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Does Your Business Need a Boost?

February 27, 2019 by Thomas

No matter how many years you have devoted to your business, are you sensing that your company needs a boost?

If this is the case, what steps do you plan on taking to give your business the boost it needs to keep pushing forward?

From a financial boost to more brand recognition, there are times where you have to act.

That said is now the time to give your business a boost?

Don’t Delay and Live to Regret It

If your business in fact needs a shot in the arm these days, here are some ways to go about it:

Financial boost – It may be where your business needs financial punch to make things go where they need to. If this is the case for you; how best to go about this? You could seek a small business loan in hopes of infusing some punch into your company. If you opt to go this route, be sure to do your research on the different loan providers out there. Make sure you know who you are dealing with. Research each loan provider you consider working with. Doing this allows you to separate the good ones from the not so good ones. Along with experience, you want a provider with a track record of success in helping folks. It is also important that you get the best customer service possible from any provider you go with. At the end of the day, a financial shot in the arm could make quite a difference.
Website boost – How much time do you spend concentrating on your company’s website? If the answer is not much at all, this can prove rather detrimental to your brand. That said it may well be time to go out and get help for your website. One of the ways to go about this is by finding a good SEO company. With the right search engine optimization provider, you can get your website going. As you deploy better SEO options to your marketing, you should see an uptick in traffic over time. One of the ways this is done is by an SEO provider giving you good marketing content with which to work with. As more consumers see blog posts with keyword links back to your website, you stand to gain traffic. The key here is make sure you give consumers a website worth looking at.
Morale boost – Last, if you have employees with you, you may find that a morale boost is in order for your business. Over time, the morale of a workplace can dwindle. When it does, it is important for leadership to change course so that things in all hopes pick up. If you do not get your workplace morale going in the right direction, it can have a myriad of consequences. Do your best to get your employees fired up once again about what they do and the customers they serve. From a more fun environment to incentives to grow in their jobs, make sure your workers know you care.

In getting more consumers focused on your brand, it may well be time you gave your business a boost.

Photo credit: Pixiebay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Does Your Website Pass the Smell Test?

January 25, 2017 by Thomas

When it comes to running a business in today’s digital age, the importance of one’s website can never be overlooked.

Keep in mind as a business owner that millions of consumers are using the Internet on a regular basis to not only browse goods and services, but also ultimately buy what they need. As a result, your business should be front and center when it comes to making sure your brand is getting as much exposure as possible online.

With that being the case, have you reviewed your website as of late?

If so, are you happy with what you see? If the answer is no, there are a number of things you can do to improve the look and feel of your site.

Most notably, your website should be one that functions seamlessly, one that provides great value to any consumer willing to check it out.

So, when it comes right down to it at the end of the day, does your website pass the smell test?

Website Must Continue to Grow

In order for your business to reach out to as many consumers as possible, it is imperative that you make your website a priority.

Among the things you should be doing to put the Internet to work for you:

Review functionality – First and foremost, make sure you have a functioning website that does more than just opens up and sits there for viewers to look at. The site needs to come alive, giving consumers a reason to come back again and again. If your site is ripe with broken links, pages that take way too long to download etc. you are setting you and your brand up for potential failure. If this means hiring someone to manage your site regularly, do it. Ultimately, you will discover it was one of the best investments you ever made;
Stellar content – Given you have to fill your website, what better thing to put on it than stellar content? Write for your audience (consumers) in mind, pointing out ways to make their lives better when they buy your products and/or use your services. The content needs to be fresh too, meaning don’t go several weeks in between posting articles. Also encourage your readers to respond to the content, as engaging them is one of the best things you can do.

Market Your Website Regularly

Marketing your website – You’ve likely heard the old adage about if a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? You could have the best website going, but what if practically no one knew about it? So that your website gets the brand promotion it needs and deserves, make sure your market it daily. Along with email blasts, social media, and press releases don’t miss out on mobile marketing. Today’s mobile marketing world is one where you really need to have your fingers on the pulse of what consumers want. Many of them are shopping for and ultimately buying items via their mobile devices, so make sure your website is up to such a task. That means have a website that fits comfortably on mobile devices without making it hard for consumers to see this image or read that sentence. Lastly, always make sure when you have any Ecommerce setup online that it runs smoothly. From when the consumer first gets on the site to the point he or she wants to go to checkout, avoid glitches. In many cases, consumers won’t come back if they see your site is one full of speed bumps.

With all the potential your website likely has, it would be bad business for you to not utilize it to its fullest extent.

Take some time to sit down and review your site, seeing what works and what very well may need your attention, fixing any issues as soon as possible.

When you do, you and your site are likely to come up smelling like a rose.

As a business owner, what website advice would you have for others running companies?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Give Your Website Some Added Muscle

January 4, 2017 by Thomas

When was the last time you gave your business website a thorough review?

If it has been a long period of time in between reviews, why not start the New Year off by doing just that?

Without a website to anchor your business, you may very well survive when all is said and done. On the other hand, not having a website may be the one key ingredient preventing you from taking your business onward and upward.

Even though having a website is not a guarantee to being a successful business, having one certainly enhances your ability to not only spread the word about your brand, but know what competitors are up to.

That said is it time you gave your website some added muscle?

Starting Off with the Right Formula

Just putting together a website does not guarantee you automatic success.

Keep in mind that your website needs to generate traffic, traffic that you hope will convert from bystanders into customers. With that being the goal, how will you bring a sizable amount of traffic to your site?

Among the ways to go about it:

Linking up with winners – If you have your own team aboard to assist you with creating and managing your website, you’re already a step ahead. On the other hand, you may determine that it is best to outsource your website needs, at least in terms of creating it and ultimately doing all the labor. The last option is having a mix of in-house efforts, combining them with some outsourcing. No matter what final call you end up making, be sure to choose wisely if reaching outside your firm for help. For instance, would you benefit from using a link building service? Such a provider can offer you editorial links, links that will hopefully send consumers towards your website. Most notably used in blog content, those links can be like gold, especially if it leads a consumer to buy a product or service from you after reading about you somewhere online. If you opt for working with a link building company, be sure to scout them so that you know not only what they offer, but their track record of success;
Dealing in deals – What consumer doesn’t like a deal? Your website should regularly promote any specials that you are offering. As the deals take flight, consumers are likely to spread the word to family and friends. In turn, you now stand a good chance of increasing your web traffic day after day. Even on days you’re not offering specials, some intrigued consumers will visit your site to see what you are up to.

Socialize the Website User Experience

Don’t Be Shy – Last but not least, how social are you in promoting your website? When it comes right down to it, being shy about your website is a recipe for few visitors and ultimately disaster. There’s a reason CEOs are tweeting and other business heads are sharing etc. on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and other social sites. The bottom line; being social about your brand does wonders for it. For example, do you have a new product or service you want to try out with the public? If so, spreading the word on social media is a great move. Not only will more consumers know about it, but you can also get instantaneous feedback in many cases. Finally, social media allows you to hear the chatter about some or all of your competition. Just by listening in, you know where you may be gaining or losing ground with them.

Yes, running a business demands much of your time. In fact, you may feel like there are not enough hours in a day in some cases.

So that your business can be as productive as possible, make sure your website has a spot high up on your list of needs.

With a productive website anchoring your business, your company can flex its muscles, outshining the competition day after day.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Great Websites Mean Business

July 29, 2016 by Thomas

How much time and effort do you put into your website?

For some business owners, the answer to that question is simply not enough.

Even though many of them know how important their websites are to their brands, they simply fail to interject themselves into the process. As a result, they are oftentimes missing out on revenue.

So, what can you do as a business owner to make sure as many consumers as possible are seeing what you have to say and offer online?

Spend the Time and Effort Needed Online

So that your brand can get maximum exposure online, remember the following tips:

Website design – First and foremost, your website is your online business card, so it can’t afford to flop. Do periodic reviews to make sure the site is clicking on all cylinders, especially when it comes to design and content (see more below). As for your design, you want a site that is appealing to consumer eyes, not one that makes them want to come and go in less than a minute. Whether consumers are doing a license plates search, real estate hunting, searching for home remodeling tips, travel bargains, you need to make them feel welcomed. Always be sure to keep a design that doesn’t feel like one must work their way through a maze. If your site is loaded with bad links, pages that seem out of order in terms of the flow etc. you stand a good chance of not getting those consumers back again;
Website content – Your content is the backbone of your website, so don’t drop the ball here either. As for your content, it needs to be fresh and authoritative. Produce content in your blog for starters, content that is going to resonate with as many consumers as possible. For example, consumers coming to your site for information related to vehicles of all kinds (buying vehicles, license plate searches, selling vehicles, registering cars and trucks etc.) want to know what the latest trends are in these areas. If now is not a good time to be selling used cars and trucks, explain why that is in a post or two. You can (and should) also include references and comments to authorities in this particular industry. Also make your content available not just on your site, but other relevant sites too. If unsure on how to go about this, you simply look to provide guest blog posts for other related websites. In return, you offer those individuals the opportunity to provide you with relevant copy to post on your website. The sharing of content is a smart move for several reasons, most notably because it puts your content in front of more eyes when all is said and done;
Social media – Part of having a great website is getting consumers and other businesses to recognize it. You can accomplish that goal when you promote your offerings on social media. If you do not already have them, create pages on sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ etc. In doing so, you have platforms with which to promote your content. Even though you do not have to be using social media 24/7/365, you can’t use it on occasion, especially if you want to make an impact with the public. Set aside time daily to work on your social media promotions. Once you share your blog posts and other relevant links on social networking sites, always make an effort to engage with those consumers (and others) commenting on your offerings. This engagement will help you not only further potential relationships, but it shows you to be a business that is listening to what the public has to say. In today’s busy world, that engagement can oftentimes be the difference between getting new customers and missing out on them.

Yes, you have plenty to do as a business owner, so it can be easy to let your website slip down a few notches on the list of important things to focus on day in and day out.

That said never let your website be the lost child.

With a sound website strategy, you show you mean business, all the while getting new business too.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

6 Tools for Running a Successful eCommerce Business

July 25, 2014 by Rosemary

By Teddy Hunt

Running a successful business of any kind, whether it’s a brick and mortar store or an e-commerce website, requires the right tools. Before you launch your online company, make sure you have these programs and systems in place. Opening your digital doors without them is a risk your company should not take.

A User Friendly Purchasing Experience

Unless your customers can buy your products easily, your e-commerce business will stumble out of the gate. A simple checkout experience powered by the right shopping cart platform can solve the problem before it starts. If you’ve never run an online retail store before, go with Shopify.

This software allows you to get your store up and running without needing to muck around with servers and complex coding systems. Adding products and changing prices is simple using their intuitive system. You can also process credit card payments the second you open it.

In order to keep your prices as attractive as possible, do a little comparison shopping of your own to keep business expenses low. Since utilities are among your companyÂs primary bills, you should compare rates through a website like powerexperts.co.uk.

Reliable Business Communication Systems

Establishing real world connections with your vendors and supply chain requires traditional forms of communication. Many business people won’t deal with you if they can’t reach you over the phone. They want to know you are a real person, which makes a business line an essential tool for running a successful e-commerce business.

Mitel Systems offers multiple enterprise solutions for shoring up your lines of communication, including cloud-based providers. Choose from a variety of devices, including digital phones and conference calling systems. “Softphones” allow remote workers to call in right from their desktop without the need for a separate device.

Social Media Account Management

Your online store is more than a website; it’s a brand. Customers expect your company’s brand to exist on social media, and not on just one or two platforms.

Promoting your store’s identity across the web requires multiple social media accounts and delivery systems, including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Posting to each individually can take up valuable time and hurt your company’s productivity.

To manage all your social accounts form a single dashboard, try Hootsuite. Their platform allows you to schedule posts to your social accounts ahead of time and gauge user interaction to your content. You can also set permissions that allow you as the owner to approve all out-going posts.

That way your brand message stays consistent.

Analytics Tools

Image via Flickr from Panayotis Vryonis

Knowing how visitors behave when they visit your online store can serve as an invaluable asset for improving your product pages and increasing conversion. Google Analytics gives you this information, including user flows through social media, total web traffic, time spent on site and conversion goal tools, free.

Installing the program is a single-string code that you can copy and paste into the header of your e-commerce site. Adding code for Google Webmaster Tools (also free) helps you find errors, including pages that don’t load properly, before they turn into larger issues.

Customer Feedback Channels

Don’t ignore the people who buy your products. Providing them with an email address, blog comments section or social outlet where they can communicate with you is vital for your site’s success. Make sure you respond courteously and in a timely manner to build strong relationships with your customers.

When your customers believe they have a voice, they morph from people simply buying a product into cheerleaders for your brand. Cheerleaders do more than spend money; they leave positive reviews and encourage others to give your store a try. That type of advocacy is worth more to your business than any one transaction.

A Stable Website

Your e-commerce business succeeds or fails on your website’s reliability.

You want a site that uses streamlined coding for fast load times, runs strong security software to protect customer information, and that won’t crash during heavy traffic periods.

If you’re new to the e-commerce world, using templates generated by design platforms like Shopify and Magento can give you a solid basis to launch your store. Once you get comfortable with their system, you can customize features to suit your needs going forward.

Launching an online store is not a quick process. Skipping steps or rushing can leave you without the necessary tools needed for success. Build your e-commerce business the right way, and you’ll reap the benefits for years.

Author’s Bio: Teddy Hunt is a freelance content writer with a focus on technology. When not behind a computer, Teddy spends the majority of his free time outdoors and resides in Tampa, Florida.

Having Inconsistent Contact with Customers?

June 11, 2014 by Thomas

You have a fantastic website that gives customers all of the information they need about your product or service. You may even have a blog to go with your website to provide further information or to answer questions.

However, many businesses often overlook the importance of one page: the Contact Us form.

Even if they include it on the site, they fail to maximize its potential.

Call to Action

Businesses often lack the knowledge on how to use call to actions to convert more customers by making the contact form a bigger part of the website.

It’s commonly added to the menu along with the other pages on the site. However, a link to the form should be included with all of your calls to action.

At the point where you invite customers to contact you, there should be a link that makes it easy for them to do just that. If they have to navigate from somewhere else, they may get distracted and forget to complete the action.

What Makes a Good Contact Page

After viewing your website, the Contact form is the next “first impression” that you make.

If someone is taking the time to contact you for any reason, you want to make it a positive experience for them. It should be easy to access and have personality, but it should not be cluttered. You don’t want your visitors to get bogged down with what is on the page and forget to actually make contact with you.

The problem with many standard Contact pages is that they are designed solely for functionality without thought about the people that will be using them.

As Howard Yeh, founder, investor and president of ContactUs.com says about the process of designing a contact form, “We approach the problems that websites face not just as web developers, but as online marketers, experienced lead-generators and sales account managers. And with that mindset, we’ve built both features and data solutions to make those jobs easier.”

You want to look at your Contact page as a marketer.

Does it provide a warm welcome and then a call to action that visitors will understand?

It should also be short and efficient.

Collect the necessary information to provide an accurate and thorough reply but don’t waste your visitors’ time filling out unnecessary fields.

Multiple Avenues to Reach You

While some customers will feel more comfortable with the idea of sending out a message or email, others still prefer a phone call.

A contact link should be visible on all pages right in the area where it does the most good.

On some pages, this may be as a sidebar while on others; you might want it right below a product or list of services you provide.

An effective Contact Us form is one that converts your visitors into customers. It is included as a way to help you establish new relationships and continue to grow current ones.

Make sure your contact page is working for you.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Joyce Morse is an author who writes on a variety of topics, including content marketing and small business.