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5 Free Ways to Grow Your Online Presence in 2020 by @couainc

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by Christy Liu

In the current period of uncertainty, many businesses need to pivot and leverage the digital space to expand their reach and promote their offerings. With people still practicing self-isolation, digital platforms have been growing in traffic and activity. As a lot of attention is put online, it is important for businesses to ‘get online’ to reach your target audience digitally.

“In fact, according to Adaptive Marketing, 97% of consumers use the internet to find a business.” (Hubspot, 2019)

I understand that some of you may feel overwhelmed when considering the digital space. Some of you may be facing financial challenges as well. I’m here to break it down into a few ways that are useful and free!

 

Clarify Your Business Fundamentals

Before I dive into the platforms and activities to grow your online presence, I recommend revisiting a few important business fundamentals that can strengthen your messaging.

Your WHY: Why do you want to do what you want to do?
Your Target Audience: Who are you trying to provide value to?
Your Value Proposition: How are you going to help them?

These core questions are some of the first steps to providing you with the direction for the type of content to provide and the channels to focus on. Once you have a solid foundation, you can start growing your online presence and develop strong relationships with your audience.

 

 

5 Free Ways to Grow Your Online Presence

1. LEVEL UP YOUR INSTAGRAM GAME
When it comes to social media activity, Instagram has one of the top number of daily active users. As of June 2018, Instagram has reached the 1 billion monthly active user mark (TechCrunch, 2018). If your target audience is on Instagram, you will want to engage with them further through posting consistently, sharing content on your story or on IGTV and directly interacting with individuals.

Do your research on the hashtags and content that your target audience is looking for. Plan out a content calendar that considers both your story and feed. Build out your highlights so that people can navigate your profile quickly through relevant categories. After posting your content, be sure to keep in touch with your followers and reach out to other people. You want to build genuine relationships with your community and share your story along the way!

2. ENGAGE IN FACEBOOK GROUPS
Earlier this year, according to The Verge, Facebook is putting more effort into building a “privacy-focused communications platform,” by focusing on groups and events. There are currently 400 million active users on Groups (Facebook, 2019). Groups tend to be a very large community of people who share similar interests ranging from entrepreneurship to digital marketing. There are many active entrepreneur communities on Facebook. You can grow your online presence by interacting with members, sharing your story and offering your advice!

3. HOST WEBINARS
This period for many people is a time for self development to build one’s knowledge and skills. Grow your network and build a strong brand rapport by holding webinars to share tips and any interesting information to people. Become a speaker for relevant communities, established organizations or you could even start your own group. Leverage event platforms such as Eventbrite and Meetup to promote your webinars. With the digital world knowing no boundaries, you can reach a mass audience while further building a positive impression of your brand.

4. WRITE AN EBOOK
A great way to showcase your knowledge is by writing your own eBook. Conduct your research online and discover the questions that people are asking as inspiration for your book. Create templates and share useful tips. Sharing your knowledge with others is always appreciated! You can then promote your eBook through your own newsletter or channels such as Facebook group and Instagram.

5. GROW YOUR BLOG
People love reading articles that are relevant to their needs and interests. Blogs help drive traffic to your website as well as boost your search engine ranking when relevant keywords are used. There are so many outlets to gather trendy and highly demanded topics. You can conduct some research through forums, social media searches, keyword ranking tools and more. Focus on quality over quantity and encourage discussions and sharing of your articles!

The methods I recommended are some of the top methods for boosting your online presence. Many people I have come across have found success for their businesses through sharing relevant and helpful content to their target audience.

If you are already actively applying several of these methods, remember to audit your content schedules to ensure they are optimized for the current active times of your audience. People’s behaviours and interests may change frequently and you want to gather updated insights consistently and shape your digital strategy around them.

My biggest passion is to help entrepreneurs navigate their business journey. I’m always excited to share my insights and provide support when needed. At COUA, we help early stage entrepreneurs build their businesses from the ground up through business strategy coaching, brand design and web development. Connect with us at www.couainc.com!

 

Christy is a Co-founder, Designer and Marketing Strategist at COUA Inc. She helps early stage entrepreneurs build sustainable and profitable businesses from the ground up through business strategy coaching, brand design and web development. Connect with her at www.couainc.com.

 

 

 

It’s Ok to Not Be Productive

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by Kristen Westcott

I don’t think anyone could have really seen this coming. Both within my online networks and in my local community, COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has forced many businesses to reallocate their time, resources, and money. My clients and I are incredibly fortunate to already be in the online space and work-from-home gurus.

However, as someone who usually encourages productivity, I hold a responsibility to my clients and to those who look to me for advice to help you understand that during a global crisis, you decide what level of productivity is appropriate for you.
The need for productivity

There have been a lot of posts circulating the internet about how your extra time during quarantine should be spent developing a new skill, building your side hustle, or obtaining new knowledge. If you don’t, “you didn’t ever lack the time, you lacked the discipline.”

As an entrepreneur, I can see many similar-minded people looking at this post and feeling guilty for not spending all their extra time on their biz. I can imagine people who haven’t yet started their business feeling like they’re behind.

I feel for you.

But in all honesty, I don’t think that the root of this post is meant to shame people who aren’t taking the time now to upskill, dive into business, or learn. I believe the need for productivity stems from a desire for normalcy. And what a better way to be normal than to engage in the hustle?
The reality is grief

The truth behind the scenario is that we’re going through a time where we’re experiencing a lot of grief. Grief for the things that we’re missing out on. Grief for things that we’ve lost. Grief for the lack of physical connection. The list goes on. At the end of the day, everyone has a different way of dealing with this grief.

For some people, the answer may in fact be productivity. This is fine. If waking up early in the morning, getting your groove on, and hacking out your to-do list helps you deal with the heavy emotions you’re experiencing, good on you! We may be the same type of person.

But for others, the last thing they want to do is get on the productivity train, and that’s fine too. We don’t want to let this experience stop us in our tracks, but we must prioritize both our physical and mental health during this period. If that means taking a break, then we should welcome this break with open arms. It’s ok to complete our regular commitments and responsibilities and not spend our extra time on being productive. It’s also ok, if your business allows it, to take a break from your work entirely. Take a day to recoup.
You don’t have to decide all at once

With that being said, you don’t have to commit to being productive or not being productive. It’s ok to take it as you go, and decide what levels of productivity are appropriate for you as you progress through the stages of grief.

The world will one day go back to “normal,” but for now we have to embrace that for a while this is going to be our normal. We have to take the time to process this and to enable that shift in our minds in order to handle this transition into our new, temporary normal. And that’s the only thing that we have to be sure about right now.

So, take the time, be kind to yourself as you are being kind to others. Decide the level of productivity that will have the most positive impact on your mental wellbeing. Cheer on those that you know who are having their productivity highs. Be empathetic toward those who are taking a break from the productivity train and in return, those around you will show the same support and compassion.

During this period when we’re dealing with high levels of grief, you may feel pressured to be productive. However, desire for productivity may be the result of a yearning for normalcy. If productivity helps you achieve normal, I encourage you to stay productive and remember your self care. But if taking a break, or only completing your regular duties is what you need to process your grief, know that that’s ok too! We are not judging you. We do not view you as any less just because you’re prioritizing your mental or physical health.

This is a time for community. Know that there are people who will support you regardless of which path of productivity you choose.

 

 

 

I’m Kristen Westcott, a Business Growth Strategist and Operations Consultant for online entrepreneurs.

I am the founder and CEO of Kristen Westcott Media and I have been helping others with goal setting, time management/productivity and project management for over a decade – in the legal field, education sector and as an entrepreneur. My goal is to help entrepreneurs free up time to focus on the right things, so they don’t burn out.

I do this through strategic planning, project management and managing business operations. My gift, if I can boast a little here, is helping entrepreneurs take their vision and create an action plan so that they can be successful and scale beyond what they had imagined. I help break things down into manageable pieces so there is no overwhelm or frustration and nothing gets forgotten.

I truly believe there is a better alternative to feeling burnt-out, exhausted and miserable trying to keep up with your business’s day-to-day operations and I started my company to show other entrepreneurs what is possible when the backend of your business isn’t weighing you down.

 

 

 

Thinking About Sustainability? Here’s Where to Start by @elizaerskine

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by Eliza Erskine

The benefits of a sustainable business are well documented. Businesses that embrace sustainable practices are more profitable. They appeal to millennial buyers and to employees that share sustainability values. Sustainable practices include adjusting operations to improve environmental, community and social impacts.

If your competitors are documenting sustainable practices, you’re planning to hire millennials in the next five years, or an impact in your business is essential, put sustainability into your business. So where do you begin if you’re interested in creating a more sustainable business?

Here are some steps to start the process. First, you’ll need management commitment and then employees to consider your plans. A materiality assessment will help you understand your impact and then finally, researching B Corp certification provides topical background on sustainability, as well as a potential route to transformation.

 

Commit to It From Management Down 

Management needs to be completely on board for sustainability to succeed. Why? Because sustainability is not an add-on, it needs to be added into the operations, documents and governance of the company to be successful. Think about any mission or values focused enhancements you’ve made previously. Without management on board and driving change, they wouldn’t be as successful, right?

Management and the board of directors must be aligned with sustainability to sign off on the necessary resources, often time and some money, to make the commitment effective. Employees feed off the excitement of management and to communicate excitement properly, management must be all in.

To commit, adopt a board resolution or add it to company planning. The delegations can be fit to your culture. Again, how do you commit to new resolutions or company changes? Do the same for sustainability.

 

Talk to Employees

Your employees are on the floor and living the day to day of operations. Communicate the company’s plans to adopt sustainability shortly and ask each employee two questions. First, does it align with their values and, second what achievable sustainable actions in the company do they see?

This can be a survey or brainstorming, but be sure to get their input to bring about robust conversation. Employee input will also help with this next part.

 

Do a Brief Materiality Assessment 

Materiality means what is important, impactful and crucial to your business. In terms of sustainability, materiality is the specifics of sustainability relevant to your business. For example, are you a farm? If you work on a farm, material items include land and water use, humane animal treatment, energy used for farm activities, and methane from cows, to name a few.

So look at your business activities and how they interact with your broader environment. Are you shipping items? What is your supply chain? Are you making a product or a service? Where does your business stand concerning your community? What kind of waste do you create? What resources are you using?

Begin thinking and listing what environmental areas you touch so you can get an idea of where you can have an impact.

 

Look into B Corp Certification 

B Corps are certified as sustainable businesses by an external provider called B Lab. Becoming a certified B Corp is a big undertaking. Even if you don’t start the process to become certified, there are great resources on their website for sustainable businesses and action items. To help your materiality assessment, you can search by industry to find competitors that might be B Corps. Look at their reports to get a better idea of how your industry looks at sustainability. The B Lab website is an awesome research tool for you to learn and uncover more about sustainability and your business model.

 

 

Eliza Erskine has a Master’s in Sustainability from the Harvard Extension School and a BA in Business Administration from Boston University. She founded Green Buoy Consulting in 2018 to help small and early stage businesses with sustainability. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and lives in New York City.

 

 

 

 

5 Tips to Follow Before Launching an App for Your Business?

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by Praveen Mishra

In 2018, global mobile app revenues amounted to over 365 billion U.S. dollars. In 2023, mobile apps are projected to generate more than 935 billion U.S. dollars in revenues via paid downloads and in-app advertising, says Statista.

Mobile apps are on the rise! With the huge demand for mobile apps in the market now, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that mobile apps have become an integral part of any business. It is a mobile app that keeps your users hooked to your services.

 

With more than 1.84 million apps available on the Apple App Store and almost 3 million apps on Google Play, the competition is very steep.

Ensuring your mobile app gets noticed and gets downloaded is only a part of the whole issue, while the other part is how will you monetize the app. If your app is free, there are still plenty of ways to monetize it. Whether you decide to sell advertising space, subscriptions, or in-app purchases, here are five ways to ensure your app is a success.

 

Here, in this article, I have discussed 5 ways to know how to monetize your mobile app. Let’s read in detail about the major 5 tips to follow before launching an app.

 

Make Sure There’s A Market For Your App!

Before you start with the development of your mobile app, it’s important that you look for other apps in the market. Do a proper market analysis and know about the other apps prevailing in the market space now. Determine the major demographics and identify their pain points. Once you have gone through the understanding of the target market, consider how your mobile app will benefit them. Know how your app can act as a solution for the users.

 

Create A Marketing Plan!

In order to ensure that your app is successful, it’s important that you devise a great marketing plan. Let people know about your app and how it helps in resolving their issues.  Although testing the app is a crucial task, making sure people know about it is even more important. This is where so many business owners and developers fail. To ensure your app gets the visibility it needs to be successful, you’ll need a marketing plan. You should create a marketing strategy as soon as you start the development phase. Develop the unique selling proposition and its main differentiator from the competition.

 

Design An Easy-To-Navigate Interface!

Great user experience is essential for keeping your customers hooked to your app. If the user experience (UX) is not easy to use, then the user will most likely delete the app. Also, if your app fails to allure the customers, then they will just ignore the app. It’s important that your app has an easy to use interface. Avoid adding unnecessary features into your app which makes the app more complicated. With so many apps used once and then deleted, it’s critical to ensure your app works flawlessly. Testing your app for bugs before you launch is key to your success.

 

Build An Audience Before You Launch!

Do a competitive market analysis and identify your target audience. Let your audience know about your app before you launch it in the market.  One of the best ways to ensure the success of your app is by building an audience before you launch. Ask your friends, family, friends, and colleagues to use the app. Share the app with others and get feedback from them. This will help you deliver a better product and ensure the success of your app.

 

Measure Analytics And Feedback!

After you’ve launched your mobile app, it’s critical to measure user engagement and activity. Here are some important key performance indicators you should pay attention to. Here is a list of all the questions that will help you analyze how successful your app would be.

 

  • How many daily and monthly active users does your app receive?
  • What is the retention rate?
  • How long does a user spend on your app?
  • How long does it take for your app to load?
  • How are users finding out about your app?
  • Are users happy with the layout and navigation? Do they find it useful?
  • How much revenue have specific customers generated over the time they do business with you?

 

Positive feedback helps to increase the visibility of your app thus making your app more successful. When users leave positive reviews, it can affect how visible your app is in the app store search results and how likely it will be featured on the app store.

 

If you want to have a successful mobile app launch, then you need to plan a great marketing strategy from the beginning. Your marketing strategy needs to be well devised and structured right from the beginning. If you miss this, there’s a decent chance the launch will fall short of your benchmarks.

 

Final Words

By now, I am sure you have got a clear idea of how to monetize your app. Clearly, implementing these steps will help you know how to ensure the success of your app. After reading these 5 important tips to follow before launching an app, you will get an idea of the things you need to consider before introducing your app in the market.

 

Praveen is a Computer Science enthusiast with a flair for creating content. He is passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals. Praveen is currently associated with Resourcifi.

5 Best Free Photo Websites in 2020

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by Amos Struck

Yes, I am going to tell you the 5 best free photo websites in this post.

However, you must first learn why it is necessary to use photos while developing a website or maybe for your marketing campaigns, building blogs, etc.

You must have heard this famous saying by Albert Einstein, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

It just never gets rusty because of its practical application. Imagine you are writing about the drought in Africa and want it to have maximum impact on your readers. What would you do? If it were up to me, I would search for a heart touching story.

Supposing, I am able to unearth the story of a single mother who travels several miles daily to get water for her children. Now, try comparing a piece of writing (narrating the story of that mother) with a picture of a woman carrying an infant and a water container in her arms, walking on barren land bare feet. Which would have more impact on the audience? You know the answer.

Because of the impact it has, the value of photos has increased. There are several sites where you can find premium quality images for any niche, including  marketing, trade, technology, etc.

In this post, I’ll give you a list of 5 best free photo websites that you can use. Let’s dive right in!

 

Pexels

Pexels is the most used free stock photo site, owing to the variety and quality of pictures available. It also provides free stock video clips, which can be used for various purposes like in a TVC.

Pexels offers a vast library of free photos and videos. Attribution is not compulsory, but giving credits to the photographer is always appreciated. You can find high definition images in almost every niche.

Pexels offers an unending variety of more than two million free stock photos (as of now). It really is justifiable that Pexels topped my list.

 

Pixabay

Pixabay is the second on my list, but there is one category where it surpasses Pexels.

Along with photos and videos, Pixabay also offers free vector illustration (Yes, with free-to-use vector source files).

Apart from this uniqueness, Pixabay also offers more about 1.7 million high resolution and free stock photos. They also have a quite decent and ample collection of videos.

Some experts rate Pixabay as the number 1 free photo site, and they might be right. I would say that both Pexels and Pixabay stand as equals.

 

Unsplash

With a library of over 1.5 million photos, Unsplash is the third most searched free stock photos’ website.

Unsplash has more than 50,000 contributors, and hundreds of photos get published on a daily basis. The part they lack is that Unsplash does not offer free stock videos like Pexels and Pixabay.

They offer only the best quality photos, and their stock is growing quite rapidly. You can use the images on Unsplash for free, without attribution.

 

Pikwizard

Along with a huge library of stock photos, Pikwizard is really a wizard in the realm of stock photos.

The added option of basic editing and adding text overlays makes Pikwizard stand apart among many other free stock photo sites. Along with a basic free version, Oikwizard also has a fully loaded paid version.

It doesn’t have any video stocks and is solely targeted on stills. If you like to add texts and overlay filters on your stock photos, Pikwizard has just the magic you are looking for.

There are very few other sites like PikiWizard that give you multiple options to edit your pictures, so give it a shot.

 

RawPixel

RawPixel claims to have the most diverse collection of stock photos, and it is somewhat true.

So what makes it stand out?

It provides not only access to free HD photos but also vectors and “PSD Mockups.” PSD Mockups can come in so handy for your marketing and branding purposes. Moreover, the quality of the photos, vectors, and mockups is superior to other such sites.

RawPixel also has paid elements, but the best part is that whatever you pay to them (for acquiring a premium file), it all goes to the fund for the “Hope for Children” initiative.

This makes RawPixel an exceptional platform, apart from the fact that you can find the best quality stock photos on Raw Pixel.

 

Important Note on Licensing

Before you start using free stock photos, you must read their licensing clauses in order to use them safely.

The most common license used by free stock photo sites is the “Creative Commons Zero” represented mostly in the form of its abbreviation “CC0”. It is the license with the least restrictions and rules for using these stock photos. But is that all?

You should know about the risks attached to using these photos.  Last year, there was a case where a photographer had to face legal consequences for using a photo from Unsplash.

Most sites do not really have the muscle and resources to verify the credibility of the source (from which the photo came from). In simpler words, they can not really check that every image is coming from its real owner; the one who holds the copyrights.

So, you should be careful to avoid any legal issues. Also, it is a good practice to have a clear understanding of the licensing details. If you are interested, you can take a look at this guide for safely using free stock photos.

 

 

About the author Amos Struck: WordPress and Photo Geek. Amos is a publisher and entrepreneur in the stock imagery field. He is focused on providing knowledge and solutions for buyers, contributors, and agencies, aiming at contributing to the growth and development of the industry. He is the founder and editor of Stock Photo Secrets, one of the largest networks of online magazines in the industry. He created several software solutions in stock photography including WordPress plugins.

 

 

 

 

Now is the New Later: Building Passive Income and Freedom with Online Courses by @IrinaPic

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by Irina Pichura

As an entrepreneur, you start with massive amounts of passion and drive at the beginning, it’s all SO exciting! In fact, it’s likely you have or plan to, watch every single program online and podcast on how to build your business.

You know what you want! A flexible lifestyle, a business that has an impact on other humans, all with your unique talent. But then reality kicks in… you begin to work, hard, and you may no longer have vacations worry-free as you are still taking projects and dealing with client temper tantrums, even on a plane, or a beach no less. (Where’s the fun in that?)

This is where passive income comes into play.

You may be thinking that you can’t possibly build a course online to get passive income while you are enjoying a margarita during your beach vacation! You have too much work to do.

Not to mention the layers of doubt in your head like:

  • I could never make time to build my course. With all these projects! No way.
  • Will my clients buy that course? I am an imposter! I don’t actually know that much…
  • Or, courses are already over. It’s too late for me.

Don’t let that critical inner voice bring you down, the time to build a course online is now! Now is the new later.

And, I’m going to teach you each step you need to create YOUR amazing course.

 

 

Create your foundation – Organize, research and implement

 

Lack of ideas and resources is not the problem to finish creating an online course for your business, but...lack of strategy and drive is.

Here is what you need to stay focused, and create excellent content:

  1. Course Prep: Set a time when you can finish your online course, 60 days is a good amount of time for preparation. Create an evidence-based plan and stick to it.
  2. Audience: Get clarity on who your perfect course student is, or who your ideal customer is and go specifically into what problems you are solving for her/him with your course and how.
  3. Course Type: Not all courses are the same, and not all of them are right for your audience. It is key to use the information you have about your niche, audience, expertise and business model to figure out what problem you can solve – success comes by designing the right course for those who desperately need it.

 

 

Validate!

 

The best entrepreneurs trip on the same step in the road if they don’t have market validation of the course offering they are putting together.

Be sure to pre-test and post-test your audience:

  • Validate: There are different ways to validate your idea from beta testing in small groups, seeing what is out there in the market to solve the same problem, etc..
  • Survey your audience: Knowing who your audience will land you in the right spot, but testing them will keep you from impostor syndrome, after you’ve had a beta group test your product or idea – survey them! What did they enjoy, learn and appreciate? This is also a fabulous time to collect testimonials.

 

 

Design and Refine

 

What makes your course special in a crowded market with infinite options? 

You will need more than a catchy course name, you need to deliver in solving your client’s problem effectively.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A Unique Selling Proposition: You have a superpower and your clients want some of that! Showcase what you can do for them and what makes you a unique solution to their problems.
  • The Best Name Ever: Your course name shouts the value you have in it. The name needs some thought behind it so you can show the amazing value you provide through a few powerful words that will haunt them until they enroll.
  • The Offer: Pricing is key but being able to deliver the promises you made to your client is even more important. Build out a plan so you can charge the right price for the promises you will deliver on.

 

 

Creating Your Masterpiece

 

You have mapped out the course, your masterpiece, this is it! This is the moment to shout it out loud!

  • Crushing the outline: This is not a thesis, This is your way of showing an amazing idea into a streamlined plan.
  • Create your content: You want to provide the best learning experience for your students. Learn how to shoot videos, what graphics you will need and balance the right amount of info, no one wants to be overwhelmed.
  • Speechless branding: The information on your course is important but you need the shiny object to be in a silver lining package for your client to purchase it.
  • Recording: Let’s be honest, this is going to be the hardest part, but with some research and a nice mic or video equipment – you can do it!

 

 

Delivering like a Boss

 

Get familiar with the platforms that are right for you and will allow you to deliver your beautiful content like a boss to your eager to learn students.

  1. Organize your deliverables: Once you have your videos all done, assemble the perfect slide decks and your award-winning worksheets
  2. Get the tech right: Choose wisely on the platforms that serve you best. Here is a link with all of your course platform options.

 

 

Optimize, Optimize. Did I say optimize?

 

The art of creating your course is a never-ending job but you can still sell your course while you refine what is out there, as Marie Forleo says, “Done is better than Perfect.”

Your goal is to provide your course students with the best experience, but they can’t have an experience if your course isn’t uploaded. Of course, you want your course to be the perfect solution to their problems, but don’t be afraid to refine and upgrade your content in real time.

Need more help? Feeling overwhelmed? Click here to see my course… on courses, yes, it’s a thing – and it may just be the thing you need to FINALLY put your work out there with confidence.

 

 

About Irina Pichura: I spent 10 years in corporate recruiting working with Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs, Investopedia, The Daily Beast, and some of NYC’s hottest startups. Grew my coaching business from zero figures to 6 of ’em (figures that is) in just ONE YEAR. Packaged my genius into a course that’s bringing me buckets of passive income & helping hundreds of people (all while I catch up on my beauty sleep).

 

 

 

6 Clever Ways Small Businesses Can Benefit From Blockchain and Digital Currencies by @johnstonaussie

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by Mike Johnston

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies and are great unknowns for most of the small business owners. They are more often than not, utterly unaware of their ability to create an entirely different business environment.

Thanks to its decentralized nature, blockchain’s transformational power lies in the fact that it enables verified and secure transactions between two parties, without any need for third-party verifications, reducing the costs and risks attached to the transaction. Especially now, when Covid-19 did some serious harm to economies and companies, modern technologies, such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies, can be used for a quicker recovery.

Read on to learn about the ways blockchain and digital currencies can benefit your small business.

 

Reduced costs

As they carry many different fees, traditional payment methods can put a financial strain on your business due to the amount of money you have to waste on banks. Every time someone purchases your services or product using their card, your business is losing money. Over time, this loss can accumulate and reach some truly shocking numbers.

On the other side, digital currencies allow you to eliminate or reduce or most of the fees related to traditional card payments. By using cryptocurrency, your business can averagely save between two and five percent on every transaction. Besides, you will be able to eliminate chargebacks, which will significantly improve your overall cash flow.

 

No need for middlemen

The use of blockchain technology will make transaction intermediaries obsolete. Today’s small businesses rely on third-parties, known as intermediaries, to manage the transactions, mostly serving as a source of verification, making both parties feel secure about the transaction. It’s the way financial transactions function, and the banks make a pretty good profit out of charging fees for their part in the process of connecting businesses and their trading counterparts. Blockchain can make this verification through its own network, without any external verification.

Small businesses involved could avoid all the costs related to intermediaries -bankers, brokers, or lawyers, while still being sure that their transaction is safe. They will also have more control of the process, and the transaction will still be safe, as the consensus of blockchain users will internally verify it.

 

Trust and transparency

Blockchain will be highly appreciated by businesses who will now be able to provide some clarity to their customers, and consumers who are longing for transparency. This is especially the case when it comes to Millenials, the generation with the most purchasing power. Concerned with sustainability, Millenials make their purchasing decisions considering the planet, the society, and finally themselves. They are also ready to pay for this transparency, both with their loyalty and their money.

Millennials, but many other consumers too, want to know whether their food is grown organically or whether their clothes were produced in a textile factory are paid fairly. Small businesses will have no trouble verifying how and where their item was produced or in case of the food, how and where it was grown. Or any other information, whatsoever.

 

There is a high demand

Even though some people are still afraid to use cryptocurrencies, the number of enthusiasts and professionals who are getting into crypto mining is on a constant rise. Because of all the benefits cryptocurrencies bring, many people, especially the younger ones, are starting to live entirely on digital currency, using it to purchase their goods and services.

Furthermore, a recent survey shows that more than 39% of the respondents want Bitcoin as a payment method for their general purchases. By adding a cryptocurrency-based payment system to their list of payment methods, small businesses can easily command additional market space and grow their customer base.

 

Go global

Due to its decentralized nature, small businesses can now follow the most recent cryptocurrency trends and open their doors to international buyers and tap into new consumer’ groups for whom their services or products were once inaccessible. Cryptocurrency has the potential to go global, as it knows no boundaries when it comes to business’s digital assets – it eliminates high costs associated with exchange rates and waiting times needed for processing international transactions.

Many businesses recognize the importance of adapting to the trend to stay ahead of the curve, especially in industries such as IT software and services, hospitality and travel, finance and fintech, and international export and sales.

 

Keep data secure

Our every transaction, and in some cases, our every movement, is an opportunity for businesses and authorities to collect data, and analyze it. For example, during the Coronavirus outbreak, Israeli authorities are using mobile phones location to identify persons who were in close contact with confirmed carriers. In China, authorities are using another technology advancement – facial recognition, for the same purposes.

Even if such data usage can sometimes seem justified, it severely affects privacy and opens up many opportunities for misuse. With blockchain technology, your and your customer’s data will be safe, as it will grant the power over data you want to share, who you want to share it with, and for how long.

 

Whatever the motivation behind your small business is, as an entrepreneur you’re no stranger to challenges. New technologies, such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies, are challenges waiting around the corner, so you better be well prepared to welcome them at the right moment.

 

 

Mike Johnston is an avid blogging enthusiast and experienced content writer with a focus in business, technology, entrepreneurship, and real estate.

 

 

 

 

How to Prepare for a PR Expert for Maximum Business Exposure by @eileenystheim

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by Eileen Ystheim

Business owners like yourself know just what you need to do to market your business online successfully, and you’re already on top of the latest market trends:

When it comes to blogging, you’ve got it covered.

When it comes to doing social media, you’re busy turning new followers into raving fans.

When it comes to podcasting, you’ve become a voice your market listens to.

When it comes to marketing, business professionals like yourself know what it takes to make income and impact – for a while.

But then the magic suddenly stops. Traffic to your website (both paid and organic) seems to have reached its peak. Your mailing list is no longer growing, and your income has plateaued.

When this happens, it’s time to get some outside help to ignite your traffic and help you get the attention that you need. Yes, it may be time to hire a PR expert and get some attention from radio shows, newspapers, magazines, and TV – both locally and nationally.

 

 

Have swipe files on hand

If CNN wanted to get your take on what’s going on concerning a current event, would you be able to respond quickly with a written bio and photo?

If you can’t respond in 5 minutes or less, then you need to reboot your swipe files before you start any PR work. A successful PR campaign is one that has ready-made media files on hand that you can use in case a producer or journalist needs your bio or headshot quickly.

Until you have these types of files at hand, hiring PR professionals at this point would be a waste of their time.

 

Narrow your focus

Being a jack of all trades sounds nice, but experts specialize in one area. Success is achieved in business when you dig “an inch wide and a mile deep.” That means success in business is best achieved when you focus on one area of your industry. A specialized focus allows you to provide better services to your chosen market.

Therefore, you need to target a particular client and only go outside your selected audience on rare occasions. When you adopt the three suggestions listed above, then you’ll be ready to do media outreach successfully.

 

No outlet is unworthy

Get your feet wet and start with local media outlets first. You can get exposure through local newspapers, magazines, and news channels that need to interview or quote an expert in your field.

Take advantage of local and regional outlets because they will most likely not be able to get interviews with national figures. For example, let’s say you’re a wellness coach with a lot of expertise worth sharing.

A local morning show in your hometown won’t be able to get wellness coach, David Kirsch, but you’re available. An advantage of starting small allows you to get your brand out there and establish your credibility as an expert in your niche.

Also, smaller media outlets give you practice that will help you be prepared for the bigger outlets.

 

Ways to show off your expertise

You can be one of the best wellness consultants or freelance writers around, but how will others know this about you? Do you share tips on healthier eating or writing tips on your social media pages? Do you blog about special diets or different types of content?

I’m sure you do, but you’re going to need to do more than this to get recognized as an expert in your niche. You have to put yourself out there further if you want to attract the attention of larger media outlets.

In other words, you’re going to have to look like an expert. No, you don’t have to go around buying expensive headshots, but you do need to establish your brand. Professional brand traits will let the media know that you’re the one they’ve been looking for.

 

Update your brand

It’s going to take more than just creating a logo and choosing your brand color to establish your brand. Remember, your brand represents your voice. It speaks to the people who will become your customers, and it tells your target audiences what makes you different compared to your competitors.

Your branding sets the tone for how people remember you, and it lets your target audiences know that you’re the one that can meet their needs successfully. Remember to cover the following areas when updating your brand:

• Facebook profile, business page, and groups
• LinkedIn profile
• Pinterest boards
• Podcast artwork and messaging
• Training/coaching programs
• Website and blog
• YouTube channel

 

Invest in Your Content

Expert advice that’s poorly written and filled with grammatical errors will scream unprofessional in a heartbeat! If you want your content to look professional and you need help, you must hire a content writer or editor.

They will lend your content a professional feel, and others— including media outlets—will see you as the expert you are. When your goal is to gain more brand recognition, you must take an objective look at how your business is operating.

Is your message in sync with your brand? Are you looking like a professional on your website, blogs, and social media profiles? When you address these issues, the media will start looking for you instead of you trying to get their attention.

 

 

I’m Eileen Ystheim, a vision-aligned SEO copywriter. I have over 13 years of writing experience as a journalist and press officer for a non-profit.

Now I run my own copywriting business where I offer compelling web articles, guest posting + SEO content for purpose-driven brands on a mission.

My secret sauce is compelling brand storytelling that makes your customers the heroes of your story, toppled with an extra spice of organic SEO traffic.

 

 

 

How To Perform A Competitor Analysis (And Why It’s Important) by @BlairKaplanPR

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by Blair Kaplan Venables

There’s nothing like a little healthy competition to light a preverbal fire under you. With the increase of businesses moving online during this COVID era, you need to make sure that your business stands out online. If you’re one of the 1% of entrepreneurs who managed to create a business with no direct competitors, congratulations! If you’re like 99% of the rest of us, it’s time to do some homework. Stat. It’s important to know who your competition is, what they are selling, how they are selling it, where they are marketing and what they are doing right. If you know this information, you are able to work on a strategy to potentially capture their clients and grow your business.

A good place to start your investigation is by performing a social media competitor analysis. By scoping out your competition, you will be able to see where their weaknesses may lie, which is information that you can use to you advantage. For example, if you see that your competition isn’t on a specific social media network and you know that your target demographic is spending time on that social media network, you may want to build up a presence there.

 

Identify Your Competitions

What other companies are competing for the business that you seek to obtain? You should be able to identify at least five companies that are your competition. You can do this by Googling key words, asking friends and doing your own research.

The best place to start finding out information about their social media presence is via their website, where these links should be posted. It’s also helpful to go into each social media platform and search their name because sometimes websites aren’t up to date with social links.

 

Document Your Findings

Creating a competition chart is the best way to record your findings. Open up your favorite spreadsheet program (I’m an Excel or Google Sheets gal, myself), open a new document and make rows listing your competitor’s names. Then create columns for the following four key pieces of information about your competitor’s online presence:

  1. Where are they on social media? Don’t forget about LinkedIn, TikTok and other surprising places they may be.
  2. What type of content are they creating? Is it instructional or do they share personal stories?
  3. How many followers they have on each social media network?
  4. Any notes you may want to reference later.

Determine Key Opportunities

We aren’t just cruising social media to be a lookie-loo. We now need to analyze the stats that we have found. Once your chart is filled in, you will be able to see what your competition’s social media strengths are (which may be places you don’t want to compete with them) and where their weaknesses lay (which may create opportunities for you to lead the pack).

Keep in mind you’re not trying to replicate someone else’s strategy. Your social media approach should be unique. But you are looking for opportunities. You may also find content ideas that your top competition isn’t executing yet, which is fantastic news. Learn what they are doing and you can figure out how to do it better or differently. There are always opportunities on social media to create great content and grow your brand’s presence.

 

 

Blair Kaplan Venables is an expert in social media marketing and the president of Blair Kaplan Communications, a British Columbia-based PR agency. As a pioneer in the industry, she brings more than a decade of experience to her clients, which include global wellness, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Blair has helped her customers grow their followers into the tens of thousands in just one month, win integrative marketing awards and more. She has spoken on national stages and her expertise has been featured in media outlets including CBC Radio and Thrive Global. Blair is also the author of Pulsing Through My Veins: Raw and Real Stories from an Entrepreneur. When she’s not working on the board for her local chamber of commerce, you can find Blair growing the “I Am Resilient Project,” an online community where users share their stories of overcoming life’s most difficult moments.

Tips for Small Businesses to Encourage a Healthy Workplace

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The unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic has created many uncertainties and shifts in our everyday lives. Some of us continue to have our entire team work from home while others have some or all of our teams working on site. Regardless of where our teams physically are located, we have a responsibility as business owners and employers to ensure we protect employee health as best as we can while also keeping our businesses afloat.

Being proactive and creating a clear plan and sick policy is a necessity to ensure everyone is aware of how they’ll be supported in the event they do fall ill. Ensure that this policy is available to everyone and adheres to any local and federal laws. This way, you and your employees know what steps to take to keep everyone safe and to keep operations running while anyone is out.

Some things to clarify in your policy include:

  • When employees should notify their manager
  • Whether or not a note is required
  • Whether remote work and/or a reduced schedule is an option
  • How sick leave is treated during this time
  • How sick leave applies to new employees

You should also keep in mind different laws, rights and entities that relate to employee privacy and safety when forming your policy. Here are a few to get familiar with:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • Worker’s Compensation
  • Other local laws specific to your area

In addition to a sick plan and policy, it’s also important to implement programs and other things that can help keep your employees safe and healthy.

If you have non-remote employees, it’s important to keep the workplace sanitary and to have cleaning supplies available to maintain cleanliness. It’s also important to maintain social distancing between employees in your office space. This could mean physically spacing desks farther apart and closing off lounge areas.

If you have remote employees, you should check in with them often to see how they’re handling themselves, especially if they were sent to work home due to a shelter-in-place (or similar) order. Encouraging them to go outside, take breaks and spend time connecting with coworkers are a couple ways to promote work-life balance while they may be stuck indoors longer than usual.

Overall, it’s important to remember that we’re in uncharted waters and everyone is dealing with the current situation in their own way. Approaching this time with compassion can help you navigate this period with your team. JW Surety Bonds has a list of tips to support employee health below. Take a look at the infographic below to see how you can encourage a healthy workplace for all employees.

things to spend money on when starting a business infographic
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash