Getting Your Team Ready For The Digital World

/in /by

Future-proofing your business is going to be a never-ending task. Technology is conquering the world, and the business landscape is included in that.

Do you still use a ledger for your expense sheets? Likely not. Do you still send written letters to clients? Possibly, but not as often as previously. Do you still hand out flyers to market your business? Probably not. There are many mistakes your company can make, and not acknowledging the digital world is one.

Computers dominate your workplace, not textbooks, right? Right. The internet and digital technology have changed the ways that people conduct business forever. And that’s for the best! There are more ways to complete work and communicate than ever before. Instead of waiting for mail to arrive, messages can be sent and received instantly. Instead of transporting a bag of files around, data can be stored to the cloud and accessed by you from anywhere in the world.

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article, Getting Your Team Ready For The Digital World

Photo courtesy of Frederico Cintra

The digital age brings a world of possibilities to you, your workplace and your team.

But where do you start?

It’s important to educate your team on the uses of the internet. Get together and brainstorm the possibilities. Work with your team to find solutions to issues and make sure that from the starting line, you’re all ready to work together.

So, getting your team ready? The first thing you need to identify as a leader is the weaknesses. Are members of your team uncomfortable with digital technology? If so, why? It’s imperative that you help your staff become more comfortable with the use of the internet. This will ensure that no-one is left behind as technology develops and your business relies on the increasing developments of the business world.

Training your staff is essential, even if they are fully knowledgeable about the use of technology in the workplace. Your team shouldn’t just be ready for the increasing use of digital tech, but should be ready for their own futures, and you should be the one to offer them guidance with this! Don’t be afraid of talking to your staff about their career development. This shouldn’t revolve around the future of your business, but should take their own aspirations into consideration. Now, this could involve losing them, but you’ll be doing the right thing for all parties involved and it’s a small risk that you should always be willing to take. Boost the skills of your staff with training courses from someone like Simplilearn and you’ll capture the benefits of the future, today. Get the best out of the digital skills of your staff and boost them when the opportunity arises. This means that you may be able to promote more often from within when vacancies arise, and that’s never not a good thing for your business and its future.

With technology and developments come risks. If your staff aren’t educated about the dangers of the internet, then a wayward download could cause disaster. Secure yourself with a good IT support team and regular system scans with decent anti-virus software and you’ll save yourself from catastrophe. Unleashing an uneducated team onto the internet could spell serious problems for your business.

What’s your workplace communication like right now? Do you all shout at each other from badly laid out desks? It’s time to change that and move away from messy, lengthy email chains that get your team nowhere. Start to utilize software like Slack and Basecamp to get the best out of your team. Both these applications offer a mobile solution to problems that workplace communication presents. You can attach files and minimize the amount of software that your workforce uses to avoid additional confusion.The advantages of this are usually overlooked and having one single platform for multiple, yet linked, subject matter is an an incredible method of increasing the productivity of your workforce. Regarding Basecamp alone, the campfire app within allows you to communicate instantly and in-real time and link to work. This cuts some steps out the process and allows your workflow to be centralized. No more messy communication methods, it’s time to clean up and get everyone moving in the same direction. Slack and Basecamp offer mobile apps, but there are multiple ways to connect when you’re not in the workplace. Whatsapp and Skype enable you to constantly be a presence, no matter where you are, and if your employees need you, they will be able to get hold of you.

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article, Getting Your Team Ready For The Digital World

Photo courtesy of miniyo73

The cloud is also something that can give your team a boost. Uploading your files to the remote storage solutions offered by Google and Dropbox can give your team so many options. Not only can your data be stored and accessed anywhere in the world that has an internet connection, you can collaborate on your documents with your staff simultaneously. There’s no need anymore for emails with amendments to be fired back and forth. Cloud storage is also a great option for backing up your valuable data.

The benefits of owning a business in the 21st century are fantastic. There are more ways to complete work than ever, there are more ways to collaborate and communicate than ever before. The digital age offers choice and freedom to your business and staff and the cloud allows you to run your business from anywhere in the entire world and even if you want to stay put, you can be totally flexible and mobile thanks to the options presented by the digital age. Answers exist all around for your problems, you only need to search for them.

Just make sure your team are ready for your leap into technology. It’s very easy to allow your staff to become left behind by your own rapid advances. Make sure you schedule time to speak to everyone on your time and take on their advice and concerns. Give them the chance to develop and encourage them to become the best employees they can be, but not just for the sake of your business. Allow them to educate themselves, but don’t be afraid to lead the way. Get your team ready for the digital practices of your business and you’ll have little to regret.

Combining Methods To Boost Your Web Presence

/in /by

It’s probably the biggest question for your business.

‘How do I get noticed?’.

Well, how do you? If you’re a business, then it’s likely you’ve got dozens of well-equipped competitors out there, ready to snatch your customers away from you. It’s likely that the stores you are fighting over customers for have bigger budgets than yourself.

It’s not a battle you need to worry about though. Just focus on improving yourself and the web presence of your business, and you’ll see the light.
If you don’t have a website for your business, or if your website is outdated, consider revamping the entire thing. Your website is critical to the success of not only your goal to get noticed on the web, but it’s also critical to the success of your business!

StrategyDriven Article, Combining Methods To Boost Your Web Presence

Photo courtesy of Quinn Dombrowski

Think about it this way. How do customers ask you for information? They phone your business line, right? What if you can’t answer your phone because you’re dealing with something, say, another customer? You’ve got to choose between on potential customer, or the other. Either way, you can’t do both, and you’re losing money. If your website is updated with all the information that people actually need, then not only do they not need to bother you with questions, you’ve answered them without lifting a finger.

The bottom line here is, if your website isn’t working, then it might be that your business isn’t working either. Evaluate and analyse your current situation and if your site needs updating and you cannot do it, contact a company like CandidSky, who can assist you with your web needs. It’s not something you can leave behind.

Another part of sorting out your website would be to optimize its capability to climb the search engine rankings and get noticed quickly. Search engine optimization or SEO is a growing industry for a reason. Getting the most out of keywords for your business and placing them on your website will ensure that you rise up the rankings and are noticed by the people who you want looking at your products. SEO takes time, just remember that the results won’t be instant, but you’ll have laid the groundwork for success.

But boosting your presence on the world wide web isn’t just a case of fixing up your website, no. It’s about using all the tools the internet has to offer and combining them.

Social media sites can give you access to your market. Use websites and apps like Facebook and Twitter to interact with your audience and drive them to your website. Your website should also advertise the fact that you have a social media presence. One doesn’t exist well without the other!

It’s not about using one tool well. You can be an ace at SEO, but what good is it going to do you if your website isn’t optimized for customers? Your social media game can be excellent, but if your website isn’t great, what will people do? Use all the options you have and ensure they are co-operating for the best results.

The Power of Professional Presentation

/in /by

StrategyDriven Article, The Power Of Professional Presentation

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

As a new or growing business, it can be a struggle to compete with larger businesses. In some areas, like customer base and advertising, your budget will simply be too small to compete. But, your presentation can always be improved. This is one area that you have the power to control almost entirely.

Your presentation is everything that your customer lays their eyes upon. Every single document, webpage, advert, and piece of packaging that is seen must be professional. The same goes for your storefront, staff, and customer communications. These areas can be built to rival big companies, without too much difficulty. First, you just need a strong brand. With decent branding, customers will instantly recognise your business. If your logo is good and looks professionally designed, it will help customers to trust you.

Your first real challenge is your website. Developing a website that looks unique can be very difficult. Services like Wix and Squarespace promise the ability to build a beautiful website, at a very low cost. Now, they aren’t lying. Their sites can look really good, and they’re easy to make. But, it’s very easy to see when a website has been made with one of these tools. And, unfortunately, that makes it look unprofessional. Thankfully, getting your hands on a web developer is nice and easy, nowadays. You can find loads of freelance workers on websites like Freelancer.com and Upwork. You just have to give them a brief for the website and pay them when the job is complete. It’s much cheaper than using a large company to design the website for you. But, it’s a lot better than using a website builder yourself. Alternatively, you can spend some time to learn some web development and build a website for yourself.

Next, you need to think about the paperwork and packaging your customers see. Anything like this should be tastefully branded and made to a professional standard. Packaging design is a skilled trade. It isn’t easy to knock a piece of packaging together yourself. Instead, it’s worth investing a little bit of money in an agency to do it for you. This work isn’t too expensive to have done, and it will result in a much better result than most people’s own work. It helps with today’s modern consumers if you use environmentally friendly packaging where you can. It makes people feel like they’re doing their part if you give them a chance to source their goods responsibly.

If you have a physical store or any other place that customers might visit, it should be up to scratch as well. A lot of modern shop fitting has gone minimalist in it’s approach. This is a great benefit for budget operations, as it allows you to create something that looks good from very little. Second-hand building equipment like scaffolding and wood can create a unique and homely store. Alongside the shop fitting, you should also have plenty of branding around your store. Having a wall with your logo on it is a great idea. It shows your customers who you are whenever they’re in your store. Your physical presence in-store extends to merchandise as well. If your staff use coffee mugs or pens, they should be branded with your logo. And, if your staff wear uniforms, they should be branded as well.

This brings us onto your staff. Alongside their uniforms, your staff should have some training. They should be taught how to talk in a professional manner and taught what to do in conflict situations. Remaining calm is very important in the service industry. If customers are angry, you have to remain cool and treat them like an adult. This can be hard for new staff. So, it’s important that you make sure that your staff know exactly what to do in these situations. All of your staff should understand the policies that affect your customers, as well. They should be able to answer questions and get answers as fast as possible.

Sometimes, businesses are too small to hire staff. But, you still need to be able to talk to your customers when things go wrong. Customers won’t trust a mobile or personal phone number. So, it’s unprofessional to have them listed for your company. It’s also hard to gain trust from some customers if you don’t give out a number at all. So, it’s important that you have this area covered. Instead of hiring a new staff member, you can pay someone else to do the work for you. For instance, to get help with your call answering needs visit this business website. Companies like this offer customised call answering and call redirection from a business number to a mobile phone. These tools will give you everything you need to run a budget call center that still feels professional.

Going back to your website, you can eliminate many of your customer queries through a frequently asked questions page on your website. This sort of self-service customer service makes it easier and faster for your customers to get answers. If they are trying to find delivery information, for example, they might not order if they have to call you for it. If it’s easily accessible on the website, though, it could be a different story. People in the modern age expect their information to be fast and easy to access. So, it’s a good idea to give it to them the best you can.

Your branding and appearance represent your company. If you don’t look professional; a lot of customers will simply ignore you. Or, if you make mistakes, you could lose customers because they don’t trust you. Of course, it’s a delicate balance between cost and quality. Sometimes, it can be better to go for cheaper options and have a more homemade approach. But, at other times, it can be better to be as professional as possible.

Hopefully, this will inspire you to build your business up to new heights of professionalism. It will help your business to grow and will stop you from facing certain challenges in the future. Remember; it’s important to do research for any part of your business. So, make sure you know what you’re doing before making any changes.

This Is How You Can Grow Your E-commerce Store

/in /by

If you have an E-commerce store, chances are, you’d like to expand and grow. Everybody wants to make more money and get more conversions, right? Here are a few ideas that can help you to achieve the success you want:

Make It As Easy To Check Out As Possible

Make it as easy as you possibly can during the check out process. Just because somebody is checking out, doesn’t mean they won’t change their mind if it’s taking too long. Go through it yourself and make it as simplified as possible to stop people from abandoning their cart and going elsewhere. This could mean offering a guest check out rather than forcing people to sign up with you, for example. However, there are a few things you might need to change.

Show Complementary Products

Make sure you find a way to show complementary products on the page as a way of up-selling. Show the customer what others have bought, or what goes well with what they’ve bought. This can help you to achieve more sales. If you’re a clothing company, you could show complementary shoes with a particular dress, for example.

Offer Coupons And Discounts

Offer coupons and discounts for certain things. For example, signing up to your newsletter, or even birthday discounts to loyal customers. You could even offer discounts when somebody recommends a friend. Many stores are also offering point systems, so customers can earn themselves a free product after so many purchases. The following infographic can give you even more useful information!


Infographic Created By Red Stag Fulfillment

Extra Steps Your Business Should Take When Risks Are Involved

/in /by

Running a company is risky business. There is no risk-free way of doing it. So, you should try to learn how to handle risks better. Your business will face all kinds of different risks. Getting your approach to each of them right could turn out to be the difference between success and failure. It really is that important. So, here are some of the extra steps you’ll need to take to keep your business safe when risks are involved.

Get Your Location Right

To start with, your location needs to be right. There are multiple ways in which the location of your business can be impacted by risks. For a start, you will want to be somewhere that gives you the best chance of reaching customers. If you pick a poor location, you risk a poor start that could have a hugely negative impact on the business’s chances of finding success. Then there are environmental risks that should be taken into account. Do you really want to start a business in a location that has a history of flooding or other weather risks?

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Have a Plan for When Tech Disaster Strikes

Tech disasters are very common in the world of business. We rely so much on computers and various other forms of technology. Of course, this has huge benefits. But it’s also a risky way to go about things. Tech can break down or stop working at any time. There could be power cuts or data loss. All of these things need to be planned for properly. There are companies that offer disaster recovery as a service, so look into this if you want an extra layer of protection in place. You should also train your employees on what to do if a tech disaster happens on their watch.

Find the Right Insurance Coverage

Insurance is one of those things that business owners either ignore or view as a necessary evil. Maybe both of those approaches are wrong, though. Insurance can do so many positive things for your business. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to think things through and get the best possible level of coverage for the best price. Unless you put some time into seeking out the best insurance deals, you won’t be able to do that. It’s something you could live to regret when something goes wrong, though.

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article
Image courtesy of JPhotoStyles.com

Track Your Cash Flow Better

How closely and carefully do you track your cash flow? If you just go with the flow and let it do its own thing, it might work for a while. But before long, things will get messy and chaotic. That is almost always what happens when you don’t track your cash flow properly. Unfortunately, it’s a mistake that is very common as well. Spending money is always a risk in business. If you do too much of it and not enough is coming back into your business, you’ll have a problem. So, keep a close eye on it and make sure everything balances out. It’s a risk that should be simple to manage.