How to Get Started—and Succeed—with Your E-Cigarette Business

Image credit: www.electrictobacconist.com on Flickr

Want to know a little secret? There are a lot of successful vape or e-cigarette business owners who started their shops when they had little or no experience in retailing. Today, they will tell you that they can’t begin to understand how they managed to succeed in the vape industry. But succeed they did.

All the same, when you’re considering opening a vape shop, there are a lot of things you need to know. So what should you do when you’re starting an e-cigarette business?

 

Choose the Right Location for Your E-Cigarette Business

There is a difference between picking a good location and picking the right location.

A particular business location might be good, but it might not be the right one. This is important because if you don’t choose the right location, you won’t enjoy good returns on your e-cigarette business.

Your vape shop should not only be near an anchor store but also in an area with high foot traffic. When your vape shop is near anchor stores, you are likely to get new customers nearly every day. Therefore, be sure to open your vape shop in a location that has widespread appeal and plenty of foot traffic.

Anchor Stores Could Be:

• Movie theaters
• Gas stations
• Grocery stores

 

Create Your Brand

The brand you create for your e-cigarette shop should be solid if you want to realize good profits.

Therefore, come up with a brand that resonates well with the location and your target market. There is a wide range of vape shop brands on the market today. If you aren’t sure of the best brand to choose, choose one from E-Cig-Brands.com’s top electronic cigarettes brands list.

Remember that you not only want to have a nice vape shop, but also a successful one. The brand you choose should communicate both qualities.

You’ll know your brand is working when customers who walk into your vape shop know what to expect. From the location, to the decor, to the name of your store, they’ll know they’re in the right place to find what they want.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: PRICING INTELLIGENCE: THE ONLINE RETAILER’S SECRET WEAPON

 

Consider Your Competition

People who end up with a successful business start by doing thorough market research.

Your research should include knowing who your competitors are, particularly your competitors in your local area. For instance, your e-cigarette business might be in a perfect location except for one fact: the level of competition nearby could be a threat to your success.

In this case, the quality of your business products and services must match or exceed those of your competitors in order for you to succeed. If you find yourself in this situation, you will need to craft some uncommon strategies so that your shop can thrive.

 

Calculate the Cost

Having an idea to open a vape shop is one thing. Calculating the cost of having your e-cigarette business is quite another thing.

For example, a small vape shop might require around $25,000 for the initial setup. However, a large shop could require an initial investment of as much as $50,000.

Starting a vape shop also involves numerous ongoing expenses, including:

• Insurance
• Licensing
• Rent
• Space building
• Design work

However, inventory will be your biggest expense when you’re starting your e-cigarette business. Inventory expenses include:

• E-liquids
• Parts
• Mods
• Starter kits

 

 

Go for Wholesale Vaping Supplies

Where you get your vaping supplies will determine how much those supplies will cost you. Be sure the supplier you go to has no track record of frustrating other vape shop owners.

VaporBeast is an excellent vendor for all your e-liquid and hardware supplies. They are a wholesale vaping supplier with a good reputation in the United States. What’s more, they will give you guidance about the best-selling vape products, thus ensuring that you get started on the right foot.

 

A Brief History

In 2013, Norm Bour founded VapeMentors to help new entrepreneurs get started in the e-cigarette industry. VapeMentors now has more than 200 students. Plus, they have helped launch roughly 30 e-cigarette businesses in the online community.

VapeMentors is now the largest business advice provider on e-liquid brands, e-commerce sites, and vape shops. Additionally, the online community has great courses for anyone interested in starting a vape shop. There you’ll find the best vape shop tips, much like the ones offered here.

The post How to Get Started—and Succeed—with Your E-Cigarette Business appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/31/succeed-e-cigarette-business/

Giving a Presentation? How to Impress Your C-Level Audience

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When you’re presenting to a C-level audience, you’ll need both a great presentation and thorough preparation.

Senior executives, also known as a C-level audience, can be the hardest audience to crack that you have ever faced. That’s largely because executives place a premium value on their time. Therefore, if you’re not quick and on point, they’re likely to start interrupting your well honed presentation. Waste their time, and you will almost never recover your reputation with them.

In this post we will talk about the best possible ways to structure a knockout presentation so you can impress your C-level audience.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO WRITE A GREAT INTRODUCTION FOR WHATEVER YOU’RE WRITING

 

Prepare, Prepare and Prepare Again

Whether you’re presenting your company’s story to a group of investors or trying to make a big B2B sale, what happens before the presentation is almost as important as the presentation itself.

For example, prepare your presentation carefully. Check your data, especially the numbers. Never, ever make a presentation to a C-level audience with inaccurate data.

Once you’ve prepared your presentation, practice in front of a mirror until you know your presentation material inside and out.

 

Talk About Your C-Level Audience Before You Talk About Yourself

Focus on how your C-level audience will benefit from the solution you’re proposing. In this way, they will be more likely to engage with you and your presentation immediately.

 

Summarize up Front

Let’s suppose that you have 30 minutes to present your innovative ideas. If that’s the case, prepare your talk so that you can present the basic facts up front in only five minutes. Talk about high-level findings, analytical data records, conclusions, and recommendations. Include a powerful call to action in your upfront summary.

 

Create Summary Slides

Create a deck of slides that contain a brief overview of your presentation. Use these slides along with your upfront summary.

For example, if you have 50 slides that accompany the remainder of your presentation, create five to seven summary slides to use at the beginning.

In this way, you’ll engage your C-level audience from the very beginning.

Additionally, keep your appendix slides at the ready. You don’t want to miss the moment if an executive makes a decision in the middle of your presentation. This could happen, and your appendix slides could help to quickly answer any question that might come up during this process.

If you are not skilled in visual design, use PowerPoint templates. These are already crafted for your presentation purposes so that you can just focus on the content of your message.

 

 

Get Feedback Before the Final Delivery

Before you give your presentation, ask a trusted a colleague to give you some feedback. Choose a colleague whom you trust to be completely honest with you. You’ll want to know whether your presentation is clear and complete as well as concise. Ask your colleague their honest opinion as to whether your presentation covers all the bases. Your friend’s feedback is an integral part of your preparation.

 

Understand Executives and Their World

The members of the senior executive group live their lives in a pressure cooker of stress. They cope day-in and day-out with a heavy volume of fast-paced decision-making, horrendous travel schedules and more. If they’re present at your presentation, you should treat it as a privilege.

Show your audience the respect they deserve. Be prepared to be flexible and to improvise. Show them that you appreciate the time restraints they’re under.

 

Focus on the “Why” Rather Than the “What” for Your Conclusions

Present data, facts, and opinions in your presentation. Wrap up with your recommendations. However, your C-level audience will not be interested in how you came to your conclusions. Stress your recommendations firmly while pointing out their benefits or implications for your audience members.

If anyone in your C-level audience has a question about how you reasoned things out, they will ask during the Q&A portion.

 

Conclusion

While confidence is the key to success when you’re presenting to a C-level audience, strategy and content are also critical. Busy executives don’t have time for poor presentations. So give them the most confident, energetic and innovative presentation you can. Stand tall and be expansive. Actively listen throughout, so that you can continuously improvise as your C-level audience requires.

The post Giving a Presentation? How to Impress Your C-Level Audience appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/30/impress-c-level-audience/

Innovative Steps That Can Help You to Bring Your Business to Success

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Are you searching for a new business idea? Or do you want to improve your existing business? Either way, by taking appropriate and innovative steps, you can find success.

What’s more, not every idea must be completely new. However, it must usually at least improve upon what’s already been done before.

Let’s look at a few ideas for bringing a business to success.

 

Improve Customer Service

Operating a top-notch customer service team is challenging. There needs to be the right mix of people, technology and sensible processes everyone can follow. Some companies simply aren’t large enough to achieve this, whereas others find it a stretch too far from their core competency.

Using cloud-based outsourcing is a new idea that takes the call center idea and brings it right up to date. With Humach, you’re getting an educated team of people using the latest technology. What’s more, they hook into software improvements of other companies using API connections. Operating at a larger scale, they can provide a multi-dimensional approach to customer service. So don’t fall back on a single-view approach due to a lack of resources.

The customer service representatives at Humach communicate with customers using whatever contact method is available. This provides them the flexibility to make the contact when it’s necessary. They can therefore be proactive and not only reactive. Raising the game with outsourced customer services lets companies focus on the rest of their business without distractions.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: OUTSOURCING CUSTOMER SERVICE: 7 STEPS FOR SUCCESS

 

Take the First Mover Advantage

Being a smaller business means the organization can be nimbler. Larger companies struggle to change direction quickly and therefore lag the market in many cases. On the other hand, small ones can experiment with new ideas and chop and change much faster. Learn to use this inherent advantage that your company’s smaller size gives you. You can thereby move past larger corporations.

One of the best ways to do this is by watching the markets carefully. Look for gaps in that market where a new product or service offering will fill the gap. Then grab a dominant market share position before peers even know the market exists.

 

 

Disrupt Existing Business Models

Disrupting existing business models is all about finding places where a mobile option can improve upon existing options. Many of the recent success stories, such as Airbnb and Uber, focus around taking an existing service in a splintered market and providing a centralized, national—or even global—solution to it.

Rather than opening a mini cab firm, Uber empowers people to earn extra money by driving other people around. Their business model avoids confusion over directions by using maps and GPS way points for pickups and drop-offs. It lets passengers pay by card to make it easier. This also allows drivers to avoid the risk of driving around with cash on hand. It’s simplicity itself. That’s why Uber and other ride-sharing companies have done so well.

Airbnb is a similar model. However, they focus on spare rooms, apartments or houses. They bypass the realtor taking their cut.

Disrupting an existing niche requires creative thinking. It requires innovative steps and an innovative solution. However, it’s not disruptive if there’s no profit potential in the business model.

Every entrepreneur wants to come up with a disruptive business. That’s because “disruption” is the buzzword de jour. However, bring together innovative, workable ideas to make your business dream a reality.

 

Be Willing to Take Innovative Steps

Whatever you decide to do for your business, being willing to innovate. Try new suggestions and work on the business continuously. Every day, seek to make it better than it was the day before.

When you lead in a positive, growth-oriented manner, staff are likely to take your cue. They’ll come up with their own suggestions on different improvements or new ideas to try. Encourage this. The more innovative steps you can incorporate into your business, the better.

The post Innovative Steps That Can Help You to Bring Your Business to Success appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/30/innovative-steps-business-success/

Should You Buy a Company Van? 4 Compelling Benefits

Image Credit: Clifford Smith on Flickr

If you own a small business, you might feel like you can get by using your private vehicle for all your professional needs. So you use your own car for client meetings as well as supply runs. But could you benefit from a company van?

Though they can be quite sizable, a company van offers numerous potential benefits. For example, you’ll find it useful for everything from advertising to wholesale shopping. In fact, your van could serve as a business headquarters all on its own. It’s just a matter of imagination.

Company vans are most commonly associated with plumbers, dog groomers, and other on-the-go operations. However, you can push an ordinary van to its full potential. Consider these four powerful applications. You might be surprised at just how useful a company van can be.

 

Onboarding Advantages

One of the main advantages of buying a company van is that it can give you an edge in the customer onboarding process. That’s because a company van will increase your business’s visibility. The secret is in branding. That is, you can either add your business’s logo to the side of the van or apply a van wrap.

A one-time application, van wrapping can make your vehicle extremely eye-catching. What’s more, it will provide all the necessary contact information in one place. As you drive around, potential customers will see your ad. This can lead to as many as 30,000 to 70,000 views per day. Even Facebook can’t achieve that level of exposure for small businesses.

The only problem with van wrapping or even branding is that you do have to own the vehicle in question. That’s why you have to consider the financial differences between leasing and purchasing a van outright. Luckily, in addition to its use in advertising, a company van typically comes with some tax advantages. Additionally, it can provide your business with some day-to-day cost savings that will cover the initial expenses.

 

A Polished Presentation

Commercial vans come in all different varieties, from cargo vans to flatbeds. The one thing they all have in common, however, is that pulling up in a branded commercial van makes a great first impression. When you drive a personal car, customers don’t have an immediate sense of recognition when you pull up. They may even wonder if they’re just a stop in the middle of your personal life. What’s more, it’s much easier to keep a professional vehicle clean and neat. You can also keep it stocked with any business supplies you might need, all while putting your best face forward.

 

Make Way for More

Supply costs can be tough on a small businesses, because they often don’t qualify for bulk order volumes. Luckily, when bulk orders fail, there are always traditional wholesalers. But if you have a company van, you can purchase products in wholesale volumes. This makes it easier to turn a profit. It cuts back on wasted trips and wasted time going back and forth to the shops. But you’ll need room to haul bulk goods back to your storefront or office. And that’s where the van comes in. You can’t realistically shop wholesale for a business without having a vehicle to accommodate the load.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: REASONS YOUR COMPANY MIGHT NEED TO BUY GOODS AT WHOLESALE

 

Get on Trend

Finally, at this particular moment, commercial vans are on the brink of becoming cool. And this isn’t just because white vans are trendy, but because food trucks and other mobile businesses are taking over. With a good idea and a little ingenuity, you can run an entire business out of your van.

Beyond traditional food trucks, inventive entrepreneurs are running other businesses as well. Think florist operations and sidewalk coffee shops. Some entrepreneurs are even taking clothing and jewelry boutiques on tour with commercial vans. A company van is great for businesses that attend a lot of craft fairs and outdoor markets. And they can also cater to those who prefer an on-the-go kind of lifestyle.

A commercial van isn’t right for every business. However, those that are looking to innovate on the traditional model can use this mobile business model to improve their operations. From branding to sales and everything in between, putting your small business on the road can help you race ahead of the competition.

The post Should You Buy a Company Van? 4 Compelling Benefits appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/30/company-van-benefits/

4 Ways to Reduce Your Liability for Employees Who Drive for Their Job

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As a business owner, you’re legally responsible for motor vehicle accidents caused by your employees who drive, when they’re driving as a requirement for work. What’s more, it’s not just truck drivers or delivery drivers. This also applies to employees running a quick errand to pick up some pens at the store.

When you’re found liable for damages from a car accident, you have more to worry about than just inflated insurance rates. If someone has been injured, you could face a lawsuit for medical bills that could go on for years.

Additionally, if you require an employee to drive their work vehicle to and from work, you can also be held liable for an accident that occurs during their commute.

While you can’t guarantee your employees who drive won’t be involved in a crash, there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the chances.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 TIPS FOR REDUCING EMPLOYEES’ MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS ON THE JOB

 

1. Provide a Company Vehicle with Safety Technology

If your employees who drive do a lot of driving, it’s best to supply them with a company vehicle to drive. Buying a vehicle for their use costs more up front. However, it will save you a potential lawsuit in the end.

It’s important to choose a vehicle with good safety ratings. Employees who use their own cars might not be driving safe vehicles. Older cars are often heavier and can sustain more of an impact. However, they don’t have the technological edge on safety that newer cars have.

For instance, Sutherlin Nissan describes the driver-assisting technologies found in the 2018 Altima. These safety systems include Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning, and Intelligent Cruise Control. “Systems like the intelligent Forward Collision Warning provide drivers the extra reassurance they need to drive on busy streets,” they describe. There’s also an Emergency Braking System that monitors outside conditions with cameras and sonars.

 

 

Further Benefits to Providing a Company Vehicle for Employees Who Drive

It’s easier for employees who drive to track gas mileage with a company vehicle. They can reset the odometer when they enter and exit the vehicle. And you can easily verify this information if needed.

Gas is equally easy to manage with a company vehicle. You don’t have to worry about reimbursing receipts or mileage. Just give your employee the company gas card. Have them fill up the tank at the end of the day.

 

2. Require All Drivers to Take Defensive Driving Courses

Defensive driving courses are a good idea for everyone to take. These courses aim to help people reduce their driving risks by anticipating situations and making safe decisions quickly.

In an effort to convince the public just how important defensive driving skills are, Safe Motorist reports that crashes kill 41,000 people annually, and cause 3,236,000 injures. About 38% of all fatal crashes involve alcohol. And 30% of them occur because of speeding.

Your employees who drive may not be consuming alcohol before driving, but other drivers might. Learning defensive driving skills can help them make life-saving split-second decisions in a potentially deadly situation.

 

3. Ride Around with Your Employees

Jump in the car with your employees who drive to get a feel for their driving skills. They may be on their best behavior when you’re around, but you’ll be able to gauge their basic skills.

 

4. Always Check Driving Records

It’s idealistic to take people at their word about their driving habits and history. It’s not worth the risk. Just like checking criminal records, you should never skip checking someone’s driving record.

 

The Law Can Consider You Liable Even When the Other Driver Causes the Crash

Your employees who drive might be careful drivers, but even the best drivers have the potential to become involved in a crash. Also, just because another driver causes the crash doesn’t mean your employee wasn’t liable. There are plenty of reasons you can be held liable for your employee’s actions.

Comparative negligence, for example, extends liability to drivers for their own injuries even when they didn’t cause the crash. For example, say someone swerves into the lane inches in front of your employee and causes a crash.

Then, you learn that your employee was programming their GPS at the time of the crash. The law could hold your employee partially responsible. That’s because they were distracted and therefore unable to react fast enough. This will reduce their compensation for injury. It can also reduce your overall compensation in the case.

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure your employees are safe drivers. By investing in their training and upgrading your policies to reflect zero tolerance for violations, you can keep your employees who drive for you safe. What’s more, you can avoid expensive lawsuits.

The post 4 Ways to Reduce Your Liability for Employees Who Drive for Their Job appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/30/reduce-liability-employees-who-drive/

Watch out for These Common Mistakes If You’re a Novice Day Trader

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Are you toying with the idea of raising capital for your business by executing a few quick day trades? If you are, keep in mind that when you’re a novice day trader, it’s easy to make mistakes.

That’s because, when you buy and sell securities quickly and hold your positions for short periods, there is a lot that can go wrong. As a matter of fact, the day trader who is new to the game can even grow accustomed to watching his or her investment capital evaporate quickly.

Whether it’s binary options trading or forex day trading, there are a number of common pitfalls and traps just waiting for a day trader to fall into. Maybe it’s that you have no strategy or plan, or you haven’t done your homework about the markets. Whatever the cause, nearly everyone is at a risk of being caught out one time or another.

Here, we discuss some of the more common blunders almost every new day trader has made.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: INVESTING INTELLIGENTLY IN BITCOIN

 

A Lack of a Trading Plan

Do you know your precise entry and exit points? Are you aware of how much capital you are willing to invest and to trade? How much is the maximum you are willing to lose? If you cannot answer these questions, then you have already made a big mistake. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Therefore, ensure that you enter trading with a solid plan, first and foremost.

 

Not Knowing When to Move On

Call it stubbornness or call it inexperience. Regardless of which tag you affix to this principle, the consequences are the same. If a day trader does not know how to take a loss and move on to another trade, they will potentially hold onto a losing position. Things can get worse with time. Mounting losses can build up and eat considerably into your capital.

 

Neglecting the Importance of Stop-Loss Orders

There is no doubt about it: stop-loss orders are incredibly important to being a successful day trader. Without recognizing the importance of stop-loss orders, a trader runs the risk of losses becoming unnecessarily large. This is Trading 101 stuff. There are reasons why successful traders abide by golden rules such as stop-loss orders. These can be defined as part of your trading strategy.

 

Excessive Trading

While it may seem tempting to rush into trades like Genghis Khan off the back of successful trades, logic dictates that this is a bad idea. Over-trading may soon see your profits dry up significantly. What’s more, you could then face considerable losses. Novice traders may think they are onto something once they’ve made a big win. However, pretty soon you’ll start to understand the reasons why those with more experience are careful to subdue their enthusiasm for trading, especially when they’ve experienced a winning streak.

 

 

Following the Herd

Following the herd is generally a bad idea. Not only does it lead to laziness, but it can also prevent a day trader from paying close attention to their own trades. In the excitement of the moment, they can fail to exit when they get crowded.

The smart money will move out quickly. But novice traders won’t be experienced enough to know when this has happened. Conservatism is something which the new day trader generally needs to learn. And they do so by watching more savvy traders.

 

In Conclusion

Trading is far from a sure thing. As such, it is important to give yourself as much of an advantage as possible when you’re trading. If there are no easy ways, make things as easy on yourself as you can. Preparing for the worst is always a good place to start. However, it is the comprehensive building of knowledge which is key to being a successful day trader.

The post Watch out for These Common Mistakes If You’re a Novice Day Trader appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/28/common-mistakes-day-trader/

Debt Consolidation Scams: Learn All About Them So You Can Avoid Them

Plenty of entrepreneurs have gotten into debt when they were trying to start their businesses. If this is your situation, and you find yourself in over your head, you might find it tempting to seek out a debt consolidation loan. However, you need to watch out for debt consolidation scams. If you should happen to fall victim to a debt consolidation scam, you’ll have more to worry about than your debt crisis.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: CROWDSOURCING: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT AND HOW YOU CAN USE IT

 

Therefore, before you agree to a plan from a debt consolidation company, consider the points below.

 

Steer Clear of Companies That Pressure You

Beware of a debt consolidation firm that tries to pressure you into agreeing to a plan. Also stay away from those companies that make promises about what they can do for you before they look carefully into your particular situation. Both of these are red flags that you might be dealing with debt consolidation scams.

 

Carry out Your Research

Research the company carefully, and take your time to do this. For example, look at the services they offer. The company which offers a range of options, along with education concerning how to handle debt, could be a better choice for you.

 

 

Review the Debt Consolidation Company’s History

Before you enroll in any debt consolidation plan, check the history of the company carefully. That is, look at any records of successful debt consolidations that the company has pursued. Also, find out if any consumer complaints have been lodged against the company.

 

Check out Company Testimonials

Review the company’s testimonials. Ask friends and acquaintances if they have heard anything about the company you’re considering. If anyone you know has used this company to consolidate their debts, ask for their opinion about their experience with the company. Additionally, search for the company online. Can you find any reviews or any other information about them?

 

Ask Your Creditors About Debt Consolidation Scams

Be sure to contact your creditors and consult with them about your plans. Ask them about debt consolidation scams they are aware of. Also ask them if they are willing to work with the company you have chosen.

 

Look at the Debt Consolidation Agreement Closely

Most of us don’t take the time to read the fine print. However, it’s a really good idea to review the agreement in detail before you sign it. Look to see if it explains the debt consolidation company’s responsibilities as well as yours.

 

Make Sure Your Creditors Have Accepted the Plan

Before you begin paying the debt consolidation company, make sure that your creditors have actually accepted the company’s proposed plan. Until they do, continue to pay your bills just as you have been doing.

 

Always Be Alert

After you start the program, watch your statements carefully. Call your creditors to make sure that they are receiving their payments.

 

Watch out for Excessive Fees

One of the signs of debt consolidation scams is excessive fees.

There are some debt consolidation companies that might fail to let you know in the beginning about some excessive fees they charge. While the particular company you’re dealing with might not be an out-and-out scammer, the result could be fees that add up to even more debt for you. Therefore, be on the alert for any of the following fees:

• A fee that’s equal to a portion of the full debt, sometimes amounting to 18 percent of the total
• Any monthly fees, either service charges or some other flat fees
• A sign-up fee or any other upfront fee
• Some portion of the amount you’re purportedly saving by consolidating your debts, sometimes as high as 25 percent

 

Avoid Voluntary Fees

Stay away from companies that insist on your paying what they like to call “voluntary fees.”

 

Watch for Red Flags and Stay Safe

If a debt consolidation offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Additionally, keep in mind that no new loan will free you immediately from your debts. You will need to be patient when you’re working on getting out of debt.

What’s more, don’t be tempted into a trap that leads you into even more debt. Your primary aims should be the long-term stability of your business as well as the financial well-being of your family and yourself. Those are worthy goals that are deserving of your time and effort.

There is no doubt that being in debt is stressful. However, look for a good Debt Advisory Service and see if they can help you.

The post Debt Consolidation Scams: Learn All About Them So You Can Avoid Them appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/28/avoid-debt-consolidation-scams-2/

How to Install a Content Delivery Network (CDN) on Your Site

When you’re a small business owner, you have to wear many hats, especially in the beginning. One of those hats has you continually maintaining and upgrading your website. In that capacity, you know a content delivery network (CDN) will speed up your site. However, installing one is complicated.

Isn’t it?

Wrong.

Some CDN’s do have complex implementation sequences, but others are as simple as boiling an egg. There’s an obvious sequence of actions you need to complete, but each one is easy and quick.

The sequence below relates to implementing an Incapsula CDN on any domain.

 

Signing Up

A good quality CDN uses expensive hardware such as solid state disks (SSDs), the latest super-fast CPUs and the fastest Internet connections. Each of these costs money.

A free CDN won’t compare to a paid one, and the monthly charges for a good one start at around $59 per month. However, that is a small price to pay for the increased conversions your faster site will give you.

Incapsula offers a free trial, but you do need to give your credit card details. If things don’t work out, though, just cancel the pending payment.

We lay out the entire, step-by-step CDN implementation process in the screenshots below from Incapsula.

Start by clicking on the green “Pricing & Sign Up” button and choose the level of CDN cover you need.

If you click on the PRO plan, the next screen asks for your name, email address, and company details.

When you click on the “Create Account” button you are taken to the screen below to fill in your credit card details.

Enter your card details and press the big green button. Provided you have enough unused credit on your card, you will be directed to the screen where you will enter your domain name.

 

Adding Your Site

Adding your site to any CDN has a few more steps than most company sites reveal in their marketing.

Type in a domain name you own and press the green button to add the site to your Incapsula account. Just add one domain at this stage, or things will get too complicated.

Incapsula tells you what is happening.

You will see a message on the next screen about verifying your identity using the email address you gave when you signed up.

Click on the link in the email that Incapsula sent you.

Clicking the link clears the ID verification message.

Click the orange triangle under “status,” and you start a sequence that will set up your site on Incapsula.

Now, click on the green “Set up HTTP” link.

Click on the friendly-looking green “Let’s start” button. And you get the rather unfriendly looking screen below. Never fear, Click the green “Check DNS” button anyway.

You then see the scary screen below, where you have to DO something.

Validate by e-mail sounds easier, so click that box.

You now have a drop-down choice of email addresses to choose from.

You probably don’t have any of those addresses set up, so you need to set one up in your cPanel dashboard. (If you do have one of these email addresses set up you can skip the next few steps.)

Scroll down through your cPanel screen until you reach the EMAIL section. Click the “Email Accounts” link. Scroll down the available email domains until you come to the one you need. Then add “admin” or your chosen email user and generate a password.

 

Be Sure to Copy Your Password

Click on the “eye” to see your password and copy it (Ctrl C). (This is a vital step!)

Press “Create Account.”

You will need to set up your new email account in whichever email client you use (Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.).

The screenshots below show how to set up your new account in Thunderbird. Download Thunderbird free from here.

Click on File, New, Existing Mail Account, and a pop-up will appear as below.

Put your name on the top line, your new email address in the second line, and paste your password (Ctrl V) into the third line. Click “Confirm,” and you are done.

Go back to your Incapsula browser tab.

Choose the email address you have just set up and click the “Send email” link.

The screen below then opens up.

Open your email client, scroll down to the address you have given and open your inbox.

Open the email from Incapsula and click the link.

 

And Now You Wait…

You must wait a few hours until the SSL certificate is issued before you can go on to the next step.

When you click on the “Go to management console” button, you see the screen below.

That’s it for now. Go and do something else for a few hours, because you need an email from Incapsula before you can go to the next step.

Eventually, you will get an email as shown below.

Open the email.

 

It’s Really Easier Than It Seems

This all sounds pretty complicated. Don’t give up, though, because it’s easier than it seems.

Open your cPanel screen and scroll down until you find the “Domains” section. Click on the “DNS Zone Editor” link.

The DNS editor will open.

Find the domain you are setting up on Incapsula and click the “Manage” link.

You are now ready to change the “A record.” Copy the new IP address from the recent Incapsula email and click “edit” as shown below.

Click “Save Record.”

You will get an acknowledgment screen saying you have updated the “A record” successfully.

 

Now, Add Another One

Now you get to add another “A record.”

Click on the “Add Record” button.

When you click, you will get the screen below.

Paste in your naked domain name and the new “A record” IP address as shown below, then click the “Add Record” button.

Well done. You have now completed two of the three DNS changes. (DNS, by the way, stands for Domain Name System.)

Your next step is to change the CNAME record.

Click the CNAME link, as below.

Follow the email instructions and click “Edit” for the domain.

You will see the screen below. You are going to replace the highlighted domain in the “Record” column with whatever your Incapsula email said to use.

Paste in the new CNAME record from your email and click “Save Record.”

 

Practice Patience

You’ve finished, but the changes you have just made will take up to 48 hours to propagate, so Incapsula still marks your domain as “not configured.”

The next day or the day after, you will receive an email as shown below.

When you open the email, you find everything is in order.

When you log in to Incapsula again, you should see a screen similar to the one below.

That happy green check mark tells you your DNS changes have propagated. Now all your traffic will go through your Incapsula CDN.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 2 SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP YOUR IT DEPARTMENT HELP YOUR BUSINESS

 

Long Story Short

You need a content delivery network to stay one step ahead of your competitors. Your website needs to lead the pack in every way, including design, interactivity, and speed. A quality CDN is part of that.

So choose your CDN carefully. You don’t need a perfect Eggs Benedict. All you want is a poached egg on toast, so choose one that is simplicity itself to implement. Incapsula’s CDN is one of the simplest to set up, as you can see from the series of screenshots above.

The post How to Install a Content Delivery Network (CDN) on Your Site appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/16/install-content-delivery-network-cdn/

Potential Investors: Find Them for Your Business with These Fresh Tips

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Is a lack of finances stopping you from starting your own business and living your dream life? It’s true that most business ventures require funding in the beginning. However, if you’re short on funds, you could find help from investors to turn your dream into a reality. Below, we offer several fresh ideas for finding potential investors for your startup.

 

Spruce up Your Social Media Profiles

Just about everyone is on social media these days. Some people like to spend time on one or more of these sites to meet new people, stay in touch with friends and family, and learn about new products. Others are more interested in jump-starting their business ideas.

You, too, can take advantage of social media platforms to promote your new business. They can give you opportunities to meet potential investors for your startup.

The key to drawing potential investors to your social media pages is creating unique, eye-catching profiles. Social media sites such as LinkedIn, AngelList, and Facebook are great places to meet people who might be interested in investing in your startup.

 

 

Attend Business Conferences

Experts in specific industries typically organize conferences. What’s more, these conferences are great places to learn just about everything there is to know about that particular industry.

Additionally, industry conferences offer great opportunities for entrepreneurs like you to meet other business owners. You’ll also have chances to meet potential investors, people who are looking to invest their money in other people’s businesses.

Business conferences often feature speakers who have successfully started their own successful businesses. Further, many of these individuals have been where you are now and are willing to share with you the secrets of their success. You just need to be willing to go out there and connect with them.

In the times between the speeches and workshops, you and the other attendees will have some time to mingle. These in-between times will be your best opportunities to speak with potential investors.

However, if you want your conference experience to be a good one, you’ll need to be ready for anything. Therefore, be sure to get the best credit cards in Malaysia—along with your passport—before you book your flight to your next business conference.

 

Take Advantage of SBA Programs

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was established in 1953 as an “independent agency of the federal government.” The agency provides business tips to individuals who are looking to start a business. It also offers programs that are specifically designed to bridge the gap between new business owners and investors.

To this end, certain small business investment companies, referred to as SBIC’s, are licensed by the SBA to provide funding to small businesses like yours. Contact an agent at the SBA to find out more about SBIC programs.

 

Look to Crowdfunding

Since the introduction of crowdfunding services, hundreds of people have been able to get funding for their startups. You could do the same.

These websites are made to order for individuals who want to pitch their business ideas and inventions to the public and potential investors.

Starting a crowdfunding campaign is pretty simple, but you do need to have a great idea and to be persuasive with your pitch. So find a suitable crowdfunding website, perfect your pitch, and enroll.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: MAKING THE PERFECT PITCH: GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

 

Potential Investors Are Just Right Around the Corner

Finding funding for starting a new business is definitely a challenging undertaking. However, if you won’t be satisfied with anything less than having your own business, you’d better be ready to embrace the challenges. In other words, buckle up and enjoy the ride!

The post Potential Investors: Find Them for Your Business with These Fresh Tips appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/11/potential-investors-fresh-tips/

Online Learning: A Review of Its Advantages and Disadvantages

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Education is a fundamental part of the growth and development of every human being. What’s more, while this is a cliché, it’s no less true: Knowledge is power. And these days, you can acquire knowledge by taking advantage of online learning.

No longer must you attend lectures in person. For example, on platforms such as Imparture, you can easily educate yourself about just about any topic you might desire. You might want to learn more about marketing your business, for instance. You can do that with online learning.

As a matter of fact, you can learn new skills and train yourself for almost any field. All you have to do is register for virtual classes and tutorials over the Internet.

Tuition for online learning is generally less expensive than classes at physical colleges and training centers. Other costs will be minimal, too. For example, you’ll have no costs for travel or commuting, or for meals away from home.

You’ll be able to sign up for online courses and keep your job, too. You won’t need to take time away from the office, because you can study and learn on your own time. That’s because your class materials will be available as electronic media, and you can refer to them whenever you want.

Here, we review some of the advantages and disadvantages of online learning.

 

 

Advantages of Online Learning:

Online Learning Provides Top-Level Training

With online learning, a qualified lecturer with expertise in a specialized area teaches the content. This makes the process of learning easier, boosting your confidence and motivating you to do your best.

 

You Can Learn from Anywhere at Any Time

Because they’re available electronically, the courses for online learning are available whenever you are, and the schedule is flexible. What’s more, you can study from any corner of the world. All you need is a good Internet connection.

 

Study Content Is Continuously Updated

The best online learning platforms update their material on a regular basis. Therefore, you’ll be learning from the most up-to-date material. This factor will ensure that you stay on top of changes in our rapidly changing world.

 

Disadvantages of Online Learning:

Online Learning Can Lead to Isolation

One of the critical drawbacks to online learning is that it can restrict your opportunities to interact with other people in the physical world. If you’re not careful to find ways to counteract this tendency, you could end up losing ground with your social skills. Therefore, if you’re heavily engaged with your online courses, also find ways to meet up with friends and interact frequently with family members.

 

You Could End up with Fewer Practical Skills

Most of the concepts you’ll learn online are theoretical, not practical, in nature. For example, if you want to study science, you’ll be able to do that to a point. However, there will come a time you’ll have to get your hands dirty and learn what you need to know about the real world before you can call yourself a scientist. In other words, you’ll need to learn how to apply what you’re learning online.

 

Online Learning Is Not Right for Everyone

If you can manage your time well, then online learning could be just the thing for you. If not, you might be better off with the fixed schedule that learning in a real-time classroom—alongside classmates and with a professor at the front of the room—will give you.

 

It Could Even Affect your Health

Prolonged computer use can strain your eyes and could seriously affect your sitting posture. What’s more, a sedentary lifestyle is not good for anyone’s health. If you’re going to take advantage of online learning, take frequent breaks and be sure to get regular physical exercise.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 7 WAYS EXERCISING CAN HELP YOU SUCCEED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

 

Finally

Every human being is different, and we all have different proclivities and abilities. Therefore, find a learning method that matches your situation as well as your wants and needs. In other words, choose the learning style that’s best for you.

The post Online Learning: A Review of Its Advantages and Disadvantages appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/09/advantages-disadvantages-online-learning/

Payroll Management Software: 5 Reasons Your Business Should Upgrade

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When it comes to small business HR software, payroll management software is among the most crucial. In a world full of software options and technology threats, keeping your payroll software updated can seem like a drag. But it’s crucial to keep updating your software and opting for the most efficient option.

Having your payroll information right is important in terms of keeping your accounts in order. However, it also has an effect on your employee satisfaction. A small business cannot afford to pay incorrect amounts or have employees feel like they are being let down by payment mistakes.

To compete against bigger businesses, software solutions need to be cost-effective. Small business HR software must focus on talent retention. Investing in the right payroll software can help with this. However, you can’t just invest in software and move on. You have to make sure you regularly upgrade to the best option out there.

 

Why You Must Focus on Having the Right Payroll Management Software

There are five major reasons your small business must upgrade to new payroll management software today.

 

1. Enhanced Security

Security is a big issue for a modern small business. Unfortunately, many small businesses are not taking it seriously. This happens to be the case even though they are more than likely to suffer from hacking. In order to maintain a high level of security, businesses must keep software up-to-date.

Naturally, this means you need to update your software frequently. Therefore, if your payroll management software is not supported any longer you should consider upgrading. This is true as well if the latest security update is months old. Upgrading ensures you’re using the latest encryption and other such security layers.

 

 

2. Effective Software Support

In general, newer HR software companies take support seriously. Digital products of the past often had just a basic customer service number you could contact. But a modern small business needs more than that. Small business owners work at various times. They need flexible support, from social media to live chat.

If you examine modern small business HR software, it is startups that are paving a way for better customer care. Bayzat CEO, Talal Bayaa, has even said, “High-quality support is a priority, because caring for customers helps the company to grow.”

Upgrading to new payroll management software allows your small business to opt for a product that is efficient. Moreover, it also takes care of the problems you might encounter. You want software that offers technical support in a variety of ways. You also want software with features that make solving problems smooth.

 

3. Improved Access

One of the major benefits of upgrading to new payroll management software is the access modern products come with. Most traditional software is on site. This can be costly because the upkeep, in terms of things like security, is more demanding. But off-site, cloud-based software can cut down the cost and improve access.

Cloud payroll software means you and your HR team can access the data with different devices and at any time. The HR department can deal with queries even from the comfort of their homes, making work more flexible.

Furthermore, upgrading to cloud software can improve employee access, too. This is important in terms of transparency and employee satisfaction. Your employees are able to input their own information and collaborate with you and the team much better.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 WAYS TO BUILD REMARKABLY STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES

 

4. Better Compliance

Of course, payroll software must also be compliant with local and international laws. Small business HR software compliance is crucial, especially in areas like record-keeping and taxation. By upgrading to the latest product, compliance becomes easier.

Compliance is especially important in the modern world. That’s because a lot of small businesses have international links and connections. With the new General Data Protection (GDPR) regulations in place in the EU, it’s crucial to consider how you store employee data. It is things like this that are often better covered with the latest HR software. The right software reduces what you have to worry about.

 

5. Advantageous Talent Acquisition and Retention

With the adoption of new payroll management software, your small business can instantly improve its talent acquisition and retention. Modern payroll software is not just about calculating employee hours, pay and benefits. It will also collect important data on how employees are performing.

The data can be influential in terms of improving employee well-being and productivity. Your employees are able to put their talent to use better and be more motivated in the process. They will therefore find working for your business engaging and rewarding. Having happy employees is crucial in attracting talent. You can’t expect new employees to knock on your door if the existing ones are running away.

 

Finding the Right Payroll Management Software

The benefits of upgrading are tangible, especially to a small business. You have to compete with big companies with better resources. Therefore, gaining an advantage with the help of technology can be your best hope. The good news is that this isn’t difficult. Small business HR software is effective. What’s more, it doesn’t have to break your budget.

The key is to focus on finding the right product for your payroll needs. You have to align your need for solutions with the budget you have available. Additionally, while your employee numbers might not be significant now, you need to focus on agility and growth in the future. Flexibility is, therefore, a major part of finding the correct software.

If you want to gain ground in the competitive world of business, then look to upgrade your software and the way you use it. It can help your small business succeed.

The post Payroll Management Software: 5 Reasons Your Business Should Upgrade appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/09/small-business-payroll-management-software/

Flourish by Following These 6 Golden Rules for New Business Owners

Every aspect of starting a company can be daunting, from the company formation process to understanding the market and staying financially sound. Here are our six golden rules to help you survive your first year in business.

 

Protect Your Cash Flow

Protecting your cash flow is probably the most important of these six golden rules.

However, your cash flow can become troublesome in the first few years of starting your own company. Therefore, running company credit checks on all suppliers and large customers can be the difference between the life and death of your new company.

Credit checks give you a firm understanding the financial situation of a company you’re considering doing business with. Also, they give some insight into the character and intentions of the directors. A company credit check will outline how a company has dealt with historic debts. It will also show whether the directors are on the board of any other, illegitimate companies.

Your cash flow is also vulnerable to internal changes. Making a change to your company that causes a mass exodus of customers is a lot more damaging when your company is new. It could be the difference between your company surviving or not.

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 INVESTMENTS YOU SHOULD MAKE WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS

 

Keep a Pace That You Can Handle

You need to know your market well when you first start a company. Otherwise, it’s easy to make alterations to your product that don’t suit your customers’ needs. This can lead to you making further changes to rectify any issues. If you make multiple changes in a short time, it will be harder to identify exactly what caused an issue.

This could cause your business to spiral downward if you cannot work out what or why something hasn’t worked. If you then try and reverse the changes, you could cause customers to become even more dissatisfied. That’s because they may believe that you have stripped down your product, offering them less value.

 

Don’t Try and Wear All the Hats

Outsourcing after your company is somewhat established could deliver significant improvements in the long term. However, it might not be suitable to outsource when you’ve just started a company.

That’s because it is impossible to understand exactly what you are going to excel at when you first start up. Take time to review how well you complete tasks in your company. Do this not just from a performance perspective, but also look at how long tasks take. Your time is valuable and might be better spent in other areas. This exercise will help you to identify where it would be most beneficial to outsource.

 

Get to Know Your Customers Immediately

Understanding your customers and serving their needs well can be a reciprocal process. Better satisfying your customers comes with unforeseen benefits. What’s more, getting to know your customers is one of the six golden rules that will pay off big time. Happy customers are more likely to leave positive reviews of your company.

Before you even register your company, you must have a thorough understanding of who your customers are and what problem your product solves. Therefore, make sure there is no inconsistency between your product’s features and your customers’ needs.

Additionally, look at your competitors’ offerings and see what pain points their products solve. You are able to influence your customer experience and build a product or service which changes your customers’ lives. A good product serves a customer once. However, a great product can change their lives.

Moreover, understanding how your product delivers value to your customers is important. A successful product changes a person’s life in a positive way. You must understand how your business can achieve this.

 

Understand How You Differentiate from Your Competitors

Knowing exactly how you differentiate from your competitors is invaluable. It will mold the way in which you need to compete to be successful.

Acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of your method of differentiation is also vital. It will have a great effect on your long-term business plan.

Keep in mind that competing on price is a lot less resilient than beating your competitors on quality. That’s because your competitors can simply change their price (even to their detriment) and beat your offering. However, if you aim at beating your competitors on quality you’re more likely to come out ahead in the long run.

 

 

See the Big Picture

Understanding how your company fits into the market should help you control how your business scales. Are your competitors owned by a parent company with deep pockets? In that case, scaling too quickly to try and compete can be dangerous. You may leave yourself overstretched.

This can lead you to be unable to adequately serve your market. As a new company, you will also have less lead time to work out where your weaknesses as a company lie. This could cause lasting, long-term damage to your brand if you let your customers down.

Take some time to build for the future. Recognizing the power of a strong brand is one of the key golden rules. Protecting your brand will help you in the long term. As Warren Buffett said, “”It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

 

Finally

We understand how overwhelming starting a company can be. There is a lot of conflicting advice. Add to that the fear of the unknown when you’re first considering taking the plunge. By taking time to consider these 6 golden rules, you are giving your business the best chance of surviving and flourishing.

 

About the Author

Joe Hurst is the paid search manager for Company Formation MadeSimple by day and runs a digital marketing agency by night.

The post Flourish by Following These 6 Golden Rules for New Business Owners appeared first on Business Opportunities.

source http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2018/05/08/golden-rules-new-business-owners/