Business

Working on a construction project is no simple feat. There are key stages you need to prepare for in order to minimise safety risks and ensure timely completion of your requests. Take a closer look at these basic stages to understand what you need to do. Regardless of the scale of your project, you will most likely observe the five key stages below.

Creating a construction plan

This stage involves conceptualizing your plans. Think about what you hope to achieve with your project. How many floors do you want for the building? Do you already have a location for your project? More importantly, what standards or regulations do you need to follow. As the project owner, you must identify all the key things you need to work on. Be as detailed as possible when you create your plan.

Finding the right people to help you

You will most definitely need to hire a few people to help you complete your project such as structural engineers, interior designers and electrical engineers. These folks will help you execute your plans. They will also come in handy for performing tasks that require experience and finesse such as checking the overall structure of the building and connecting the required utilities.

Looking for equipment rentals or acquiring required tools

Another key step in launching a successful construction project is looking for equipment rental companies or suppliers. You may need a few tools such as a hydraulic power pack and heavy equipment to perform various construction-related tasks. You must decide whether to buy or rent tools and equipment to complete a certain aspect of your project. If it’s a one-time gig, it’s highly recommended to lease the equipment. However, if you will most likely work on another project, then you should consider purchasing the essential equipment.

Working on the plans

After procuring the equipment, contacting suppliers, hiring a contractor and completing the construction plan, it will be easier to start working on the project. Be sure to brief everyone involved in the project about the time frame, budget and even your expectations. This way, everything will be in order. Continuous monitoring of the project will allow you to complete your project with fewer complications. This will also help you determine possible points for improvement.

Finalising the project

Once your team completes the project, there are a few things you need to attend to. Some of these tasks include having the building checked for structural issues and handing it over to the owner. See to it that you provide all the necessary documentation.

Examine the materials used and installed in the building a few times to know which ones need your immediate attention. At this point, your team also needs to review contracts and warranty certifications.

A construction project entails a lot of work. You may also need to face and resolve all kinds of issues that may arise during the project. Regular communication among your team members and solid planning will help you ensure smooth and timely completion of your project.

Have you battled with getting visitors to your website to do what you want? Perhaps you are wanting them to sign up for your newsletter or, alternatively, get a demo of your product however they never get to that page? It may be the right time to have another look at your call-to-action.

What is a call-to-action?

The term ‘call-to-action’ (CTA) is a statement which is designed to elicit an immediate response from the individual who is reading or, alternatively, hearing it. The CTA is used in business – as part of a digital marketing strategy – in order to get your target audience to respond to it by taking a certain action.

Before you put pen to paper and write down your call to action, decide what the goal is that you’re trying to reach:

• Do you want to boost subscriptions?
• Increase sales?
• Move readers along to another content piece?

Once you have an idea of the action that you want performed, think about how best you can achieve this goal.

The best call-to-action phrases are short and use powerful verbs. In addition, they speak directly to the user. Rather than weaker call-to-action words – such as click here – an efficient call-to-action phrase will use more particular words that speak directly to the outcome that you want. Great calls-to-action include:

• Discover your best life
• Join our community
• Book your next adventure.

Where should a call-to-action be?

The question “where should I place my CTA on my website?” is one that digital marketing experts attempt to tackle often. And it’s probably as it’s so frustrating. Currently, no one has decided on one clear solution such as, for example, “top-right corner of every web page” in order to solve the conundrum of where CTAs should belong for optimal engagement.

Before A/B testing and heat-mapping tools, web designers and digital marketers though that the best solutions was to put all the important information above the fold and then the secondary information below the fold.

According to expert, where the CTA is placed should be influenced by the density of a page:

• For a shorter page that has less information, it may make sense to put the CTA above the fold.
• For a longer page that conveys that is more complex, the CTA may do better below the fold.

In a study, researchers compared the difference in conversion rates between:

• A shorter home page design that had a distracting navigation bar, no value proposition in the content, and a call-to-action form in the top-right of the page, and
• A longer home page design with content that delivered a stronger, clearer and more detailed value proposition.

The researchers also removed the distracting navigation and placed the call-to-action at the bottom of the page.

What was found that the simpler and longer layout of the page had a 220% higher conversion rate than that of the original control page. The basic assumption here is that because the web designers provided all the useful information which visitors required in a clean and simple manner; they didn’t mind waiting until the end of the page to engage with the CTA.

Your CTA is the opportunity to motivate your digital audience to take real steps in terms of becoming a customer or client. The CTA can be the deciding factor between a lead and a conversion. Many argue that the CTA is the most valuable part of your site or ad campaign. Skipping the CTA is a dangerous mistake that won’t bode well for your company.

If you utilise your CTA in order to create a sense of urgency – or to gently steer your users towards the checkout line – the important thing is that you use a strong CTA. Next time you’re creating site content or ad copy, let your call to action shine. The results will follow.

 

Some customers don’t care much about product labels. They already know which specific items to buy the moment they enter the department store or grocery store. However, not everyone shops that way. Others prefer to look at the details of the product labels before they decide which one to buy. These are the reasons why you need to give importance to product labels.

Health concerns 

There are certain ingredients in food and other products that the government allows since they’re generally safe. Others are okay when used only up to a certain percentage for every serving or container. However, for some people, these ingredients or contents could cause an adverse impact on their health. They could get allergic reactions. Others might have specific illnesses that prevent them from consuming or using certain products. Therefore, you need to be clear about product contents on the label to ensure the safety of your customers.

Use of chemicals

Some customers might not have health issues, but they care a lot about the environment. They want to ensure that whatever they buy won’t negatively impact the environment. The use of certain chemicals could harm the environment. Other products use ingredients or contents coming from endangered species or protected organisms. They don’t want to be a part of the problem and avoiding certain brands is their way of doing it.

Quality of the products 

You won’t know if the product is of top quality unless you use it. However, for some products, it’s easy to determine quality based on the content. For instance, if you’re selling a variety of food, but the main ingredients are only a small percentage of the entire serving, it means that the item isn’t worth buying. For instance, when you’re selling potato chips and the label says that potato is only 10% of the entire serving, people will stay away from them. They’re not consuming their money’s worth in that case.

Product origin 

The label also states where the product came from. Some brands might be popular as a product of a specific country, but the item sold is manufactured elsewhere. It doesn’t automatically mean the product is of poor quality. It might just affect how consumers see the product. It’s their right to know where the items were made.

Provide the necessary information and more

Depending on the nature of the product sold, you have to disclose specific information on the label as required by the government; otherwise, you could be in violation of the law. You’ll get penalized for such a violation. Worse, it could even lead to the closure of your business. If you don’t want it to happen, you need to stick to the rules. You can even go beyond and provide further information not required, for transparency reasons. As long as there’s enough space on the label, it’s okay.

After designing the label, you can find quality printers and labelling machines if you want top quality for the product labels.

 

 

Every business has a focal point for its marketing. In the majority of cases, that focal point is either the company’s greatest achievement to date, or the one thing that the company does better than any of its rivals. The purpose of all business marketing is to attract new customers, and to tell them – in as short and snappy a way as possible – that their company is the right one to choose for whatever product or service it is that they provide. Using information about the business might feel like the most logical and appropriate way to do it, but it isn’t. You might actually be better served by putting some bunny ears on and taking a cute picture; and no, we aren’t joking.

There are a few things we need to explain in order to back that statement up. The first of them is that right now, the target market for most businesses is Millennials. Boomers are now too old to be considered as a current or future client base, Generation X is completely set in their ways when it comes to buying habits, and Millennials are now of an age where they’re making large purchases, like cars and houses. The issue is that Millennials really hate advertising. They’ve grown up in an extremely commercial world, and they can see an advert coming a mile away. They ignore it. Your marketing material might feature the most outstanding content in the world, but they won’t even read it.

What Millennials do like, however, is cute animals. They spend more on pets than any generation in history. Spending on birthday cakes for pets and pajamas for pets has accelerated dramatically in recent years, and it’s motivated by the Millennial love of all things adorable. This is, after all, the generation that expanded the internet and then filled it with pictures of cats. It’s also the generation that can’t seem to take a selfie without applying a filter to it to make themselves appear to have cute red cheeks, bunny rabbit noses, or other visual elements that seem to have been drawn from a Disney movie. On the topic of Disney, childhood Millennial couples are going on Disney holidays far more than their parents ever did. This is the great contradiction that sits at the heart of Millennials when it comes to business. They’re too cynical for advertising, but still seem to be children at heart when it comes to their spending habits.

There may be no greater example of what we’re talking about than the one that can be found on parts of the internet reserved for online slots sites or their sister sites. The most popular mobile slots games in new UK casinos right now – and possibly the whole world – is called ‘Fluffy Favourites.’ It’s a slots game like any other you’ve ever seen, but it stars a cast of cuddly, fluffy toys who have come to life. Millennials are playing mobile slots in significant numbers – which is an adult activity – but they’re particularly drawn to a mobile slots game which features characters that belong in a child’s bedroom. Eyecon, the company who made the game, were smart enough to understand the appeal of using such characters in marketing. Your business – unless it would be completely inappropriate to do so – should be looking at the same strategy.

If the success of the cute approach was confined purely to the world of mobile slots, we wouldn’t make such a deal of it. It’s not, though. If you remember the famous Budweiser advert from the Superbowl back in 2015, you’ll recall that it starred a horse and a dog. What do a horse and a dog have to do with beer? Absolutely nothing. They didn’t have to. They were cute, and the cuteness resonated with the audience. People remembered the advert, and then they went out and bought more Budweiser. If you’re a resident of the UK, you’re probably sick of the sight of a cute family of meerkats who advertise a price comparison website. Again, the meerkats have nothing to do with the service that’s being sold. They’re there for the express purpose of making the service seem cute and quirky to Millennial customers, and the strategy works. The ‘Compare the Market’ website that they advertise is the outright leader within its sector.

If yours is a business which demands to be taken seriously, going for the cute approach can be counter-intuitive. There might not seem like an immediately obvious ‘cute’ angle to your business. The simple truth, though, is that there doesn’t need to be one. As we’ve seen from the examples we discussed above, there needn’t be any connection at all between what your business does, and what you use to advertise it. There’s no reason why you couldn’t adopt a cartoon hippo as your company mascot. Perhaps a friendly-looking shark would do the trick, or a hamster? As ridiculous as it sounds, so long as it looks adorable, we know from Millennial consumer behavior that they’re likely to look twice at it, and that’s all you need to get their attention. Forget the wording, and focus on the visual. If the visual is right, you’ll reach new customers.

Whether this approach will still work ten years from now is another matter entirely. Generation Z is still young, but early research that’s been conducted on them suggests that they’ll be even harder to reach than their Millennial counterparts. They’re far more likely to have ad-blocking software installed on their phones, they’re almost certain to skip advertising content on videos, and in some instances, they’ll avoid a product completely if they can see that it contains advertising in any form. Unless a new strategy proves capable of reaching them, it might be that everyone who works in marketing has to give up and find a new career a decade from now. In the meantime, let’s all take the cute approach to marketing, and make hay while the sun is still shining!

 

When consumers arrive at a company’s website, businesses have one goal: to get them to convert.

Whether that means buying a product, scheduling a service, or even just contacting the company for more information, increasing conversions is something all businesses aim to do. And fortunately, there are a few simple ways to boost conversions that simply involve changing up the web design details on a company’s page.

Use the rule of thirds

In any and all aspects of design, there is something called the “rule of thirds”. This design principle can help companies determine which information should be put where on a web page. Basically, the page should be divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, giving nine equal “squares” of space to work with.

The rule of thirds says that objects placed at the four middle intersections of the squares are the main areas of focus. So whatever is put in this space is what consumers’ eyes will focus on the most. With that in mind, objects like a call to action button should be placed near this section to catch consumers’ attention. SEO services like linkgraph.io can help you with this.

Utilize negative space

Many companies make the mistake of trying to cram as much information as possible on each of their web pages. And while it’s certainly important to provide consumers with the right information, too much content can be overwhelming and make for an overall poor design.

This is why companies need to have a good mix of positive space (the space that has stuff in it) and the negative space (which is the empty space). There should be plenty of negative space between paragraphs, around pictures, and above and below headings.

Without negative space, consumers will have a difficult time reading the site and aren’t likely to convert. And businesses should ensure that the content they worked so hard to help build doesn’t get lost in a busy page design.

Use original photos

Images are an important part of web design: they help bring meaning to the content and can help attract attention. But when companies choose to use stock photos instead of using original photos, usually because they’re free or very cheap, they greatly increase the risk of losing conversions and credibility.

Companies should always work with a professional photographer to create images chosen for their website. In doing this, the photos will look like they actually belong and will flow nicely with the overall design of the page. Furthermore, a real, original photo is easy to spot and will make a company seem more credible than if they use a cheesy, cheap-looking stock photo.

Have easy navigation

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses can make when designing their website is making their site navigation too complex. When consumers visit a website, they should be guided through the site in order to land them on the page that will allow them to buy something or schedule a service.

But if the site is too complex to navigate, whether it’s because of a complicated navigation bar or a too-small call to action button, companies aren’t going to see as many conversions. Allowing consumers to navigate a site with minimal clicks will make it easy for them to convert at the end of their visit on the site.

Consumers can tell the difference between companies that put effort into their web design and companies that don’t. You should always keep your pages clean and simple, allowing consumers to get the information they need and guide them into an easy conversion.

 

 

There’s no denying that contractors are vital to the economy. After all, not only can the services that they provide improve offices and homes, but also keep them from falling apart. And it is for these reasons that the demand for these businesses is almost always high, and why many entrepreneurs choose to enter this industry in the first place.

But while a contractor business can be a potentially lucrative venture to pursue, it also comes with its fair share of challenges too. So before you get too far ahead of yourself and commit a substantial amount of financial resources to the endeavor, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Take advantage of industry associations

There’s a good reason why many contracting businesses join industry associations: not only does it help create exposure and boost the network of their companies, but they can also be an invaluable source of knowledge too. And by doing the same, you will be able to gain insight into the various facets of the industry, from product recommendations to the necessary skill sets that your business will require to generate more sales and profit.

Make sure you have a financial cushion

It’s not uncommon for many contractors to struggle with cash-flow issues from delayed payments. As such, it’s a general rule of thumb for any business in this industry to always have a financial cushion to support operations if and when the need arises. In this way, you’re less likely to encounter problems in securing the necessary equipment, tools, and materials that the work entails, and as a result, maintain a consistently high level of productivity in the process.

Use digital marketing strategies

For small contracting businesses working with limited resources, the costs of traditional advertising methods can be too much to shoulder. As such, it makes sense to opt for cost-effective alternatives like digital marketing instead. In this way, you won’t have to spend more than what you need too. And with services provided by the likes of Local SEO West Palm Beach, you can enhance your marketing strategy further and improve your chances of getting the desired return on your investment as a result.

Keep a close eye on your finances

One of the primary reasons why running a contracting company can be a massive undertaking is because of the high costs involved with the business. As such, it’s crucial to keep a close eye on your finances to ensure that you are generating the desired profit margins. Number crunching may not necessarily be the most exciting aspect of running a business, but time invested in reviewing your financial records regularly and looking for inexpensive alternatives and better deals for the equipment and supplies needed can pay dividends.

Despite its highly lucrative nature, running a contractor business is a task that is easier said than done. But by following the tips listed above, not only will you minimize the likelihood of running into potential problems but also increase your chances of growth and success within the industry.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

For a small business, customer loyalty can make the difference between that business thriving and that business failing. In order to create customer loyalty, small business owners have to have excellent customer service. One of the best ways to have excellent customer services is making sure all your customers’ needs are met. 

A call center is the perfect way to make sure your customers are being heard and having their problems solved, but is call center outsourcing the smartest thing for your small business? Here’s what you need to know about call center outsourcing for small businesses.

What is the best way to outsource your call center?

Cloud call center software is easy, efficient, and cost-effective for small business. Cloud call center software exists virtually and remotely. Your call center agents do not need to be in the same location, which means you will never need to provide a physical office space for your agents. 

This also saves your business from having to install costly hardware in order to create a call center. Call centers are an effective way for your customers and clients to reach someone when they have a question, and cloud call centers are the best way for you to implement a call center. 

What is the biggest benefit of cloud call center software?

By far, the biggest benefit of cloud call center software is the web-based omnichannel platform. This platform allows your customers to interact with agents through a variety of different channels. They can, of course, still make a traditional phone call, but your clients will also have the option to text, email, video chat, or send a message. 

In addition, conversations between customers and agents can transition between platforms, meaning your customer can ask a question through text, then transition to phone call, and then back to text, if they so choose. This makes it even easier for your customers to get the help they need in whatever manner they desire.

Around 12 percent of American adults experience social anxiety at some point in their lives. If your customers are experiencing anxiety, they may not want to make a traditional phone call. For these clients, the ability to message or text their questions and concerns might make all the difference. Offering an omnichannel platform is a great way to build customer loyalty and help your clients feel like their concerns are always being addressed. 

How much does this software cost?

Of course, when you’re running a business, you need to know what you can afford to spend on every aspect of your organization. You might have delayed starting a call center because you aren’t sure if you can afford it. Thankfully, you can. With this cloud call center software, you’re able to configure the software based on your needs. This means you are only ever paying for what will directly benefit you and your business, and after your one-time start-up fee, you’ll be able to choose what best suits you. The professionals will also help you analyze your needs and decide what will be the best plan for your business’s needs. 

Since customer service can make such a huge difference, the costs of the software are greatly offset by the gains in customer loyalty. Your clients will be thrilled that they are able to reach your business at any time and in any mode of communication. 

Starting your cloud call center is extremely easy, and you’ll be amazed by the benefits the software will bring to your company. Utilizing this form of customer service will help ensure all your clients’ needs are met in a timely and satisfactory manner. Also, you’ll be able to analyze how well your agents are helping your customers, meaning your call center will always be improving and growing. Now is the time to start your cloud call center and begin making more money. 

 

You hired an accountant because you wanted someone who can do the job well. Your financial records are essential and submitting your tax documents to the government on time is also important. Therefore, when the person you hired to do the job has terrible performance, it might be time to replace that person. It’s tough to let go of a full-time employee, but you need to do it for the sake of your business. You don’t want someone terrible at this job to continue working with you.

Choose an accounting firm to continue the work

Instead of hiring someone to work on your accounts, outsource the service to someone else. You can partner with accounting firms like the experts at www.gsmaccountants.co.uk. The good thing about accounting firms is that they know what they’re doing. They also have lots of highly qualified accountants who can do the job. Let them know about the services you want and when you want to obtain the results.

The good thing about accounting firms is that they will do their best to help you because their reputation is on the line. If they fail to provide top services, it could adversely impact their image. Besides, even if they are unable to deliver, it’s easy for you to find another accounting firm to replace them. Once you finish the project with a firm, you can look for another option for the next time.

Accounting outcomes create ripple effects

When you don’t have a qualified accountant doing the job, it could mess things up. For instance, you won’t submit tax documents on time. Even if you do, if the document has tons of errors, you could get fined by the government. You might even end up losing the license to operate as a business.

Another problem is that you can’t correctly track your expenses and income. You won’t know how much money is going out and coming in. Therefore, you can’t create an accurate budget. You might end up overspending.

You can’t compromise your company’s finances

Although you want to treat your employees well, there are some aspects of your business you can’t compromise. Besides, anyone who decides to work with you needs to provide quality services. Getting fired as a result of poor performance shouldn’t come as a surprise.

It’s not like you will let go of the person right away. You will provide training and orientation to guide the new employee. After making mistakes, you need to remind the person not to do them again. Provide feedback to ensure better results next time. Despite your reminders, if there are still mistakes in carrying out tasks, you might have to consider letting go of that person. You can’t tolerate mistakes anymore. You can find someone else to take over the post, or you can partner with an accounting firm to do the tasks required.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

 

Marketing is only one aspect of a business, but it entails a detailed plan to achieve its purpose – to increase sales. For furniture companies, the manner of promoting their products should be more aggressive since it is not a common item to buy. A considerable investment is at stake and falling behind the competition can easily break the business. A better marketing strategy that includes sufficient analysis of the market for furniture, along with the best products to offer can keep the business running.

By making unique and exemplary designs

To make the company the top choice of customers, creating pieces of furniture with unique and excellent designs is a significant edge. The furniture designs should always be secondary to the quality that can last for a prolonged period. The customers, especially big companies that place orders in bulk, usually base their decision to purchase furniture on what pleases the eye. Creating distinct and exclusive designs can help in making the furniture company famous in the industry.

By providing options to customers

Customer satisfaction should always be the top objective for a furniture business to achieve. To serve this purpose, furniture makers must know the particular needs and preferences of their clients. Different options can be provided for customers that range from personalized design options, intended materials to be used, the timeframe to finish the orders, and mode of payment to the delivery of the finished product. Providing different options is an advantage for a furniture business as clients choose the company that can best serve their interests.

By assessing old marketing strategies and replacing them with rehashed ones

Another way to check if the marketing strategy used before was useful is by evaluating the performance of the business, such as the increase of sales and the inflow of customers. If these significant determinants do not turn out well, a rehash of the old strategy should be considered. One strategy which is efficient is the online advertising of the products and services, as well as providing guides on the types of furniture the customers may purchase, and their prices. The online platform also enables the business to answer inquiries quickly and make transactions fast and easy.

By staying true to the mission of the business

The best and most effective strategy that a furniture business can do is establishing a credible image bearing the purpose of the company and its years of existence. Most customers who want to buy furniture rely on referrals as to where they can find quality furniture that they find appealing. Staying true to the mission of the business, like making every home beautiful through the furniture they exclusively make, can be a strong marketing statement to attract more clients. But the mission should not only be for promotion. The best translation of the defined purpose is to apply it to all furniture that the company produces, like Mason furniture established in the industry.

Every business has the potential to market its products. The one which sells more is the business that has maximized this potential.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

When some people think of blogs, they think of the negatives. They might see a company’s unloved and unused blog and wonder what the post is. The blogs are rarely updated, and even when they are, they are poorly written and read by no-one.

All they see is a lot of time and effort for no return. It shouldn’t be this way. When done properly, a blog can be the lifeblood of your business, driving the visits and leads that keep your business afloat. But you need to put the effort in. Here we’ll take a look at the reasons why a blog is not just worth it – it’s essential.

It brings people to your website

Blogging is one of the most reliable and cost-effective ways of driving traffic to your website. It allows you to bulk up the content, targeting your important keywords, while giving people a reason to visit your site.

Beyond the static pages of your site, you have free rein to write about almost any topic you like. Keep things focused, though, and concentrate on topics you think are most beneficial to your readers. If you’re a dry cleaner, articles like ‘The best way of removing oil from your clothes’, or ‘5 top detergent brands reviewed’ are likely to appeal to people looking to get the best results for their clothes.

The bulk of your site will be made of pages that won’t change much over time, whereas your blog will be updated regularly – giving people a reason to come back.

It drives leads and sales

A blog can greatly increase your conversion rate of visitors into leads and sales. Would you trust a website for a cattery that has one page saying they will look after your cat, or one with multiple pages on cat care, cat grooming, cat massage, the benefits of catnip, and so on? A well-managed blog can help convince your readers that you really know what you’re talking about and can be trusted to do the job well.

Chad Harwood-Jones, founder of content marketing agency WooContent, says: ‘We encourage all of our clients to start a blog, and we find the ones that do have a much better rate of conversion across the board.’

You’ve done the hard bit of getting someone to your website over the millions of others out there, so give yourself the best chance of turning that visit into cash.

It will keep driving results in the long term

Once you’ve written a blog post or created another piece of content to add to it, it will be there forever. Evergreen content is the name given to posts that keep on giving – instead of driving an initial boost of traffic then tailing off, they’ll keep bringing new visitors. It makes sense to keep adding to them with up-to-date information, turning ‘5 top tip’ lists into, 10, 30, 101 and more, to stay ahead of the competition.

By building up your blog posts over time, even if single posts are driving a few visits a week, this can quickly build up to a significant volume.

It helps to boost social media profiles

Content is what keeps your social media presence ticking over. Blogs give you something to share and use to engage with your followers. Do they agree with the points you make? Do they have anything else to add, or any experience themselves? By creating engaging content, you give people a reason to talk to you and a way of finding a new audience.

When you create quality content you open up a way of reaching new customers without having to spend big on advertising.

Get going today

You can debate all you want about whether to start a blog, but you’ll be losing ground to your competitors all the time. Start by focusing on what you’re most passionate about when it comes to your business and industry, and find the words soon start flowing. It’s likely that the people who are interested in your services will find it engaging, too.

The proof is there that, when done well, a good blog can supercharge your business performance.