quite the turn off. Now, I don’t expect most sales people to have any idea about this nugget of information about me. Rather, what I expect is for sales to take into consideration that it’s possible they would encounter a member of my type of minority.
Or consider vegans buying a barbecue grill to cook fruit and vegetables (try corn on the cob and pineapple – they’re particularly awesome). And then the sales person goes through a whole spiel all about, you guessed it, cooking steaks on the grill.
You can imagine how well something like that is going to go over, eh?
Outreach, Engagement, and Closing
So these are the three other parts of a streamlined deal flow. The article has wonderful suggestions on how to stand out in these three areas. We recommend reading the article for the details.
#6. Tick Tock
This tip is so neat, and it works! Proof Hub notes that you don’t have to make time management mistakes.
So quit procrastinating!
It’s not so simple. Totally understood.
The article gives some ideas as to why we may be procrastinating. And their #9 is a doozy – you didn’t do the hardest thing first.
This makes a great deal of sense to us. But … we have a caveat to this.
Way Back When…
You know the old saying, “you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince?” That was your intrepid blog writer and jobs, at times. So I’ve been on a ton of job interviews. One question which came up more than once was, what do you do when you’ve got 3 hours’ worth of work but only 2 hours in which to do it in?
Tackling the hardest thing first is admirable, and it may even be rewarding. But it’s not necessarily the best way to get started – at least not in that particular scenario. In that instance, the first thing to do is anything which can make it easy or even possible for you to hand off some of that work to a fellow team member.
Because two people working for an hour and a half is about the same as one person working three hours. And then the work gets done. Pro tip – pointing out that this is a scenario which should be rare will never get you the job. Even though it’s true!
Back to Procrastinating
We also liked the fourth tip, which points out that not making an effort to get past procrastination is a problem. Well, yeah.
So do what it takes, if it means setting up a nanny-style app to keep you off the internet or setting an alarm or whatever. And remember: whenever you’re done with whatever it was you were procrastinating over; you’re going to feel an incredible sense of relief.
So get cracking! No, not after another game of solitaire.
#5. Perfect Productivity Isn’t Just Some Pipe Dream
Grab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot!
Perfect productivity. It’s the Holy Grail, isn’t it? Resume.io tells us there are a few things we can stop doing the moment we get to work. One which we really liked – two actually – was to turn off your browser for the first half hour or so. And don’t open email then, either.
So, what should you be doing instead? The article also says to not go into a meeting first thing, either. And you shouldn’t be multitasking.
So, er, what are you supposed to be doing? Concentrating on … something.
Writers Unite for Perfect Productivity!
This works rather well for us writerly types. Turning off the world for a while so the work can get down is awesome. And being able to hear yourself think is key.
Of course if you need to check the internet to get your writing done, then you’re kind of out of luck. Like your intrepid blog writer. So we feel that’s a bit impractical. Still, it can help to at least restrict where you go or you can go. Hence you may need to get creative and block Facebook on a temporary basis, at least until you’ve done your first thing-type work.
Quelle horreur!
Heh, you’ll get over it.
Pro Tip for Perfect Productivity!
Sometimes utter silence can be as distracting as a beehive of an office. So here’s what your intrepid blog writer does – I listen to music. More specifically, 80s music. Now, this is where working from home comes in mighty handy. Coworkers aren’t subject to my need to sing along with Morrissey. The neighbors, however, are not so lucky.
Uh, sorry ‘bout that.
So it might work for you to sometimes turn on music. It’s usually best if it’s something you already know, so you’re not carefully listening to see if you like it. Some people report instrumentals are better, and classical can be great. You do you, whatever works best for your own personal perfect productivity.
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! Perfect productivity can be yours.
#4. Promo and Then Promo Again
Check out this spectacular tip, all about unconventionally promoting your company blog. Freelancers Union says there are methods your competition probably hasn’t heard of.
Our favorite was Quora spaces. We had never heard of them – and we’ve been on Quora! So the concept behind the spaces is to allow people to categorize themselves. Want to just talk to company founders? You can.
Another tip we liked was creating teaser content. So rather than just promoting a post after it’s gone live, why not hype it beforehand?
But one thing we’ve observed wasn’t mentioned – if you tease too much, and you don’t really produce well enough to live up to the hype, people are going to stop falling prey to your teasing. So make sure you don’t overdo it.
#3. Harness the Power of the Google Snippet
It’s not your imagination: this winning tip can help you get more prospects from Google search snippets. Conversion XL has the lowdown. First off, before continuing – read the entire article! Yes, it’s that terrific.
But our favorite tip was something perhaps a bit unexpected. It’s using your meta description and other parts of your blog posts strategically. See, the meta description is the part you see in Google under the URL (note: you may see something else – this tip covers both). Now, you will most likely add your keyword phrase anyway. But why not add synonyms? Of course, you want to be writing this for a person. Don’t stuff keywords! Or even their synonyms.
Just … don’t.
But you can use strategic similar words without appearing obnoxious and overly salesy. Hence if your blog post is on over the road trucking, then you can maybe add related words like trucker, highway, or driving.
An Example
Looking for an over the road trucking company? Our truckers love driving down the open highway and they want to drive your cargo.
Okay, so it looks kind of lame. But it fits the criteria well. So, why do you want to do this?
Easy – when your prospects ask a question on Google, the matching words will show up in your Google snippet, in bold.
Where can I find an over the road trucking company? What’s a good company to get my cargo down the highway? Do I need professional truckers to handle my cargo?
These inquiries could all potentially bring your content to the top of search results. And even better, the matching words will pop.
#2. Spy on Your Competition’s Top Landing Pages
Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on gaining insights from your competition’s top landing pages. SEM Rush tells us that there are any number of insights you can glean from checking these pages. These pages, by definition, are what a prospect or customer gets to when they click from somewhere else.
Now keep in mind, this article is essentially a demonstration of how the SEM Rush product works. But the insights are still of some value. So try it yourself. But how?
Do a Little Detective Work
Have you ever shopped at your competition’s store? Whether online or in person, it’s a way to get an idea of the lay of the land. What do they offer? And what catches customers’ eyes?
You would probably disguise yourself if you were going in person – or you would hire someone to do the deed. You’re looking, although you might buy something to see how they do with checking people out. Heck, you could even try returning something and seeing how that goes.
There’s no reason whatsoever why you can’t do something similar online. You can also do this with search. If you are a residential real estate agent working in (for example) Philadelphia, then a search for Philadelphia real estate agent gets you where, exactly? What happens when you click through? And what happens if you use a variant of this search, like Philadelphia realtor or Main Line real estate agent?
Which page comes up? What are you served? And what does it seem is supposed to happen? Do you get information, or fill a shopping cart?
While doing this manually can’t get you metrics, and it’s slow, it can still get you some insights. Try it!
#1. You Can Imagine How Great it is to Understand How and When to Use Persuasive Words
We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on the best persuasive words and phrases. Sales Hacker says there are words which spur sales, and others which close wallets.
And one of the most important things you can do is something so many of us do so little of – listen. We strongly encourage you to read the entire article, as it is that good. Oh, and check out how much we implemented in the title for this tip…
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! Perfect productivity can be yours.
The post Achieve Perfect Productivity and More! –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.
Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients
Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients When you collaborate with the “ideal” customer, life is fantastic as well as service is basic. The ideal customer pays on schedule, is delighted with your job, talks of her pals concerning you, and also improvises what you do simple. If you could reproduce the excellent … Continue reading Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients
Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients
Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients
When you collaborate with the “ideal” customer, life is fantastic as well as service is basic. The ideal customer pays on schedule, is delighted with your job, talks of her pals concerning you, and also improvises what you do simple. If you could reproduce the excellent customer, after that company would not be tough?
Allow’s go over just how to find even more excellent customers so you can raise your revenue and also lower your not-so-perfect customer dramatization.
Specify your “excellent” customer. Compose a checklist of particular things that makes (or you believe would certainly make) a customer fantastic. Exactly how much loan does the customer make?
When you have a checklist of standards that make up your ideal customer, discover out what the customer does in his extra time. Does your customer like to delight visitors in her residence? Where does your customer store?
Recognizing what your customer does with his time will certainly assist you understand where to market as well as where to discover even more ideal customers. If your ideal customer is included with a neighborhood charity, you might likewise desire to come to be a component of that company to fulfill various other possible customers.
Ask the customers that currently drop right into the “ideal” classification, for references. My individual preferred method to ask for recommendations is to claim, “You are my best kind of customer to function with as well as I would certainly like to function with even more individuals like you. Provide them a company card or a leaflet or various other item of advertising and marketing product they can pass on to their excellent good friends.
The even more ideal customers you deal with the even more chances you will certainly have and also discover to deal with various other best customers. Bear in mind, if you have customers that have actually been less-than-perfect, they are more probable to refer you to various other less-than-perfect individuals. Do whatever you can to border on your own with excellent ones, as well as your organisation will certainly be remarkable!
When you have a listing of standards that make up your ideal customer, locate out what the customer does in his extra time. Recognizing what your customer does with his time will certainly assist you understand where to market as well as where to discover even more excellent customers. If your excellent customer is included with a regional charity, you might additionally desire to end up being a component of that company to fulfill various other possible customers. My individual favored method to ask for references is to state, “You are my ideal kind of customer to function with and also I would certainly enjoy to function with even more individuals like you. The even more ideal customers you function with the even more possibilities you will certainly have and also locate to function with various other ideal customers.
The post Exactly How Creative Professionals Can Get More Perfect Clients appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.
Beginning a New Business Requires More Than Just A Good Idea!
Beginning a New Business Requires More Than Just A Good Idea! You will certainly understand the relevance of unsafe begin up financing as soon as you’ve done this. Hardly ever does a person have the cost savings or individual sources to place a service strategy right into activity totally by themselves. Usually, also when one …