Why Should Your Business Use eSIM When Traveling

Whether you are traveling for work or pleasure, staying in touch with business partners, colleagues, and loved ones is very important. Nevertheless, it can also be a real pain because of the hefty phone bills thanks to international data roaming and service, as well as the difficulty of video calls over a slow internet connection. Embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) data plans offer the perfect solution for this issue, providing mobile data in any location at a reasonable price.

Getting an eSIM data plan is an easy, convenient, and cost-efficient solution that can make a huge difference for businesses, especially those hoping to grow globally. The eSIM card is a digital equivalent of the conventional plastic SIM card, which also makes it an environmentally friendlier option. Complete with phone numbers and data plans, they function through a microchip that is embedded in your mobile device and the good news is that more and more devices are compatible with digital card technology or eSIM cards.

You can use your data plan immediately after obtaining it, without having to go to the store to get an actual card.

Read on for more information about eSIM data plans, and how they can be more convenient, economical, and forward-thinking than using several SIM cards while traveling internationally.

What Is an eSIM?

eSIM

Simply put, eSIMs are virtual SIM cards integrated into the hardware (a programmable chip) of your smartphone or any other mobile device, which means that you don’t have to visit a store or put any physical card in any slot. This is why they are referred to as eSIM, which stands for embedded SIM rather than electronic SIM. They allow you to use the same number on your smartphone, watch, vehicle, or even the fridge in your house.

If we keep in mind that the conventional plastic SIM is a memory chip, with relatively little data capacity, then things become clearer. The operator can use these details to verify the phone line’s existence and verify its connectivity to other systems.

Understanding an eSIM requires first being familiar with its differences from a SIM card. Using a SIM card, a carrier can associate a certain mobile device with a specific user account. The provider will issue a SIM card that must be physically inserted into the device. This way you register it and the phone number is activated. Information stored on a SIM card can’t be deleted or altered in any way once written to the card. However, the SIM can be used in any other compatible device without changing the user’s phone number. Similarly, eSIMs incorporate their circuitry inside a user’s device.

Unlike a regular SIM card, an embedded SIM is permanently attached to the device and you can only use it on that device. However, an eSIM’s contents can be edited. You can change mobile carriers without having to purchase a new SIM.

Devices that support eSIMs still support regular SIM cards, which is great for business owners looking for a second number for work. You can simultaneously use your current number and a business number provided by your eSIM data plan.

What Are the Advantages of eSIM? 

Similar to prepaid data-only plans, eSIM data plans can be downloaded directly to an eSIM-compatible device. Some service providers offer app-based eSIM activation, and others provide a code that can be scanned to activate the plan. With an eSIM data plan you don’t have to look for a local SIM card but rather simply immediately begin using the local data service at the local pricing. The app will then allow you to choose your location and find the plan that suits your needs best, after which it will guide you through the easy-to-follow activation process.

eSIM

Each eSIM data subscription does not come with a new local phone number. If your phone supports dual SIM cards, however, you can keep your current number while accessing the internet via your eSIM. It’s a clever method to avoid the steep international roaming charges. Even if your phone doesn’t support dual SIMs, you can still make calls with popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. All of your phone’s original features should still be there.

Plastic SIM cards have shrunk in size over the years, starting with the larger classic SIM, progressing to the smaller microSIM, and now the smallest nanoSIM. And despite their smaller sizes, they can store more and more data. Mobile phones have undergone a technical revolution trying to accommodate their shrinking sizes.

The nanoSIM used in newer mobile devices has nearly no plastic covering left, and an eSIM-compatible mobile device’s embedded chip is even smaller. So using them is also better for the environment. Depending on the device, eSIMs can support up to twenty “eSIM profiles,” each of which can have its own unique phone number and data plan. They can be installed in a wide variety of always-online electronics, including smartphones, watches, and fitness trackers, as well as in home and auto appliances.

How to Set Up an eSIM?

Setting up an eSIM is easy and convenient since it can be done from anywhere using the device camera to scan a code. Depending on the phone and whether you are using an Android or iOS mobile, the virtual card setup process is completed by following a series of steps that include choosing whether the eSIM is disconnected for calls and data or data only, and also choosing if the eSIM card works as a single line or together with another line, both in another eSIM profile and a conventional SIM card. If your phone has more than one line, you’ll need to decide which one will be your primary line and which will be your backup.

Conclusion

You can set up an eSIM in various ways, and depending on the settings, it can communicate with domestic or international service providers. A handy function for business trips, which will help you avoid unexpectedly high phone bills.

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The Importance of Practising Proper Business Etiquette

Business-Etiquette

If you want to succeed in the world of business, it’s crucial to learn the right etiquette when it comes to communicating with others, whether you’re talking to your coworkers, bosses, clients, or third-party service providers. But what is business etiquette, anyway?

Put simply, business etiquette comprises specific and often unwritten rules regarding how professionals should conduct themselves in the workplace. These rules often have to do with how to present oneself, how to converse with others, and how to watch one’s body language, among many other factors.

That said, is it really that important to follow what’s considered to be good business etiquette? Will abiding by or violating such etiquette truly have that much of an impact on your success as a professional, and will the way you conduct yourself around others truly affect people’s perception of your company?

The answer: yes, practicing good manners can go a long way toward helping you accomplish not only your goals as an individual, but also the goals of your organization as a whole. Still not convinced? Read on for a few compelling reasons why mastering proper etiquette in the workplace is key to getting ahead:

Business Etiquette Improves Productivity and Efficiency within Your Company

Whether you’re talking to someone in person or through a business communications solution, specificity and brevity are expected. By being as specific as possible, you can avoid misunderstandings and, in turn, prevent costly mistakes from occurring. Similarly, keeping messages brief and concise not only makes for faster communication, but also shows that you respect the other person’s time. All in all, practicing good business communication etiquette can lead to more streamlined and optimized workflows, increasing overall productivity within your organization.

Leaves a Good Impression on Clients and Business Partners

The first impression you make on others often determines whether or not you’ll be able to build rapport with and establish a long-term relationship with them. This is especially true when it comes to how you interact with potential clients and business partners. It’s likely that these entities are regularly approached by many other companies like yours; should you conduct yourself poorly around them during your first interaction, they won’t hesitate to bring their business elsewhere.

Paves the Way for Fruitful Business Connections and Partnerships

Even if you may not close a sale or land a partnership during the first meeting, the people you conversed with are sure to remember you for your professional conduct, and they may consider getting back in touch with your company for a future project or collaboration. 

Business-Etiquette

Thus, it always pays for you and your colleagues to stay on your best behavior when meeting with other parties. This means dressing your best, using professional language, and remaining calm even if negotiations become heated. Your potential clients and business partners are sure to appreciate your levelheadedness and will consider your good behavior when deciding whether to work with your company or not. 

Business Etiquette Encourages Employees to Collaborate and Engage with Each Other

Nobody wants to work with a rude person, least of all your company’s employees. This further emphasizes the importance and benefits of practicing proper business communications etiquette within your company.

If your coworkers and bosses all address each other with respect and treat each other with dignity, these actions can foster a healthy, collaborative environment in the workplace. Such an environment is conducive to collaboration because employees feel that their voices are heard and that they’re seen as fellow human beings, not merely as cogs in a machine.

Creates a Positive Public Perception of Your Business

In the age of social media, it only takes one wrong move for a company to be heavily criticized by the public and have its reputation ruined. This is why it’s increasingly important for your employees to always be the best versions of themselves, even during stressful situations.

Even if a client is being especially difficult, it’s always better to show patience and understanding rather than frustration and irritation. In fact, displaying a highly professional attitude in the face of criticism can improve your clients’ perception of your business. They will likely remember and even commend how your company’s representatives remained calm and collected, and others will be sure to hear of how well your employees conducted themselves.

No matter what industry you work in, conducting yourself in a professional manner is sure to not only help you and your company stand out from the competition, but also foster a healthy and productive culture in your workplace. Indeed, simply having the right skills and experience is no longer enough—you and your colleagues must have the right attitude and personality, too.

Whenever you find yourself in a situation that’s frustrating or overwhelming, remember the above benefits of maintaining proper business etiquette, and do your best to always put your best foot forward, no matter what challenges may come your way. 

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6 Plumbing Industry Trends to Keep Track of in 2023

plumbing industry trends

6 Plumbing Business Industry Trends to Keep Track of in 2023

If you’re in the plumbing industry, you are most likely not bothered about technological trends in your line of work. But as everything in our life has been affected by technology – so is your business.

As a plumbing business owner, it is vital to stay on top of emerging trends and make sure that your business is constantly evolving to meet the market’s needs.

Here are a few steps that you need to take note of to future proof your plumbing business:

  • Using technology as a way of effective plumbing contract management

As you expand your plumbing business and hire more subcontractors, coordinate multiple projects, and take follow-ups from clients, managing your business is going to become tougher and tougher. But technology can become your savior here if you adapt and switch to plumbing software.

Well-designed plumbing software can help you collaborate in real-time with your management, even if they are not onsite together, and keep track of what everyone is doing.

You can easily schedule, dispatch, assign team members for plumbing jobs and monitor their time spent on the project.

  • Offer clients easy online payment options

None of your clients want to pay cash anymore. Most of them would prefer the convenience of digital payments. Purchasing plumbing software will also give you the advantage of generating personalized digital invoices for clients and collecting digital payments.

You’ll also be able to keep a much more organized track of your accounts since everything will now be available electronically.

  • Another Plumbing Industry Trend is to Increase your online presence

Think about it — if people are looking for any business, even plumbers, they look for information online. Good old-fashioned word-of-mouth publicity is also great, but people also look for any business they want to hire online.

Paid digital ads might not be the need of the hour when you’re just starting out, but it is important to have a website that has its SEO and keywords in order so that you show up in search results when people are looking for plumbers in your area.

A strong social media presence and engaging with people in groups related to plumbing are also great ways to capture an audience’s attention and attract more clicks on your website.

  • More customers are looking for your business on their mobile

If customers are looking for your website online, you need to make sure the website is responsive and built with some expertise.

Would you employ a plumbing business that might have good reviews, but if you try to access its website, you just can’t log in?

Not really, right?

A large percentage of clients will look for your website on their phones — so it is important to ensure that your website looks great on any screen and can be used on a web browser as well as a mobile device.

Online presence counts, but it’s the right kind of online presence you have to emphasize on.

  • Online reviews are essential for Plumbing Industry Trends

Your reputation is important for your business, and now online customer reviews matter as much as word-of-mouth reviews from your clients.

You can ask your clients who are happy with their work to leave a good review on your website, and if you do get a negative review, it’s important to respond as diplomatically as possible.

  • Give attention to remote and mobile-first communication

Clients now prefer digital communication over face-to-face communication. This translates to assisting clients on a video call for the plumbing business to start diagnosing the problem and coming up with a virtual collaboration with the management. If the client can solve the problem through assistance on a video call, you only need to send a few, if any, plumbers on site.

Taking your plumbing business online may seem a little unnerving, but as the competition grows, so has the demand. The US Bureau of labor statistics estimates almost a quarter (24%) growth for the plumbing industry by 2024 from the last decade. As a plumbing business owner you need to take these vital steps to make sure your plumbing business is future-proof.

Author Bio:

plumbing business

 Akhil Rajan is a Customer Success Specialist at Zuper, an intelligent workforce management platform for service-oriented businesses. Working with customers on a daily basis, he has a deep understanding of their needs and pain points and so he is able to contribute to the marketing strategies for Zuper with the content he writes. He writes on topics like how to increase workforce utilization, how to reduce the service turnaround time and increase workforce efficiency, customer adoption, cost reduction strategies, etc – to name a few. He is often found buried in books or playing chess in his free time.

 

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Remote Work Is Here To Stay And Will Increase Into 2023

Remote-Work

Remote work is similar to working from home. This includes freelancing or work for hire, allowing the performance of duties at home or in any location outside the office. In the second case, the format of remote work can be both one-time or regular. Furthermore, lots of companies choose a distributed team (people working from two or more geographical locations), forming a list of tasks for workers of various branches of their organization.

As a result of the rapid development of the IT sector, fueled by COVID restrictions, the list of remote professions is growing rapidly. In addition to the usual copywriters and IT specialists, new online professions appear almost daily, such as online training specialists, social media promotion managers, international SEO services, online banking managers, etc. Most of the world’s leading companies accept and even encourage remote work.

What are the Advantages of Remote Work for Employees?

Remote-Work

Firstly, the main benefit of remote work is the lack of strict control. Indeed, there is also a principled guideline requiring the installation of programs on personal computers that track the actions of an employee using screenshots. But in fairness, it can be noted that these measures are relatively extreme and rare.

Much more often, the attention of the authorities is directed to the quality and compliance with deadlines, which gives freedom in prioritization and time management.

As a consequence, there is another advantage of remote work – a flexible timetable. In addition to freedom in the distribution of tasks during the working daytime, many remote employees have the opportunity to select the active time of day. Exceptions are employment that involves communication with other people, for example, an HR manager.

What Advantages of Remote Work the Employers Get?

Here, the primary and essential benefit of remote work is the lack of geographical boundaries. An employer can choose people from any country and any nationality without the need for subsequent relocation. This factor expands the likelihood of hiring the most qualified worker without compromise and regardless of the candidate’s country of residence.

When choosing a team for a remote position, the employer is more likely to find a conscientious and responsible performer who appreciates the opportunity not to visit the office and thereby saves material and time resources.

Important Aspects of Organizing Remote Work with Maximum Efficiency

Helpful tips for employers:

  • trust people, but be ready to quickly replace those who did not live up to expectations;
  • clearly formulate the tasks and goals of the company to people, thereby improving the level of cohesion and understanding of the common cause;
  • in order to minimize misunderstanding on the part of subordinates, it is recommended to develop clear instructions with requirements and tasks that do not require much time to read;
  • pay due attention to monitoring the effectiveness of the work of specialists, taking into account financial and time indicators.

Valuable tips for employees:

  • pay due attention to self-discipline skills aimed at improving key performance indicators;
  • organize your workplace, making it as comfortable and functional as possible;
  • plan your time, not forgetting to respect someone else’s time;
  • don’t forget to rest on time, build in breaks when planning your working day – this will help you recuperate after complex tasks and increase efficiency.

Disadvantages of Remote Work

Remote work is not without its drawbacks. Some of them are temporary or can be solved, some will have to come to terms with them.

Lack of live communication with colleagues. Communication in work chats can be warm, but emoticons and postcards will not replace friendly hugs when congratulating you on your birthday or labor victories. This disadvantage is leveled by communication with friends, and meetings with relatives, for which you have more time. If the work team lives in the same city, you can arrange informal meetings – this will help you get to know your colleagues better and improve mutual understanding.

Remote-Work

Misunderstanding relatives. From the outside, telecommuting is often seen as easier than working in an office. It seems to many that if a person is at home, then he has a lot of free time. It happens that household members are annoyed by a relative who “stays at home” all day and cannot clean or cook dinner.

We offer to calmly talk with loved ones without judging their point of view. Tell them in more detail what you are doing while they are working at their standard workplace. Perhaps, during the conversation, you will realize that you are really processing to the detriment of communication with your family. Then it is worth reviewing and adjusting your work schedule.

The need for self-organization skills. When you work on the Internet, there is a great temptation to do something more pleasant instead of immediate duties: watch a series, get stuck in social networks, start cleaning.

In the fight against procrastination, the correct organization of space helps. Remove all unnecessary from the workplace, agree with loved ones that at certain hours you cannot be distracted even for a minute, isolate yourself from distracting sounds – use headphones, and do not turn on the TV and radio if they distract you.

Lots of distractions. Cleaning up after a cat, picking up a child from school, knocking on the battery of a music lover neighbor – all this takes a little time individually, but in the aggregate, it can greatly affect the work schedule and mood. You will be much more productive if you ensure that you can work continuously and have scheduled breaks.

How to Go Remote

Suitable vacancies will be found for those who are engaged in intellectual activities, for office workers, and for those who do not have special skills.

How to switch to remote work by profession. You can switch to a remote format at your previous place of work. Any profession that does not require a physical presence next to the object of labor can go into the category of remote ones. An accountant, lawyer, sales manager, designer, programmer, teacher, tutor, or psychologist can easily perform their duties remotely. With the advent of telemedicine, even a doctor can carry out part of the work remotely: decipher tests, give advice, and monitor the patient’s condition.

If your presence in the office is not required, you can perform your functions from home. The main thing is to properly equip the workplace and get the necessary access. Talk to your superiors and describe the benefits that the company will receive from such a format of cooperation with you. Perhaps the company will no longer need to rent a room, and household expenses will decrease.

How to switch to remote work if the profession does not allow it. If your job responsibilities require a presence in the office, but you want to work remotely, you can retrain. Learning a new profession in online courses and submitting a lawyer, programmer or CFO resume, even to companies that are not in your city, is not as difficult as it seems at first glance

The number of remote vacancies in 2022 increased by 57% compared to the end of last year. If earlier only special groups of the population were transferred to remote work, and then with reluctance, now anyone can work from home.

Remote work with the right approach and organization means more freedom, less stress, saving time and money. And sometimes, this is the only opportunity to get into the dream team because for this, you do not need to leave your hometown for the capital or another country.

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What to Look for in Small Business Loans

No two small business loans are exactly alike. Because every business is unique, with distinctive goals, operation strategies and financial interests, loans should be tailored by business leaders and lenders to ensure that individual businesses gain the advantages they need. 

Fortunately, there are several terms that leaders and lenders can alter to ensure that their loan is working hard for them. Here are a few aspects of small business loans for new entrepreneurs to consider before they take out money to finance their dream. 

Loan Repayment Terms 

Perhaps the most important term for business leaders to learn about a loan is the time their company has to pay back the borrowed amount. Because businesses typically borrow large sums, repayment terms can extend for several years and even decades, as borrowers accept that it takes time for young businesses to see returns on their investments. Still, there are loans that must be repaid every month, or at least at the end of only a handful of months, which can help business leaders avoid taking on more debt than their organization can handle. There are pros and cons to both long- and short-term loans, and leaders should work with lenders to craft the financing that most suits their business goals. 

Loan Types

Faster than reading the fine print on every loan, business leaders can learn the typical terms of the most common types of business loans. Then, when an organization is in need of a loan with specific terms, leaders can immediately gravitate toward the type of loan that offers those terms to borrowers. Some typical loan terms that every business leader should know include: 

Term loans. With a typical term loan, businesses receive a lump sum of cash, up to about $1 million, which is repaid with interest over a period less than 10 years. 

Microloans. Similar to a term loan, microloans involve a lump sum of cash, typically $500,000 or less, and they have shorter repayment periods. 

Small-Business-Loans

SBA loans. Offered by the data contrast Small Business Administration, these generous loans can amount up to $5 million and must be repaid in a period from seven to 25 years, depending on the loan’s use. 

Business lines of credit. The amount available through a line of credit depends on a business’s (and its leadership’s) creditworthiness, but financing is typically available for five years or less. 

Invoice financing. This type of lending provides businesses access to money due through invoices for just a few months. 

Equipment financing. Specifically to help organizations afford equipment, these loans are paid off over the course of 10 years. 

Loan Maturity Dates 

The phrase “loan maturity” typically refers to the same concept as a loan repayment term; a business has a certain amount of time to repay a loan with interest, and during that time, the loan will mature. However, a loan maturity date is a specific term that pinpoints the final day of the repayment term. On the maturity date, a business leader must complete the payment of the entirety of the loan as well as any associated costs or fees. Failure to repay the loan in full by the maturity date will subject an organization to late payment penalties outlined in the loan’s terms. 

Prepayment Penalties 

Business leaders should be familiar with the concept of fines for late loan repayment, but being penalized for paying a loan too early is likely brand-new. Many lenders charge business borrowers a fee for paying a loan ahead of schedule, called a prepayment penalty. Because lenders plan to receive a certain amount of interest from full-term business loans, organizations that pay the loan early are depriving the lender of the income they expect. Prepayment penalties help to offset the lost interest. 

Not all lenders impose prepayment penalties, but business leaders need to be aware of any loans that carry these terms. Then, leaders should balance the advantages of paying off a loan early with the disadvantages of paying penalties; in some cases, it might be beneficial to pay the penalty to offload the loan early. 

The more a business leader knows about a loan before they get their organization into debt, the better. Business leaders should take their time to understand every aspect of a loan’s terms, so they can maintain financial control over their company’s future. 

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How To Implement Product-Led Marketing For Your Business

Product-Led-Marketing

Product-led marketing has become increasingly prevalent as businesses have shifted their focus from acquiring new customers to retaining and increasing sales with their existing customer base. This shift is driven by the fact that it is far easier to sell to existing customers than to acquire new ones.

Product-led marketing is a great way to grow your business. It is worth considering if you’re looking for a growth strategy that specifically helps you acquire and retain customers. This article will discuss the basics of product-led marketing, including its benefits and how to implement it in your business.

Product-Led Marketing And Its Benefits For Businesses

Product-Led-Marketing

Product-led marketing (PLM) is a strategy focusing on promoting and selling a product or service through its features and benefits rather than through advertising or other marketing efforts. It is a data- and customer-driven approach that puts the product at the center of your growth strategy, causing product-led growth. This contrasts traditional marketing, which focuses on the customer first and the product second.

In other words, product-led marketing is all about letting the product sell itself. To be successful with product-led marketing, it is essential for the product to be truly differentiated, offering a unique value proposition. Product-led businesses are usually built around a freemium model, where the basic features are free and customers can pay, or upgrade, to access the premium features. This allows customers to try the product before they commit to paying for it, which reduces the barriers to entry.

Steps Businesses Need To Take To Implement Product-Led Marketing

To successfully implement product-led marketing, here are some key steps you need to take:

Step One: Define Your Target Market

The first step in any marketing strategy is to define your target market. You need to ensure that your product appeals to your target market. To do this, you need to carry out market research to understand your prospects’ needs and wants. This will let you know if your customers will love your product.

Step Two: Identify A Market Gap You Can Fill

Once you know what your target market wants, you need to make sure your product solves their problem. Make changes to your product to ensure it fills a gap in the market. Your product should also solve a problem better than any other product on the market. This will make it more appealing to your target market.

You need to focus on promoting the features and benefits of your product rather than on selling it. You are much more likely to generate interest in it. Customers should feel that they are getting something valuable from your product, not that they are being sold to. This increases the likelihood of making sales.

Step Three: Build A Great Team

A product is only as good as the team behind it. To create a successful product, you need to assemble a great team of talented individuals with different skills and experiences. This will ensure that all aspects of the product are covered, from design to marketing.

Step Four: Promote Your Product

You need to promote your product to your target market to let them know it exists. The aim of your promotion should be to generate interest in your product and get people talking about it. The more people know about your product, the more likely they will use it.

There are many ways to make sure your product is easy to discover, including the following:

  • Invest in search engine optimization (SEO) to make sure your product appears in search results when potential customers are looking for a product like yours.
  • Create informative and keyword-rich product pages on your website.
  • Create social media profiles and pages for your product.
  • Invest in paid advertising to promote your product.

Step Five: Get Feedback From Users

It’s important to get feedback from users of your product because this will help you to improve it. Some ways to get feedback include online surveys, user testing, and social media. Feedback makes the product more user-friendly. It’s also important to listen to feedback when it comes to pricing, as this can be a sensitive issue for users.

Step Six: Analyze Your Data

Data is a key part of product-led marketing as it can help you understand how your product is being used. Data is essential in identifying new marketing opportunities and making changes to the product that will benefit the user.

Step Seven: Always Be Improving

The final step in product-led marketing is to keep making improvements. In other words, constantly make changes to the product based on feedback and data. It’s important to never rest on your laurels and always look for ways to improve the product. This will keep users happy and ensure they continue using your product.

Product-led marketing takes some focus to succeed. If you’re willing to put in the work, you can create a successful product and build a loyal customer base.

Benefits Of Using A Product-Led Marketing Strategy

Product-Led-Marketing

There are many benefits to implementing a product-led marketing strategy for your business, including the following:

  • Reduced Marketing Costs

Product-led marketing encourages word of mouth. This is perhaps the most valuable benefit as it can help you attract new customers without spending any money on marketing. If your product makes the customer happy, they are likely to tell other people about it, which can help increase your customer base without additional effort.

This can help you to save on marketing costs since, instead of spending money on advertising and other marketing efforts, you can invest that money into developing and improving your product. This will save you money in the long run and ensure that your product is of the highest quality possible, which is essential for attracting and retaining customers.

  • Better Customer Relationships

Another benefit of product-led marketing is that it can help you to build a stronger relationship with your customers. When customers feel they are being sold to, they are often turned off and may even seek a competitor. However, when they feel they are being given information about a product that can genuinely improve their lives, they are much more likely to develop a positive relationship with the company. This can lead to loyalty and repeat business, which are essential for any business.

  • Faster Time To Market

Traditional marketing strategies can take months or even years to implement, whereas you can implement product-led marketing much faster. This is because product-led companies focus on building a product that customers will love rather than spending time and money on marketing campaigns.

Summary

To sum up, product-led marketing can be a powerful growth strategy for your business due to its numerous benefits, but it’s important to keep the above things in mind to be successful. If you’re thinking about using it to grow your business, make sure you take the time to understand the strategy and how you can apply it to your business.

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On-Demand vs. Automated Webinars: Which Suits Your Business?

Webinars

Many businesses today are considering webinars as a tool for reaching a wider audience. That’s because they’re a cost-effective way of bringing your business big rewards.  For starters, hosting a webinar allows you to show your expertise in your field. Talking to existing and potential clients about your business builds a good brand reputation that’ll help you gain and retain customers.

In addition, while webinars aren’t about making a hard sell, they’re a good way of generating and converting leads. This is because sharing information about your business, services, and products increases engagement, which promotes lead generation and conversion. 

Nonetheless, deciding whether to host an automated or on-demand webinar can be challenging because they can share similar benefits. If you’re unsure which of these two webinar types is best for your business, this article is for you. This post explores automated webinar and on-demand webinar to help you determine the one that suits your business best. Stick around to find out more.

Understanding Webinars And How They Work

Webinars

A webinar, also called a web seminar, is a video conference that businesses use to educate, train, or demonstrate an idea or concept. They help you reach existing and potential clients in a way that adds value. They’re also a convenient way of reaching larger audiences worldwide despite their geographical locations.

Webinars work similarly to in-person workshops, save for the face-to-face experience that characterizes the latter. They often involve a host, a panel of participants, and attendees. The role of the host is to facilitate the discussion. The panel, meanwhile, is responsible for presenting their ideas within the designated time frame.

On the other hand, attendees watch the webinar and interact with panelists via chat or, in some instances, audio. The average webinar has 100 attendees, but some can have up to 500 viewers. The majority of webinars are free, but some charge a registration fee.

Automated Webinars Vs. On-Demand Webinars

Automated webinars are pre-recorded events scheduled to begin and run automatically at a specific time with or without a host, panelists, or attendees. In this type of webinar, the host determines the content they’d like to present. This can be a presentation, a survey, a pre-recorded video, or a third-party program recording. The nature of an automated webinar requires attendees to join the webinar at the specified time to avoid missing the beginning.

In contrast, an on demand webinar doesn’t have a specific schedule despite being pre-recorded. Instead, once the webinar has been recorded, the host sends it to the participants. This provides them unlimited access to the content and allows them to join the event at their most convenient time.

Benefits Of Automated Webinars

  • They’re Efficient And Time-Saving

Automated webinars cut back on the tasks required to run a successful webinar, which saves time. For example, deciding to play an automated third-party program recording or a presentation minimizes the need for a host. This leaves you with more time to plan the next webinar or answer questions from your attendees, thus increasing engagement. 

  • They Enhance Customer Service

Customer service is critical to any business. Excellent service increases customer engagement, lead generation, and lead conversion. An automated webinar improves customer service by granting you ample time to respond effectively to your customers’ requests. This translates to good customer support, which is vital to customer satisfaction.

Additionally, automated webinars facilitate efficiency during the registration process, ensuring that registered attendees can access your webinar without trouble. Consequently, satisfying your customers’ needs enhances customer service and increases brand loyalty, allowing your business to thrive.

  • They Offer Convenience 

The success of your business is dependent on more than just webinars. Nonetheless, for your business to flourish, it’s essential to ensure your webinars are successful. The convenience of automated webinars is one of the ways you can accomplish that.

Automated webinars help you reap the benefits of connecting with your clients without working too hard. For example, because the webinar is pre-recorded, you can run it without hosting it. Instead, you get to focus on responding to your customer’s questions and concerns promptly. 

In addition, you can also take advantage of the real-time feedback to pre-record another webinar. This helps you increase engagement because your viewers see their opinions being considered, thus making them more inclined to associate with you.

Benefits Of On-Demand Webinars

Webinars

  • They Increase Lead Generation and Conversion

As mentioned above, on-demand webinars allow attendees to access a webinar anytime. This is convenient to most individuals because of their varying schedules. It also means that your attendees join the webinar because they want to, not because they’re required to.

Additionally, attendance increases because attendees can join at their convenience. This increases lead generation and makes it easy for you to convert them into customers because they’re genuinely interested in what you offer.

  • They Enable You To Concentrate On Other High-Level Tasks

The nature of on-demand webinars also means that you spend less time running the webinar and more time fulfilling critical tasks. For example, while your customers attend the webinar, you and your staff can attend to other duties.

Since your operating hours and the time the attendees are on the webinar may not match, you can ensure that your business’s needs won’t be neglected. Additionally, it gives you and your team time to brainstorm more creative ideas for upcoming webinars. This helps you enhance engagement and promote lead generation.

Which Between On-Demand And Automated Webinars Is Better For Your Business?

On-demand and automated webinars are an excellent way to grow your audience. However, choosing between on-demand and automated webinars can be challenging because both benefit your business immensely. The primary difference between these webinars is that the former is accessible at any time, while the latter has a specified time for attendees to join.

Therefore, an on-demand webinar is more convenient if you’re dealing with a wide range of clients from different continents. This is because their different time zones don’t affect their ability to join your webinar, as access is unlimited. If your client’s time zones aren’t an issue, then either type of webinar would suit your business.

In Summary

Webinars are a convenient tool for reaching a wider audience. Besides being cost-effective, they help you build a good brand reputation while increasing engagement and generating leads. Choosing between an automated and on-demand webinar can be challenging because both offer similar benefits, including convenience and efficiency.

Their only difference is that automated webinars have a specific schedule for attendees to join an event, unlike on-demand webinars. Therein lies the basis for your decision on which suits your business best. If your clients’ time zones aren’t a factor, feel free to experiment with both webinars to discover the one with more potential.

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How Can Your Small Business Benefit From eSignature Solutions?

eSignature

Every business, small or large, has a lot of paperwork to deal with in everyday operations. For instance, managers must sign contracts with various suppliers and service providers. They also need to sign customer forms to agree with their content. An electronic signature (eSignature) is the most effective way to sign company documents.

An Overview Of eSignature Solutions

ESignature is a process of signing digital files, and it’s an equivalent of a handwritten signature. In other words, it’s an electronic indication of an individual’s intention to agree to the content of an online file. It, therefore, enables one to sign legally binding contracts without printed papers. Some situations you may use for eSignature solutions include sales agreements, invoice processing, new hire documentation, vendor contracts, purchase orders, etc.

To create eSignatures, you must utilize an electronic signature generator. This is an automation tool you can use to sign online documents. It allows you to type your signature, download it, and attach it to your files. And the good thing about such a tool is that it allows you to customize your signature to make it unique.

Benefits Of eSignature Solutions For Your Small Business

eSignature

Your enterprise can benefit in various ways by leveraging the power of eSignature technology. They include the following.

Helps Reduce Cost

Reducing costs is one of the most effective approaches to ensure your small company continues to thrive. When you minimize expenses, you can save money and promote your firm’s profitability. For that reason, ensure you find effective ways to keep costs at the lowest level possible. And one of the best ways to achieve that is by shifting to eSignature solutions.

Signing documents online enables you to minimize expenses in many ways. For instance, it eliminates the need to deal with physical files. As such, you won’t need to purchase things like printing machines, ink, and paper. Everything will happen online, including creating, signing, and sending files to users.

Additionally, signing documents online means storing them on the cloud. Therefore, you won’t have to hire a large storage space. A small one will just be enough for a few files you may want to store in your office. That helps reduce your rental expense.

You also need to note that dealing with physical documents requires you to hire delivery services anytime you want to send them to users. And that attracts extra costs. On the other hand, eSignature solutions enable you to send documents online, eliminating the need for document delivery services. All these go a long way toward ensuring you reduce expenses to maximize the profits of your small business.

Helps Save Time

You’re wasting a lot of time if you still use traditional document signatures. For instance, you must spend several hours printing documents, signing them, and then scanning them again if you want to transfer them through online platforms. If that isn’t the case, you might keep running up and down searching for delivery services to help send your files to recipients. That leads to a waste of time.

Besides, signing documents in the traditional way probably implies that you’re storing physical files in your office. That also can take much of your time, especially when arranging large volumes of documents in your office. It can also come with many hassles as you try to locate a single document from piles of files.

ESignature solutions can help you to save time. For instance, you don’t have to print the documents to sign them. You can do it online in seconds. And because you can share the signed documents online, you won’t need to keep traveling to find document delivery services. That way, you can save a lot of time, which can be utilized to complete other important tasks.

Improves Document Security

Sticking to traditional signatures exposes your documents to a lot of security issues. For instance, unauthorized persons may access your company’s information, especially when you leave documents on printing machines. Also, your files may fall into the wrong hands with delivery services. All these expose your business data to security issues. That’s why you need to invest in electronic signature solutions.

With eSignatures, you won’t necessarily have to deal with physical documents. You can send them only to the intended recipients through online portals. And because most digital document-sharing platforms have the added layers of identity verification and file encryption, you won’t be worried about cybersecurity attacks. That ensures you improve the security of your documents or company’s information.

Provides Better Customer Experience

eSignature

You must be careful about customer experience and satisfaction when running your small business. With poor customer experience, your small business will barely take off the ground.

Using traditional signatures can hurt your customers’ experience in many ways. For instance, they might be forced to keep going to the postal offices or come to your office to pick up the documents you want them to sign. That harms their convenience and flexibility, and you might lose them.

You must understand that customers will always want to do business with companies with electronic services. It’s, therefore, necessary to shift to eSignature solutions. It’ll make customers happier, thus enhancing your retention rate.

Ensures Compliance

Another great benefit of eSignature solutions is that it helps your small business to comply with legal requirements. As companies continue to use technology, so are many regulations drafted regarding the collection and transfer of personal information. It might not be easy to comply with some of these regulations when using physical documents and traditional signatures.

On the other hand, most eSignature solutions are built with most of the data regulations in mind. Therefore, you won’t be worried about noncompliance. You’ll always remain compliant with the relevant guidelines when dealing with customers, suppliers, employees, and other stakeholders’ information.

Takeaway

Small businesses face a lot of challenges. Therefore, any strategy that can help save your company should be implemented. And one of them is eSignature solutions.

As detailed above, there are several benefits of eSignatures for your enterprise. However, you must ensure you find the most suitable solutions.

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How to Start a Retail Company in 4 Steps

Retail-Company

In today’s time, numerous opportunities and available tools have made starting a business easier for anyone. In whatever industry you plan to build your brand and company, it is always important first to make yourself equipped with what’s needed for you to be able to catch up to existing similar businesses. A retail company, in particular, provides target customers with small quantities of products and services made available in-store, online, or both. Some retail businesses include supermarkets, clothing stores, department stores, and many others. If you plan to start your own retail company, here are some steps you may need to know.

1. Create a Business Plan

Before starting a business, different ideas about what products to create and what services to offer can come to mind simultaneously. One way to organize these thoughts and ideas is by creating an effective business plan. A business plan helps entrepreneurs document and set up necessary information about the business to create. This may include the following:

  • Business Concept. The business concept section of a business plan includes information about the company itself, which may include the form of business organization, vision and mission, business model canvas, target market, and the proposed product or services.  
  • Business Environment. The business environment section explains the different factors that affect and contribute to the business. Some of these factors may include economic, social, technological, legal factors, etc.  

Including a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threat Analysis, also known as SWOT analysis, is vital to prepare your business for possible successes and challenges in the future. 

  • Marketing Plan. A marketing plan includes a thorough discussion of product descriptions, prices, budget, the location of the business, promotions, sales plans, and competitions. The price section of the marketing plan presents the amount needed for raw materials and the pricing strategy used in the business.  
  • Operations Plan. The operations plan explains the actions needed in each operation of the business. This section includes the hours of operation, process flows, material requirements for the business to operate, and the business layout, if applicable.  

When looking up what retail business to create, looking up what is most needed and the trend in your location can best help you decide what business to pursue. For example, in America, grocery stores, electronic shops, and home furnishing businesses are one of the highest-operated retail businesses in the country.  

Similarly, in Australia, the consumer goods retailing industry has generated over $239 million in revenue this year. Thus business owners, especially groceries and the like, are investing in needed materials and equipment for their businesses to operate efficiently. This includes proper shelving equipment and racks, accurate and reliable retail weighing scales, etc., to ensure that they provide fast and honest services to their customers.

2. Register the Business

Retail-Company

After creating a business plan, for sure you now have enough knowledge about what your business is all about and its operations. Making your retail business official means registering it. To do this, you must set your business name and determine the business’s legal structure, which is already part of your business plan under the form of organization section.

In choosing your business’s structure, consulting a business attorney or an accountant to guide you is necessary. This legal structure can determine the tax, liabilities, and certain classifications that regulate your business. Legal business structures include Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Limited Liability Company, and Corporation.

Moreover, obtaining documents like retail licenses and permits is also necessary. Business insurance is also of great help to ensure that the business and your employees are protected should common risks occur.

3. Pick a Location for Your Retail Company

The location of your retail business can determine its profitability. Is your store accessible to your target market? Is it a safe location for an established business, or is it better suited for a startup? These are just some of the questions you can use as a guide when choosing a location for your physical store.

Looking closely at your target market, their location, and common interests are some of the aspects you’d want to prioritize for your business locations. Try looking at a safe, accessible space that can match your retail business’s concept and your budget.

Another way to grow your business is by building your online presence. If your business allows, you can also set up an online shop through social media or a business website. That way, you can easily transact, connect, and attend to customer concerns, generating more customer leads and business profit.

4. Hire Employees for Your Retail Company

Hiring the right employees will help you and your business to operate smoothly. Depending on your retail business needs, hiring employees that can work efficiently, provide excellent services to customers, and are knowledgeable about what they do are qualities you should look up to.

Setting up specific skills, abilities, experiences, and many others through a job description is one great way to help you find the right employees for your retail business. This way, you can easily match up staff that can satisfy your business goals and operations. 

Conclusion on Starting a Retail Company

Knowing and following the steps to starting a retail company can help make the journey more manageable. Establishing your own business can equate to learning and exploring different ways to achieve growth and success. All you have to do is follow steps that can work well with your business’s initial goals and purpose; other processes will likely follow. 

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10 Different Ways to Get the Most From Your Marketing Budget

Marketing-Budget

Whether you are looking to expand your business or are getting ready to release a new product into the market, marketing is vital to engaging with your audience, creating awareness, and boosting sales. But without proper management, your marketing efforts can end up underperforming. And, in the worst-case scenario, even drain your company’s budget! Luckily, as a small business owner, there are steps you can take to ensure that your marketing budget is optimized. Learn how in the guide below. 

Carry Out Thorough Marketing Research and Set Clear Goals

Blindly redirecting a portion of your revenue to marketing can turn your well-planned marketing efforts into a money pit. To better manage risks, consider spending time to research your competitors’ marketing strategies, analyze current market trends, and study your target consumer’s behavior.

You can then use these insights to make more informed business decisions and minimize the risk of making the wrong marketing investment. 

Use a Performance Marketing Agency

Marketing-Budget

While each business’s strategy is unique, there are a few key marketing truths worth keeping in mind. These are:

  • In today’s overcrowded digital landscape, the help of a professional marketer is invaluable;
  • Marketing efforts should be data-driven and performance-based.

So, when choosing a marketing company to work with, you should look for an agency that leverages a performance-based approach. But, what exactly is performance marketing?

Performance marketing is described as an approach to the digital market that focuses on results. Digital marketing companies operating in this way often use KPIs and multichannel indicators to continuously adjust their marketing efforts and optimize the chances of success. 

Be Clear About Your Marketing Budget

When it comes down to setting up your marketing budget, there is no “one size fits all” formula you can rely on. However, according to estimations, B2B companies spend 2-5% of their revenue on marketing, while B2C tend to spend around 5-10% of their revenue.

Of course, your digital marketing expenditure should vary depending on multiple factors, including the nature of your business (i.e.: online-based vs brick-and-mortar businesses), target audience, and future goals. Nonetheless, once you have set your budget, it is important to stick to it and prevent infructuous marketing efforts from draining your budget. 

Upcycle Your Content and Marketing Material

It is undeniable that high-quality content is a vital element of any marketing campaign. Whether it is video marketing, blog posts, Instagram reels, or Tweets, content is critical to engage with your audience, hook viewers, and spread brand awareness.

However, creating new content can be costly – especially if your editorial calendar requires you to produce new videos and posts on a daily basis. That is why you should have a content upcycling strategy ready to deploy!

To utilize material you already have, consider updating cornerstone and evergreen articles, repurposing videos you already have, or posting old material on different platforms. In any case, make sure that the content you decide to post is still relevant!

Experiment and Test Your Assumptions

Marketing is both a science and an art, and getting your strategy right from the start isn’t always possible. That is why you should be open and ready to experiment with different materials, landing pages, email copy types, and call-to-actions.

A/B testing – also known as split testing – can help you compare how your audience reacts to different marketing efforts, thus preventing you from misspending most of your budget on inefficient projects and campaigns. 

Monitor Progress and Track Your KPIs

One of the best ways to get the most out of your marketing budget is to track essential indicators and KPIs. Although these KPIs may vary depending on your marketing goals and business nature, some of the key ones worth tracking include:

  • Revenue and sales changes
  • Number of Leads
  • Customer Acquisition Cost
  • Sales Cycle Length
  • Customer Lifetime Value
  • Return on Investment 
  • Return on Ad Spend
  • Cost Per Lead
  • Lead to Customer Ratio

Be Ready To Pivot and Adjust Your Strategy

Marketing-Budget

Data-driven marketing strategies are one of the best alternatives to drive business growth. Nonetheless, no matter how much research you have done, any marketing investment comes with a significant level of risk. And, this is true for both small businesses with limited marketing budgets and large corporations with an international reputation to protect.

That is why it is crucial to be ready to pivot and adjust your strategy even as your campaign is already running! Be sure to have a contingency plan in place to reduce reputation damages and financial losses. 

Leverage Free or Inexpensive Marketing Tools

Thanks to the advent of inexpensive web hosting platforms and social media platforms, most tech-savvy business owners and entrepreneurs today have access to free or affordable marketing tools.

Establishing a social media community, using SEO techniques to improve your website, and striving to secure a spot in Google’s Local 3-pack are all great options to start building an online presence for your business on a budget. 

Get Involved With the Local Community

Establishing a company is certainly not a one-person job. And, there is no doubt that, to succeed as a small business owner, you’ll need the support of your local community. That is why for growing businesses, community involvement is a lifeline.

Aside from creating meaningful connections with your direct target audience, getting involved with the community can improve your business’s reputation, enhance your public image, and gain the trust and loyalty of local customers.

If you are unsure how to get started, great ways to get involved with the community include:

  • Partnering with local charities
  • Offering pro-bono services to low-income households
  • Launching charitable initiatives
  • Being present at local events and festivals
  • Partnering with other businesses in the area to offer added value and discounts to customers.

Think Outside the Box with Your Marketing Budget

The tips above can help you optimize your marketing budget. But if the competition begins to feel overwhelming, be sure to make a conscious effort to think outside of the box. And, don’t forget that, in marketing, no idea is too creative or unorthodox! After all, Alexis Ohanian managed to create the Reddit empire with a $500 marketing budget and memorable stickers!

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