Top 10 Fastest Growing Franchises

If you are looking for a franchise to invest in, there are a lot of different criteria to choose from. One of the ways you can compare franchises is by looking at which are currently growing the fastest.

RELATED: TOP NEW FRANCHISES TO INVEST IN 

Many of these franchises are quickly spreading across the country, and this is due to a lot of reasons, including their unique products, growing brand recognition and smart development plans. Similar to past years, the fastest growing franchises this year were mostly restaurants, fitness centers and beauty salons.

For restaurants specifically, the fastest growing franchises in America typically include those that specialize in sandwiches, coffee and frozen yogurt. When looking for your next investment, don’t forget to take a look at the fastest growing franchises. There’s a reason why these companies are sweeping across the country.

 

RELATED: TOP 10 FRANCHISES OF 2015

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/27/top-10-fastest-growing-franchises/

The Definitive List of 35 Home Business Tax Deductions

Source: Fundera

Tax season is upon us—a time that can strike fear in the hearts of small business owners everywhere. But while there’s a wealth of information out there about tax deductions for business owners in general, when you run your business out of your home, it can be far more challenging to understand how some of those policies apply.

We know that for home-based business owners, every penny saved can have a significant impact on your bottom line. That’s why we’ve created this definitive list of all the available small business tax deductions, paying special consideration to how your status as a home-based business may impact the write-offs.

Read more here.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/26/definitive-list-35-home-business-tax-deductions/

Getting the Best Mobile Augmented Reality for Industry-Based Learning

Getting the Best Mobile Augmented Reality for Industry-Based Learning

The modern world has experienced a great transformation in learning from. There has been a shift of focus from self-study and workshops to mobile training applications and learning management systems. However, human resource training experts are still in search for better learning solutions that can further improve the learning opportunities.

No wonder the augmented reality training falls among the hottest trends in the corporate learning industry. Most HR practitioners love this program because of its stunning possibilities. The 2014 sensor data and paper fusing self-reported from mixed reality training provides the most explicit proof that augmented reality training actually works. The survey revealed that Mobile AR and desktop MBIs are a far cry from one another when you use them for training guidance.

It eliminates the need for a second trial before you complete the task. Additionally, mobile augmented reality reduces the chances of making mistakes by 90 percent. The application also enhances concentration by reducing the number of times you have to look into the device by 50 percent and reduces the time for performing a given task. Even though this survey was carried out among engineers, you can assume that HR experts from other sectors can also take advantage of mobile augmented reality training and use them to cover multiple training stages.

Healthcare Real-Life Practice

The Atlantic article highlights that most physicians and nurses in the United States don’t get a chance to put their skills into practice during training. It translates into a national wide shortage of nurses since most of the young professionals without practice don’t get a chance to secure employment. Healthcare experts are looking for ways of enabling on-work AR training that has applications such as DASH and anatomy 4D to solve this problem.

AR applications can assist healthcare workers to gain a skilled hand while safely performing procedures with the assistance of AR visual guidance. It is compatible with both living people and mannequins, and can capture the whole or parts of the human body frame, carry out an analysis on it and display additional tips according to the procedures you select upfront. For example, it can mark for you the exact sport for administering an injection or show you the region to examine for a given diagnosis.

Manufacturing: Introduction to the Job

You will discover that factory workers may require 6-month introductory training before they can independently work with a given machine in a safe manner with no need for supervision. Employees need some time before they become experts who can quickly recognize, replace, utilize, or fix complex machine units, systems, and mechanisms.

A mobile app can not only replace a supervisor but also reduce the training time. The application captures each section and provides a summary of what this detail is capable of or meant for. It will also show you how to carry out the operation through markers or arrows on the mobile screen.

It also comes with an option that allows you to add a voiceover with the facts that the trainee requires to understand. You could also attach a related video to the mobile application. The app can also analyze a condition of different mechanisms and report with immediate effect if there is need to adjust some details into the right position. Therefore, the employees will not acquire any erroneous practice skills.

Retail-Knowledge Review

Auditors and merchandizers are already widely making use of mobile apps in their daily work. You can combine these mobile applications with AR features to support training. You can customize the app to reflect a specific product category or brand for it to provide tips accordingly.

For example, a merchandizer who is under training can capture a shelf that has cereals. The application will be able to check that all the SKU faces are arranged in a proper manner and be able to display a notification just in case there is a mistake. This will spare the trainee the costs of real-life errors from the natural trials and error method that allows you to build up a vast experience over time.

Car Insurance-Knowledge Testing

Car insurance deals with mechanism just like manufacturing. Therefore, the ability of mobile AR applications for augmenting an auto can be helpful in introducing the trainees to this industry. They can adopt a similar functioning like the Audi AR and Volkswagen apps.

The advantage of AR software is that it can analyze the model of a car or even multi-models and compare it with the stored information of undamaged motor and identify the damage. The application can calculate and estimate the cost of repairs according to the prevailing industry rates and test whether the employee calculated properly. It can give them one, three or five attempts to type the variations. The app will display the correct summation and provide a detailed explanation on how to provide the estimation in the right manner if the answers are not correct.

On Selecting and Integrating the Device

Until recently, augmented reality was only accessible through gadgets like Hololens and Google Glass. However, AR for tablets and Smartphones has become an alluring option in the modern world. The development of mobile applications can tailor AR software logics to fit to any device but it is advisable to go for the gadgets that employees already own.

However, AR for tablet and Smartphone can be inconveniencing for individuals who use both hands to operate the equipment, work in conditions that can’t allow them to hold a device, or have to put on special gear. Therefore, you need to confirm whether your industry will benefit from training with AR-equipped eye wear before planning further. You could also combine the AR training with classroom studies. It’s also advisable to integrate this process with the learning management system of the company. Mobile AR can be more agile and lightweight if you choose to store the accounts of the employees and training knowledge base in the backend or in an LMS.

Conclusion

AR software for mobile devices and eyewear can enable safe training in action, decrease the time required to complete the task and improve learning results. All industries can implement AR training including insurance, manufacturing, retail and healthcare. The companies can integrate this process for one or multiple learning steps as they make it an important component of their blended learning program.

 

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/26/getting-best-mobile-augmented-reality-industry-based-learning/

The History of Bitcoin in Numbers

The History of Bitcoin in Numbers

Developed by an unidentified programmer under the name Satoshi Nakamoto and introduced in 2009, Bitcoin was the first decentralized digital currency and has endured a tumultuous inception into the mainstream over the majority of the last decade. In this article, Wirex offer insight into the history of bitcoin. How has the infamous cryptocurrency progressed in terms of both value and abundance? And how is its price influenced by extraneous real-world factors?

In the beginning (2009-2010)

Bitcoin – a P2P electronic cash system – derives from an internet-published paper of the same name, which described a ‘system for electronic transactions without relying on trust’. Subsequently, at the start of 2009, the Bitcoin network came into existence with Satoshi Nakamoto mining the first block (“genesis” block), which delivered a reward of 50 Bitcoins. However, due to its infancy and obscurity, it had relatively no value against major currencies and had low trust levels for investment opportunities.

This all changed in 2010, though, when the first real-world transaction was made with one Bitcoin owner purchasing two pizzas from Papa John’s in Florida for 10,000 BTC. Soon after this, in the early days of June 2010, the price of Bitcoin grew 1000% and rose from $0.008 to $0.08 for 1 Bitcoin. This substantial increase demonstrated future potential as such an exponential rise was monitored over the course of just 5 days.

Gaining traction (2011-2012)

After a difficult entrance into the mainstream and with a low valuation against the world’s main currencies, the next few years were highly prosperous for Bitcoin seeing it’s value skyrocket when compared to previous years. For starters, between Feb and April of 2011, Bitcoin took parity with the US dollar as the value for 1 Bitcoin grew to the equivalent of $1. Such valuation showed signs of real promise when it grew to a high of $31, as a number of high-profile organisations began to accept Bitcoin for donations. This high didn’t last for long, though, as it slumped back to just $2 in December 2011.

The growth of Bitcoin over the past year inevitably ground to a halt, demonstrating both progress and instability as the value experienced a turbulent year of rises and falls. However, the rise in value showed investors that it had potential and it closed for the year at a value of $13.

Bitcoin’s Volatile for the Mercantile (2013-2014)

Although Bitcoin had a low value as it entered 2013, in April of the same year Bitcoins value shot up to $266 as the summit of a price rally where its value was rising by 5-10% daily. However, the next few months saw the price slip to a low of $70 in June, but hankered around $110 in July. One of the main reasons for this is due to the increasing number of merchants deciding to accept Bitcoin under its payment processing service, though the instability of the market was enough to deter the masses.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding value, in the latter stages of the year the value of Bitcoin rose astronomically from a base of around $150 to over $1,000 per Bitcoin which was reported on 27 November 2013. The following month of December 2013 exhibited extreme volatility as the value crashed to $600, rose to $1,000, and crashed again to $500, before settling at a stable $650-$800. Owing to much media publicity throughout the year, the cryptocurrency had become too big to ignore for many as popularity soared into 2014.

One of the potential reasons as to why the price fluctuated so much over the course of this year is as a consequence of the banking crisis, which debilitated the economies of a host of countries. As such, with the world’s top centralised currencies reduced in strength and value, Bitcoin prospered.

Bitcoin’s fall from grace (2014-2015)

Although encountering a solid entry into 2014 with the value of Bitcoin peaked at $1000, before settling at around $850 by the end of January. February, however, signified Bitcoin’s fall from grace and epitomised the fragility of the market when extraneous factors limited its progression and potential investment opportunities. In the months to come, Bitcoin’s value continued to slide to its lowest point since the 2012-2013 Cypriot financial crisis to a low point of $340 per Bitcoin. Reasons for this may include the shutdown of Chinese Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, over legal issues and growing uncertainty over the legitimacy of digital currencies from the Chinese government. Much stayed the same throughout 2015 as the price fell once more in the earlier stages of the year, but began to increase in value towards the back end of the year.

Bitcoin’s resurgence (2016)

Bitcoin entered 2016 at around an unflattering $400 per Bitcoin, with the average price meandering between the $450-$750 mark. However, currencies in the Far East, such as the Japanese Yuen and Chinese Renmibi, depreciated significantly throughout the year which meant that more people were turning to Bitcoin to retain value in their native currency. Consequently, with such an influx of money pouring into the market, a surge in strength and value of Bitcoin rapidly increased over a short space of time from the latter stages of December and into early January of 2017. This increase saw Bitcoin’s value shoot up to a high of around $1,150 – the highest notable price in Bitcoin history – before dropping by almost 35% just a week later.

While Bitcoin is slowly recovering from the recent fall following its exponential rise in December, China’s Central Bank have launched an investigation into the fluctuations and have scheduled talks with three of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in China to gather additional information about the market. As it stands, though, the world must await China’s Central Bank to unearth their findings before any further rise can be expected from Bitcoin.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/25/history-bitcoin-numbers-2/

Add Affiliate Programs to Monetize Your Website

Add Affiliate Programs to Monetize Your Website

The primary objectives of every business website are to enhance online visibility and boost sales. However, did you know you can also monetize your website with affiliate programs? The Forex affiliate network is just one example of an affiliate marketing program that will pay you for posting links or banners on your site. You get paid when you direct prospective customers to their trading partners. If your site has a bit of traffic…this could be something for you to explore.

Affiliate programs are the least expensive marketing strategies that exist today. Besides being effective, they are a great way to sell products and services. Using the example above, working as a Forex affiliate, you would get paid for every successful client your generate for them through your affiliate links.

We are using a Forex Affiliate Program as our example. However, please note there are hundreds of other types of affiliate programs you can choose to promote including products, information, e-learning and so on.

Below is an overview of how affiliate programs work as well as a list of some of the best Forex affiliate Programs should you choose to go that route:

Understanding Affiliate Programs

Affiliate is an internet based IB (introducing broker). To earn commissions this way, you do not need an office or a staff – just a website with a good amount of traffic. The process of becoming an affiliate is simpler than you can imagine. You simply contact a business you want to affiliate with, sign up and they will give you a domain code. You will place this code on your site or as a link in an email announcement you might send. Once that is done, you are working as an affiliate. If the link you posted or emailed has a successful transaction in terms of traffic or money, you will get paid.

In this scenario, you are considered the affiliate. The merchant you are sending the leads to is considered the “merchant”

Agreements

The agreement differs depending on the number of clients the affiliate can send to the merchant site, number of people who buy the products or perform some other action in line with the company’s aspirations. In simple terms, the affiliate website is compensated if it can send traffic or money to the merchant site.

Payment methods

Here are a few ways in which affiliates are paid.

Pay per lead: This kind of payment is calculated based on the number of clients your link(s) can refer to the merchant website. As a lead, the visitors will have to sign up with the merchant site. The visitors will have to do this by filling out a form on the merchant site and this will be treated as a sales lead.

Pay per click: In this method, the merchant website will pay the affiliate based on the number of visitors who clicked the merchant site. The affiliate payment is done in this case even without the visitor performing any action on the site including a buying deal.

Pay per sale: This kind of agreement pays the affiliate only when a successful sale is completed by the visitor directed to the merchant site. While some merchants give a percentage of the sale facilitated by the affiliate, others pay a fixed commission amount. You will want to find out what your percent or commission is in advance.

Hybrid payments: Hybrid payments combine all of the above mentioned options. This means, the affiliate is eligible to receive revenue sharing (percentage of commission per sale generated) and also cost per acquisition.

Among the Forex Affiliate Programs mentioned above, the Hybrid Payment method is the most profitable.

A few important things to keep in mind:  

• Do thorough research to avoid fraudulent merchants. Read their terms and conditions thoroughly to know what the merchants, brokers and programs offer. Know what you are getting into before signing up.
• Always promote legally registered products, websites and brokers. Promoting well renowned opportunities will ensure more conversion and greater revenue.
• Look for merchants and brokers that will provide you with back-office access as an affiliate. This way you can log in and check your stats to see how many clients signed up through your link and track your payments.
• You can even test the link yourself if you choose. Sign up for the program “as a customer” using your affiliate link and see if you get paid as an affiliate. This is a great way to see if the merchant is legitimate and really pays out commissions.

Should you decide you would like to promote Forex affiliate programs, here are a few that pay well: 

AvaPartner

This is an excellent and top rated Forex affiliate program with an enviable track record of paying large commissions to their affiliates. The program offers both CPA and revenue sharing models. This program is highly suitable for bloggers and websites. Website: www.avapartner.com

ETORO Partners

Etoro offers one of the best Forex affiliate programs we’ve seen. This program shares about 25 percent of the merchant site’s profits with the affiliates. Their commission plan is called DCPA and they are one of the oldest affiliate programs. Website: www.etoropartners.com

XM Partners

XM Partners affiliate program compensates the affiliates based on the volume of sales by referred clients. If you think you can send them many clients, this could be the program for you. Website: partners.xm.com

Summing Up

Keep in mind, as with anything, unfortunately there are scams. Make sure you thoroughly check out any affiliate program you are thinking of promoting on your site be it forex, products, information, etc. Make sure the merchant is reputable and that your customers will ultimately be able to appreciate and enjoy the products you are promoting. That is probably the best way to add affiliate programs to your website.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/25/add-affiliate-programs-monetize-website/

How to Make Your Office Feel Like Home

How to Make Your Office Feel Like Home

Creating the perfect office environment can be extremely tricky, which is why organizations often call in experts such as the Penketh Group.

On the one hand, the office is a professional working space. It needs to be geared up for maximum efficiency and productivity. However, it’s also important to make the workplace feel comfortable and pleasant for your employees. This is essential for staff morale and also to improve staff turnover rates.

But how do you make an office feel more like home, while still ensuring it’s a professional work space?

Here we have a few ideas for you:

• Greenery and plants. It might sound silly but it’s amazing the difference a plant or two can make to the feeling of a work space. Greenery can soften the corporate look while bringing in  a natural element and a feel of the great outdoors. How green you go is up to you. Anything from a single potted plant in the break room to dozens of plants all around the office and even a weekly fresh flower bouquet in the waiting area, the sky’s is the limit. Some organizations have taken it a step further by creating roof-top garden space and green “living walls” if their office space allows.

• A comfortable, non-corporate break room. During break times, it’s healthy for your staff to feel that they’re not in work mode for a while. Workplaces are busy and it is not always possible for employees to leave during their breaks to get some fresh air. When that is the case, give them a comfortable, well-furnished and well-decorated break room. Try not to decorate it with corporate style furniture. Instead, give them sofas and chairs that feel like home. Make the space warm and inviting and see how well the employees enjoy it. Always remember to keep workplace safety in mind. In other words, don’t furnish the room with throw rugs or other things that might cause potential trip hazards. While it may not feel like a work room to your employees, you still need to remember workplace health and safety when designing it.

• A good coffee machine. Yes, this is a luxury and it does cost money – but your staff will absolutely love it. A decent coffee machine can do wonders for staff morale, showing you care about them and their comfort at work. It can also impress visitors.  If you already have great coffee, step it up with a cappuccino maker. If you can’t afford one for your staff today, or you would rather create a contest for them to earn it, that can be very fun too. Give your staff a quota for the month and if they hit it, they get a new cappuccino machine for the break room. Or…if you take on 10 new clients this month or don’t lose a single client this month or…,the break room gets the machine and all the fixings. Give them attainable goals and let them have fun with it.

• Carefully chosen artwork. While I’m sure your company’s logo is amazing, having to look at corporate branding all day can get drab for some. Believe it or not, not everything you put on the office walls has to be directly related to the company. Why not hang some beautiful or inspirational artwork on your corporate walls? Something to take your employees on a quick trip to a mountain chalet or to a seaside view while they are on a short break. Believe it or not, giving employees something peaceful to look at can send them back to work with a new enthusiasm. If you have some blank wall space, ask your employees what they would most like most to see and then make it happen.

• Adjust the lighting. Finally, make sure you’ve got the lighting right. Blinding, white fluorescent lights not only make the office feel clinical and incredibly corporate, they can also affect staff morale in a negative way. Over time, this sort of lighting can give employees eye strain and headaches. Make a change by choosing a mix of overhead lights and task lighting, ensuring everything is adjustable in terms of brightness. If possible, let as much natural light into the office as you possibly can. Natural light is something most people enjoy and can not get enough of.

It may sound funny to try to make an office space feel more like home for your employees. After all, it is your office and the intent is for people to get work done and be productive. However, employee morale is important and can be critical to the success of your company. As business owners compete for the “best” employees, they should also work hard to ensure they stay on – after you work so hard to recruit and train them. Keeping this in mind, as you put together or improve your office space, might just be well worth it!

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/25/make-office-feel-like-home-2/

Marketing on a Small Budget

Marketing on a Small Budget
A major overhead of most many businesses are the costs of marketing and promotion.

These expenses can cover a wide range of different services from branding and web design to content and social media.

Sometimes a marketing budget won’t stretch to cover everything, and in many cases trying to do everything with limited funds means you aren’t using your budget effectively.

Marketing agency every1 explains how a business can make effective use of a smaller marketing budget.

Maximizing Effectiveness

The key to using a small budget properly is identifying the areas where it absolutely has to be used.

Begin by performing an audit of your current marketing plan. Identify all the areas where you promote your business and assess how much you spend in each area. Evaluate how effective each program is working for you now.

From there you can see where the strengths to your marketing plan are. Maybe you are producing fantastic content but your website has a range of issues that prevent it from ranking?

Maybe the brand you are trying to promote isn’t effectively telling potential customers what it is you actually do.

Initially you should look to solve any of the major problems in place that run the risk of hamstringing your marketing efforts.

Then, focus your budget into the areas you can do well and are the most cost effective. This could be your content, or it could be that your business sees most of its leads and traffic coming from PPC. Whatever it is, focus on it.

Focussing your efforts on already successful areas can help them to grow and maximise their effectiveness – as opposed to spreading your budget too thin in the name of trying to do everything.

Reassess, Refine

You can’t just set it and forget it. The key to continuing to make a smaller budget work for your business is to constantly reassess your marketing. Keep looking for things that are working and work them harder. Also look for any problems that can be fixed and fix them.

Look at what you’ve done from month to month, what worked, what didn’t? Use this as a guide to refining your marketing efforts.

This might mean focussing more on a specific topic with content, either to promote a specific service or to maximise on current trending topics.

You might need to divert your social efforts into a particular platform, either to build upon existing success or because you are noticing an increase in the amount of tractions your posts are getting.

Diverting effort into areas that are working can help you to capitalise on momentum and build on previous successes. Refining your strategy based on trackable metrics such as engagement, conversions or even leads generated by a particular marketing piece can help you to decide where and how to spend a marketing budget.

The key with a small budget is to understand that most elements of online marketing will see results over time as opposed to instantly. Which is why periodic reviews are crucial.

A small budget doesn’t mean that your marketing will be ineffective. It just means that it needs to be more focused and guided more closely with a constant focus on strategy. Be flexible and prepared to adapt and adjust to improving successful campaigns and fixing emerging issues. Never stop refining your marketing approach in order to maximize the effectiveness of your campaign.

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source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/25/marketing-small-budget/

How to Choose a Manager for Your Business

How to Choose a Manager for Your Business

Business is booming, orders are up, customers are happy, taking on more staff, happy days…. Yes? Hmmm…

This is what I’ve always wanted.

Why am I feeling so stressed?

I can’t do everything. I’ve always thought I was good with people. But if I am going to build this business — and that was always the plan — I haven’t got time to deal with all the issues my larger workforce is bringing to me.

I could carry on as we are, save money on manager wages and not have to deal with the fallout when I decide who’s got the job.

Or, my costs could soar and I could start to lose money. Good people might start to leave and take their experience with them because they don’t feel listened to or valued….because I just don’t have enough time to spend with them.

So that’s it! Easy decision made – let’s hire a manager.

Which is the next challenge:

Who should it be?  Does the business need just one more manager, or several? What do I want them to do? How do I want them to do it? Should I look to a new hire, or promote from within the organization?                

My best operator is not necessarily going to be a good manager. Managing requires a different skill set, but what are they?

I need someone who can plan and organize a team and resources effectively. Someone who can adapt their behavior and management style to each situation, the needs of team members and the business.

In addition, they will have to communicate effectively — with me and the team — particularly when the messages are complicated and difficult to hear.

I want them to motivate the team to want to work hard for me and this business.

Commercially the right person will understand the business drivers, our customers, market nuances and will manage the team to improve performance year over year.

They probably need some experience in my business area, but their management experience is far more important to me.

Ok, so that’s how I want them to behave.

How many do I need?

Research and experience tells me somewhere between 4 and 7 direct reports usually works best.

Too many and the team may feel disengaged, too few and there is the temptation to micro manage them.

I need to think about what I want them to do.

As we grow, the new manager will have to recruit new team members, source candidates through the assessment process, make hiring decisions and offer prospects the deal.

From there they will have to train and coach team members so they are confident in all tasks I expect them to perform. Set performance standards for all tasks and manage the team to deliver, by regularly monitoring, reviewing and providing exceptional feedback.

Other things they might need to do are:

Keep the team up to date with what’s happening in the business, how we are performing, why we’ve made certain decisions and define future opportunities.

Solve problems, resolve conflicts, and gather and implement improvement ideas.

Support me to grow the business, set goals, make plans and exceed customer expectations.

I just need to find someone who can match up.

Getting the right person in is just the start, I need to set them up to succeed in People Management

There are a couple of people who already work here who may be good but this role is important enough to test who’s out in the market too. It’s worth investing to get the right person. My existing people know the business but someone from outside may give us more challenge and alternative perspective.

At least now I have criteria which I can use to evaluate each candidate for the role, and they also get a good idea about what the role will involve and the behaviors and values I want them to role model to help them decide if this business is a good match for them.

All this should make sure I recruit the right person the first time. Getting this decision wrong could cost me more money than not recruiting at all.

I also have a decent framework to use when they start the role with which to agree on expectations, targets, and performance standards.

I need to manage this individual in the same way I expect them to manage the team, collaboratively, with regular feedback and review.

Personal values of honesty and integrity with a huge dollop of positivity and confidence should seal the deal.

If I get this right, the possibilities are endless.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/choose-manager-business-2/

Storage Ideas for Space-Starved Startups

Storage Ideas for Space-Starved Startups

Business storage; the how, the where and the when. It is the key to efficient selling and stock control. The bigger the space, the more complicated it gets to keep track of everything. Regardless of your stock level during the startup phase, putting methods and systems into place early can most certainly help you be organized and efficient into the future. Here are a few ideas for you:

Cloud Based/Online Storage 

The smartest start-ups get their cloud storage organized as one of their first jobs, and as a matter of priority. For security and peace of mind, as well as streamlining business operations, cloud storage is a smart business investment. Your business is going to need things and the more cloud based software and storage you have the better. Here are a few reasons why?

• Computers can crash
• Devices get misplaced
• You need access to files on the go
• You need to share files with colleagues or co-workers
• You need to collaborate with colleagues in real-time
• Some multimedia files are too big to email
• You need reliable data backup
• You need effective project management for efficient teamwork
• You need to simplify banking and accounting

Cloud based software and storage solutions is the answer. There are many business solutions available to start-ups regardless of their budget or IT knowledge.Thinking ahead is key to arranging the best fit cloud storage solution for your future business needs. Because you can’t predict everything your business will need in the future, look for a solution that offers scalability.

Examples include Microsoft Office 365, which you can join as a personal user and move up to an Enterprise level subscriptions as your business expansion warrants it. Alternatively, file share system like Dropbox offer both free personal user accounts and subscription business accounts as you grow and scale.

Every start-up will have different needs, so get familiar with the software before you make your choice. This will save you unnecessary complication and the expense of having to change providers in the future.

Check into their customer support also. Are they easy to get a hold of? Do they answer your questions promptly? Do they offer live chat for immediate help? These are other very important considerations if you anticipate having a lot of questions as you grow and scale.

Physical Storage Space 

Many businesses today begin at home in an office area or garage. While this is a great idea in the beginning, as your business grows you might feel the need to take on employees, and more stock and can quickly outgrow your home space. When this happens, a more professional space will be the answer.

It is pretty hard to skimp and save on office space, professional fees, insurance and staffing expenses. However, one area you might be able to save money is on physical storage for your stock.

Your business might require additional space for many reasons. Everything from needing to store seasonal inventory to being able to take advantage of overstock purchasing opportunities. Whatever the case, not having the space can lead to lost opportunities for your business.

One solution that can be temporary and easily scalable is self storage units. These units can be used for both storage and for operations like packing and dispatching. Often times you can tailor your rented space size to your startup needs. Cost advantages include low rentals and short term contracts. You’re not locked into long term arrangements, and avoid utility and VAT expenses. Many soft storage companies welcome business owners.

Organizing Storage for Peak Efficiency

Wherever stock is kept, it needs to be organized in an accessible way.

Knowing your inventory is key to stock organization. Make sure you know:

• How quickly items move.
• Which items take the longest to sell.
• How varied your stock is.
• How it changes from season to season.
• Which items/colours/sizes are most popular.

Having the answers will help you organize your shelving:

• Place the fastest sellers between shoulder and waist height.
• Order items by category, color, or size.
• Use transparent tubs in place of cardboard boxes so you know what you have
• Label everything upon receipt, especially stock in a new line or range.

Make stock taking easier by performing stock counts every month instead of having a massive stock take at the end of the year. Maintain a physical running tally on the outside of boxes or containers as well as religiously updating computer records.

There are a hundred and one things to consider during startup, with stock storage and it’s care and organization being one of the most important. Take the time now to set up your systems in the right way and as you grow, you will be very glad you did.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/storage-ideas-space-starved-startups/

Marketing on a Small Budget

Marketing on a Small Budget
A major overhead of most many businesses are the costs of marketing and promotion.

These expenses can cover a wide range of different services from branding and web design to content and social media.

Sometimes a marketing budget won’t stretch to cover everything, and in many cases trying to do everything with limited funds means you aren’t using your budget effectively.

Marketing agency every1 explains how a business can make effective use of a smaller marketing budget.

 

Maximizing Effectiveness

 

The key to using a small budget properly is identifying the areas where it absolutely has to be used.

 

Begin by performing an audit of your current marketing plan. Identify all the areas where you promote your business and assess how much you spend in each area. Evaluate how effective each program is working for you now.

From there you can see where the strengths to your marketing plan are. Maybe you are producing fantastic content but your website has a range of issues that prevent it from ranking?

Maybe the brand you are trying to promote isn’t effectively telling potential customers what it is you actually do.

 

Initially you should look to solve any of the major problems in place that run the risk of hamstringing your marketing efforts.

 

Then, focus your budget into the areas you can do well and are the most cost effective. This could be your content, or it could be that your business sees most of its leads and traffic coming from PPC. Whatever it is, focus on it.

 

Focussing your efforts on already successful areas can help them to grow and maximise their effectiveness – as opposed to spreading your budget too thin in the name of trying to do everything.

 

Reassess, Refine

 

You can’t just set it and forget it. The key to continuing to make a smaller budget work for your business is to constantly reassess your marketing. Keep looking for things that are working and work them harder. Also look for any problems that can be fixed and fix them.

 

Look at what you’ve done from month to month, what worked, what didn’t? Use this as a guide to refining your marketing efforts.

 

This might mean focussing more on a specific topic with content, either to promote a specific service or to maximise on current trending topics.

 

You might need to divert your social efforts into a particular platform, either to build upon existing success or because you are noticing an increase in the amount of tractions your posts are getting.

 

Diverting effort into areas that are working can help you to capitalise on momentum and build on previous successes. Refining your strategy based on trackable metrics such as engagement, conversions or even leads generated by a particular marketing piece can help you to decide where and how to spend a marketing budget.

 

The key with a small budget is to understand that most elements of online marketing will see results over time as opposed to instantly. Which is why periodic reviews are crucial.

 

A small budget doesn’t mean that your marketing will be ineffective. It just means that it needs to be more focused and guided more closely with a constant focus on strategy. Be flexible and prepared to adapt and adjust to improving successful campaigns and fixing emerging issues. Never stop refining your marketing approach in order to maximize the effectiveness of your campaign.

 

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source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/marketing-small-budget/

Storage Ideas for Space-Starved Startups

Storage Ideas for Space-Starved Startups

 

Business storage; the how, the where and the when. It is the key to efficient selling and stock control. The bigger the space, the more complicated it gets to keep track of everything. Regardless of your stock level during the startup phase, putting methods and systems into place early can most certainly help you be organized and efficient into the future. Here are a few ideas for you:

 

Cloud Based/Online Storage 

The smartest start-ups get their cloud storage organized as one of their first jobs, and as a matter of priority. For security and peace of mind, as well as streamlining business operations, cloud storage is a smart business investment. Your business is going to need things and the more cloud based software and storage you have the better. Here are a few reasons why?

• Computers can crash
• Devices get misplaced
• You need access to files on the go
• You need to share files with colleagues or co-workers
• You need to collaborate with colleagues in real-time
• Some multimedia files are too big to email
• You need reliable data backup
• You need effective project management for efficient teamwork
• You need to simplify banking and accounting

 

Cloud based software and storage solutions is the answer. There are many business solutions available to start-ups regardless of their budget or IT knowledge.Thinking ahead is key to arranging the best fit cloud storage solution for your future business needs. Because you can’t predict everything your business will need in the future, look for a solution that offers scalability.

Examples include Microsoft Office 365, which you can join as a personal user and move up to an Enterprise level subscriptions as your business expansion warrants it. Alternatively, file share system like Dropbox offer both free personal user accounts and subscription business accounts as you grow and scale.

Every start-up will have different needs, so get familiar with the software before you make your choice. This will save you unnecessary complication and the expense of having to change providers in the future.

Check into their customer support also. Are they easy to get a hold of? Do they answer your questions promptly? Do they offer live chat for immediate help? These are other very important considerations if you anticipate having a lot of questions as you grow and scale.

 

Physical Storage Space 

Many businesses today begin at home in an office area or garage. While this is a great idea in the beginning, as your business grows you might feel the need to take on employees, and more stock and can quickly outgrow your home space. When this happens, a more professional space will be the answer.

It is pretty hard to skimp and save on office space, professional fees, insurance and staffing expenses. However, one area you might be able to save money is on physical storage for your stock.

Your business might require additional space for many reasons. Everything from needing to store seasonal inventory to being able to take advantage of overstock purchasing opportunities. Whatever the case, not having the space can lead to lost opportunities for your business.

One solution that can be temporary and easily scalable is self storage units. These units can be used for both storage and for operations like packing and dispatching. Often times you can tailor your rented space size to your startup needs. Cost advantages include low rentals and short term contracts. You’re not locked into long term arrangements, and avoid utility and VAT expenses. Many soft storage companies welcome business owners.

 

Organizing Storage for Peak Efficiency

Wherever stock is kept, it needs to be organized in an accessible way.

Knowing your inventory is key to stock organization. Make sure you know:

• How quickly items move.
• Which items take the longest to sell.
• How varied your stock is.
• How it changes from season to season.
• Which items/colours/sizes are most popular.

 

Having the answers will help you organize your shelving:

• Place the fastest sellers between shoulder and waist height.
• Order items by category, color, or size.
• Use transparent tubs in place of cardboard boxes so you know what you have
• Label everything upon receipt, especially stock in a new line or range.

 

Make stock taking easier by performing stock counts every month instead of having a massive stock take at the end of the year. Maintain a physical running tally on the outside of boxes or containers as well as religiously updating computer records.

There are a hundred and one things to consider during startup, with stock storage and it’s care and organization being one of the most important. Take the time now to set up your systems in the right way and as you grow, you will be very glad you did.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/storage-hacks-space-starved-startups/

How to Choose a Manager for Your Business

How to Choose a Manager for Your Business

Business is booming, orders are up, customers are happy, taking on more staff, happy days…. Yes? Hmmm…

This is what I’ve always wanted.

 

Why am I feeling so stressed?

I can’t do everything. I’ve always thought I was good with people. But if I am going to build this business — and that was always the plan — I haven’t got time to deal with all the issues my larger workforce is bringing to me.

I could carry on as we are, save money on manager wages and not have to deal with the fallout when I decide who’s got the job.

Or, my costs could soar and I could start to lose money. Good people might start to leave and take their experience with them because they don’t feel listened to or valued….because I just don’t have enough time to spend with them.

So that’s it! Easy decision made – let’s hire a manager.

Which is the next challenge:

Who should it be?  Does the business need just one more manager, or several? What do I want them to do? How do I want them to do it? Should I look to a new hire, or promote from within the organization?                

My best operator is not necessarily going to be a good manager. Managing requires a different skill set, but what are they?

I need someone who can plan and organize a team and resources effectively. Someone who can adapt their behavior and management style to each situation, the needs of team members and the business.

In addition, they will have to communicate effectively — with me and the team — particularly when the messages are complicated and difficult to hear.

I want them to motivate the team to want to work hard for me and this business.

Commercially the right person will understand the business drivers, our customers, market nuances and will manage the team to improve performance year over year.

They probably need some experience in my business area, but their management experience is far more important to me.

Ok, so that’s how I want them to behave.

 

How many do I need?

Research and experience tells me somewhere between 4 and 7 direct reports usually works best.

Too many and the team may feel disengaged, too few and there is the temptation to micro manage them.

I need to think about what I want them to do.

As we grow, the new manager will have to recruit new team members, source candidates through the assessment process, make hiring decisions and offer prospects the deal.

From there they will have to train and coach team members so they are confident in all tasks I expect them to perform. Set performance standards for all tasks and manage the team to deliver, by regularly monitoring, reviewing and providing exceptional feedback.

Other things they might need to do are:

Keep the team up to date with what’s happening in the business, how we are performing, why we’ve made certain decisions and define future opportunities.

Solve problems, resolve conflicts, and gather and implement improvement ideas.

Support me to grow the business, set goals, make plans and exceed customer expectations.

 

I just need to find someone who can match up.

Getting the right person in is just the start, I need to set them up to succeed in People Management

There are a couple of people who already work here who may be good but this role is important enough to test who’s out in the market too. It’s worth investing to get the right person. My existing people know the business but someone from outside may give us more challenge and alternative perspective.

At least now I have criteria which I can use to evaluate each candidate for the role, and they also get a good idea about what the role will involve and the behaviors and values I want them to role model to help them decide if this business is a good match for them.

All this should make sure I recruit the right person the first time. Getting this decision wrong could cost me more money than not recruiting at all.

I also have a decent framework to use when they start the role with which to agree on expectations, targets, and performance standards.

I need to manage this individual in the same way I expect them to manage the team, collaboratively, with regular feedback and review.

Personal values of honesty and integrity with a huge dollop of positivity and confidence should seal the deal.

If I get this right, the possibilities are endless.

 

 

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/choose-manager-business/

How to Make Your Office Feel Like Home

How to Make Your Office Feel Like Home

Creating the perfect office environment can be extremely tricky, which is why organizations often call in experts such as the Penketh Group.

On the one hand, the office is a professional working space. It needs to be geared up for maximum efficiency and productivity. However, it’s also important to make the workplace feel comfortable and pleasant for your employees. This is essential for staff morale and also to improve staff turnover rates.

But how do you make an office feel more like home, while still ensuring it’s a professional work space?

Here we have a few ideas for you:

• Greenery and plants. It might sound silly but it’s amazing the difference a plant or two can make to the feeling of a work space. Greenery can soften the corporate look while bringing in  a natural element and a feel of the great outdoors. How green you go is up to you. Anything from a single potted plant in the break room to dozens of plants all around the office and even a weekly fresh flower bouquet in the waiting area, the sky’s is the limit. Some organizations have taken it a step further by creating roof-top garden space and green “living walls” if their office space allows.

 

• A comfortable, non-corporate break room. During break times, it’s healthy for your staff to feel that they’re not in work mode for a while. Workplaces are busy and it is not always possible for employees to leave during their breaks to get some fresh air. When that is the case, give them a comfortable, well-furnished and well-decorated break room. Try not to decorate it with corporate style furniture. Instead, give them sofas and chairs that feel like home. Make the space warm and inviting and see how well the employees enjoy it. Always remember to keep workplace safety in mind. In other words, don’t furnish the room with throw rugs or other things that might cause potential trip hazards. While it may not feel like a work room to your employees, you still need to remember workplace health and safety when designing it.

 

• A good coffee machine. Yes, this is a luxury and it does cost money – but your staff will absolutely love it. A decent coffee machine can do wonders for staff morale, showing you care about them and their comfort at work. It can also impress visitors.  If you already have great coffee, step it up with a cappuccino maker. If you can’t afford one for your staff today, or you would rather create a contest for them to earn it, that can be very fun too. Give your staff a quota for the month and if they hit it, they get a new cappuccino machine for the break room. Or…if you take on 10 new clients this month or don’t lose a single client this month or…,the break room gets the machine and all the fixings. Give them attainable goals and let them have fun with it.

 

• Carefully chosen artwork. While I’m sure your company’s logo is amazing, having to look at corporate branding all day can get drab for some. Believe it or not, not everything you put on the office walls has to be directly related to the company. Why not hang some beautiful or inspirational artwork on your corporate walls? Something to take your employees on a quick trip to a mountain chalet or to a seaside view while they are on a short break. Believe it or not, giving employees something peaceful to look at can send them back to work with a new enthusiasm. If you have some blank wall space, ask your employees what they would most like most to see and then make it happen.

 

• Adjust the lighting. Finally, make sure you’ve got the lighting right. Blinding, white fluorescent lights not only make the office feel clinical and incredibly corporate, they can also affect staff morale in a negative way. Over time, this sort of lighting can give employees eye strain and headaches. Make a change by choosing a mix of overhead lights and task lighting, ensuring everything is adjustable in terms of brightness. If possible, let as much natural light into the office as you possibly can. Natural light is something most people enjoy and can not get enough of.

 

It may sound funny to try to make an office space feel more like home for your employees. After all, it is your office and the intent is for people to get work done and be productive. However, employee morale is important and can be critical to the success of your company. As business owners compete for the “best” employees, they should also work hard to ensure they stay on – after you work so hard to recruit and train them. Keeping this in mind, as you put together or improve your office space, might just be well worth it!

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/make-office-feel-like-home/

Add Affiliate Programs to Monetize Your Website

Add Affiliate Programs to Monetize Your Website

The primary objectives of every business website are to enhance online visibility and boost sales. However, did you know you can also monetize your website with affiliate programs? The Forex affiliate network is just one example of an affiliate marketing program that will pay you for posting links or banners on your site. You get paid when you direct prospective customers to their trading partners. If your site has a bit of traffic…this could be something for you to explore.

Affiliate programs are the least expensive marketing strategies that exist today. Besides being effective, they are a great way to sell products and services. Using the example above, working as a Forex affiliate, you would get paid for every successful client your generate for them through your affiliate links.

We are using a Forex Affiliate Program as our example. However, please note there are hundreds of other types of affiliate programs you can choose to promote including products, information, e-learning and so on.

Below is an overview of how affiliate programs work as well as a list of some of the best Forex affiliate Programs should you choose to go that route:

 

Understanding Affiliate Programs

Affiliate is an internet based IB (introducing broker). To earn commissions this way, you do not need an office or a staff – just a website with a good amount of traffic. The process of becoming an affiliate is simpler than you can imagine. You simply contact a business you want to affiliate with, sign up and they will give you a domain code. You will place this code on your site or as a link in an email announcement you might send. Once that is done, you are working as an affiliate. If the link you posted or emailed has a successful transaction in terms of traffic or money, you will get paid.

In this scenario, you are considered the affiliate. The merchant you are sending the leads to is considered the “merchant”

Agreements

The agreement differs depending on the number of clients the affiliate can send to the merchant site, number of people who buy the products or perform some other action in line with the company’s aspirations. In simple terms, the affiliate website is compensated if it can send traffic or money to the merchant site.

 

Payment methods

Here are a few ways in which affiliates are paid.

Pay per lead: This kind of payment is calculated based on the number of clients your link(s) can refer to the merchant website. As a lead, the visitors will have to sign up with the merchant site. The visitors will have to do this by filling out a form on the merchant site and this will be treated as a sales lead.

Pay per click: In this method, the merchant website will pay the affiliate based on the number of visitors who clicked the merchant site. The affiliate payment is done in this case even without the visitor performing any action on the site including a buying deal.

Pay per sale: This kind of agreement pays the affiliate only when a successful sale is completed by the visitor directed to the merchant site. While some merchants give a percentage of the sale facilitated by the affiliate, others pay a fixed commission amount. You will want to find out what your percent or commission is in advance.

Hybrid payments: Hybrid payments combine all of the above mentioned options. This means, the affiliate is eligible to receive revenue sharing (percentage of commission per sale generated) and also cost per acquisition.

Among the Forex Affiliate Programs mentioned above, the Hybrid Payment method is the most profitable.

 

A few important things to keep in mind:  

• Do thorough research to avoid fraudulent merchants. Read their terms and conditions thoroughly to know what the merchants, brokers and programs offer. Know what you are getting into before signing up.
• Always promote legally registered products, websites and brokers. Promoting well renowned opportunities will ensure more conversion and greater revenue.
• Look for merchants and brokers that will provide you with back-office access as an affiliate. This way you can log in and check your stats to see how many clients signed up through your link and track your payments.
• You can even test the link yourself if you choose. Sign up for the program “as a customer” using your affiliate link and see if you get paid as an affiliate. This is a great way to see if the merchant is legitimate and really pays out commissions.

 

Should you decide you would like to promote Forex affiliate programs, here are a few that pay well: 

AvaPartner

This is an excellent and top rated Forex affiliate program with an enviable track record of paying large commissions to their affiliates. The program offers both CPA and revenue sharing models. This program is highly suitable for bloggers and websites. Website: www.avapartner.com

ETORO Partners

Etoro offers one of the best Forex affiliate programs we’ve seen. This program shares about 25 percent of the merchant site’s profits with the affiliates. Their commission plan is called DCPA and they are one of the oldest affiliate programs. Website: www.etoropartners.com

XM Partners

XM Partners affiliate program compensates the affiliates based on the volume of sales by referred clients. If you think you can send them many clients, this could be the program for you. Website: partners.xm.com

Summing Up

Keep in mind, as with anything, unfortunately there are scams. Make sure you thoroughly check out any affiliate program you are thinking of promoting on your site be it forex, products, information, etc. Make sure the merchant is reputable and that your customers will ultimately be able to appreciate and enjoy the products you are promoting. That is probably the best way to add affiliate programs to your website.

 

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/24/best-forex-affiliate-programs-pay-well/

The History of Bitcoin in Numbers

The History of Bitcoin in Numbers

Developed by an unidentified programmer under the name Satoshi Nakamoto and introduced in 2009, Bitcoin was the first decentralized digital currency and has endured a tumultuous inception into the mainstream over the majority of the last decade. In this article, Wirex offer insight into the history of bitcoin. How has the infamous cryptocurrency progressed in terms of both value and abundance? And how is its price influenced by extraneous real-world factors?

In the beginning (2009-2010)

Bitcoin – a P2P electronic cash system – derives from an internet-published paper of the same name, which described a ‘system for electronic transactions without relying on trust’. Subsequently, at the start of 2009, the Bitcoin network came into existence with Satoshi Nakamoto mining the first block (“genesis” block), which delivered a reward of 50 Bitcoins. However, due to its infancy and obscurity, it had relatively no value against major currencies and had low trust levels for investment opportunities.

This all changed in 2010, though, when the first real-world transaction was made with one Bitcoin owner purchasing two pizzas from Papa John’s in Florida for 10,000 BTC. Soon after this, in the early days of June 2010, the price of Bitcoin grew 1000% and rose from $0.008 to $0.08 for 1 Bitcoin. This substantial increase demonstrated future potential as such an exponential rise was monitored over the course of just 5 days.

Gaining traction (2011-2012)

After a difficult entrance into the mainstream and with a low valuation against the world’s main currencies, the next few years were highly prosperous for Bitcoin seeing it’s value skyrocket when compared to previous years. For starters, between Feb and April of 2011, Bitcoin took parity with the US dollar as the value for 1 Bitcoin grew to the equivalent of $1. Such valuation showed signs of real promise when it grew to a high of $31, as a number of high-profile organisations began to accept Bitcoin for donations. This high didn’t last for long, though, as it slumped back to just $2 in December 2011.

The growth of Bitcoin over the past year inevitably ground to a halt, demonstrating both progress and instability as the value experienced a turbulent year of rises and falls. However, the rise in value showed investors that it had potential and it closed for the year at a value of $13.

Bitcoin’s Volatile for the Mercantile (2013-2014)

Although Bitcoin had a low value as it entered 2013, in April of the same year Bitcoins value shot up to $266 as the summit of a price rally where its value was rising by 5-10% daily. However, the next few months saw the price slip to a low of $70 in June, but hankered around $110 in July. One of the main reasons for this is due to the increasing number of merchants deciding to accept Bitcoin under its payment processing service, though the instability of the market was enough to deter the masses.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding value, in the latter stages of the year the value of Bitcoin rose astronomically from a base of around $150 to over $1,000 per Bitcoin which was reported on 27 November 2013. The following month of December 2013 exhibited extreme volatility as the value crashed to $600, rose to $1,000, and crashed again to $500, before settling at a stable $650-$800. Owing to much media publicity throughout the year, the cryptocurrency had become too big to ignore for many as popularity soared into 2014.

One of the potential reasons as to why the price fluctuated so much over the course of this year is as a consequence of the banking crisis, which debilitated the economies of a host of countries. As such, with the world’s top centralised currencies reduced in strength and value, Bitcoin prospered.

Bitcoin’s fall from grace (2014-2015)

Although encountering a solid entry into 2014 with the value of Bitcoin peaked at $1000, before settling at around $850 by the end of January. February, however, signified Bitcoin’s fall from grace and epitomised the fragility of the market when extraneous factors limited its progression and potential investment opportunities. In the months to come, Bitcoin’s value continued to slide to its lowest point since the 2012-2013 Cypriot financial crisis to a low point of $340 per Bitcoin. Reasons for this may include the shutdown of Chinese Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, over legal issues and growing uncertainty over the legitimacy of digital currencies from the Chinese government. Much stayed the same throughout 2015 as the price fell once more in the earlier stages of the year, but began to increase in value towards the back end of the year.

Bitcoin’s resurgence (2016)

Bitcoin entered 2016 at around an unflattering $400 per Bitcoin, with the average price meandering between the $450-$750 mark. However, currencies in the Far East, such as the Japanese Yuen and Chinese Renmibi, depreciated significantly throughout the year which meant that more people were turning to Bitcoin to retain value in their native currency. Consequently, with such an influx of money pouring into the market, a surge in strength and value of Bitcoin rapidly increased over a short space of time from the latter stages of December and into early January of 2017. This increase saw Bitcoin’s value shoot up to a high of around $1,150 – the highest notable price in Bitcoin history – before dropping by almost 35% just a week later.

While Bitcoin is slowly recovering from the recent fall following its exponential rise in December, China’s Central Bank have launched an investigation into the fluctuations and have scheduled talks with three of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in China to gather additional information about the market. As it stands, though, the world must await China’s Central Bank to unearth their findings before any further rise can be expected from Bitcoin.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/23/history-bitcoin-numbers/

Anik Singal and Micro-moment Marketing

Anik Singal and Micro-moment Marketing

 

It’s no news that consumers prefer digital media over traditional media in exploring and making decisions every day. For this reason, marketers devote billions of dollars to make sure their ad messages get to their target customers. Among the different types of digital media, mobile has continued to lead in a race for the consumers’ soul. What makes mobile so attractive is its relationship with the Internet. So once again, the leadership role of mobile in digital consumer marketing is in the news.

 

It was in 2013 when an Internet Trends Report revealed that Internet users interacted with their phones about 150 times daily. This interaction involves messaging, gaming, searching, music, and everything else a phone is capable of providing. The most common form of interaction was messaging, which consists of SMS and email. Interestingly, the report uncovers the business model of marketing and advertising guru Anik Singal. For Anik, “Email is a choice marketing method for entrepreneurs with little start up capital. It allows you to target individual customers and track their purchases at low cost and on a global scale.”

 

There is reason to suggest that marking via email has the potential to return profit to marketers when you carefully consider the micro-marketing moments of the Google content marketing team.

 

Explaining Micro-moment Marketing

The marketing paradigm of micro-moments is simple. The Google content marketing team defines it as “critical touch points within today’s consumer journey, when added together, they ultimately determine how that journey ends.” The team identified four critical moments in the journey of consumers in making sense of a myriad of information on digital media.

The preferred device choice for looking at digital messages is the smartphone. Every minute consumers are turning to their smartphones to make searches and buying decisions. Google advises that marketers ought to be there at every stage of the consumer journey if they want to succeed. The moments are shown in percentage, representing consumers who are caught in each step of the journey. Here is a list of the micro-moments.

 

• I-Want-to-Know Moments (66%)
• I-Want-to-Go Moments
• I-Want-to-Do Moments (70%)
• I-Want-to-Buy Moments (82%)

 

For example, imagine you see an ad on TV about where to buy a DIY shoe rack, but because the ad is fleeting, you turn to your smartphone to get better information. (This is the I-Want-to-Know Moment) During your search, you discover there are many stores offering this item for sale, but you are wondering if a local store sells it. So, you search for a local business nearby. (This is the I-Want-to-Go Moment)  Considering that the item needs to be assembled, you once again turn to your smartphone for a video of how to do (This is the I-Want-to-Do-Moment). Eventually, you are at the local store and you need help making a final decision, and again you resort to your smartphone (This is the I-Want-to-Buy Moment).

 

To read the micro-moments marketing report, click “Micro-Moments: Your Guide to Winning the Shift to Mobile”.

 

Seizing the Micro-moments Opportunity

Marketers could make gains by looking at the best ways to win in the battleground of micro-moments marketing. Four strategies have been summed up by the Google team; we will see how they apply to email.

• Be there. The team advises marketers to anticipate the next thing consumers will be searching for and make sure they are there to help. For instance, if a consumer had just seen an ad about property insurance and stumbled on your site for better knowledge, how would your email marketing integrate with the overall experience the consumer would have? Being there means you should have valuable information about property insurance on your site. Then the next question is what incentives would you use to acquire the consumer’s email address? And once you have gained the consumer’s email address, how would you anticipate what he might need next? Consider pitching. Pitching has to do with sending relevant offers to the customer when you have considered his buying behavior. Pitching could be done right by studying the next phase of property insurance and sending an email message to the customer before your competitor does.
• Be useful. Being relevant means you have to know you audience just as they know the product you are offering. And for email, instead of sending general newsletters or marketing messages to all the customers in your list, you could consider segmentation. Segmentation has to do with sending targeted messages to classified audiences. To segment, you could use Google Analytics to identify open rate, click through rate (CTR), and unsubscribes of previous ad messages you had sent. When you have sorted these, you will pay more attention to sending what is relevant to each segment.
• Be quick. This means you should not have an email message that rambles before exposing its true intent. Be concise and have a call to action that demands immediacy. The reason behind this is that consumers using mobile devices make lightning decisions and would rather not waste time reading through an email that is wordy when there are other competing Internet uses like gaming and social media.

 

Bottom line: Start ups businesses could benefit from the potential of messaging to reach target consumers individually and globally. In addition, understanding the fleeting moments of consumer behavior should help businesses create an email marketing campaign with micro-moments in mind; to capture the sale at just the right time.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/21/anik-singal-micro-moment-marketing/

What Does it Take to Start a Lawn Care Business?

What Does it Take to Start a Lawn Care Business?

In almost every business niche there is fierce competition and that is certainly true for the lawn care industry as well. But where there is a will there is a way. What it takes to be successful in today’s business environment (in any industry) is to be willing to go above and beyond the competition in terms of both service and quality.

In the U.S., just about everyone who can afford a lawn care service has one. While some people do enjoy caring for their own lawns, most do not or they simply do not have the time to do it. In the UK however, things are different. Most people do not understand the lawn care sector yet and still clip their own grass.

Things are beginning to change. Craig Daniel of Acer Lawncare tells us that in some of the UK’s wealthier areas like Manchester and Warrington, lawn care companies are springing up out quickly. With that, he says, “the competition is becoming quite stiff rather quickly.”

 

If you are thinking of starting your own lawn care business, it is important to know that most consumers expect it to be an expensive service. This is both good and bad. Good if someone is ready to hire you and knows the service will cost a little. Bad if they are not hiring a service because they feel it will be too expensive for them to even check out.

 

How Much should you charge?

There are a few things to consider when you are setting your pricing.

You will want to focus on having a large amount of customers within a small travel area. If you try to take accounts all over the place, you will spend a lot more on gas and wasted travel time and hence your business will be less profitable. So the first key to success is having a concentration of customers in a small area. When you are staring out make sure you spend your down time marketing your business in a small radius you would like to work in. Have flyers made, door hangers, business cards and so on and canvas an area.

If someone across town wants to hire you that could be good too. Just make sure you are charging enough to make up for the time travel to that area.

If you  have employees, trucks, gas, insurance and so on, make sure you figure all those expenses into your quotes and make sure you are giving yourself an adequate profit margin.

 

How many customers do you need to make a profit?

That all depends upon how big you want your business to be. Do you want to keep it small, be home based, do the work yourself and have one truck? Or, is your vision to have 20 trucks, 40 employees and several cities you work in? As a part of your early business planning, make sure you think abou that. That way, each decision you make will further you toward your end goal.

 

In either scenario, figure out what your total overhead will be. Then figure out how much money you want to make per month. Add the two numbers together, divide it by the number of accounts you believe you can handle, and that will tell you where your pricing needs to be. Of course that is a very over-simplified model but it is a good way do a quick and dirty business plan to see if your concept works for you. If the pricing is too low, is there some other service you can offer to set yourself apart from the competition? Can you offer fertilizing, tree trimming, pet clean up or total organic products? Be creative and unique and your customers will see why you charge a bit more.

 

How do you get your business off the ground?

We chatted with Craig Daniel of Acer Lawn Care, about how he managed to get his lawn care business off the ground. He told us, “Starting this lawn care business from scratch was very difficult to be honest. Before I began I researched my local area to ensure there were enough potential customers to satisfy my business goals and I also analyzed the competition. My initial outlay was quite heavy as I needed to buy a van, create marketing paraphernalia, build a website, embroider uniforms and do an endless amount of canvassing.”

Mr. Daniel went on to say that it was a lot of work for one person to do so you should know that going in. We followed up by asking him if he felt starting a new business was worth it. He replied “Without a doubt it has been very challenging, much more than I anticipated. I probably would think twice about it nowadays. However, he assured us that if a person has enough grit and determination, they can break through the difficulties and create a very successful business that will repay them over time.”

Conclusion

Most business owners agree that starting a new business in any field can be an extremely difficult accomplishment. It almost always takes more time, money and effort than anyone ever imagines it will. However, if you have a great passion and drive for your business, and are willing to work at it 110% until you get it off the ground, it will all be worth it in the end.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/21/surviving-competitive-local-business-arena/

Don’t Give Up On Past Customers, Re-Engage Them With These Tips

Don’t Give Up On Past Customers, Re-Engage Them With These Tips

Source: Marketing Land www.marketingland.com

Writer: Joanna Lord

Let’s face the facts: customer lifecycle marketing is hard. Traditionally, the acquisition stage of the customer funnel kept marketers busy, but it appears the tides are turning — the majority of marketers interviewed in a recent 2014 State of Marketing survey said retention and re-engagement are now a key focus. Here Are a few great tips to re-engage your customers.

Customer engagement
So, how can we re-engage our past customers? There are a number of authentic and mutually beneficial ways to reach out and reconnect with those customers that have departed — cancelled their product subscription, uninstalled your app, etc. Let’s jump into some of the more popular ones.

Survey Them
While most companies have a survey on their cancellation page, don’t forget that you can also email past customers and request more feedback. You can ask them why they cancelled or what suggestions they might have for your company. Members that cancelled have a wealth of knowledge that can help steer your product and engineering efforts.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Read more excellent business tips in our blog at www.business-opportunities.biz

 

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/19/dont-give-past-customers-re-engage-tips/

Getting Back into the Corporate Culture After an Addiction Recovery

Becoming sober is hard enough, but assimilating yourself into a new life can be daunting in more ways than one.

Naturally, you will have gone through withdrawal symptoms, and overcome all the cravings you feel for a quick drug or alcohol fix. In fact, emerging from rehab treatment  and into an everyday work life has been likened to stepping out of a cave. Undoubtedly, it is a transition process that requires many steps, adjustments, and resolutions in order to succeed.

If you are recently out of recovery, whether you manage a business or work as an employee, you’ll want to make sure you begin on the right path. You have been given a second chance and it is important that you approach it in good stride.

The Importance of Working

Getting busy is a big deal. It is actually a necessary part of long-term recovery. Being self-sufficient and having a steady pay-check is essential to building your self-esteem. But it’s more than that.

Davide Gerrard, expert adviser at Addiction Helper says, “Addiction is typically a disease of isolation and idleness, the less busy you are, the more likely you are to relapse.”

It is therefore important that people who are in recent recovery integrate themselves back into society. Getting a new job, starting a new project, and meeting new groups of friends are positive ways to promote sobriety and start life in long-term recovery.

 

 

 

Here are some particular ways to assimilate into the work lifestyle:

1. Start gently

Be careful of launching yourself into your new role with over-enthusiastic vigour. Many people, in an attempt to prove they are past their addiction, start off taking the bull by the horns, only to burn out after a while.

You may feel excited and eager to begin, but take some time to meld in carefully. If you are self-conscious of people around, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure. Your recovery is for you alone. It’s a good idea to live life to its fullest, but don’t take more than you can handle. Besides, a lot may have changed while you were away, and you’ll need some time to adjust.

2. Make up for the past

If you are resuming at the same place where you worked prior to recovery, there is a chance you may have built up grudge among colleagues or employees. Whether it’s something you said or did, find time to make up with the affected persons so there is no ‘bad blood’.

Some, (if not all) rehabs have a 12 step program that includes making amends for mistakes caused as a result of your dependence on the substance. No matter how happy they are to see you, note that you may often notice the effect of old wounds in your colleagues’ behavior towards you. Find out ways to right any wrongs you caused in the past.

 

1. Find out what is expected of you

Communicate with your colleagues at work. Let them know you are open to discussion and feedback. Avoid referring to your substance abuse in the office. After the initial makeup, focus squarely on your work objectives. If you work with a group, try to understand what each member is supposed to do, and delegate responsibilities the best way you can.

Conversely, meet your boss and discuss your new expectations and any challenges you may have in achieving them. If you run a business, do the same with your partner or colleague; ask for feedback. Having a checklist of your goals to make it easier for you to accomplish them.

2. Take on new projects

After you have settled in for a while and you feel more comfortable in your work environment, you may volunteer to participate in social projects. If your company is not involved in any charity activities such as community development, get involved as a way to give back to society. Additionally, it can help you build your own self-esteem as a coach or mentor.

Addiction usually leaves a vacuum in one’s life, and joining a good cause is one way to fill it with something constructive. Pick something fun and interesting.

New projects or hobbies are always a great idea, especially if it is likely to keep you from straying towards past behavior.

3. Make new friends

Post-recovery, it is always recommended to evaluate the previous friends you had. Were they also users? Did associating with them fuel your addictive behavior? At your work place, consider these points when establishing new relationships, even if they are on the job. Who’s to say you won’t be tempted for an after-work drink someday?

The importance of making sober acquaintances is critical to your success in recovery and path to long-term sobriety.

The business environment can be demanding, and if pressures from the previous job caused you to start using, it may be advisable to seek new opportunities elsewhere. Ensure that you maintain contact with a professional to discuss such issues.

 

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/19/getting-back-corporate-culture-addiction-recovery/

10 Things You Should do to Market Your Business Online

10 Things You Should do to Market Your Business Online

 

Online advertising is slowly taking over more traditional forms of marketing. In the event you currently have little or no online presence, you will want to jump on the online train so you do not get left behind. Here are some easy steps you can take to boost your exposure and ultimately draw in more customers.

 

1. Figure Out Your Goals

 

Establishing a marketing plan can be difficult to do without knowing what it is you want to achieve. Your goals could be to increase sales, develop a larger customer database or enhance your social media following and all of those are great goals. However, the more specific you can be with each of them the better off your plan will be. In other words, your goal should not just be to “increase sales.” Instead, it should be to “increase sales by 20 percent by the end of the year.”

 

2. Build Your Brand

 

Effective marketing is reliant on knowing what sets your business apart from the competition. Every message you send out through your website, email announcements and social media channels needs to be on-brand. Highlight the aspects of your business that are unique. What is it that you do that is extra special or makes you – you? It could be that you offer the fastest delivery or the most unique styles or the best customer service. Whatever it is, use it in your campaign always – to really brand yourself.

Keep in mind too that your business type will also affect the types of social media pages you utilize. For example, if your business is dependent on visuals, then setting up Instagram and Pinterest accounts would be advantageous as they are both very visual platforms.

 

3. Utilize Social Media

 

At the very least you will want to have a Facebook and/or Twitter account. Use these accounts every day if possible and be sure to your followers and customers. If you do not have time to do it yourself, hire someone to do it for you.

Most social media pages provide you with metrics, so you can keep track of what posts did well and which ones did not. This allows you to know what type of marketing to focus on going forward. If you have not already posted today, then go ahead and post right now. Give it a try – it’s fun!

 

4. Develop an Email Campaign

 

Directly emailing people is a great way to stay in your customers’ minds. When people visit your storefront, encourage them to sign up for your mailing list, so they stay in the loop. Some helpful tips for effectively utilizing an email marketing campaign include:

 

• Emailing frequently enough so you stay in people’s minds – but not so often you annoy anyone (monthly is good)
• Include valuable content your customers will want to read
• Write an interesting subject line so they will open the email
• Include links in the email back to your website and to your social medial channels
• Invite your customers to FB like you, come in to the store or call for an appointent (according to what you do)

 

5. Implement SEO Practices

 

Search engine optimization is the practice of using valuable keywords in your company’s online content so that it appears higher up in search engine rankings. Any business with a website can use Google Analytics to determine what local keywords to include. Proper SEO also entails using keywords in URL links and adding meta descriptions and title tags on web pages.

 

6. Create Shareable Content

 

It is not enough for a business to simply create web pages. You want to be certain the content you are publishing is something people will want to share while still being relevant to your business. As an example, a restaurant could make a blog post about a recipe people can make at home while also promoting new menu items. Your audience will be more likely to engage in the content and share it on their social media pages.

 

7. Use Special Techniques for Promotions

 

If your business is offering a temporary promotion, then you need to get the word out fast. Pay per click campaigns are useful in this endeavor because they can be fully customized to meet your needs. You can use geotargeting so that only potential customers in your city see the ads. With these campaigns, it is more beneficial to focus on enticing visuals rather than a lot of text. After the campaign is over, you can view the metrics to see how effective it was and if there is anything that should be changed in the future.

 

8. Establish Text Campaigns

 

This is similar to an email campaign in that you have customers give you their mobile phone numbers when they sing up for your newsletter or other name capture element to your website. This way, when you have a special promotion, you can text individuals so they get a notification immediately. You will want to time your messages properly, so people receive them at opportune times of the day. For instance, if you sell pizza via delivery, 3 to 4pm is a good time to send a text message as people are hungry and worrying about what to make for dinner.

Additionally, you want to remain engaging while always staying on brand.

 

9. Make Your Website Mobile Friendly

 

More people are researching businesses on smartphones than traditional computers. Therefore, it is prudent to ensure your website can be easily viewed, and items ordered, on mobile devices. If it is impossible for someone to look up information about your business on a phone, then he or she will go elsewhere. Your company needs to be accessible from every possible platform.

 

10. Promote Any News

 

Customers like feeling as if they are part of the family. If something big happens around your business, feel free to talk about it on social media. This can include hiring a new person or talking about any new inventory that came in.

You can get started on any of these tips today with an eye toward the future. Social media, apps and SEO are not going away so start building your online presence right now. You will be very glad you did.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2017/02/17/10-things-today-market-business-effectively-online/