No company is immune to mishaps, as even Bill Gates admits to making one of the most monumental mistakes. The incorrect business model can drive any company into the ground.

But, what are some of the most important mistakes to avoid while developing a business strategy? Well, this can vary. It depends on the goal of the company, but that’s also part of the strategic planning.

If you’re interested in proper business planning, consider taking a quick look at three mistakes that can cause serious problems while developing a business strategy.

Erroneous Marketing Expenditure

Building a brand and investing in marketing is essential for growth. However, it’s important to analyze how much you should spend on either. Many companies overspend, assuming the results will match the investment.

The opposite is often true, though. It’s essential to measure your spending on marketing. If you don’t, you’re losing out on improving other parts of your business with that capital.

Another mistake is to spend on the wrong kind of marketing. Some companies can invest the right amount of money. But, they put that capital in social media advertising, when what they really needed was an email marketing campaign.

The site, https://influentialtimes.com/, has an interesting approach to proper marketing and web design.

Improper Management

Proper management is the foundation for a company and, without it, most businesses are doomed to fail. When it comes to strategic planning, it’s essential to create an overlay that displays management information that’s easy to understand.

Improper management is one of the key indicators of business failure. So, if you can’t easily assess exactly what’s happening throughout your business, you have a serious problem on your hands.

This mistake can lead to large-scale layoffs, full company restructuring, and can even tank a business completely!

Overestimating Your Business Strategy

The ability to properly self-assess is key for growth and success for any business. A company without foresight can’t properly gauge or predict the outcome of certain in-house decisions. In many cases, companies can even overestimate their business strategy.

Overestimating involves believing things will go extremely well, and then seeing very poor results, seemingly out of the blue.

If you want a good idea of where you company stands, consider using the SWOT analysis. It measures strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to your business. Stay as objective as possible while analyzing, though.

Properly Developing a Business Strategy

Developing a business strategy sits at the to of any company’s priority list. It includes marketing, management, and investment decisions. If you want good results, try to avoid the mistakes mentioned above.

If you’re feeling lost, don’t fret. A strong business model can take a long time and require quite a bit of effort. One of the most important parts of building a great business model is patience!

Hopefully, this article provided you with some useful information on avoiding mistakes while building a business strategy. If it did, consider taking a look at some of the other posts on the site!

 

Did you know that organic search is responsible for 53.3% of content traffic?

Organic search is still the dominant avenue for traffic. That is why you need to learn the types of SEO that can help open up your business to over half of all online traffic.

If your business is not utilizing these types of SEO, it’s time to build them into your content strategy.

Continue reading to learn the importance of SEO services.

1. On-Page SEO

If you are familiar with any of these types of SEO, it is likely on-page SEO. On-page SEO encompasses all of your online content.

Though there are some specific techniques you can use, content quality is still the number one priority when it comes to on-page optimization. Search engines are ultimately built to connect users to exactly what they want to see.

The better search engines do that, the more users will utilize their services. High-quality original content will almost always outrank the competition over time.

Because search engines need to connect users to your content, one of the major ways on-page SEO is optimized is through using precise keywords and other writing techniques.

This is why many companies will outsource their content to businesses that specialize in content creation. Agencies like this SEO company can handle your services to create the best-optimized content.

2. Off-Page SEO

The majority of time spent investing in off-page SEO is on link-building. Though your on-page content is most important, link-building is one of the primary ways search engines recognize authoritative websites.

Links direct readers to other content. Similar to how you will link to other authoritative sites in your content, you want other sites to link to your content.

When websites link to your content, your website is viewed as more authoritative. Over time, link-building efforts will pay dividends as websites continue to link to your content.

3. Local SEO

Local SEO for businesses is very important for any company that does in-person business.

Local SEO is any optimization effort that elevates your business in a specific location. When you search “best restaurants near me” on Google, every business that comes up has a certain rank.

When you target specific areas in your content and posting, you increase your business authority in relation to your surrounding area. Services such as Google My Business or customer reviews will optimize your local SEO.

4. Technical SEO

Technical SEO relates to your on-page SEO, but you would never notice it if you clicked on a webpage to read an article.

Factors like your page speed are important for search engines because slow websites are less appealing to users.

Page speed refers to the rate at which your content loads for users. For small websites, page speed is not as important, but websites that generate a lot of traffic need high page speed.

Implement These Types of SEO

Are there types of SEO you aren’t currently using? There are so many SEO options out there, and they can all increase your website traffic. Like all aspects of business, it’s best to strategize and develop a plan of action,

If you enjoyed this article, leave us a reply or check out another article.

There is no denying that showreels are the perfect way to introduce your business and your services. Below, you will discover what this visual element is and why a showreel for a creative agency is essential to your business.

What Is a Showreel Video?

A showreel is a short video created to showcase your portfolio. In this type of content, you get the chance to present your services to your prospective clients and pique their interest. By working with a video production agency like Zelios, you are guaranteed to create a showreel that brings the results you are seeking.

How It Will Benefit Your Company

#1 It Can Highlight Your Best Projects

Your brand’s showreel is the perfect place to include your best jobs. This works exceptionally well in a showreel for a graphic design agency. In this video, you can highlight the different styles of work you have completed and give a thorough overview of the finished project. This way, users can immediately get a taste of your past experiences.

#2 It Demonstrates Your Skills

Moreover, a showreel for a graphic design agency is ideal for highlighting the team’s skills. In this short video, you can include the different aesthetics, styles, and techniques you have experimented with. Everyone interested in working with you will discover your level of skill and the overall quality of the projects you work on.

#3 It Engages Your Website Visitors 

Placing this important information in a video format guarantees that users will take the time to engage with it. This happens because video content can capture users’ attention. Furthermore, it saves them time since they no longer have to search on your website to find the information they have been looking for.

A showreel for a creative agency is usually the element that will make it stand out from its competition. Contact Zelios to learn how to showcase your portfolio and win the trust of your prospective clients.

 

Did you know that there are more than 4 billion people worldwide that use their email on a daily basis? The sheer number of people that use an email address on a consistent basis makes the mass email seem like a great marketing approach to consider for your business. Email marketing is still effective, but there are some serious mass email limitations to consider.

Many consumers look at these emails as spam emails and will immediately move them to the junk folder or delete them altogether. It has led to consumers becoming numb to the bulk email.

The good news is that you’re in the right place to learn all about five reasons why the mass email is dead. Keep reading to learn more!

1. No Permission

A big reason why mass email is dead as a marketing resource is a fact that these emails often get sent without permission from the person receiving them. No one wants to receive an irrelevant marketing message from a company that they’ve never heard of. These spam emails are more likely to turn potential customers away from your business than they are to turn into a conversion.

Email marketing is effective with warm leads, but cold leads make things much more difficult. This is also true if you plan on using bulk email with these consumers. Check out usergems.com to learn more.

2. Mass Emails Are Generic

You should also avoid using bulk emails because they’re often generic. One of the main mass email limitations is that there is nothing exciting there that will compel consumers to open and read the emails.

3. Spam Emails Are Frequent

Another big reason why the mass email is dead from a marketing standpoint is that they get sent out on too frequent of a basis. People don’t like the feeling of getting bombarded with spam emails that they never asked for. It can turn potential customers away since they feel smothered.

4. Irrelevant Marketing Message

Sending a bulk email to potential consumers is also bad because the message of the email could be irrelevant to the person that is receiving it. An email that isn’t relevant to the interests of the recipients is a waste of your time as well as theirs. If you’re planning on using email marketing then you need to target people that have a genuine interest in your goods or services.

5. Plain Text

Many bulk emails use plain text that is boring and unappealing to the eyes of the recipients. Email marketing doesn’t have to be dead, but you need to put more effort into your mass email than using Times New Roman as the font.

Avoid the Mass Email Today

Using a mass email to reach your target audience might have been a brilliant idea at one point, but email marketing has evolved and focused more on personalized messages. Avoid sending out an irrelevant marketing message as these often get sorted as spam emails. You should also understand the mass email limitations and avoid using plain text with your emails.

For more helpful and fun articles on a range of topics, check out the rest of our blog.

In 2020, there were more than 67,400 charges of discrimination filed in the U.S. That represents thousands of companies that could be using dangerous ideas in their own offices. They could reject people based on things those workers can’t control or make their work harder than it needs to be.

Anti discrimination training is a way to make sure that companies take an active role against this. This kind of training shows employees and managers to identify discriminatory practices. It also shows them how to handle them, and how to improve the office.

Keep reading below to learn about whether this kind of training is worthwhile for your company.

Discrimination Is Evil, and It’s Illegal

When most people think of discrimination, they tend to think of history class. In corporate America, discrimination may feel like a relic of the past because few people in that environment experience it firsthand. But it is a very real and incredibly harmful force in the world today.

As the country has grown, laws were developed to make sure everyone could get the same chances as everyone else. These anti-discrimination laws require employers to follow certain rules. They can’t choose to not hire someone just because of their race, gender, sexuality, religion, or other parts of their identity.

The laws expand beyond the workplace too. Landlords can’t reject applications because of race, and colleges can’t deny students because of religion. Across the U.S. institutions are expected to ignore identity and choose people based on ability.

Workplace Discrimination Can Be Hard to Spot

Discrimination in the office may not look like what people expect. In fact, many workers in the workplace may never see it firsthand. Instead, discrimination manifests in hiring decisions, clientele, and marketing.

A lot of the time, managers are the ones who need anti discrimination training the most. The choices they make represent the entire company. So, if they choose to fire someone or turn away a client because of racist leanings, the entire company can be liable.

These kinds of training help managers identify behaviors and ideas in themselves that could be harmful. It shows them the history behind those ideas, and how to handle situations if coworkers start showing them too. It also teaches them that they are ultimately responsible for making the office anti-discriminatory.

Improve Your Brand and Boost Productivity

Company leaders usually have one thing on their mind — how they can improve the business. Anti-discrimination training is one of the best ways to improve it. It makes the office more comfortable for everyone and helps make the company become a positive force in its community.

When people are more comfortable in the office, they will get more work done. And when your company speaks out against discrimination in the community, its brand gets boosted. That results in more customers and more revenue in the long term.

It Takes Everyone For There to Be Equality in the Workplace

There is one misstep that many companies make when trying to prevent discrimination. They take anti discrimination training courses, but they don’t do anything afterward. The training isn’t a one-and-done deal.

Instead, it shows them the ways they can help prevent discrimination in the workplace. Actually preventing discrimination is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone needs to step up and put those lessons into action before they see change.

And to learn more about how you can improve your workplace, just keep reading our website.

What is website accessibility? Quite simply, it is making sure that as many people can use your website as possible. This includes people with disabilities who may need special accommodations to use your site. It also includes people with different devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Although making your website accessible by using tools such as accessiBe is the right thing to do, it can also be good for business. This blog post will discuss what website accessibility means for you and your business. We will also talk about the benefits of making your site more accessible.

What is website accessibility?

So, what does website accessibility mean? Website accessibility is the practice of ensuring that as many people can use your website as possible. This includes people with disabilities who may need special accommodations to use your site. It also includes people with different devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Although making your website accessible is the right thing to do, it can also be good for business.

There are many benefits to making your website accessible. Some of these benefits include:

Increasing your potential customer base

By making your site accessible to people with disabilities, you increase your potential customer base. According to a study by Microsoft, over one billion people with disabilities worldwide. That’s a lot of potential customers that you could be missing out on if your site is not accessible.

Improving your search engine ranking

Making your site more accessible can also help improve your search engine ranking. This is because search engines like Google are now taking accessibility into account when ranking websites. So, if you want your site to rank higher in search results, making it more accessible is a good way to do that.

Helping you comply with the law

In many countries, including the United States and Canada, some laws require businesses to make their websites accessible. These laws are meant to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. If you are not compliant with these laws, you could be fined or even sued.

Making your site more accessible

Making your site more accessible can seem like a daunting task, but many ways to do it. Here are some of the ways you can make your site more accessible:

Use alt text for images

Alt-text is a description of an image used for people who are blind or have low vision. By adding alt text to your images, you make your site more accessible to those with visual impairments.

Add captions and transcripts for videos

Adding captions and transcripts for your videos is a great way to make them accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is also helpful for people who speak a different language or have difficulty understanding spoken English.

Use headings and lists

Using headings and lists can make your content easier to read and understand. This is especially helpful for people with dyslexia or other learning disabilities.

Closing thoughts on website accessibility

Making your website accessible is important for many reasons. It can help you reach a larger audience, improve your search engine ranking, and even help you comply with the law. There are many ways to make your site more accessible, so there is no excuse not to do it.

 

The print publication market was worth around $46 billion in 2007. But today, that figure is around $28 billion or less. If you’re still keen to get into the magazine industry, the future is online.

The good news is that learning how to start an online magazine is much easier than starting a physical one. And it’s far cheaper, too!

But the accessibility of the internet means it’s an oversaturated place. You need to know exactly what you’re doing to create the best online magazine in your niche.

Not sure how? Follow this step-by-step guide to starting an online magazine to put your best foot forward.

Step 1: Develop a Business Plan

All types of businesses need a business plan even if you don’t have investors. They help you get clear on exactly what you need to do to make your business a success.

Include the following information in your business plan:

• Name and tagline of your magazine
• Brief synopsis/overview of your business and niche
• Company team structure and responsibilities
• Revenue/income stream projections
• Growth and profit predictions
• Market research
• Marketing plan
• Timeline of business growth over the first year

When you’re figuring out how to start an online magazine, there are two clear income methods. The first is to create a free website and rely on advertisements for profit. Or, you can create a pdf document behind a paywall that you release weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

It’s key that you don’t forget to do market research. Many businesses that fail in the first year are because there is no demand for their service. Read about digital publication demands from readers of digital magazines here.

Step 2: Set up the Website and Branding

No matter which type of online magazine you want to create, you will need assets. These are things like a logo, branding, layouts, a website, and social media accounts. You may need to hire a website and graphic designer to assist you with this step.

Step 3: Organize Your Employees

If you have intrinsic entrepreneurial traits, you’ll know it’s better to start small and scale up later. So, you may wear a lot of hats during the early months of your online magazine. But as you grow, you may want to hire people.

These are the positions you may want to include on your team:

• Content assistants, writers, and editors
• Photographers and graphic designers
• Sales and marketing executives
• Community manager
• HR executive
• Finance team

Don’t forget that you can hire freelance staff until you’re ready to take on full-time employees.

Step 4: Publish Your Content

All that’s left to do is to create and publish content! Most magazines post helpful tips, interviews, opinions, and news stories related to their niche. It may take a few months to gain a loyal readership but you will get there.

That’s How To Start an Online Magazine in Four Simple Steps

Figuring out how to start an online magazine is much easier than starting a physical one. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, period! But as long as you follow these steps, you will soon get your creative online business up and running.

You need all kinds of savvy skills to run a successful online business. Browse our tech and finance articles for tons of helpful ideas and advice!

When people start a business, they often have a short supply of inventory. As their operations grow, their inventory expands.

This growth is often an exciting time for growing companies. However, it also poses a problem. The demand for your product may require you to supply more than you can store.

Fortunately, there’s a solution to this problem. Instead of expanding your building, you can rent warehouse space to store your products. Alternatively, you can use it as a base for shipping and distributing goods.

Warehouse space can solve many problems for a business. But, you may not know how to rent this commercial space for your company.

If so, don’t worry! You can learn how to rent the best industrial space in the guide below.

Consider Your Commercial Space Needs

Generally, there are three types of industrial properties. These include warehouse space, manufacturing space, and flex space.

Companies use manufacturing space for creating their products. Flex spaces allow a combination of warehouse and manufacturing processes on their premises.

Before you rent a space, determine which of these categories best meets your needs. Then, consider the type of lease you want.

Types of Leases to Rent Warehouse Space

Commercial leases are often more complex than their residential equivalents. Usually, this complexity comes from tailoring the lease to a business’s needs. Commercial leases come in two categories:

• gross leases
• net leases

Gross leases charge higher monthly rent that covers all necessary costs. These costs include taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, etc. Many people prefer this lease since it lets them focus on their business.

Alternatively, a business may choose a net lease. Net leases require tenants to pay a base rent price each month. In addition, they also pay pro-rata shares of other expenses.

How much a business pays depends on how much of the building they occupy. Sometimes, this option helps a company save money on their rent.

Finding the Best Warehouse Location

The next step in finding the best warehouse is finding the best location. Where would it make sense for your business to store its inventory?

Many businesses prefer to keep their warehouses in areas that are a roughly equal distance to each location. You may not need this feature if you use your warehouse for distribution.

Also, consider the security around your warehouse location. Criminals sometimes target warehouses as prime theft opportunities.

Warehouse Accommodations

Finally, consider what features your warehouse includes. Older warehouses often include outdated technology that slows down your operation.

In contrast, new warehouse buildings often have updated technology. For example, you may rent warehouse space with smart warehousing technology. These systems could streamline your operation and make it more efficient.

Find the Warehouse Space You Need

Keeping this information in mind can help you rent warehouse space you can afford. You can use these tips to find the best lease for your needs.

Additionally, you can also find a warehouse with the ideal location for your company. This way, you can get goods to your locations or customers in a timely fashion.

So, start your warehouse search today! Before long, you’ll be able to rent the facility you need.

We hope you enjoyed this article! If so, check out our other content today.

Are you looking for a unique way to market your business? Printed or online ads work, but being able to hand a client something they can use is an even better advertising tactic.

Promotional trinkets have been around for a long time, since the days of George Washington. They’re generally mass-produced, inexpensive items that companies brand with their name, logo, and phone number.

The key to a good swag giveaway is to brand things that your customers will find interesting. And if you stay away from overused trade show gadgets, like pens and fridge magnets, your swag will get noticed and shared.

Sometimes it’s not easy to think of truly unique things to use as promo materials. So here’s a quick creative marketing list to stir the imagination.

1. Mini Bluetooth Speakers

Bluetooth speakers are not your average trade show swag giveaway. They may be one of the best promo ideas out there because almost everyone wants one.

Whether you’re a techie or grandparent, you can use a Bluetooth speaker and fall in love with it. So imagine your customers with their very own little Bluetooth speaker and YOUR business card information in front of them every day!

2. Bamboo Spatulas

Bamboo is a renewable material, so if you put your brand on anything bamboo you’re showing a commitment to sustainability. Most people would value using a bamboo spatula for cooking and baking. So again, they’ll be using a gadget they really love and seeing your company slogan and phone number all the time.

3. Customized Jackets

If you’ve ever experienced new employee onboarding you probably remember how fun it was to get your first company-branded clothing. Reward your avid customers with logoed jackets and more. It’s a great way to build brand loyalty!

4. Stamped Pottery Mugs

Coffee mugs make great gifts, but a handmade coffee mug will truly stand out. Give your customers something to talk about in the mornings by branding a handmade clay mug with your company’s information and logo.

5. Knit Beanies

Customers will always appreciate warm hats in the winter. So if you put your logo on one, you’ll get your name in front of lots of people, for free!

6. Socks

Socks may seem like a silly promo item, but the fact is someone will have to put them on and take them off each day. They’ll be able to see your company logo without you having to pay for more than a pair of socks for the exposure!

7. Custom-Designed Patches

Customers of all ages appreciate getting patches to sew or iron on their clothes.

Ordering Custom Embroidered Patches is easy, and you can specify the best type of patch for your company.

8. Popsockets

Popsockets are easy to customize and cell phone users love them. Put your business card details on them and they’re a great way to advertise.

It’s Time to Get Creative With Your Swag Giveaway

Now that you’ve seen this list, try to come up with a few ideas of your own. There’s really no limit to what types of things you can customize and brand- just stay consistent within your industry and choose items your customers will enjoy.

Are promo items here to stay? Everyone loves a good swag giveaway, so don’t expect this form of advertising to disappear any time soon. Prepare a nice swag bag for your next trade show, and you may get some new clients right away!

To read more about advertising, marketing, and other topics, check out our other blog articles.