BrandDesign Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brandon McCurdy
Each episode we will interview someone who has thoughtfully crafted their reputation in business or society.
Returning to work after COVID-19 lockdowns has been difficult for everyone, but many business owners and managers have noticed a lack of morale and productivity in their employees. If you’ve noticed the same thing, and are trying to improve productivity at your business, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few approaches that will help you to maintain higher levels of productivity at your business.
Hold Shorter MeetingsFirst off, it is important to realize that some of the things that you do as a business owner or manager can directly impact business productivity. For example, one problem that can lower business productivity is long, complicated business meetings. If you’re hoping to improve business productivity, try to hold shorter work meetings. Long, complicated work meetings make employees feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and burnt out. If your work meetings are well organized, short, and to the point, your employees will feel motivated after attending them.
Keep Your Business Well-StaffedSecondly, it is also important to keep your business well-staffed in order to maintain good levels of productivity. You want to make sure that you don’t have too many or too few employees, so make sure that you pay special attention to how your business processes are working. Bottlenecks in the workplace contribute to waste and inefficiency. However, if you have enough employees, they’ll be able to work productively together without getting overwhelmed or burnt out since they won’t have to be managing everything by themselves.
Implement BreaksFinally, if you want your employees to be productive, you need to be implementing regular breaks for all of your employees. Even though you might think that your employees need to work as long as they can in order to be productive, working too long and too hard can actually decrease their productivity and motivation. If each of your employees is able to take breaks throughout the day, like lunch breaks or snack breaks, they’ll be able to come back to their work with a fresh mind and energized body.
So, as you’re making productivity goals for this coming year, remember the suggestions that have been made in this article. Don’t forget the difference that shorter work meetings, a well-staffed business, and regular breaks can make. Soon, your employees will be feeling happy, motivated, and energized, and their productivity levels will increase significantly.
Check out this article for 3 factors to consider when becoming your own boss!
There are few demographics that are as valuable to a brand as the youth market. Young people are great marketers and advertisers given their frequent use of social media and are a very loyal customer base that likes to spend money. Getting your brand, a share of the youth market, however, can be very difficult. Because the youth market is valuable, there is a lot of competition amongst brands for the loyalty of the youth market. Here are a few things your brand must have in order to give yourself an advantage in securing a portion of the youth market.
Be Social Media SavvyThe youth of today love social media, they are constantly scrolling, posting, and sharing pictures and tweets across the internet. If you want your brand to be involved with the youth market, you need to prioritize your social media marketing. When your brand is active on social media, it makes it easier for the youth market to engage with your brand, and brand engagement is a key step towards brand loyalty. The youth want to be involved with brands that are popular and relate to them, so get out there on social media where they are and start staying up to date with social media.
Create a Mobile AppIt is rare to find someone below the age of 30 without a smartphone. In all honesty, it’s hard to find anyone anymore that doesn’t have a smartphone. So, in order to better position yourself to be easily accessible by the youth market you must have a mobile app. This allows for easier access on a smartphone to your website, notifications, and even making purchases directly through your app. Mobile apps offer a conversion rate three times higher than a traditional website. If you are looking to seriously get involved in the youth market, then a mobile is not just helpful, it is essential.
Get Involved with a Social IssueThe youth market tends to care much more about how brands contribute to and aid in global and social issues than older demographics. So, if you are looking to position your brand as a major player in the youth market, a good strategy to do that is to get your brand involved in a global or social issue. Donating to an issue or two that is important to your company and being vocal about your support can help the youth feel like your brand is trying to affect positive change in the world. This will make the youth market sympathetic towards your brand and more interested in supporting you.
The youth market is one of the most important for a brand today. The youth drive social media attention and focus like no other. And getting your brand a strong position in the youth market is no easy feat. Give these three tips a try and see how the youth market responds to your brand.
Read this next: How to Keep Your Company From Becoming Stagnant
One of the most common things in life and business is change. When changes need to be made within the organization, however, the internal community also needs someone to help. If you work in an administrative role, the hard transitions that you must instigate can be much smoother with the right steps and plans in place. Here are a few tips that will help you facilitate change without so many growing pains!
Have a PlanIt may sound obvious, but a solid plan can make a huge difference in how smoothly changes are rolled out. And the more specific the goal or goals you have in mind, the easier it will be to plan effectively, so make sure you start with SMART goals—making them specific, measured, attainable, relevant, and time-bound—and then listing in your plans how you will accomplish them. Also, make sure you have plans in place to monitor progress towards the changes you want to see. Rather than just changing procedures, having a purpose and a goal behind the change will help your plans be much more effective and gain support from employees rather than resistance.
CommunicateChange is inevitable, but how people feel about it is definitely something you can sway. Communication is your biggest tool as you implement a transition in the workplace, so don’t leave it in the toolbox. Talking to those impacted by changes helps them feel included and less alienated, which can help reduce the amount of resistance and pushback those changes are met with. A few good ideas to communicate more effectively are to appoint a contact person to liaison the concerns of employees or certain departments from among them, to teach new procedures to employees via training, and to make your goals and/or plans visible for all to see.
Involve EmployeesThough this has been lightly touched on already, it is worth getting its own section—without employees on board, a change won’t happen. And even when it does, your goals and plans for the organization moving forward post-transition will never become reality unless employees are not just begrudgingly tolerating the change, but have embraced it. Increase employee ownership by listening to their concerns, asking for their feedback, and involving them in the decisions.
Change is hard, no matter where it happens. As a business leader, it is your job to make sure that the change is both good and effective. Make sure it is as smooth as possible and your organization will only grow stronger!
Read this next: How Do I Make Sure That I Am Using the Best Strategy for My Business?
From marketing to customer service, there are a ton of different strategies for approaching different aspects of a business. When executed optimally, business strategies have the potential to launch a business to the next level. Of course, that also means you have to be using the right strategies for your business. So how do you make sure the strategy you’re using is the best one?
Pay Attention to OthersNo matter how experienced you are and how long you’ve been in business, there’s always going to be someone who’s been around longer and has more experience. It’s also practically guaranteed that others in your industry are putting different business strategies into action at any given point. These people and entities can be excellent resources that you can look to for inspiration for developing your own strategies. Take the time to analyse your competition. See what does and doesn’t work for them, keeping in mind the similarities and differences between them and your business.
Talk to Your EmployeesYou’re the one who does the planning for strategies, but the employees are the ones who execute them. As such, one of the things you definitely should be doing, if you want to determine whether or not your strategy is working, is to talk to your employees. There are plenty of benefits to talking to the people who are carrying out your business strategy because they often know what is working and what isn't. They may even have some insights as to why that’s the case. This type of collaboration can be incredibly valuable and help you finetune your strategies to make them more effective going forward.
Perform Strategic AnalysisOf course, identifying the best strategies for your business should start with proper planning. That’s where performing strategic analyses comes in. A strategic analysis uses data to guide goal setting and decision making. It helps provide the context and framework that you need to craft an effective strategy. For optimal results, strategic analyses should be done regularly so you can adapt your strategies as needed.
Ultimately, what defines a strategy as being the best for your business is going to depend on what you’re trying to achieve. Paying attention to what’s working for others, getting feedback from your employees, and performing strategic analyses are some of the things you can do to determine how well any given strategy is performing. Over time you should be able to determine what strategies work best for your business.
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Usually, business articles talk about how to get your company started or out of a rut. But few articles mention what to do during the periods of amazing success. As such, business success consistently ebbs and flows. But what you do when you are successful can change this, helping your business sustain growth over time.
Supporting Your EmployeesWhen your business is doing well, celebrate this with your employees. Hold parties and events to thank them for their hard work. Write letters of encouragement to people who have helped you out significantly. Take this time to build company morale and bring the team together. It may not get you material gain, but it will make your employees glad they work for you.
On top of that, you might be able to find ways to expand the company. This can give your current employees opportunities for more responsibilities, raises, and impact on the business at large. Showing your support for the hard work of every employee will help your business sustain its momentum.
Using the Right MethodsYou can’t allow company growth to blind yourself to ways you can save money. After all, it only takes a couple of wrong moves for a company to fall from grace. Use the most economical methods to save money long-term.
For example, 3P is intended for rapid improvement, which is critical if your business is going through a period of rapid growth. Using this method, you can reduce the amount of time and money you are spending in manufacturing, helping you sell more products for a cheaper amount of time. Other methods cite how you should look for networking opportunities that will help you spend less on materials.
Don’t Settle DownDon’t settle down on the advertising or production of your product. Some business owners spend a ton all at once on advertising with hopes to drive sales. However, over time these efforts slow down, resulting in fewer sales and less money to work with.
Constantly analyze your marketing data during this point. Ask yourself why people are buying your product, and how can you keep this sustainable. Marking these strategies can help you curve downturns and plan for the future with better efficiency.
Never become too comfortable. As soon as you do, it becomes more likely that something will go wrong in your company. Be cautious and optimistic. Talk with your employees and thank them. Be a great leader, and your employees will work for your company’s success.
Read this next: How to Build a Business That Can Withstand the Next Recession
Sometimes business is boring. It’s exciting starting and learning new things. Eventually, the swirl of activity becomes commonplace. What can you do to keep your business (and your income) from becoming stagnant? How can you keep moving and growing in the marketplace?
Talk to Your NetworkNetworking isn’t just there for the beginning of establishing yourself. Your network is a helpful tool to keep you from feeling bogged down and bored. Checking in with your network will help you to recognize what new tools they are using (or offering) and what options you have to continue your upward momentum. Networking isn’t just for newbies! After long pandemic shutdowns, going to seminars and association meetings sounds better than ever before, and can get your business out of that rut. Networking lunches and visits with associates whose company you both enjoy, and who are mentors to your work, are great spaces in which to dream the next part of your dream.
Quality ControlBusinesses learn how critical quality control is, the hard way, over and over again. There is nothing that will cause your growth and movement to become stagnant faster than shifting to cheaper suppliers who have lesser quality merchandise than you originally have become known for and established within the marketplace. It’s important to establish high quality and sustain that quality. Quality control groups are perfect for problem-solving at work. They can help you make sure that your products are meeting customer demand in a timely fashion, at a high quality.
Stagnation or Plateau?It’s easy to think you’ve fallen into stagnant swamp waters when you’re just in a temporary plateau. Not all parts of a business are constant upwards growth, and they shouldn’t be. A plateau is a time to sit and reflect upon where you would like to be, and in which direction you’d like your growth to occur. It’s the moment before the spring into action, a temporary lull. Embrace the stillness and continue to work towards learning and growing as an entrepreneur.
Your business is more than a livelihood and provides for more than yourself and your own family. Being able to take a space of time to refocus and reconnect with networking friends, hone your skills and shore up the quality of content and supplies are critical things during this re-launching year. A post-pandemic marketplace waits for you!
Read this next: How Your Career Can Benefit From Entrepreneurship
Whether you have been in your job for years or only recently started, there are a few warning signs that indicate you should leave your position. Loyalty as an employee is important but knowing when to leave can be even more important for your health and your success in your career.
There’s No Room for AdvancementIf you love your job, it can be really difficult to leave, but if there is no room for advancement, it may be time to find somewhere new. If you are building your career and looking to move forward, you must always have room to grow. You are likely always increasing your skills, experience, and ability, so your position and pay must reflect that growth. Once you know you can’t advance any farther at your current workplace, it may be time to find somewhere else to work.
Your Safety Isn’t ProtectedIf your workplace doesn’t take your safety seriously, it is time to move on. You have the right to be safe at work, and a good workplace will make sure that they take every step to keep you safe. Hazards in the workplace should be clearly identified. Failing to do so puts you at risk of injury. If you find that your workplace is unsafe, it is time to move on to a better situation.
You Aren’t Being Supported in Your WorkIf you aren’t being supported in your work by management, then it may be time to leave your job. A good manager will be available to you and will help you to learn and grow in your position. They will also make sure that you have what you need to get the job done. If your manager isn’t taking care of these things and you feel like you have more on your plate than you can reasonably handle, it is probably a good idea to find a new job. Employees can’t do their best work when they aren’t being supported, and it can be disheartening to go to work day after day and not be appreciated or get the support you need.
Figuring out that it is time to leave your job can be difficult and making the jump can be even more so. But if your job isn’t giving you what you need, it may be time to find something new where you can feel happier and meet your potential.
Read this next: How Your Career Can Benefit From Entrepreneurship
If 2020 taught the business world anything, it’s that the unexpected can happen at pretty much any moment. Getting your business ready to deal with whatever may come your way is important and can help you to weather the storm of any recession. Taking the time now to sure up your business will help you to stay in control when a recession does occur.
Build Your BrandHaving a strong brand and a good presence can help you to make more of an impact with your business and to set a strong foundation for the future. If your customers know your name and know that you have them covered, they will continue to patronize your company as much as possible, even during a recession.
Figure out how you want your brand to work and then get to work developing that into your brand. According to Peakon, a good brand has strong core values that guide its business.
Think Long-TermIt can get easy to get caught up in what is happening right now, but if you want your business to survive issues in the future, you have to think ahead. According to Franchise Gator, the past year exposed weaknesses in businesses that didn’t have a long-term survival plan. Think about potential issues that may come up in the future and come up with a plan to address them. You probably won’t be able to think of every possibility, but you can start planning for a few and those plans will most likely work in multiple situations.
Build Relationships with Your CustomersStart building a strong bond with the customers that you have now so you can count on their commitment to you in the future. According to Business.com, you should reach out to customers and get their feedback, then implement any feedback that makes sense and will help your business. When your customers know that you are listening, they are more likely to return. The stronger you can make your customer relationships, the better off you and your company will be when a recession eventually hits.
It is impossible to foresee every possibility but preparing for a recession can help your business get through many rough times. The more you prepare for the future now, the better you will be able to address issues and make it through rough patches. No matter what impact a recession has on the business world, if you prepare now, you will be in much better shape.
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If you are looking for ways to advance your career, entrepreneurship may be the next step you are looking for. Sometimes you reach the highest point you can achieve with a particular business, or you are stopped by barriers outside of your control. When you are your own boss, though, you can make things happen and implement real changes that will benefit your career and your life.
Reach Your Goals FasterWhen you are an entrepreneur, there is no limit to the things you can accomplish. If you have been stalled in reaching your goals, you can make them the focus of your new business and plan your choices around them. As you build up your new business, you have the opportunity to shape your own priorities and to work to make sure those goals are met. Whatever your business or personal goals may be, the more control you have over the outcome, the better. That is why running your own business is often the best way to reach your goals quickly and successfully.
Financial PerksThough running your own business can be expensive upfront, it comes with many financial benefits. According to Franchise Gator, starting a business can give you real job security that being an employee can’t. Because you can’t be fired unexpectedly, you know that you have a little more security. You will also have tax benefits that come from starting your own business wisely. Running your own business gives you the chance to build up multiple streams of income so you can increase your profits and ensure that you have the ability to recoup if you do lose a client or have to make significant changes to your business plan.
FlexibilityAccording to TradeBee, running your own business gives you the ultimate level of flexibility. First of all, you get to set your own hours and schedule. Once you are running your own business, you don’t have to check with anyone else to get time off or take a break. You also have the creative freedom that will allow you to make decisions that make the most sense for you and your company. When you are living the entrepreneur life, you are in control, so you can build flexibility into your business and your schedule to improve happiness and productivity.
It has never been a better time to take steps forward in your career. By becoming an entrepreneur, you can expand your horizons and improve your life.
Read this next: 3 Factors to Consider When Becoming Your Own Boss
When it comes to assessing your business, it’s often more of a priority to focus on how to make your customers happy. But making sure your employees are happy is just as important. Thinking about these aspects of your business can help you figure out what to do to make your workplace more positive.
Unreasonable ExpectationsUnreasonable expectations of employees can cause them to come under stress and quit. Figuring out if your workplace is a place where employees feel this way starts with looking at a few different things.
First, reassess how tasks are assigned to employees. Is it clear which parts of a task each employee is responsible for? Or do employees feel like they are given unclear assignments? On the other hand, do employees feel like the tasks they are assigned accurately fit their skillset? Or do their assignments ask them to do things that require skills they do not feel confident in?
An Unsafe Work EnvironmentAnother aspect of your work environment that could lead to employees leaving is the actual safety of your workspace. There are a couple factors that you should look at when determining how well your workplace does in ensuring your employees stay safe.
Be aware of your incident rate. A high safety incident rate in an otherwise safe industry is a sign you need to commit more to workplace safety. You should also pay attention to the general feeling in the office regarding safety—if you work at an office building, do the employees voice concerns about the slippery front steps? Do they have problems with potholes in the parking lot?
A Psychologically Unsafe Work EnvironmentIn addition to a physically unsafe work environment, a psychologically unsafe work environment can also cause employees to want to quit. There are a variety of things that you can do to try and make sure that everyone is welcome.
One of the first and most important things you can do is provide racial bias training—often employees may not recognize that their behavior could be problematic and could affect fellow team members. Having training that helps them recognize their own ideologies that need changing can help your work environment be more inviting to a diverse group of individuals.
Figuring out how to make your workplace environment the best place can be hard. What do your employees need? Thinking about these aspects of a workplace can help you recognize what you can do to improve it.
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Deciding to start your own business is an exciting time. You get to set your own hours, run your company the way you want, and build your dream. Even with all the perks, running a business is hard work, and you'll need to wear more than one hat throughout the day. It’s important to take into consideration different factors that can help make your dreams of owning your own business become a reality.
Type of Business You Want to RunFirst and foremost, you need to know what type of business you want to start. It's always best to go with something you are passionate about. Ideally, launch a business that allows you to do what you love while making a profit.
There are several different types of businesses to choose from. This can be anything ranging from an online business, a storefront, or even a franchise. According to Franchise Gator, franchise businesses are available in a variety of industries and come in two types: business format and product distribution franchises. What matters most is that you find something you're comfortable with and confident doing, so be sure to take your time and choose something that brings you happiness.
Time CommitmentThe next factor is the time commitment needed to run your own business. When you're your own boss, you'll need to work long hours. It’s important to remember that you must find time that fits with your lifestyle. You can choose to devote a majority of your time to your business or work in fragments spread out over the day.
You also need to find a balance between your career and your personal life. Not giving yourself downtime can lead to feeling burnt out. Set aside time for yourself, even if it is only one day a week.
Constructing a NetworkLastly, being your own boss also means making a name for yourself. In order to be successful as a self-employed person, you need to build brand recognition. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, but the best way is to create a network.
According to She Did That, creating a network means working with others to improve your chances of success. In the past, this wasn't the easiest thing to do. However, it's easier today when social media is all the rage.Using different social media platforms is a great way to reach out to people interested in your niche and is good for collaborating with others to gain recognition and build your name.
Becoming your own boss is a big undertaking, but you'll experience almost limitless opportunities for personal growth. If you're looking to become your own boss, consider which type of business best fits you, the time commitment needed, and the importance of constructing a network before heading down the road of entrepreneurship.
Need help building your business? Schedule an appointment with us today and we’ll help you get started!
Photography has long been associated with the arts. Because of this, many businesses do not recognize the intersection between art and their business. However, these two categories are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the impact of quality photography on business marketing can be incredibly large. There are several reasons why photography is something that your business should take advantage of to help your marketing efforts.
Helping People Find YouOne of the biggest ways that quality photography can impact business marketing is through helping consumers find a particular business. Quality photographs are important to the success of an independent business since they make it easier to find and recognize both the business itself and those involved with it. Investing in a professional photographer for your branding and marketing campaigns can have incredible payoffs—financial and otherwise. It may seem like a lot of money, but doing so can help increase your revenue.
Influencing PerceptionIn addition to helping customers find a business, quality photography can have a big impact on consumer perception of a business. The importance of creating a unique brand cannot be overstated. Quality photography can help you ensure that you’re delivering your desired brand to your customers. If you use quality photography to craft a specific brand, your potential customers will perceive your business as more desirable and appealing. Quality photography can make your business stand out from the crowd and allow you to influence your target market to buy your products.
Quality Begets QualityIf you invest in quality photography for your business marketing campaigns, you can influence your potential customers’ opinion of your goods and services. They will make a subconscious connection between the quality of the photography of your products, and the quality of the products themselves. Quality photography will impact your business marketing by sending a message to your customers that you are a business that cares about quality and the pursuit of excellence.
Get creative in the way you use photography for your business marketing campaigns. Showcase your products, as well as the people who create them. Highlight the specific aspects of your business that make you unique through quality photography.
There are countless ways that quality photography can influence your business marketing. Investing in quality photography will ensure that your business marketing efforts are as effective as possible. It will allow you to highlight the best elements of your business and visually convince your customers to buy your products and invest in your business.
Want your business to stand out from the crowd? Schedule a call with us today and we’ll be happy to help you!
Name a search engine. Did you think of Google? Many people aren’t even aware that other search engines exist, but they do. So how is it that businesses like Google, Kleenex, Band-Aid, and others come to dominate their industry so successfully? One of the most important factors is certainly the quality of your product. But that’s not everything. Read on for a few tips on what you can do to establish yourself as an industry leader.
Strong BrandingIf you are going to be an industry leader, you need to know what you are about. Perhaps more importantly, you customers need to know what you are about. This is achieved by a strong and focused brand.
Your first step is to intimately know your target audience. Know their habits, assumptions, likes, and dislikes. Develop a brand promise that resonates with your target audience. Establish brand values that your audience shares. Have a brand voice that resonates with your audience. If you’re marketing to the older generation, using teen-slang is not the way to go, but you could use some older music for jingles.
Focused ContentWhen people visit your website, they need to see quality content. That content needs to focus on aspects of your industry and display your expertise. If you can prove you’re an expert regarding the content and product you offer, you begin to establish legitimacy. Customers will begin to view you as more knowledgeable than your competition and trust your services more. The trust you build by sharing your knowledge will have a snowball effect as customers spread positive reviews of your company through word of mouth.
Quality ServiceA business cannot survive without paying customers. There are only two ways to maintain customers. One is to hold a monopoly. This is extremely difficult and, in most cases, illegal. The other is to keep them happy. A happy customer is a customer that feels respected. Quality service goes a long way toward shaping your customers feelings about your business. In many cases, the quality of service means more than the quality of the product. If the product meets the customers’ needs, they will be happy. You don’t have to have the best product on the market, but you do need to have the best service.
The world of business is an exciting game of ups and downs. If you want to make it out in front of the pack, it’s going to take some extra work. Start by focusing on the three areas we listed above. As you do that, you’ll gain further insights into how you can best serve your customers and outdo the competition.
Sustaining a healthy company culture can be difficult, especially in large companies with multiple branches. If you're trying to improve your company culture, it's important to work from the ground up, making sure your foundation is solid before working on individual locations or problem areas. Once toxic elements are allowed to grow and fester, they can become harder to deal with the longer they've been left to grow. Here are a few key ways you can help to improve the health of your company culture if things are starting to go sour.
Evaluate Your Culture It's hard to actually go about fixing your company culture if you don't know what your culture is. There are essentially five aspects that go towards making up your overall company culture; how much of one or the other your company is made up of determines the culture as a whole.
These aspects are:
- Capability Culture: Focus on developing character and skill values at all levels. Often described as the 'Can-Do' Culture.
- Commitment Culture: Focuses on how motivated employees and leaders are, measuring their sense of purpose and risk-taking. Often known as 'Will-Do' Culture.
- Alignment Culture: Indicates how well aligned the goals of the company are at all levels, and how compelled people are to work hard at all levels in the company. Often referred to as 'Must-Do' Culture.
- Individual Performance Culture: Includes things like progress reports, mentoring, and employee-focused development.
- Team Performance Culture: Indicates the extent to which collaboration and teamwork are needed to get things done within your company.
Improve Productivity Keeping productivity up is important to maintain positive company culture. One way to ensure this continues is to follow kaizen, a business theory that focuses on improving your business at all levels. Kaizen consists of five core elements that can help you improve productivity and culture in your workplace. Point kaizen focuses on individual issues that can be pinpointed and fixed. System kaizen focuses on system-wide problems with productivity. Line kaizen can refer to issues that affect both a single point as well as issues down the line, for example, a problem in processing also causing problems in customer service.
Give the Process Time Contrary to popular belief, company culture isn't something that you can just turn around overnight by throwing money and resources at it. Company culture takes time to improve, and a simple change in management isn't going to suddenly fix a toxic culture and environment. Implement steps to help create a positive change and stick to them. Persistence is key to improving your culture along with being patient.
Following these strategies, you'll be able to take middling or toxic company culture and start steering things back in the right direction. It won't be easy, and it might take some time to see results, but given time, you will see the results you're looking for.
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Productivity and time management are essential business elements that can directly impact employees and projects. Making an effort to improve these two things can greatly increase the value of your workplace. Increasing productivity and time management in the workplace can include things such as improving your office design and lighting or making sure that you and your employees are using up-to-date technology, software, and security patches. If you are a business owner or project manager, consider implementing some of these solutions to make positive changes in your workplace.
Use Up-to-Date TechnologyTechnology has permeated all aspects of our lives, both at work, at home, and on the road. However, many of the most common workplace issues are also related to technology. There is a big difference in efficiency between using outdated technology from a decade ago versus using current, up-to-date technology on a daily basis. For example, Straight Edge IT points out that IT issues consume your time, energy, and brain power, which can really eat up a lot of precious time for your business. Taking the time to update your company's software, switch out old hardware, and patch outdated security features can go a long way to increasing your productivity and improving your workplace time management.
Get Rid of Time WastersTime wasters are low-value activities that hamper your productivity and add nothing to your workday. Not only do time-wasters lower productivity, but they can also increase stress and errors toward the end of a project. When the built-up procrastination leads to stress-inducing time crunches, most employees wish that their time was spent more efficiently. According to 5S Today, using systems like the Toyota Production System can help you identify areas of your day that could use optimization. To get rid of time wasters, consider rearranging your schedule, prioritizing certain tasks, or even delegating some non-essential routine tasks to someone else.
Stick to a ScheduleSticking to a schedule is essential to establishing the discipline within your workplace to get things done. According to Any.do, setting up and sticking to schedules is one of the most important elements of time management. Schedules can help reduce confusion and stress throughout your business by giving employees a sense of purpose and a positive work ethic. Building an efficient and productive work schedule can help you improve productivity while helping your employees establish positive work habits and limit time wasters.
Set Daily GoalsBeing able to set challenging but attainable goals in a business is an essential element in accomplishing your business's long-term vision. Whether you are a remote employee or a project manager, you need to have a direction in order to accomplish your long-term objectives. Setting long-term, short-term, and daily goals is akin to setting up your stepping stones for success. Setting up goals helps to break down complex projects into manageable chunks that you can accomplish in an established order. Daily goals are the essential stepping stones that you and your team can follow within a day to keep you on track.
Take Regular BreaksEven when the workload is at the heaviest during a project, it is important to make sure your employees take regular breaks. Taking the time to take breaks can help employees mentally recharge. Taking a few steps back can actually help employees see the larger picture to solve problems and come up with solutions. If you or your employees have difficulty pacing themselves, Dejal recommends using an app to remind them. Ultimately, scheduling regular breaks into your time management could end up increasing productivity and reducing careless errors.
Use Collaboration ToolsChoosing the right collaboration tools for your team is essential to make sure that project management goes smoothly and on time. This is essential if your project team is working remotely from different locations. Project collaboration tools range widely in price, features, application, team size, and project types. With software available as both apps or desktop software suites, it is important to do some research to select the right tools for your business. Some collaboration tools include monday.com, Backlog, or MeisterTask, and their features vary from customized workflows, kanban boards, project wikis, brainstorm maps, document filing, and more.
Be ReachableIn the current work environment, employees can often be working remotely, in different states, or perhaps in different parts of the world. This means that being reachable is essential to keep up productivity and meet deadlines. One of the key ways of meeting project expectations is to make sure employees are reachable no matter where they are working from. If you are trying to find ways to keep your team together on the same page while working in different geographical locations, implementing a single internal communication protocol can be a great way to make sure everybody is using the same software and working toward the same project goals and deadlines. Software such as Skype, Slack, Wrike, and Facetime help make communication simple and reliable. The key is to make sure that everybody is using the same software.
Delegate TasksDelegating tasks is a simple but efficient way to boost productivity and time management in a business. Not only can delegating tasks help to shift some of the burden off an overloaded employee, but it can also help empower future leaders that can be a boost to your company's future generation. When delegating tasks, it is important to make sure that newer employees receive the proper training and support to ensure that their tasks are done correctly. This may include providing feedback and requesting frequent updates.
Improve Workplace EnvironmentWhile the workplace environment can be dependent on many factors, such as budget, company values, and leadership style, for the past few decades, more and more studies have correlated employee morale and productivity to better-designed offices and improved working conditions. Improving the work conditions for your workers can range from providing ergonomic keyboards and computer mice to a better-lit office space. Such changes can greatly change the working environment to improve morale and concentration.
Finding ways to increase productivity and improve time management is one of the most important aspects of any business. Business owners and project managers can find that adopting a few strategies and improving some aspects of the workplace can go a long way toward improving the quality of work and increasing efficiency in the workplace.
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A reputable brand image is an essential factor for a successful business to have. However, a company needs to consider more than just its image in branding. A good brand gives a business much-needed authenticity and credibility. It is a way of creating strong connections with the audience. Ask any business expert, and you will learn that the brand goes beyond the tangible. It is not anything obvious in your business, such as your name, logo, or color themes. To understand this, you need to go through the components of a company brand.
VisionYour company vision is the most critical component of its brand. Vision talks about the purpose of your business beyond the most obvious one, such as making a profit. Your vision should be what sets you apart from your competitors and how you operate your business. A good vision inspires the business, its employees, and its customers. It gives your company a clear direction. A good vision gives voice to society and addresses the changing atmosphere. Everyone in the company should appreciate the company's vision and think of how they will use it to make the world a better place.
Mission StatementA company's mission statement is at the very core of its brand. It comes before any positioning or initiative meant for branding purposes. A good mission statement should have a clear purpose. For a company to enjoy long-term success, it must brand itself with a clear mission statement. The statement also helps it command great trust and loyalty not only from its customers but also from anyone who is affiliated with it. Every company that wishes to achieve great success through branding must have a deep-seated purpose and believe in their passion and inspiration.
Company ValuesThe company's values are other vital factors in defining its brand. These are the guiding principles of your company's decision-making process. These impact every aspect of your business, including sales, marketing, and customer service. These are the guidelines for every decision a company makes and a common ground where everyone in the company operates. These decisions should reflect the values of the company in all aspects, and everyone should share it. Shared values form the basis of a trusted relationship with companies for 64 percent of consumers. The values are also the driving factor of the business, and everybody can reach their goals based on them.
PersonalityIf you're thinking about brand personality, think about how you'd like it to be if it were a person. Brand personality comes through in every part of your identity. It is what gives voice to your communications and all marketing materials. An established personality offers customers clear communication and helps them connect better with your brand. Building a brand's personality requires a lot of effort, planning, and thought. It should appeal to your audience in terms of their needs and values.
EmotionEmotion can be the most complex part of your company's positioning, but it's very critical in building your brand. Your company must consider the feelings of both current and potential customers toward the company. A successful brand is one that can generate a consistent emotion within the audience. Take, for instance, a company like Coca-Cola that has built its brand through a single emotion: happiness. Imagine the heights your company can reach if it can generate such a brilliant branding strategy.
PerceptionYou can do all it takes to mold your company and build its image. However, your consumers will still be the ones to decide how it's seen. How consumers perceive your brand determines how successful it is. It is important to identify and record the perception of your brand. Perception is important to help your business make informed decisions in the future. Take a look at how customers perceived your company in the past, how it is now, and what you want it to be in the future.
PositioningThis component defines the position your brand holds, according to the customers. You should have a positioning statement defining your competitors, target audience, and your brand's benefits. This statement should define the brand's position in the market in relation to its competitors as well as what sets it apart. A brand positioning strategy is important in providing value to your prospects. It inspires their interest and convinces them to make a purchase. A unique positioning strategy will boost the visibility of your brand and set it apart from the competition.
A good brand is, therefore, made up of many components, including tangibles such as logo, color, and packaging. A strong brand is not only crucial for your company but also for your employees and customers. You should ensure that you do everything in your capacity to develop a strong branding strategy for the success of your business by employing all components.
Here’s another article you might find helpful: The Psychology Of Color In Marketing And Branding
Meeting tight deadlines and dealing with disgruntled co-workers is stressful. In fact, it's so stressful that it can take a toll on your employees' emotional and even physical well-being.
As an employer, there are things you can do to boost your employees' health. From creating a less-toxic work environment to implementing mandatory breaks, below are a few ideas to boost your employees' wellness.
Wellness IncentivesWhen employees aren't feeling their best, it leads to lower levels of productivity, increased absenteeism, and more employee turnover. Implementing wellness programs is one of the best ways to counteract negative factors within the workplace.
Since wellness comes in all shapes and sizes, you need to tailor wellness programs to suit the needs of your staff. Start by asking what matters most. Some employees may want a gym membership, while others will want to participate in group fitness.
Wellness incentives should be structured around your employees’ wants and needs. If ongoing gym memberships aren’t financially possible, try launching a month-long fitness challenge to get employees moving. Your goal needs to be employee engagement, which hopefully transforms into long-term lifestyle changes. Gift cards, discounts, and cash incentives are great ways to meet fitness benchmarks.
Challenge Your EmployeesIt's known that employers benefit from employee wellness, so it's important to challenge your employees both physically and mentally. In addition to providing wellness incentives, find ways to boost brain power. This is even more important when your staff members are in front of a computer for the majority of the day.
Encourage employees to boost their creativity in the office. This can range from office puzzle challenges to word searches. The key is to have your employees know it's okay to take a minute and breathe while at work. Also, tracking their response to these mini breaks goes a long way toward improving the company culture.
Interactive BreakroomSince most office jobs involve sitting for the majority of the day, create a space where employees can stretch their legs and blow off some steam. Do away with the traditional coffee and donuts and make your breakroom a hip place to hang out.
Healthy juices, low-fat snacks, and even gaming systems can create a more relaxed yet healthy environment. If appropriate, you can even design a space where employees can nap during their breaks.
Improving the health of your employees should be educational and entertaining and yield positive results. The key is creating an environment that motivates your employees both inside and outside of the office.
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Businesses get to be their best by hiring the best people. When you're arranging your team, you shouldn't just be thinking about how each person works as an individual unit but how they all come together to create a system of smooth communication and respect. These are all essential aspects of getting your best team together.
Determine Where the Gaps Are While you might have lots of admiration for your current team, you might also see areas that need improvement. It could be that a certain kind of employee with a specific type of skill needs to be on your team. You might also just need to bring people on your team due to the amount of work that's not getting done on time. Figuring out how to make the best team possible might also mean that you have to let some people go. However, you shouldn't rush to terminate an employee and end the professional relationship over minor, correctable issues.
Make Hiring a Positive Experience A new employee may feel skeptical about working for your business even before they've really gotten accustomed to the office. When you're bringing someone on your team, you need to make sure you're showing them respect through and past the interview stage. When a potential employee comes in to interview, you may not be able to accurately assess everything that is needed for the job, which could lead to frustration on both ends. Pre-employment screening is a great way for both you and the potential employee to learn about how they would fit in the job, while providing clearer communication. Employees who have a positive experience with the hiring and onboarding process are more likely to stay with the company. Remember to treat them humanely and help them ease into the world of your company. It can take some time to get used to new environments, even for people with plenty of professional experience.
Hire Diverse If everyone on your team comes from a similar background, there's not going to be much in the way of new perspectives being shared. It might lead to cooperation, but it can stifle innovation. You should hire people who are qualified and also bring something new to the table. It could be that they are of an underrepresented demographic or that they come from a culture that emphasizes certain skills that you haven't even considered bringing into your company. You can show the competition what it really means to be forward-thinking. When you read about the best sports teams that have existed, you'll see how the talent of the players is emphasized alongside their ability to work together. Your team might not be throwing any balls around, but they do need to apply similar concepts in order to achieve success. You can also consider yourself an aspiring coach by training them all to work in harmony.
Looking to upgrade your company’s brand? At BrandDesign, we offer brand development and social media services.
Success in business is largely reliant on philosophy and strategy implementation. Good business people know that they must be goal-oriented and cast aside any distractions. They also know that business professionals must be flexible and treat employees and clients with respect and consideration. Below we will outline four business philosophies that can lead to success. Keep these in mind when planning out the next steps for your enterprise.
Don't Get SidetrackedWhen working toward your goals, it is tempting to look at where others are and compare yourself to them. This is a waste of your valuable time. You will gain nothing from comparison and it may falsely inflate your confidence or unnecessarily discourage you. Keep your eyes facing forward, and never waste time looking at what other people are doing.
Constant ImprovementsSuccessful business professionals see every problem as an opportunity for improvement. They try to find the best ways to make their processes more efficient and effective. Some practices, such as Japan's kaizen philosophy, focus on promoting a healthy working environment in order to raise productivity.
Maintain FlexibilityBusiness professionals must be firm and strong but they also must maintain flexibility. People who are too committed to their ways will soon find themselves behind the pack. Flexibility will enable you to adapt to any situation, embrace new technologies and handle additional problems that may arise.
Treat People With Respect In the end, business is about people. Strategies and plans are valuable, but the people who are implementing those strategies and plans are even more important to your success. In business, you should treat both your subordinates and superiors with respect for their time and effort. The relationships you develop will likely follow you throughout your career. They can have a big effect on the heights that your career or business will reach. There are studies that suggest that treating your employees fairly will improve the workplace environment overall.
There is no one magic set of rules that will lead to business success. However, there are tried and true practices and philosophies that lead to success the majority of the time. Staying on task, ignoring what others are doing and turning problems into opportunities can make your business stronger. Doing your best to maintain a positive environment, staying flexible and treating all of your business associates with respect are solid philosophies that most successful business professionals adhere to.
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Whether your company is represented online through social media, blog, your company’s website, or on all three, you want to make sure the few seconds you have your audience’s attention is perceived favorably. There are many different types of content available to put out to the public to attract attention, but it is important to find the right mix of content to stand out from all the rest. So how can you be sure your content is relevant and sends the right message? Here are five tips your brand can use to make a positive first impression using digital content and media.
Act FastCompetition for your audience’s online attention can be fierce. In today’s online world, you have two or three seconds to capture attention and establish rapport with your audience before they write you off. Quality digital design and media can help you get your message across faster because your brain can process graphics and photos faster than blocks of text. Digital design and media can include everything from your website’s landing page to banner ads to the thumbnails of your product or service videos.
Research Your MarketIn addition to quality design and media content, you’ll want to make sure that your content reflects the needs of current and prospective customers. What you publish and share on media should be relevant to your market audience and current trends, and the only way to ensure relevance is to conduct ongoing market research. Data and trends can become outdated quickly. If your customers choose you over your competitors, it is important to understand why. The same is true if your audience chooses your competitor over you.
Maintain an Organized WebsiteWhen prospective customers come over to your website, they expect to find the information they need. Establishing an organized website is an important step toward a favorable first impression. Not only should your website and your social media content be well organized, but your posting schedule should also be regular and up-to-date. Content such as case studies, industry knowledge, events, blog posts, insights, products and services overviews, and customer reviews should be tagged, searchable, and easy to find. Any accompanied digital graphics such as links, banners, and thumbnails should inspire call-to-action in the form of clicks.
Provide Valued ContentValued content is one of the most valuable assets of your company when it comes to reinforcing a positive first impression. Customers acknowledge your digital handshake when you provide them with information they can use. Useful content establishes your reputation as a company who is knowledgeable in your field. When you provide prospective customers with product reviews, industry trends, or product updates, you are projecting the impression that you are invested in your product or service and also you intend to establish long term partnerships with potential customers.
Let the Professionals HelpAs your business grows, you may want your marketing materials updated for a more professional look. In that case, you might want to consider getting professional help so that your promotional materials can properly represent your company’s image. Branding and design specialists can help your website and social media posts look better and show that your business is competitive and long-term.
Your customer’s first impression of your business is important for many reasons. The first impression establishes your potential customer’s first glimpse of your company’s usefulness, level of expertise, professional environment, and work ethics. However, because this opinion forms after only a few seconds of perusing your digital content, it is important to create a positive first impression with powerful branding and digital media.
Partner with BrandDesign today to make sure that your marketing message, your design, and your marketing strategies are all working in tandem to bring in customers!
Perceptions of the boss sitting in a 20th-floor office, never interacting with low-level employees, are often accurate. Executive-level management rarely deals with entry-level staff. While a CEO or EVP won't engage in day-to-day professional interactions with mailroom workers or assistants to middle managers, who says that execs can't make time to say hello now and then? Doing so could prove beneficial for everyone in the company in a few different ways.
Improve MoraleAny positive actions by upper management won't go unnoticed by people down the chain of command. Taking the initiative to extend a hand and say a few kind words to a base-level employee could boost morale. Workers like to feel appreciated. When workers feel valued, they tend to be more productive and loyal. Those two traits help a company in many ways.
Approach subordinates carefully, though. Presenting a genuine attitude is best when dealing with employees. Asking innocuous questions about how long they've been with the company and about their families will likely put nervous employees at ease.
Gain PerspectiveBeing the boss can lock you into a way of seeing things, which creates limitations. Engaging with the same people time and time again doesn't open doors to many differing opinions and perspectives. Speaking with people outside the upper management box, however, has value. Execs could gain unique insights otherwise elusive to them.
After all, employees who work certain jobs or processes are the experts in those areas. An IT tech, for example, might be the best person to speak to when you’re interested in implementing change in computer security. The IT tech deals with daily security matters hands-on. This is why employees should be involved from every level, using the principles of Kaizen to find issues that need to be fixed, collaborate for solutions, and streamline problem solving.
Ultimately, executives benefit from putting their ego aside and from listening to people at the corporate ladder's lower rungs.
Relearn HumilityIt's been said it takes a tremendous ego to serve as a top executive. Believing in yourself and walking with a corporate swagger does help those wishing to swim with the sharks and survive. Too much ego-centrism, however, eventually harms a leader. Egomaniacs’ attitudes veer towards stubbornness and arrogance, two unhelpful traits in a leader.
Taking a step back and talking with entry-level employees may bring a top-floor executive back to days he or she forgot long ago. The experience could teach humility. Bringing that humility back to the boardroom may deliver a better approach to management.
Executives should be proud of their accomplishments and their roles in their companies. However, feeling pride in base-level staff has benefits, too. Those benefits ripple through the company from the top down.
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This might come as a shock to you, but those involved in marketing are heavily invested in psychology. Most notably, they have a full understanding of how the use of color can evoke emotions in the viewer. Predictably, one of the things these individuals do is to properly analyze the use of color to assist various companies in their selling pursuits. This can come in handy for you if you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur yourself. Here are some examples of how companies utilize color to influence your buying decisions:
Hot ColorsCompanies use what is considered to be “hot colors” for a variety of reasons. First of all, these types of colors have a tendency to evoke some type of desired emotion in the consumer. For example, Sign It Awnings explains that red is associated with passion, including drives such as hunger. The color red also has a tendency to evoke passions such as love or hatred, so it really takes a color marketing expert to make sure the color does not overwhelm the viewer. Moreover, color marketing experts also realize that the correct use of this color can also evoke a sense of urgency. Thus, it is used quite often for those who want something to be sold as quickly as possible. It’s part of the reason why Coca-Cola utilizes red.
Cool ColorsCool colors evoke different emotions than the “hot colors” like red or orange. First of all, Desktop Publishing talks about how cool colors such as green or blue can have a calming or relaxing effect on the viewer’s emotions. This means that companies that want to convey a message to help you slow down. A retail outlet might want to utilize this type of coloring.
Contrast and PopSitePoint describes that using contrasts can be an important way to influence your marketing. One of the reasons for this is because it can reduce eyestrain and it can be used to dictate an emotional response by drawing attention to certain colors. However, it is important to keep everything in moderation. Too much black can evoke an overwhelming response; too much grey can evoke nothingness or depression; on the other hand, too much white can seem like a clean slate to some.
So, what does color marketing mean to you? Well, if you’re a consumer, research on this can help you realize just what type of message these companies are trying to convey. Moreover, if you are an entrepreneur yourself, you can utilize color to help you grow your company and convey your message to potential customers. As Podium points out, color is an important part of your brand story - you are telling people what to think of you, so choose carefully.
Diversity in the workplace is very important. One of the most important aspects of diversity comes through personalities. Great minds think alike, but diverse minds can have some of the greatest breakthroughs. As a leader, you must not show any favorability to one particular personality type. These tips will help you to best deal with various personalities and be the best leader you can possibly be.
Expressive/SocialSomeone who's not afraid to speak out and be dynamic is someone you want for your business. The Expressive/Social type will let you know what's on their minds and be engaged in all kinds of communication. The team that put these personality quadrants together recommends that these people not be placed in positions that require extreme attention to detail, such as paperwork or scheduling. However, they're definitely useful with getting messages across and making sure that all communication is clear. To lead them, you need to get to the point as quickly as possible and emphasize the most important aspects of what you need them to do.
Controller/AssertiveThough they might have a reputation for bossiness, assertive types are a necessity in the workplace. Without any assertiveness, there's going to be far less responsibility in place. Those who are assertive crave the same from others. If someone tells you that they can't do a project you asked them to do, you have to be even more assertive than they are. Put your foot down and tell them that you need things done and that you won't take any alternative. They should admire you for having the guts you do and end up being much more respectful of you.
Supporter/EmpathyEmotions in the workplace should not be considered bad. If there weren't any emotions, then no one would ever seem inspired. Those who have empathetic dispositions should be viewed with reverence. Be patient with them if they’re having a hard time due to another employee going through a hard time. Realize that this empathy means a lot for the morale of the workplace because it's much better than having a business where people only look out for themselves. Chances are, they've shown plenty of empathy towards you as well.
Analyzer/LogicalAnalyzers have good heads on their shoulders, and they use their logic to deliver favorable results. You need to make sure that any analyzers under your leadership are able to use their gifts for consistency and attention-to-detail. Someone whose job requires safety or critical thinking may need to be an analyzer, as they'll need to catch things that may slip by others.
Each of these personality types can work together and be embraced. No matter what's your personality type is, you need to be a leader, first and foremost. Take the time to think about every personality type that you may have to lead and devise a plan that satisfies everyone.
For help in your business success, let Brand Design help you!
Reading is one of the essential tasks entrepreneurs and aspiring CEOs should make time for. Bill Gates, one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time, reads around 50 books every year to learn more about the world and inspire himself. Here are the top four recommended books to help entrepreneurs succeed in 2019.
Loonshots by Safi BahcallInnovative ideas are often the result of a loonshot, "a wildly dismissed idea whose champions are written off as crazy," explains Safi Bahcall. Through this detailed book, Bahcall demonstrates how these seemingly crazy ideas can be distilled into a transformative product, service or company. Written with contagious enthusiasm, Loonshots provides a wealth of information to translate any idea into a viable plan.
Related: Use Innovation to Grow Your Business
The Lean Startup by Eric RiesThe Lean Startup gives readers the tools they need to help allocate their resources and focus on growth and development of their ideas. It is highly relevant for a book published in 2011. This book is all about learning the adaptive process (how to plan, test, implement, or adjust) and is a guidebook on how to evolve professionally. According to Ries, the reason why many startups fail is that they use a more traditional approach, first seeking to understand their market then make a product with no iterations. Ries encourages entrepreneurs to incorporate flexibility and adaptiveness into their companies for maximum success.
Related: 11 Best Books For Boosting Your Business
The $100 Startup by Chris GuillebeauIn this book, Guillebeau gives over 50 case studies of entrepreneurs creating successful businesses with very little startup costs all with the goal of providing the reader with direct, actionable advice to do the same. The inspirational stories demonstrate that aspiring entrepreneurs do not need too much to get their ideas rolling and transforming them into an income stream. The concrete information in the book is sure to inspire and motivate any reader to achieve their goals.
Related: How to Start a Business with No Money and No Ideas
Crushing It! by Gary VaynerchukAny entrepreneur in 2019 knows the importance of social media and creating a brand for their product or business. Vaynerchuk understands the importance of building a sharp, positive public image and shows entrepreneurs exactly how to leverage services like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and more to create the biggest positive influence for their companies. The more vibrant and prevalent a company's social media image is the more of a positive impact it can have on sales and reputation, which are vital statistics for any endeavor.
Related: 10 Social Media Trends That Will Matter Most in 2019
These four books just scratch the surface of the knowledge and information to be gained from reading broadly. Adding these titles, and more, to a reading list will help any aspiring entrepreneur succeed in 2019. As you help yourself learn about success, let us help you grow your business by establishing your presence online. Find out how we can help you and succeed today!
Those who own a business soon learn that they must focus on growing the company if they want it to succeed. This means placing a major emphasis on customer communication. It drives new and return sales, and it's instrumental in building customer loyalty. Managers who want to improve communication with their clients need to take advantage of the various tools and resources that are available. Here are some of the top tools your company's operation should begin utilizing.
Valuable Blog ContentMany businesses are learning the value of blogs to attract more readers and steer organic traffic to their websites. A blog that delivers worthwhile content will allow customers to remain updated and informed while it increases the search rankings for your business. It's important to ensure that it contains quality content and the information presented is valuable. The blog should also have a personality that your readers can relate to. This will make them feel connected to your company.
Business Text MessagingAs more people rely on text messaging for communication, companies are also taking advantage of this tool as a way to engage with their customers and advertise their goods or services. Nearly 90% of consumers prefer engaging with a brand over text or messaging app. They prefer the ease of use and convenience that it offers. You won't have to worry about interrupting their day with phone calls. This form of communication is less intrusive but still professional.
Social MediaYou'll need to utilize social media as a way of reaching your customers and making a connection. Determine which social media channels your targeted audience is utilizing and visit each platform daily with your posts. Whether it includes gathering real-world data or researching the competition, you can develop a social media strategy that's specific to the channel you're using. Over time, you can evaluate what's working, whom you're connecting with and how your presence compares to your competitors.
Email MarketingUtilize email marketing because it's a valuable tool for communicating with customers. Through this method, you can provide them with more information than you'd be able to deliver on other platforms. The technique also has a very attractive return on investment. Create an email marketing strategy that allows you to advertise your goods or services without appearing like a salesman. If you utilize SiteGround and select the available package that is right for the size of your company, you can manage an unlimited number of personalized emails based on your domain.
Search Engine OptimizationWithout search engine optimization, you can't expect to stand out in your industry or have new customers easily discover you on the Internet. You'll need to utilize SEO tools and keywords to be recognized by search engines. This will ensure that you attract more customers. SEO should be used in the content of your website and on your blog. Both should be managed consistently.
There are many ways to improve customer communication and reach your audience. By employing the most useful tools available, you can fine-tune your strategy and continue growing as a brand.
If you’re looking to grow your business, check out Brand Design Co’s exclusive content for businesses!
You've waited and waited to embrace social media, digital advertising, email marketing, PPC, SEO, BR, CMS and a thousand other modern marketing strategies but now your ready!
So where do you start? What are worthy investments and what are wastes of money? Here are five simple thoughts to help you in formulating a plan:
1. You MUST gain a basic understanding.
The perfect agency may come along and you may have all the money in the world but if you yourself as the owner or manager don't have a basic understanding of digital marketing, how to measure success, and how it's suppose to work you are setting yourself up for certain failure. This is not to say you have to know every nuance of the process but you should certainly have a grasp on how to read an analytics report and ensure that online results are meeting offline aspirations.
2. Source the mundane. Keep the exciting!
Most people aren't waking up every morning thinking about their digital strategy and what four or five pieces of content they want to share with their audience on any given day. Usually you think of posting when something exciting happens. Sourcing your day-to-day online activity to either an employee of your company or an agency ensures that when the amazing does happen and your ready to share that your audience is engaged and ready.
3. Do as much as you possibly can.
The goal in all marketing is to remove pain points for our potential customers. From a digital marketing standpoint that means we should be paying attention to every single place our consumers are active. Think about it this way, if you spend $350,000 next year you could do one of a few things. 1) You could purchase airtime for ONE 30-second commercial during "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS. This does not include the production of the commercial, just the airtime. 2) You could purchase 2 or 3 ads in Vogue. Again, this does not include the creative, only the ad. 3) You could hire a team of 3-4 people to create content for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Medium, Blip Billboards, Google Ads, a blog, a podcast and a thousand other channels and still have enough money left for an ad budget to magnify your message. If you can't afford a person or a team then, like several of the companies I work with, then do as much as you can on as many platforms as you can!
4. Be patient!
In digital marketing the goal is two-fold, patient momentum and impatient virality. We are trying to create enough great content to keep our audience engaged for the long-term while at the same time looking to make something that catches fire immediately and enters to stream of popular culture. Both of these require an incredible amount of patience. Your moment might be today, might be next week, might be next year, but you have to wait for it! Think of the alternative. In "the old days" (aka, the 90's) you would create one commercial, pay an incredible amount of money to have it aired, then pray that it resonated with the audience. Today you can create 100 commercials, put them on Facebook or Instagram, get detailed analytics as to who it did or did not resonate with, tweak the creative and try again without it costing you a dime. It just requires the patience to learn your audience and the humility to let them tell you when you're wrong.
5. Track the results.
I've eluded to this several times but tracking results is a newer concept if your unfamiliar with digital marketing. When I first started we would create an ad for the local paper and they would give us an arbitrary circulation number and how much we would pay for the ad. We would give them the creative and the money then be so excited to see our company or event in print. There was no tracking, no CPM, no KPI, No impressions, no actions, no segmentation, nothing! Today we can know exactly who saw our ads, how they interacted with them, what device they saw it on, if they converted to a sale, and so much more. Getting familiar with your digital analytics isn't an option, it's a necessity!
In short, you have to taste a little bit of everything to know what is going to be right for your particular situation. You may need to spend a little money to get more educated or bring people on board to help. Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of ignoring digital marketing, social networks, and current advertising. Once upon a time people who advertised with posters looked down on radio ads, then radio ads looked down on TV ads and someday something else will look down on social media ads...but this is not that day.
Everyone has a story! Whether you grew up rich and famous or poor and unknown, the story of your life is a unique fingerprint of the fabric of the world on a macro level and your sphere of influence on a daily basis on a micro level.
Over the last several years there has been a massive shift in the way things are marketed. As the individuals strive to become more self-aware and be perceived as "real" the advertisers of the world are trying to catch up.
Before to find something perceived as pure and honest you'd have to look at small-town America, while overpackaged and disconnected was left to Madison Avenue. But now the game is changing. Stories highlighting the overcoming of struggles, the scars of life and the insuing victories have found their place front and center while the perception of perfection is no longer in vogue.
How then are we to tell our stories as small businesses, places of worship or individuals? Authentic and real was our thing long before Duracell, Folgers and Proctor & Gamble stole our schtick. Let's look at 3 thoughts that might help:
- Double down on authenticityGo all in on you being you. Some will love it, some will hate it, all will respect it! I was watching a lady on Facebook Live the other night. The pitch of her voice, her mannerisms, the way the camera kept moving literally drove me insane, but as I looked into the top left-hand corner of her live show the number of viewers just kept climbing. She is a legend on Facebook and there are thousands of people who have turned off everything else vying for their attention to watch her.
No matter who you are or what you're doing the most valuable piece of intellectual property you have is you. No one can be you (unless you have an identical twin and fancy the whole 'Parent Trap' thing). You're never going to out-spend, out-advertise or out-strategize the multi-billion dollar media world, but they don't have you and that is your signature advantage. They can attempt to script authenticity but some things, not even Hollywood can make up.
- Get crafty
Literally within the last 10 years broadcasting has been decentralized. Where before the select few decided for us all what was entertaining, newsworthy and interesting, today the consumer makes all the decisions. Just this evening we got a newspaper and they just so happened to have a picture of my daughters at a local event. As cool as it was to see their sweet little faces in print I realized that in a matter of an hour more people would see the picture on Facebook and Instagram then would see it in the Frankfort Station over the next week.
If you have a cell phone you have the incredible ability to reach and impact more people then your grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents ever met in their entire lifetime. Use it! We can bemoan how much time people spend staring at their phones or ignoring people they are with while texting people they are not, but the reality is they are doing it and they aren't going to stop anytime soon. Get used to it and make it your advantage, not an excuse why you can't get your message out.
- Talk to individualsI'll be honest, this is a new one for me but my how effective it is! While the power to reach the masses on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and more is incredible, the real power is in the personal interactions. Where once you would email someone even as a business and be almost guaranteed that they would at least read it if not respond positively. Today if you are getting 25% open rates, you're a superstar! Private (or direct) messaging on any of the popular social media platforms is where business is being done and connections are being made.
I have messaged people with far greater exposure and influence than I and offered them my services or influence in exchange for some of theirs and the response rates are dramatic. Think of your favorite "famous person" and something you would want to ask them in person, why not DM them on Instagram? Will they respond? Maybe. Is maybe better than no chance? Definitely!
Everyone is trying to scale bigger. The problem with scaling bigger is by nature of your growth you become more disconnected from your end user. As a smaller business, this is your advantage. I cannot tell you how many times the words, "we're a small, family-owned business" have been the magic words to let the customer know I am much more in-tune with their needs than Comcast, ComEd or some other monstrous company that has taken its finger off the pulse of its consumer. Person-to-person, face-to-face, connecting and doing business is your decided advantage online and off.
Is this the end of the line for the small business, the small church, the solopreneur? Not even close! 2018 is the Year of the Story and you have one to tell that is raw, authentic, organic and true this is your time to shine. Be yourself, sign up for some social media accounts and get to connecting with individuals around the corner and around the world who would love to meet you, hear your story and share their contacts with you.
In this episode we discuss whether or not digital advertising actually works for every business.
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Learn more Have you ever attended a meeting and literally forgot what it was about as you were walking out the door? Is there anything more frustrating than sitting for hours with people hashing out ideas, concepts, and solutions only to leave with completely different lists of actionable items and meeting takeaways?
I had struggled with this for years! Whether it was trying to keep a client on topic or finding myself concluding hours of meetings without giving my team any concrete instructions, I was sick of wasting time.
The MeetSheet was created for such a problem. With every person looking at the same structure while at the same time personalizing the notes for their specific tasks and responsibilities, The MeetSheet allows teams and individuals to be on the same page.
For an editable InDesign file to customize for your business/organization, email brandon@branddesignco.com.
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
Lesson One - Protect Your Logo
Whether you have spent thousands of dollars or had your neighbor’s teenage kid slap it together, your logo is you. Every dollar you spend in advertising is money spent reinforcing to the public at large that your logo is to be thought of in conjunction with your company. To not protect your logo is to waste the investment you have made in promoting it.
What do I mean by protect? I mean care for it like it’s your firstborn child! You should have stringent guidelines in place telling everyone who will work with your logo how they can and cannot use it, your employees should be reminded regularly of the value of that logo and you must be willing to take a stand at all cost to protect the integrity of it!
A good place to start is by creating a place where designers, advertisers and anyone who will need your logo can access vector files at best and high resolution files at least of your logo. There are many great online services (Dropbox, Copy, etc.) where you can keep the files and email a link to anyone working with it.
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
Whether you have an unlimited budget to spend on high-quality custom photography or you are a one-person operation trying to make ends meet, we can all have great images!
There are more tools than ever to help you find compelling pictures that speak to your customer. So what are we looking for in a picture?
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Resolution - pictures need to be big to ensure the quality will hold up in different applications.
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Clarity - Is the picture crisp? Does it pop?
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Mood- Does the image put the viewer in the frame of mind you want them in when considering your business?
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Authenticity - While it’s free and easy to rip an image off of someone else’s page it’s also illegal. Find reputable sources for quality stock photography you can feel good about using. A few dollars spent on the right picture is totally worth it!
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
This one always sounds too good to be true but it’s really very simple. No matter what line of business you are in you can easily get paid to have people advertise for you.
Once you have created and cultivated a logo and built brand recognition you simply have to take the next step into creating and selling apparel.
Every dirty truck stop in America has mastered this one. Whether it’s 64oz. coffee cups or ugly trucker hats they get hundreds of people every day to give them money for the honor of advertising their business all across the country.
Your business needs to create and distribute quality apparel or promotional items that people will use and wear. It may cost you a bit to get it going but if you do it right and offer a shirt, hat, cup or other item people actually want to use, the rest is free advertising!
The key to this is quality! If you print up the junkiest t-shirts you can find they will soon be car wash rags. But use a high quality, modern style shirt with your logo crisply printed on it and you’d be shocked how quickly people will pay you to take your company with them everywhere they go.
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
Your favorite color is not everyone’s favorite color. Beyond that colors trigger very distinct mental triggers. Some can be used to your advantage while others must be avoided at all cost.
There are full college courses on color theory that obviously won’t fit in the brief report but in an effort to abbreviate I would encourage you to check out our blog and learn more about the positive and negative impacts of each color.
On top of the color you choose the boldness of that color must also be taken into consideration. To use colors in their more muted tones can communicate passiveness while the bolder versions can be taken as being too aggressive.
The application of those colors is also crucial. What colors are you pairing together and what does that combination say to people? Does the color work in multiple environments? Is this color offensive to people in an area I am seeking to do business?
Needless to say there are many variables in selecting colors. Simply put, do your research before choosing a color. It’s a lot more powerful then you could imagine.
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
Studies have proven that people interact with content differently based on how it is applied. When a person is reading something on a screen their mind goes into “information mode.” They scan the page quickly looking for the pertinent information and emotional triggers before moving on to the next page.
In print the relationship is completely different. The viewer’s mind goes in to what we’ll call “meditative mode.” They are much more thoughtful and intentional with their interaction and will consider the content more deeply as they view it.
With these two facts at our disposal, let’s think about how we are creating promotion for our businesses. In a digital application we have mere seconds to capture the attention of our audience. This allows us to show off the visual elements of what we do. Bright, vibrant, impactful media should dominate over content.
In a print application the tables are turned. While we still need to grab their attention we have to make sure that when we do we have something to say. In print we have to get them to “buy in” to what we are saying and see enough value in it to explore you further and act on your offerings.
How to Make Your Company Matter is a 6-part vlog series designed to walk you through 6 crucial steps every business needs to consider when branding themselves. We hope the information is helpful!
Every consumer has their own perspective and paradigm from which they are making their choices. Some are young, some are old, some are men, some are women and as a business, we want all of them as customers!
We have to treat our business like a buffet. Not everything is going to appeal to everyone. While our service may cater to one group of people we certainly don’t want to alienate another group that may be a customer in the future or negatively influence our target audience.
We accomplish this by creating our designs to appeal to individual audiences. By using the exact same content but varying the visual applications of the content we can reach a wide range of audiences with very little effort.
Next time you create an ad for your business think of the consumer’s your missing and what you could do to get them in on the promotion. An additional picture or graphic application could net you customers that usually ignore.