Saturday 30 March 2019

Forex Trading Robots: Are They Safe or Are They Dangerous?

Featured image from LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Pexels


Are you considering turning to forex trading to raise funds for expanding your business? If so, you might have heard of forex trading robots. In this post we weigh their pros and cons.

Forex trading is considered one of the most versatile money-earning approaches. That’s because of the various trading styles and techniques it offers.

RELATED ARTICLE: FOREX: HOW DO FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGES AFFECT YOUR SMALL BUSINESS?

For example, traders of all levels of competency and experience trade on the forex market. Fortunately, traders these days have the opportunity of benefiting from automated trading solutions. These automated alternatives can produce better results in less time than the manual approach to trading.

In this post, we’ll be unearthing the truth to find the best forex robot. Are you excited? Let’s get started!

What Are Forex Trading Robots?

According to Investopedia, forex trading robots—sometimes called “online expert advisors,” or EA’s—are computer-designed programs. They help traders determine whether to trade a particular currency pair at a given time.

A forex trading robot is a precisely programmed bit of software. These robots can work around the clock, seven days a week, with no interruptions.

Moreover, these robots are not affected by human emotions. Therefore, they tap the best possible market opportunities. Some of these opportunities are simply not possible with manual trading. However, are these automated solutions worth your trust and your money? In other words, are forex trading robots really safe? Let’s find out.

Forex Trading Robots Can Either Be Safe or Dangerous

Depending on your approach, forex robots can either be safe or dangerous. However, it takes a great deal of research to find the program that will place your trades accurately.

There is no denying that the idea of earning passive income while sitting back is appealing. But relying on the wrong software could result in big losses for your trading business.

Forex Trading Robots Are Safe If You’re Using the Right System

The profitability of the algorithms of forex trading robots mainly depends on the program you use. Generally speaking, these software programs are based on analyses of exchange rates.

A forex trading robot produces trading signals based on current market conditions. Its algorithm also takes past and present statistics about exchange rates and price fluctuations into account.

A forex trading robot places a trade once all a trader’s conditions are fulfilled.

But They Can Be Dangerous If You’re Using the Wrong System

Forex trading robots have significantly improved the forex trading scenario in recent years. However, the wrong program can be dangerous to your trading business. For example, a problem can arise when you choose a program that’s wrong for your trading style. For instance, if you’re into day trading and you pick software that’s best for scalping, you won’t get great returns.

Developers have not yet found a way to design all-inclusive forex trading robots. In other words, no one robot will be able to cater to all the requirements of every forex trader. Moreover, how these programs perform depends completely on how they are coded. Therefore, they deliver great results in trending markets but they fail in anomalous ones.

So it’s important to invest time in research and comparison. This is how to pick the right forex trading robot for your trading style and your business.

How to Pick the Right Robot

It’s important to pick the robot that will work best for you. Here are some criteria to keep in mind.

1. Track the Performance

First and most important, check out different websites that measure the performance and profit factor for different trading robots. MyFXBook is a great resource for this step. It can help you track the performance and past results of different forex trading robots. It can help you to forecast each robot’s return on investment as well.

2. Read the Testimonials

Testimonials and reviews are yet another way to assess the credibility of a forex trading robot. Here, it can be a good idea to skim through third-party independent websites. This will give you the best chance of reading unbiased and honest reviews.

3. Ask Questions

You can also get in touch with the robot’s owner and clear your doubts before making a purchase. If you get quick and reliable answers to your questions, your decision will be easier.

4. Ask for a Free Trial

A free trial is a must, and it is certainly an important step. So always ask a vendor to provide a free trial. This way, you can see for yourself if a particular robot aligns with your trading style.

How to Know If a Robot Fits Your Trading Style

One way to choose among the various robots is to backtest a particular robot before using it for actual trades. That is, you test the robot against historical data to find out how well it would have performed.

Even if you already own a particular program, it’s a good idea to backtest it every few months. You need to see whether or not it’s delivering consistent results.

Forex Trading Robots Are Here to Stay

We have tried to be impartial in this post. Most of all we wanted to convey the idea that forex robots are not going away anytime soon.

However, if you carefully select your forex trading robot, you can expect great returns. What’s more, thereafter you’ll be able to relax and watch your returns roll in. Happy trading!

The post Forex Trading Robots: Are They Safe or Are They Dangerous? appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/30/forex-trading-robots/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=forex-trading-robots

Some Tips for Independent Contractors Working on Construction Sites

Featured photo by Fancycrave.com from Pexels

Independent contractors who work on major construction sites have a great deal to manage with regard to their business.

For instance, they must ensure that their company is legally registered and that they have liability insurance. Additionally, they must market themselves well, and more.

If you’re an independent contractor on a major construction site, here are five business and legal tips for you.

1. Join a Professional Association

If you are looking to grow your independent construction business, it is crucial to network with fellow professionals. For starters, talking with other independent contractors can you help to nurture your own entrepreneurial skills.

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS

You will also get to know people who can help you with some of your projects. Additionally, you can learn about the latest industry practices and standards.

2. Obtain the Insurance You Need

Insurance is crucial for independent contractors. That’s because there are numerous risks for independent contractors. Accidents can happen at any time on a construction site. For example, someone might drop a piece of equipment or hammer a finger.

Therefore, it is critical to have liability insurance. Moreover, independent contractors should also consult with an experienced construction accident lawyer. When you do, be sure to go over potential legal scenarios.

A good insurance policy can offer your independent contracting business financial safeguards against unwanted incidents.

3. Independent Contractors Must Have a Smart Promotional Strategy

An independent contractor’s marketing strategy helps them to find new clients and win bids for profitable new projects. Simply put, you need to focus on building your reputation and doing quality work. Only in this way will you be able to acquire good projects with new and returning clients.

Having a mix of both small and big projects of different types can assist with that. Moreover, this strategy can lead you to meet new clients. Also, online promotions can be an excellent source of leads.

Similarly, independent contractors should remember to maintain a connection with current and former clients. For example, a “Happy Holiday!” email during a big holiday can suffice to create loyalty. It can assist in the reduction of sales costs and keep you in the mind of your client, even after a project is over.

4. Develop a Plan on Running Your Business

The systems you choose for operating your contracting business need to make life easier for you. For example, they should make processes such as task management, filing taxes, bookkeeping, scheduling, and invoicing smooth. Aim for a balance between free services and those that will incur some cost but meet your needs better.

Additionally, the systems you implement need to be helpful to current and future staff members. As you’re deciding on systems for your independent contracting firm, look for those that provide staffers with clear instructions on the policies and procedures of your company.

5. Determine the Legal Structure of Your Business

During the setting up of an independent contracting company and determining its legal structure, you need confidence in making the decision. For instance, you can be a limited liability corporation (LLC) or a sole proprietor. The kind of legal structure independent contractors decide upon can have a significant effect in determining their general finances, liabilities, and taxes.

Independent Contractors Need a Framework for Their Livelihood

If you’re considering a career as an independent contractor, heed the advice in this article. Then set yourself up for a lucrative career as an independent contractor for major construction sites.

The post Some Tips for Independent Contractors Working on Construction Sites appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/30/independent-contractors-construction/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=independent-contractors-construction

The Best Business Books for Students Who Want to Be Financially Literate

Thanks to Pixabay on Pexels for the featured image.

Regardless of your discipline in college, you cannot do without financial literacy. Therefore, you need to know about the business books we discuss here.

Your career success will largely be determined by your financial intelligence. Literature review writing service providers understand the importance of being financially savvy. Moreover, they also know the best business books to guide you to financial freedom.

From years of experience in writing and preparing literature reviews, we present you some of the all-time best books about business.

5 Best-Selling Business Books All College Students Should Read

The Richest Man in Babylon

Do you want to make the best of your earnings and cure the problems of a lean purse? Then you need the ageless and practical lessons taught by the eight parables in this 1926 book. 

The Richest Man in Babylon, by George Clason, is one of the most evergreen finance books ever written. The teachings in this book are practical and straightforward. Clason brings to the reader lessons taught some 8,000 years ago by ancient Babylonians whose level of financial literacy was the best of their generation.

The central idea of Clason’s masterpiece is how one can grow wealth even from nothing. “Start thy purse to fattening,” is the crux of all the timeless lessons in this book. The idea is to consistently set aside a minimum of 10% of your earnings as a future plan. Your determination, focus, and self-control will allow you to save for the future, no matter how meager your income.

Additionally, the book not only teaches savings and investment, but also protecting your investments.

Think and Grow Rich

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.” This is one of the indefatigable quotes left to us by Napoleon Hill, whose book Think and Grow Rich has inspired scores of people around the world to aspire to greatness. Success doesn’t come by accident, writes Hill. On the contrary, it is the quality of your thoughts that will determine your financial success.

This is one of those business books that will open your eyes to the power of your thoughts. Plus, it will instill in you a strong desire for success. You will come to understand that your success in life will be determined by how hungry you are for success.

In addition, this book will teach you how to have unwavering faith in yourself. This is critical, because without self-confidence, there are limits to how far you can go in life. Therefore, as you pursue your dreams, you must never stop trying, even when you fail.

Fear is another major obstacle for many people. However, reading Think and Grow Rich is an antidote to fear. Read it and overcome your fear so you can achieve your life goals.

RELATED ARTICLE: TRAVELING ABROAD: HOW IT WILL HELP YOU GROW AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

How to Win Friends and Influence People

This is among the must-read business books for many reasons. To begin with, you will find this book on the bookshelves of many entrepreneurs, CEO’s, and other successful individuals in various fields.

How to Win Friends and Influence People was written by the American writer and lecturer Dale Carnegie in 1936. It teaches practical lessons from the author’s experience in working directly with people in his courses on public speaking, interpersonal skills, salesmanship, and self-improvement.

Therefore, this is a people-centered book. It provides guides on how to have smooth interpersonal relationships. Indeed, the most important skill in business, Carnegie asserts, is not how to manage money but how to manage people.

Dale Carnegie’s book will help you gain insight into the human management that will help you to achieve success in your career. It doesn’t matter what your course of study is, you are going to work with people. Moreover, how you treat them will contribute to your success. 

This book will teach you, among other things, how to avoid criticizing, condemning and judging others; how to be generous in giving praise; and how to avoid an argument. Perhaps Carnegie’s most important point is to be genuinely interested in other people. Show them that you care.

The Outliers

Do you want to know why some people are exceptionally successful in life while some are merely average? The Outliers will teach you how to be remarkably great in whatever you choose to pursue.

Author Malcolm Gladwell demystifies success in this book. In it, he asserts that talent and IQ have less to do with success than does consistent practice. Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule states that anyone can become an expert in anything by dedicating 10,000 hours of unwavering practice to that skill.

However, success is about more than hard work. Opportunities contribute to success as well. What’s more, opportunities appear in various ways for different people in disparate circumstances. For example, not everyone has the same measure of opportunities.

Therefore, each of us must utilize the the opportunities we have available to us. So leverage the opportunities that come your way and complement them with diligent work to achieve success. 

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad is one of those business books that everyone needs to read.

The first lesson for college students in this instructive personal finance book is the importance of financial literacy. If you can master financial literacy, you will be unstoppable in your career.

The author asserts that poor people work for money while the rich make their money work for them. In reading this business book, you will learn how the rich think. You will also learn how to send your money on success-guaranteed errands.

Money, Kiyosaki writes, shouldn’t be your topmost motive for working. However, learning should be. What you read and study will eventually form your personality. Therefore, you should choose to read and study materials that are beneficial to your life goals.

Try to know something about everything around you, he writes. This will make you stand out. Other important skills everyone must acquire, according to Kiyosaki, are communication and sales. Regardless of your chosen career, you will need these skills to achieve success.

Absorb the Wisdom in These Business Books

In order to achieve success in life, you must acquire financial literacy. This will make all of your other aspirations easier to achieve. And to acquire financial literacy, read these business books, absorb them into your personality, and refer to them often.

The post The Best Business Books for Students Who Want to Be Financially Literate appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/30/business-books-students/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-books-students

Friday 29 March 2019

3 Things to Look for in Pennsylvania PEO Companies

PEO stands for “professional employer organization.” A PEO is an outsourcing firm that provides a variety of services to small and medium-sized business.

When would you need a PEO? Perhaps when your business has grown to a certain size, you might need to create new departments that you never needed before. For instance, you might find that you need a human resources department to help in the management of your staff and their salaries. This is where you might call on a PEO to help you out.

Do You Need PEO Services?

There might be other reasons, too. For example, you might decide that you need a PEO company if a key member of your staff is retiring and you want to outsource their duties instead of trying to replace that person.

Whatever the case, at some point in your business operations and growth you might find you need a PEO company for one reason or another. However, what should your criteria be, and how will you know when you have found the right one?

Well, in Pennsylvania as well as globally there are thousands of PEO companies. What’s more, when you search the Internet, you’ll see that you have plenty of choices.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 WAYS EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS YOUR BUSINESS

But how will you know which ones are trustworthy? Naturally, you’ll find genuine ones such as Digital Exits. However, there are many PEO companies that make claims they don’t fulfill. This makes it difficult for business owners to make a good decision.

According to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), the United States has more than 780 PEO’s. Keep in mind, however, that these are just the ones that have registered with that organization. There are other virtual PEO companies in Pennsylvania that have not been registered. Additionally, there are three things you should look for:

3 Things to Look for in a PEO Company

1. Accreditations and Certifications

Any prospective PEO company that wants to work with you should be accredited by the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC). They should also have the Employer Certification offered by the IRS.

If you choose a PEO company that has these two certifications, you will be assured of working with the best. That’s because fewer than a hundred PEO companies in the United States are registered with ESAC. Digital Exits is one such PEO company in Pennsylvania. What’s more, this company will work with you to ensure that they properly address your business goals.

2. Experience and Resources

Most PEO companies in Pennsylvania claim to have the experience and the necessary resources to support your business. However, you should look into the details to determine whether their claims are honest.

They should give you referrals and references so you can know how they dealt with other businesses. You will also need to ask questions that are relevant to your needs to see whether the solution they offer aligns with your goals.

3. How They Determine Their Fee

Most companies offering these services will charge based either on your growth or at a fixed rate.

If you choose a company that bases their PEO fee on a percentage of your payroll, be prepared for them to increase their fee as your payroll increases. Other companies base their fees on the number of employees you have.

Conclusion

There are other factors to look into before selecting a PEO company in Pennsylvania. These include the depth of experience that their employees have, which you should ask about. However, the criteria listed here should form the basis of your research.

If you’re having trouble deciding, just reach out to Digital Exits. They can save you the hassle of trying to find a great PEO company in Pennsylvania. That’s because they are one.

Feature photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

The post 3 Things to Look for in Pennsylvania PEO Companies appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/29/pennslyvania-peo-companies/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pennslyvania-peo-companies

5 Important Secrets to Starting a Successful Urgent Care Center

You’re sure to stumble across pitfalls when you launch any startup. Minor mistakes can lead to big and costly headaches later on. Urgent care centers are also prone to some of these mistakes in the beginning stages. Here are some ways you can prevent these mistakes when starting your own urgent care center.

Choose the Right Location for Your Urgent Care Center

The worst thing you can do is choose the wrong location for your urgent care center. Moreover, choosing the right location requires some sort of balance. For example, you might want to stick to your hometown. However, that’s not always the best approach. You should consider opening a center in your hometown only if there’s a desperate need for urgent care in your area.

Another big mistake you can make is opening an urgent care center in an area with a low population. On the other hand, launching your center in a community that is densely populated area will increase the potential for incoming patients.

Also, choose the right location by knowing about the competition in the area. Specifically, select a location with a high population of residents who don’t have access to urgent care services. Launching in a high traffic area is critical for your success.

Determine How Much Money You’ll Need

Most startups need some money to launch. Further, sometimes there’s a waiting period before you receive a return on your investment. Underestimating the money you need to get started is a mistake that many entrepreneurs make.

However, how can you determine the amount of money you’ll need to launch your urgent care center?

First, determine the challenges and financial needs of your urgent care startup. Note that your capital costs will go to a wide variety of necessities . These will range from medical equipment to medical staffing agencies and everything in between.

Moreover, you need to have enough cash to keep you afloat as you get your accounts receivable going. This process could take three to four months. Therefore, set realistic expectations of your money flow to prevent a financial crisis for your urgent care center.

Create a Solid Business Plan for Your Urgent Care Center

One of the biggest mistakes that an urgent care center can make is not having a strong business plan. Therefore, create a solid business plan.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE 5 STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE BEFORE WRITING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN

Moreover, make sure your plan is based on accurate data and recent statistics along with your projections for the future. Also, ensure that your business plan is flexible enough in the beginning so you can tweak it as needed.

If you create the business plan for your urgent care center on facts and data, it will hold up well, even if you find you need to make changes as your business grows.

Invest in Practice Management Software

Choosing an electronic health records (EHR) software for your urgent care center can be overwhelming and confusing. As a matter of fact, you might be tempted to bypass this entire process altogether.

However, if you want to keep your costs low, you should invest in quality software that boosts your productivity. This can save you from making costly mistakes in the long run.

So do your research on the various EHR systems. Ask other business owners in the urgent care industry which practice management systems they use. Find out about the different EHR systems, including their advantages and disadvantages.

Also, visit vendor websites to compare the features of various systems. And when it comes time to sign the contract, resist the urge to choose the cheapest one. Choose a vendor that best fits your business model and the stated mission of your urgent care practice.

Focus on Efficient Patient Billing

There are so many ways to mess up patient billing in an urgent care center. The two biggest mistakes you should avoid are choosing an inexperienced individual to manage your billing and not having a clear billing process.

Since the patient billing operations in your urgent care center will make up your entire revenue stream, it’s important to receive payments on time. So the first thing you need to do is to determine if you’ll hire in-house billing or outsource work to a third party.

Most urgent care clinics use a revenue cycle service (RCS) to handle their patient billing needs. If you want to work with an RCS, find out the list of services you’ll be receiving.

On the other hand, if you want to hire in-house billing, search for medical staffing agencies who have experience with handling insurance claims and using patient billing software. Define your billing process in the early stages, so you know exactly what to look for.

Further, it’s important to find qualified staff for your urgent care center who know the importance of keeping patient records secure. They should be aware of the HIPAA policies and procedures, and their utmost focus should be on patient privacy.

Follow These Tips When Starting Your Urgent Care Center

It’s easy to make mistakes in the beginning. But create a strong business plan, choose an ideal location, and be realistic about your funding. Then focus on defining a clear billing process and choosing the right EHR software. Keeping these factors in mind will help you get your urgent care center successfully off the ground.

Featured image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

The post 5 Important Secrets to Starting a Successful Urgent Care Center appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/29/launching-urgent-care-center/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=launching-urgent-care-center

3 Education Business Ideas You Can Run from Anywhere

For qualified teachers and students alike, additional cash coming in is always a blessing. But have you ever considered that you could create your own financial blessing by starting an education business on the side?

Teachers are often expected to contribute their own materials to the classroom, and this costs money. Meanwhile, many students live life with their finances in the red. They, too, need some extra income to help them out while they get their education.

Take Advantage of Your Education and Your Skills

However, getting this additional cash is easier than you might expect. There are countless educational side hustles and opportunities to take advantage of. This is true regardless of the position you’re in.

The key is to understand what you are skilled at and take advantage of those skills. For example, when it comes to teachers and further education students, it’s your expertise and vast knowledge in a specific subject that’s invaluable. Moreover, that expertise makes educational business ideas perfect for you.

To kick start your journey toward additional income, we have put together a list of three lucrative job ideas. None of these will take too much time. However, any one of them could easily earn you a respectable amount of cash.

Sports Clubs and Hobby Groups

Everyone has a talent, whether it be dancing, running, playing football, or knitting scarves. Moreover, leveraging your talents is the key to a successful education business idea. That’s because you will be selling something of quality. It’s the quality of your educational product that will keep people coming back for more.

Turning your educational slant toward something you are passionate about is a great way of earning money. For example, you might turn to sports clubs or hobby groups and give lessons.

RELATED ARTICLE: WHERE ARE THE BEST PLACES IN TEXAS TO BUY REAL ESTATE FOR RENTALS?

If you enjoy what you are doing, it will feel much less like a job and more like a fun side event that happens to earn you money each week. Additionally, an education side job can be flexible. This means you can make it work around your personal schedule. Therefore, there’s no need to worry about clashes with your normal working hours or studying times.

Getting your educational club or lessons off the ground is the hardest part. This phase will probably require a little marketing. However, after that, you could reasonably expect to spend about an hour or so a week and earn a tidy sum. It’s hard to say no to that.

Tutoring

Tutoring has always been a good way for educators and students to earn money on the side. What’s more, that remains the case now.

Students and adults of all ages sometimes require tutoring. Some need help applying to a Russell Group university. Others struggle with a specific subject to further their education or prepare for exams. Still others want to get better at a second language.

Whatever the student’s needs, if you have the time and skills to educate someone then you are guaranteed to find work tutoring in your local area.

RELATED ARTICLE: SIX TIPS TO STARTING A SUCCESSFUL AND LUCRATIVE SIDE HUSTLE

In general, tutors earn a lot of money per hour. However, prep work and marking will take some time between lessons. This can particularly be the case if you have multiple students.

Investigate the demand in your area for this type of education service. See whether it will work for you. Because if it does, you will probably be surprised by how lucrative tutoring can be.

Blogging

Finally, here is a slightly more unconventional idea for an education business: blogging.

Blogging has been around for a while. However, its benefits are still unknown to those who don’t hover around the digital sphere. Alongside the authority that a well-respected blog gives you, as well as the sometimes-therapeutic act of getting your thoughts down and sharing them with the world, a good blog can earn some serious money.

Online advertisers often use niche, focused blogs as advertising techniques. A well-written blog gives them a chance to showcase their products to a targeted audience.

RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MONETIZE YOUR BLOG IN 2019? SOME PRACTICAL TIPS

Similarly, digital marketers can purchase sponsored posts that link back to their website. This helps them to increase their authority with Google. Essentially, people use blogs, and more importantly pay blogs, for a range of reasons.

However, getting a blog to the point of actually earning money will take time and effort. It won’t bring you cash overnight. Therefore, you’ll need to provide good, educational content over time. This will help your blog to build a good audience. Eventually, though, you should be able to count on a steady income from a well-run blog.

Start Your Education Business Now

Using one of these three ideas for education businesses, you can supplement your income effectively wherever you are and whatever you are doing. However, preparation is always key. So do your research before making a large investment. You can expect to be enjoying your increased cash flow soon.

Featured image from Christina Morillo on Pexels

The post 3 Education Business Ideas You Can Run from Anywhere appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/29/education-business-ideas/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=education-business-ideas

Wednesday 27 March 2019

What Does the Big Mac Index Have to Do with Forex Trading?

What is the Big Mac Index, and what does it have to do with forex trading? Read on to find out.

In the most fundamental sense, forex trading is about the differences in the real value of currencies.

Money represents the value of a given economy. Moreover, the prices of things within a country usually determine the long-term price of currencies. Currency pairs fluctuate around those differences. But what does a McDonald’s hamburger have to do with that?

RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT IS FOREX TRADING AND HOW DOES THE FOREX MARKET WORK?

What Is the Big Mac Index?

For those who don’t know, the The Economist publishes the Big Mac Index. It’s an unofficial way of measuring the relative value of currencies, and it turns out to be reliable enough to guide policy. (However, there is a more technical measurement called PPP, which we’ll get to later.)

How it works is that McDonald’s makes its signature hamburger with the exact same ingredients no matter where it is in the world. Plus, manufacturing it requires a broad mix of consumer goods. These include meat, vegetables, bread, energy, transportation, financial services, and so on. Additionally, we all know about McDonald’s obsession with precision and uniformity across its product ranges. So a Big Mac in Moscow is going to look, taste, and feel the same as one in Kansas City, Tokyo, or Lahore.

Therefore, the Big Mac makes an excellent base with which to compare the relative value of different currencies. This is because it requires the same resources and labor to produce, regardless of the monetary policy, exchange rate, and other circumstances that might cause distortions in the currency.

Couldn’t You Just Use the PPP to Guide Your Forex Trading?

Traders call the formal and sophisticated version of this measurement “Purchasing Power Parity” or PPP. We calculate the PPP in order to compare economic variables between countries without the distortion of exchange rate variations. However, experts often criticize the PPP based on the criteria for how the exchange effect is calculated. Therefore, because of that, it’s not as useful for forex trading. That’s because it is the exchange rate that forex traders specifically focus upon.

However, the Big Mac Index is a tangible way of demonstrating this concept. Moreover, it has the advantage of being a market-based objective product, instead of an academic economic concept.

How to Use the Big Mac Index in Forex Trading

The Big Mac Index only comes out once a year. So obviously, it’s not useful as a day trading indicator. However, it’s a handy guide for understanding the long-term effect of the economy on the currency and vice versa.

The idea behind forex trading is for traders to determine which currencies are overvalued relative to others. The theory behind PPP is that currencies should equalize around the value of similar products. Therefore, a country in which it requires more local currency to buy a Big Mac than another implies that the currency has a lower intrinsic value.

If the difference between the prices of hamburgers is not the same as the difference in the currency prices, then it implies that the currency is either overvalued or undervalued. Arbitrage would suggest that currencies that aren’t in line with their intrinsic values will equalize.

Does that happen? Well, yes and no. Evidently, the economy of an entire country is more complicated than a simple hamburger. However, the concept of currencies becoming overvalued and undervalued because of exchange rates is a documented phenomenon. And it is one of the driving factors of long-term currency moves.

Conclusion

Should you follow the Big Mac Index for your forex trading? Or should you rely on more rigorous analysis of the value of a currency, such as one of the different versions of PPP? It’s your choice.

But your fundamental analysis of currency pairs and their long-term trends can be aided by keeping track of the real value of goods in the two economies.

Featured image from Mediablitzimages on Yay Images

The post What Does the Big Mac Index Have to Do with Forex Trading? appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/27/big-mac-index-forex-trading/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=big-mac-index-forex-trading

Tuesday 26 March 2019

How Can I Get My Business to Rank Higher in the Search Engines?

Search engines have taken over our lives.

There are more than 40,000 search queries in Google every second, with more than 3.5 billion queries per day. Businesses are increasingly aware that capitalizing on this online real estate is one of the best ways to introduce your business to new customers. What’s more, it’s one of the most reliable long-term marketing strategies you can pursue.

However, you won’t be able to achieve higher traffic or more brand notoriety if you’re stuck in the deep pages of search results. Instead, you need to rank higher. As a matter of fact, ideally you need to be in one of the top three slots for keyword-based queries relevant to your brand. But how exactly can you accomplish this?

The High-Level Breakdown of How to Rank Higher

The strategy for ranking higher in search engines is known as search engine optimization (SEO). This strategy relies on taking advantage of how Google’s search ranking algorithm works.

Essentially, there are two components that Google considers when determining what web pages to rank: relevance and authority. Relevance refers to how appropriate a page is for the query the searcher typed in. Here, Google wants to make sure that users get answers to their questions or find what they’re looking for. Authority refers to how trustworthy a site is. In other words, Google wants to make sure the pages it ranks are quality sources of information.

SEO involves many different sub-strategies. These strategies can improve your relevance for queries you want to rank for and improve your overall authority.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 VALUABLE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT BUILDING WEBSITES

Onsite Optimization for Ranking Higher in Search Engines

For starters, there’s onsite optimization. This is a collection of strategies designed to optimize your site and individual pages for search engines. For example, alter your site layout, choose the right titles and descriptions for your pages, and improve your site loading speed. Also, make sure your site is mobile-friendly. These are all important steps for ranking higher.

There are hundreds of small factors to consider here, many of which are technical. However, the high-level view is to ensure your site is seen and valued by search engines.

Ongoing Onsite Content

Most strategies to rank higher will also require an ongoing onsite content strategy. The idea here is usually to flesh out a blog with detailed articles, whitepapers, press releases, and other forms of content your visitors will find beneficial.

Each new piece of content you develop is another page that can earn rankings in search engines. They will all add to the perceived trustworthiness of your site.

Each article is also an opportunity to optimize your site for specific keyword phrases. For example, the title of your article may reference or address a common customer question in your industry. This will increase your site’s relevance for those queries when they come up in search engines.

Onsite content also has non-SEO-related value for your site. Visitors who read this content will be more likely to come back. They may also be more likely to see you as an authority in the industry. And they may be more likely to convert.

Link Building for Ranking Higher in Search Engines

Then there’s link building. Link building is an essential part of any SEO strategy. That’s because it’s the only reliable way to improve your authority over the long term. The most significant way Google evaluates domain and page authority is by analyzing link networks.

It’s complicated, but the gist of it is that the more links a site has pointing to it, and the more authoritative those links are, the higher it’s going to rank. However, you can’t just spam links to your site. Google could catch you and penalize you.

Instead, the best way to approach link building is by including links on valuable pieces of offsite content, preferably with high-authority publishers. Doing so will incrementally improve your authority over time and will also send referral traffic your way.

Strategy, Analysis, and Adjustment

Of course, it’s hard to be successful with these strategies unless you have a high-level vision dictating how to use them. Part of having a good SEO campaign is knowing which keywords and phrases to target, which you can only determine with research and analysis.

Beyond that, you’ll need to carefully measure the results of your efforts, monitoring your backlink profile, studying your organic traffic, and of course, watching how your rankings grow over time. It’s hard to precisely predict how your tactics will affect your strategy to rank higher. Therefore, monitoring your metrics and making gradual adjustments over time is the only surefire way to ensure you keep growing.

A Professional Touch to Help Your Site Rank Higher in Search Engines

While it’s not hard to find information on SEO fundamentals, it is hard for an amateur to plan and execute a strategy to rank higher in the search engines all on their own.

Instead, you’ll need to have the help of at least one professional, whether that’s a team member who specializes in SEO or a professional agency, to help you earn higher rankings. It takes an investment, in time and/or money, to eventually see results.

However, with a smart plan and plenty of dedication, in due time your site will rank higher and higher in the search engines.

Featured Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The post How Can I Get My Business to Rank Higher in the Search Engines? appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/26/rank-higher-search-engines/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rank-higher-search-engines

Everything You Need to Know About Marketing a CBD Brand

Marketing a CBD brand can be challenging.

For one thing, there is so much confusion around the differences between hemp, marijuana, CBD, and THC. The plants they each come from have both medicinal and euphoria-inducing properties. However, different people will be interested in products intended for different purposes.

Moreover, the rise in popularity of CBD products confuses the issue even further, as the marijuana industry attempts to establish its identity in terms of branding.

To be clear, CBD is a cannabinoid with therapeutic and anti-inflammatory properties similar to those in THC. However, unlike products with high levels of THC, it does not offer psychoactive effects. There is significant overlap between the consumer bases for the two types of products. However, THC is important only to people who are open to feeling “high” to some extent.

Understanding How Your CBD Brand Fits into the Market

Before you can market a CBD brand like Verma Farms, you need to understand that while marijuana and hemp are both cannabis plants, they differ completely in their agronomy, application, and use.

The Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana

Hemp and marijuana both have medicinal and recreational purposes. However, people can use hemp for other healthy-lifestyle choices. For example, hemp is used in dietary supplements, skin products, clothing, and even accessories.

CBD is one of almost 100 “phytocannabinoids” unique to cannabis. However, it is the phytocannabinoid THC that gives the feeling of euphoria that people commonly associate with the marijuana category of cannabis.

Clearing up the Confusion

Many consumers are confused about the purposes and properties of each of the phytocannabinoids of cannabis. Therefore, you will need to find creative ways to inform consumers about the unique characteristics of your product and your CBD brand.

Next, you will need to determine who your target consumers will be. For example, will you look for those who use cannabis to have a good time? Or will your target audience use your brand to medicate? Perhaps, instead, your customers will use your products for a little bit of both.

Targeting Your Audience

If you choose those who are open to both ways of using your products, how will you straddle that line? This is an important question, especially when legislation differs from state to state.

Additionally, what will you do about competitors who promote natural remedies and over-the-counter medicines if you choose to target both? How are others, looking at the same market you are going after, dealing with this difficulty?

RELATED ARTICLE: GREEN MARKETING STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUSINESS

Targeting Your CBD Brand Toward Health-Conscious Adults

People who are open to that “high” feeling to some extent will choose THC products. On the other hand, adults who are interested in a healthy lifestyle will want CBD-based products.

Therefore, your CBD brand offers a solution for people who desire a natural way to relieve physical pain and mental stress. In other words, you’re looking at an entirely new market.

There are many people who have never even considered using this plant before. That’s because they wanted to avoid THC’s psychoactive effects. However, once they know more about about CBD’s benefits and limitations, they might be willing to consider your CBD brand.

Your CBD Brand in an Era of Changing Marijuana Legislation.

Successfully marketing your CBD brand to the health-conscious segment means making sure that your positioning resonates with this type of user.

Significantly, the US Congress passed the US Farm Bill in December 2018. This bill legalizes hemp derived from cannabis plants. What’s more, the bill’s language will likely go a long way toward assisting companies like yours.

In other words, your CBD brand and others like it can now market CBD products as solutions to various physical ailments. CBD’s anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and paregoric qualities are likely to boost the industry’s popularity now that hemp-derived CBD is legal in all 50 states.

However, marketers still need to be aware of the many different local, state, and federal laws that often lead to fluctuating enforcement. This is especially true for businesses that do not make clear the parameters of their products.

Scientific Studies Lending Credence to CBD Use

Individuals with certain chronic conditions can now turn to CBD for pain relief. In other words, they can now choose between medical marijuana and other prescribed drugs.

Kevin Boehnke, PhD, a research fellow in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, studies chronic pain. He suggests that there is a growing market for the pharmaceutical use of medical cannabis, since an estimated 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Research such as Dr. Boehnke’s bodes well for your CBD brand.

Your CBD Brand as a Natural Remedy

Marketing your CBD brand means promoting CBD as a natural way of treating various ailments. These conditions include metabolic issues, Crohn’s disease, skin diseases, PTSD, epilepsy, dementia, and others.

Finally, your CBD brand can target specific demographics by bringing awareness to patients who have these chronic diseases. Many people in your target audience will be grateful to know about the benefits of CBD, and they will welcome CBD into their lives as part of a healthier and more natural lifestyle.

Feature Photo by Matteo Paganelli on Unsplash

The post Everything You Need to Know About Marketing a CBD Brand appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/26/marketing-cbd-brand/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=marketing-cbd-brand

8 Brilliant Ways to Keep Website Visitors Engaged and Taking Action

In this post, we share some tips to help you attract and keep website visitors on your site longer, as well as motivate them to take the actions you want them to take.

The German writer Thomas Mann said, “Human behavior makes sense if you think about it in terms of goals, needs, and motives.”

This quote applies to web design. In other words, think about the needs of your potential leads and customers as you’re considering the technical feasibility and economic viability of design solutions. Remember, design should be for people, not for designers.

1. Think About What Your Website Visitors Need

Today you can learn all about your potential customers. Therefore, you can adjust analytics and change the content depending on who has logged in.

Also, you can display specific blocks or menu items depending on who has visited your website. These will be different for a 25-year-old man from New York and a 60-year-old woman from Missouri.

2. Speed up Your Website

Your website should take no more than two seconds to load. If your site loads slower than that, you need to:

  • Use images of the appropriate size or crop them
  • Save pictures for the web by using Photoshop or compressor.io
  • Apply caching
  • Exclude unnecessary information
  • Limit the use of unnecessary plugins
  • Use good, reliable hosting

Also, be sure to check your website using different devices to see how fast it loads on each one.

3. Make Your Website Appear to Load Faster

If you’re choosing between an amazing website design and fast loading speed, and you are tempted to bet on the design, there are a couple of solutions that will help you not to lose customers. Of course, these are only temporary solutions. 

  • You can make your website look like it’s loading faster by showing the loading progress as a percentage.
  • Alternatively, use the page structure known as “skeleton.” In this case, the page will load in stages. First, blurred blocks will appear. Then they become sharper and more visible.

These two solutions work because when website visitors see progress they’re not in such a hurry to leave the page.

4. Emphasize the Clickable Page Elements for Website Visitors

The flat design has one certain disadvantage. That is, it is not always clear to website visitors which elements are clickable and which ones are not. Therefore, you need to think about the best way to arrange hyperlinks so that they are clearly visible. To do this, use underlines, frames, and geometric shapes.

The last thing you’ll want your website visitors to encounter is an error code reading “This Site Can’t Be Reached.” However, there are multiple simple fixes for this problem.

5. Make It Easy for Your Website Visitors

Your website visitors come to your site for their own reasons. Reduce the number of clicks they need to make in order to accomplish what they came to your site to do.

For example, if you sell a software solution that simplifies and facilitates marketing operations (a mailing list, for example), then your offer should load simply and quickly. In short, positive associations contribute to creating an excellent user experience.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 BIG BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS

6. Place Contents in Order of Importance

Place information on the page in order of its importance. That is, place more important information near the top of the page. Also, use other ways to visually highlight it sometimes.

One way to do this is to use pop-ups to display messages about successful actions that website visitors take. For example, use a pop-up that reads, “Deleted” or “Added to Recycle Bin.”

7. Change Your Pop-up Message

Yes, we know website visitors find pop-ups annoying. But they work. What’s more, this year pop-ups will go through some changes.

Previously, the main purpose of the pop-up was to get contact details from website visitors and encourage them to buy something. But now pop-ups serve as sales managers.

For example, a pop-up can offer your website visitors a discount. Or it could entice visitors with free shipping or a cool gift. Give your website visitors a good reason to accept your offer here and now. Otherwise, they will leave your page and look for other options.

8. Give Each Header Its Proper Place

Only 50% of website visitors read down to the 1,000 pixels mark near the bottom of the screen. Therefore, use this line wisely. Place more interesting headers near the top of the page. This will entice visitors to read further down the page.

Conclusion

Use these eight tips to keep your website visitors happy and your online business will be sure to thrive.

The post 8 Brilliant Ways to Keep Website Visitors Engaged and Taking Action appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/26/keep-website-visitors-engaged/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=keep-website-visitors-engaged

Monday 25 March 2019

Working in a Competitive Industry? Try These 5 Business Strategies

Kamran Mirshahi is the founder and director of claims management company Canary Claims, which specializes in PPI claims. PPI stands for payment protection insurance, a highly competitive industry.

Basically, claims management companies help customers make claims for mis-sold PPI and mortgages. Additionally, they gain compensation for accidents, flight delays, and more.

RELATED ARTICLE: PROMOTING YOUR COMPANY IN THE INFORMATION AGE

The UK has seen a lot of claims management companies emerge in recent years after the PPI scandal. However, when Kamran founded Canary Claims in 2005, he set out to create a different kind of claims company. Accordingly, Canary Claims succeeds in a competitive industry by offering a great price to customers along with the knowledge and expertise of an experienced team.

Here, Kamran shares his advice on how to stand out from the competition when you work in a competitive industry. One or more of these strategies and business traits could be exactly what your business needs to thrive.

1. Create the Best Website

In 2018, there were 3.9 billion Internet users. That’s a huge potential audience for your business to reach online. But it also means there is a lot of content out there to compete with. There are many features of an excellent website. What’s more, it’s crucial to assess these to ensure your website is reaching the right audience, especially if you work in a competitive industry.

The first step is to look at your competitor’s website. What is it doing right and wrong? You need to find in the gaps and make sure that your website addresses all of the things the competition is missing. For example, are its menus cluttered and hard to navigate, making it difficult to find the information potential customers need? Does it lack trust signals, like testimonials and social proof? If so, look at how you can tweak your website to provide a user experience that searchers will enjoy and find valuable.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 WYSIWYG WEBSITE BUILDERS TO HELP YOU START YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS

Moreover, one of the most important components of an effective and successful website is a bold and clear call to action. This shows a consumer exactly what action you want them to take after they land on your website. For example, do you want them to get in touch, sign up to your mailing list, or book a free consultation? Your visitors aren’t mind readers, so make sure you clearly signpost what you want them to do.

Especially in a competitive industry, you shouldn’t neglect your keywords. Using keywords effectively directly influences your ability to rank on Google, which means this is critical to being found by users.

Therefore, consider creating a blog. This will allow you to target specific keywords. Such a strategy will improve your visibility. What’s more, it will build trust with users by giving them the answers they’re looking for.

Your Website Needs to Be Engaging and Appealing

Having a stand-out website is critical when you’re in a competitive industry. Moreover, if it’s done properly, it can be the largest source of revenue for your business. Additionally, it’s worth considering using a third party to make sure your site is performing to its full potential.

2. Be Transparent with Customers

Transparency is essential for every business. What’s more, it’s especially critical when you’re in a competitive industry.

Being 100% honest with customers or clients can help to establish trust. This trust is important for any business and consumer relationship. It means customers are likely to use your services again or recommend you.

However, even when there are problems or something goes wrong, you should tell the customer. It’s during these times when it becomes clear to your customers how transparent you are as a business.

Being honest demonstrates your diligence and earns respect from customers. Small lies can build up a bad reputation. On the other hand, being transparent means you have nothing to hide. 

Transparency Will Make You Stand Out from the Crowd

Transparency is important in pricing, too, including making sure customers aren’t hit with hidden costs. Also, it’s important in customer service, especially in a competitive industry. Operating a transparent business can make you stand out from the crowd, especially if you work in an industry with a negative public perception.

3. Specialize in One Area

Offering every type of product and service can be bad for a few reasons. Firstly, it indicates that you don’t specialize, which can demonstrate that you’re a “jack of all trades and master of none.” For example, Canary Claims focuses on PPI claims as opposed to other types of claims.

Niche Down for More Effective SEO

Secondly, niching down is valuable for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. This lets you dial down on the specific keywords that your customers are searching for.

In short, if you tailor your business to focus on one particular service or product type, you’ll be able to focus your efforts. Users will also feel more comfortable going to your business over a competitor that offers multiple services but lacks the expertise to deliver the best experience.

4. Offer Exceptional Customer Service

Every business should care about its customer service. Your interaction with customers can have a significant effect on how they view your company. If a customer or client has an issue, your customer service pages or team should be able to help them as quickly and efficiently as possible.

How you deal with customers says a lot about your business and can demonstrate your level of customer care. Other competitors, perhaps those that are bigger businesses, may not be able to offer customer care and personalization in the same way. Therefore, make this a reason you stand out.

5. Address Barriers to Entry

What are the reasons preventing people from using your business? Does another company offer a lower fee? Have customers had bad experiences with a similar company in the past?

If you can address these issues and tell customers your unique selling points, it makes you stand out in a crowd of similar providers. For example, many consumers have negative views of PPI claims companies due to excessive cold calls and high fees.

This is why, at Canary Claims, we tell customers on our site that we don’t cold call. We’re also UK-based. Additionally, we don’t give personal details to third parties, and we offer a low fee on successful claims. This is how we stand out in our competitive industry.

Win in a Competitive Industry by Delighting Your Customers

There are plenty of opportunities for you to show customers how great your business is. One or more of these strategies could work for you. Moreover, always take the time to look at what your competitors are doing and make sure you’re doing some different—or that you’re doing the same thing better.

Featured image from Pixabay on Pexels.com

The post Working in a Competitive Industry? Try These 5 Business Strategies appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/25/competitive-industry-business-strategies/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=competitive-industry-business-strategies

3 Bank Marketing Strategies That Will Boost Your Brand

Customer acquisition is a major challenge for most banks, big or small. As such, bank marketing demands a whole different approach. Clients tend to be loyal to their banks. Getting them to switch over demands a lot of creativity and access to the right tools and information.

But when it comes to banks, branding will do most of the talking. Therefore, unless you know how to increase your brand awareness, you’ll have difficulty attracting clients. Here are a few bank marketing ideas that will help improve your brand image and awareness.

Cutting Edge Bank Marketing Starts with Social Media

In the right hands, social media can be a powerful tool. That’s because social media allows you to launch a variety of interactive campaigns with different goals. As a matter of fact, some might not even focus on selling products.

For instance, you could host financial literacy events on social media. Target young professionals or college students in your community for these events. Whether your goal is to gain more brand awareness, increase engagement, or focus on getting actual conversions, you can use different strategies to reach your objectives.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 HOT TIPS FOR NETWORKING IN REAL ESTATE

However, before you start using social media, you should consider working with a firm that specializes in bank marketing. Additionally, focus on gathering the data you will need to target the right set of customers and track your results. Going in without this valuable information could result in your spending too much of your effort and money on bank marketing campaigns that are either not converting or aren’t reaching the right audience.

Sponsor Causes in Your Community

Sponsoring community efforts is another great tool for bank marketing. That’s because it’s a masterful way to build awareness about your brand. Supporting one or many causes in your locality will help build loyalty. It will also help you strengthen your bank’s footing in the community.

You should also look for other sponsorship opportunities in your community, such as sporting events. For instance, you could hold a special sporting event in the community complete with food, drink, and entertainment.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 TIPS FOR HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY

Or have some of your employees play against a local team and have all the proceeds go to a charity. Bank marketing events like these will allow your employees and the community to build a direct rapport. It will also allow employees to answer some of the community members’ questions as well.

Have a Set of Values and a Clear Message

Having a team message and identity on paper can look good. But at the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. This means that everyone on your staff should not only be aware of your bank’s values but translate them into actions.

These actions could be as simple as opening the door for clients coming in, or your front desk clerk greeting regular customers by name. These might seem like minor details for bank marketing. However, they’ll eventually add up and translate into more loyalty from your customers.

Bank Marketing Requires a Creative Approach

When it comes to bank marketing, building brand awareness demands a lot of effort, some creativity, and a clear and calculated strategy. Make sure that you follow these tips if you want to build a positive brand image and become an authentic contributing member in your community.

Featured image from nosheep on Pixabay

The post 3 Bank Marketing Strategies That Will Boost Your Brand appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/25/bank-marketing-strategies/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bank-marketing-strategies

3 WYSIWYG Website Builders to Help You Start Your Online Business

WYSIWYG website builders have been available for years. During this time they have become some of the most popular digital tools when it comes to helping businesses grow, create themselves, and start to expand and nurture their online presence.

What is a WYSIWYG website builder? The acronym stands for “what you see is what you get,” and those who are in the know pronounce it “wiz-ee-wig.”

RELATED ARTICLE: THE MISTAKES YOU’RE MAKING WITH SEO ARE COSTING YOU TRAFFIC

However you pronounce it, if you need a website, a WYSIWYG website builder is one of the first places you might think to look. With fast creation times and more templates than you can shake a stick at, it’s never been easier to develop and build your own website affordably.

However, you’re probably wondering where to get started, especially since there are seemingly so many website builders to choose from. Today, we’re going to help you out by listing three of the best WYSIWYG website builders, enabling you to quickly discover what’s out there and which platform could be the best one for you.

#1: WordPress

There’s no denying that WordPress is one of the best and most customizable WYSIWYG website builders on the market. Moreover, it offers the perfect balance between a WYSIWYG and giving you full control over the code and inner workings, should you get to that stage later down the line.

What’s more, the WordPress platform powers around 26% of the Internet, which illustrates just how powerful this builder is. You can start for free on their website, and you’ll have access to a range of fully developed, highly functional, and super-optimized templates and themes. All you’ll need to do is fill in the blanks.

#2: Wix

Wix is easily the second most popular WYSIWYG website builder. Additionally, it is one of the most popular builders as well. And it requires minimal setup and practically no effort on your behalf. Simply set up your account, drag and drop what you want onto your website page, and fill in the content. It’s literally that simple.

There are hundreds of templates to choose from to get you started. Plus, you can even add in your own HTML code whenever you want. This could be important if you should you ever want or need some extra functionality in some places. What’s more, there are lots of features to sink your teeth into. For instance, you’ll find integrated photo editing software. Also, you’ll have the ability to link your own analytics provider.

#3: Shopify

If you’re interested in designing and creating your own online store, then the e-commerce WYSIWYG website builder Shopify is definitely your way forward. This platform has a template and builder for practically every single part of your online store, from the store itself and hosting, to creating your business cards and accepting all kinds of global payment methods.

What’s more, you can even integrate the platform into your brick-and-mortar store if you have one, and there are plenty of different payment plans so you can invest in the service that’s right for you.

Build Your Own Website with the Help of a WYSIWYG Website Builder

When it comes to building your own website, there’s no need to fork over a fortune to a developer. Nor must you learn how to code from scratch. There are plenty of WYSIWYG website builders out there to help you out. Now all you need to do is pick the one that gives you the service you’re looking for.

Featured Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash

The post 3 WYSIWYG Website Builders to Help You Start Your Online Business appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/25/wysiwyg-website-builders/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wysiwyg-website-builders

Friday 22 March 2019

Why Traditional Industrial Auctions Are Giving Way to Online Auctions

The industrial marketplace has unhinged itself from traditional auction practices and is now placing itself firmly on the Internet. In other words, buyers can now bid on and purchase industrial equipment, heavy machinery, lab apparatus, test and measurement devices, woodworking tools, and even complete plants at online auctions.

Moreover, their purchases are often as easy as adding their intended purchase to the cart and proceeding to checkout.

E-commerce has given rise to significant benefits for both buyer and seller. Think convenience, availability, competitive prices, and a wider target audience.

RELATED ARTICLE: IS YOUR WAREHOUSE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO TRANSPORT VEHICLES?

Moreover, thanks to enhanced photographic images, it’s easier to sell online. That’s because human beings are visual creatures. They place meaning on an item’s appearance before they even look at the specifics.

On the other hand, some buyers view online sites with a bit of skepticism. Therefore, site owners must make the effort to show their trading history and illustrate for buyers how this correlates to the buyer’s experience.

Below is an analysis of why online auctions are commanding the industrial marketplace.

Online Auctions Offer Improved Communication Channels

In traditional auctions, buyers had to wait for the exact auction day to know what was up for sale. However, online auctions have made this process far less time-consuming. For example, these sites have established virtual channels for inquiries, along with chat features that are available around the clock.

These improved customer interactions help buyers make informed decisions. That’s because sellers can now answer buyers’ questions promptly on their websites.

Buyers Gain Access to a Wealth of Information

Before the advent of online auctions in the industrial marketplace, buyers had to depend on face-to-face interactions with sales executives. Their alternatives, such as there were, were company brochures and information pamphlets.

Today, however, search engines answer most users’ questions. Aside from the product descriptions offered by online auction sites, consumers can also find manufacturers’ guidelines and even installation guides for most technical equipment online.

Moreover, sellers’ websites now provide online interactions after the sale. For example, customers can leave feedback about how the equipment they purchased is operating. Interested buyers review this information. What’s more, they will shun online sites that offer only poor information or none at all.

What works best are well-written descriptions accompanied by engaging photographs. This is a combination that provides buyers with information about the current status of the equipment they’re interested in. Moreover, it helps them make a more informed purchase.

Additional photos displaying different angles for the machinery can also be helpful for buyers. In this way, buyers who cannot physically assess the equipment can get a better idea of what to expect.

Online Auctions Have Multiple Features

Websites for online auctions provide sellers with various features for relaying an array of information. For example, buyers can learn there when the live auction starts as well as the time remaining before the auction is due to close. They can also find out the amounts of the reserved bid and the starting price.

The information they glean from the website helps to make the whole process go more smoothly for both buyer and seller.

For instance, most buyers at online auctions understand that the duration of an auction forecasts its outcome. The longer an auction takes, for example, the higher the seller’s chances of closing high-value clients. Additionally, this situation also equally increases the seller’s revenue and may well provide more buyer memberships.

The buy-now feature also has an important part to play in the final bid. Customers use this feature as a reference price when placing bids. Likewise, auctioneers correctly assume that the higher the reference price, the higher the winning bid.

The option for auctioneers to select the ending rule also helps to determine the outcome of the bid. For example, in an auction with a hard ending, the auction reaches its maximum bid when the set time has elapsed.

On the other hand, in an online auction with a soft ending, the auction ends when there is a winner for the bid. This method helps to filter out late bidders and limits the number of active participants.

The Demand and Supply Factor Affects Industrial Online Auctions

Sellers can set the pricing of industrial goods to be automated and customized depending on the variations of demand and supply. In this situation, sellers don’t directly determine the final price. That’s because the final price is decided by the highest bidder. Meanwhile, the auctioneer merely facilitates the process.

The reference prices can also vary, depending on the current market valuations of the product. For example, when the supply for a particular item is high and different bids are closing at almost the same price, buyers have more leverage for bargaining.

Finally, when companies in the industrial marketplace upgrade to online auction sites they give themselves a great tool to beat out the competition. In short, with online auctions for industrial equipment, everybody wins.

Featured image from Pixabay on Pexels

The post Why Traditional Industrial Auctions Are Giving Way to Online Auctions appeared first on Business Opportunities.



source https://www.business-opportunities.biz/2019/03/22/industrial-online-auctions/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=industrial-online-auctions