Two Things That Can Tarnish Your Online Business

/in , /by

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
 
There are two fundamental aspects of digital commerce that have the potential to tarnish the reputation of your success; the loading speed of your website and the credibility of your email account. Indeed, there are many essential ingredients every business needs but perhaps there are none more important in the sphere of online business than the load speed of your website and the amount of emails that get through to your list of subscribers.

First off, let’s take a look at your email account.

Email marketing is one of the most essential ways to communicate with customers today, indeed it is one of the most essential aspects of digital marketing, yet it can be notoriously difficult as often commercial emails end up in spam folders.

Today, there are over a hundred different SPAM blacklists in operation but with the use of certain tools and strategies such as using email list verification, this risk can be mitigated in order to ensure the majority of emails do get through to their intended recipients.

Now, let’s look at how the loading speed of your website.

It’s well known that there’s a direct correlation between the loading time of your website and bounce rate, that is to say the number of people that visit your site but leave straight away; just like in the offline retail world, where a customer walks into a shop then walks straight out.

In fact, to better explain the term ‘bounce rate’ it can help to picture a busy shopping centre – where people are walking around browsing or searching for a particular solution. In the shopping centre, signposts help point people in the right direction, whereas in the online world, Google is the authority.

In the offline retail world, people naturally browse a few different stores based on the attractiveness of their retail display amongst other factors such as brand awareness and perceived relevance to their needs.

Now, as the store owner once they come through the door, it’s your job to engage them with special offers, product demonstrations, engaging retail displays, and relevant ideas to solve a problem they face.

In essence, your job as a retailer is to engage consumers so they spend as much time in your retail environment as possible – for there’s a direct correlation between the amount of time spent in a store and the amount of money spent. This is why large retail brands invest so much in visual merchandising.

Now, in the digital world, if you have high traffic but low engagement this is known as having a high bounce rate.

The reason a high bounce rate will cripple your online business success is because it’s akin to people walking in your store, and then straight back out, without buying anything. Whilst a high bounce rate can be attributed to many factors such as a lack of engaging content, or a lack of perceived relevance, it has been found that 40% of potential customers will leave your website if the site takes more than 3 seconds to load.

This is particularly pertinent in our increasingly impatient digital world and therefore we’re going to take a brief look at three ways to optimise the loading speed of your website.

1. Hosting

Load speed can be somewhat contingent on your hosting provider, and therefore, it’s something you should seriously consider before committing to a provider. If you have a high volume of traffic to your website then you might want to consider upgrading to private hosting, as this can offer a much speedier service in terms of load speed.

2. Optimize Images

Many website owners use large image files and then scale them down automatically using CSS, to be displayed on the user’s device. This might not seem like a problem, but the challenge is the browser has to load the full size image, then scale it down, which is a very inefficient way to process photos – and this can seriously affect load speed.

3. Enable Browser Caching

When you regularly visit a website some of the elements of that web page are stored on your hard drive, in a temporary storage folder, known as a cache. As a website owner, if you enable browser caching it means you are able to temporarily store data on the user’s computer which means they will have a much faster loading experience.

Leadership Inspirations – Life’s Tragedy

/in /by

StrategyDriven Leadership Inspirations Quote
 
“The tragedy of life is not so much what [people] suffer, but rather what they miss.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795 – 1881)
Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, translator, historian, mathematician, and teacher

Amazon Affiliate Marketing Business Review To Help Your Company Thrive

/in /by

Starting a business is not an easy feat. When you’re still new in the business arena, you have to carefully think about what to offer to your customers and promote them in marketing mediums which are convenient for them. This will demand a lot of decision-making and resources from you. You also have to think about what your competitors are doing in order to level out the playing field. You have to constantly look at their strategies, determine which works and doesn’t, and apply it on your own business. If you want your business to thrive, you should also consider using other mediums to help you achieve that goal. There are different tools which can help your business in different ways – and Amazon Local Associates Program is just one.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship ArticleAmazon Local Associates Program 101: What Is It?

Amazon can be considered as one of the leaders when it comes to online selling. For years, Amazon has offered different products which can satisfy an individual’s needs and wants. It also has unique services such as Amazon Tickets, Amazon Prime, and Amazon Music Unlimited. Collectively, all of these things became the reason why Amazon has grown throughout the years. And if you’re still a neophyte or would want to improve your business, Amazon’s Local Associate Program might be the solution you need. This is a program which allows business owners to sell Amazon products through their own website. Once the customer clicks the link from the website, the business earns a commission. This means that the more customers using the link, the more income for the business.

Amazon Local Associates Program 101: How Can It Help Businesses Thrive?

Regardless of the type of business you have right now, chances are, there are already competitors who have offered the same set of products and services. Most often than not, your competitors already operated in the industry for years before you even started your business. Diving into business with this status quo will make it hard for you to create a name or brand in the eyes of your potential customers. Good thing, because Amazon Local Associates Program can help you through the following:

1. Your business can earn more: Money is one of the most critical resources in any kind of business. No matter who your target audience is or what kind of products you’re offering, you need money so the business can operate every day. And if you’re starting a business, you might not have the abundance of this resource yet. Amazon Local Associates Program will let you earn more by promoting their products. As an Amazon business, you have to post Amazon’s product on your website or blog and earn 10% of the purchase once a customer buys from you. This might not seem like a lot, but if you put time and effort in promoting products, you’ll surely earn more over time. You can use Entrepreneur Journal Review as your resource to know how you can promote products better online.

2. You’ll engage with customers: When you’ll promote products from Amazon, you have to use the internet in order to drive in customers and profit. After all, everyone is on the internet, right? You can write blogs, improve your website and even take advantage of your social media accounts. This can become an excellent avenue to engage with your customers. You can give your recommendations about a product and earn at the same time. And if customers don’t end up buying from you, their feedback can go a long way for your business to improve. You’ll have an idea on what business’ processes actually work and doesn’t in the eyes of the customers.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article3. You can offer variety to your customers: No single customer would remain loyal to a business if the latter offers the same set of products every single time – customers need variety, too. And with Amazon’s products on the website, you’ll never have a problem with variety. You can get almost any product that your customers need because of Amazon’s wide selection. You can promote products which are similar to your business niche, making it easy for you to reach your target audience.

4. You’re assisted by Amazon: Once your business starts operating, there are many things on your plate. You have to think about the packaging and delivery of the products, customer service and returns. If your business receives a lot of order in a day, the workload can be overwhelming which can result to compromised service. When you sign up for the Amazon Local Associates Program, you’ll be assisted by Amazon. This means that they will be working on your business’ behalf behind the scenes. They will take care of the delivery, customer service, and returns, among others. All you have to do is haul in customers for sales.

5. You can gradually create a brand: Your brand is what makes you stand out from the competition. If you have one, it’ll be easy for customers to distinguish your business from others. Creating a brand might be a tedious process, but it can be done using Amazon Local Associates Program. Since you can select which products to promote, you can pick one which is based on your expertise. You can easily write content or review the product since it’s something that’s up your alley. This can gradually increase the value of your brand because customers will trust the products you’ve recommended. It won’t be long before customers will associate you as a trustworthy business and choose you from the competition.

6. You can learn a lot: The maxim that states “experience is the best teacher” is true when it comes to businesses. Whatever you experience – whether good or bad – can become your learning curve for improvement. If you’re still in the first months of your business operations, Amazon Local Associates Program can help you gain experience which you can use in your business. You can learn how to entice customers, properly communicate with them and determine what they really want from a business. Sure, you might learn these from books or other businessmen, but nothing still compares to first-hand experiences.

7. You can keep your customers even when you’re not carrying a product: Customers are the bread and butter of every business. Without them, your business will be non-existent. However, if your business is service-based, not producing your own product can become the reason for them to turn away. For example, if your business is focused on teaching children, not producing books might influence your customers to choose your competitors over you. Of course, customers would always want convenience and complete offerings. If your business doesn’t have any products, you can use those which are from Amazon’s catalogue. This is one benefit you can give from Amazon’s Local Associate Program which can help you keep customers.

Beginnings Are Tough

The beginnings are always the hardest part of the process. This is where you’ll have to figure out how to do things the right way. And when it comes to businesses, beginnings are usually very risky. If you use approaches or strategies which doesn’t guarantee positive results, you’ll end up wasting time, money and resources – things which are crucial in every business. If you want to jumpstart your business or you want it to thrive long-term, make use of Amazon Local Associates Program. It’ll require work from you, but since you’re doing almost everything with Amazon, things can become easier. Amazon can surely help your business thrive and succeed.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Contributor, Kristen PearsonKristen Pearson is a journalist and business owner who enjoys writing on the side. She’s written for website such as Journal Review and enjoys getting into detail about different aspects of business. In her spare time, she enjoys jogging.

Essential Ingredients Every Business Needs

/in /by

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
 
Unfortunately, you can’t simply launch a company and expect business to be booming overnight. There’s a framework you need to put in place, and essential ingredients you’ll want to include that will help you succeed and get through the rough times.

It’s not a wise idea to move forward blindly without specifics in place from how you’re going to get from one point to the next. Always be forward-thinking and coming up with ideas for how you can be improving as you go. Include the following key requirements you need to experience long-term stability, and you’ll be quickly heading down the right path.

A Solid Business Model & Objectives

If you want to make money with your venture, then you’re going to need to have a sound business model in place with a list of critical objectives you’re going to tackle. Pay attention to what sources of revenue you have available to you and if you feel you’re competitively priced or not as you work on your roadmap. Set goals for what you’re going to work toward in the coming years and include specifics for how you’ll achieve each one. This is an instance where you do want to obsess over the details and make sure you’re putting yourselves on a solid course to victory for the long-term.

Policies, Processes & Procedures

Every business needs to have policies, processes, and procedures in place to function optimally. It’s not a wise idea to launch your company and simply hope for the best without documenting and communicating out your rules and expectations. You’ll need this type of structure in place as you begin to hire on more staff and expand your offerings. Efficiency and speed will become even more important as you grow and the only way to do this is by coming up with a framework of best practices. There will be less confusion on a daily basis and more communication occurring between departments and individuals when everyone’s on the same page.

Technology Solutions

Doing your work manually isn’t a good solution for the future because it slows you down and provides more opportunity for errors to occur. You can read more about what your options are for how technology can improve your business such as tracking time and individual projects. This way you’ll know exactly who’s in the office when you’ll save yourself money and can quickly take note of who’s working on what projects. Adopting more technology solutions will allow your employees to be more productive and you’ll be happier because you’ll be achieving your goals at a quicker rate. Bring more of what you’re doing online, and you’ll likely notice that your business runs a lot more seamlessly and there are fewer complications.

Talented Employees

Every successful business needs to have skilled and talented employees who are ready to work hard each day. Hire wisely by taking the time to come up with specific job descriptions, read through resumes and participate in the interviewing process. Be very careful and mindful of who you hire and bring onboard because it will cost you even more money to keep replacing people. Your company will progress nicely when you can depend on the staff who you’ve hired to complete their tasks correctly the first time around and not have to constantly be babysitting and correcting mistakes. Hold regular company-wide meetings and assign your employees individual coaches to ensure everyone feels valued and connected.

Strong Leadership

No business ever made it too far without having a strong team of leaders and management in place to guide employees and execute on the company’s objectives. Surround yourself with good people who have experience working in high-level positions and understand and can help you achieve your vision. Your company needs direction and people who are committed to building a bright future filled with a lot of positive outcomes. This will be especially important in difficult times or when your staff isn’t feeling very motivated. Your business will require strong leaders who will step up in the face of adversity and never give up or quit.

Paying Customers

Your business won’t survive too long without a long list of loyal and paying customers who you can depend on in good times and in bad. It’s essential you pay attention to your clients and offer them consistent and outstanding customer service. Reach out and seek feedback and listen to their viewpoints so you can make any necessary changes going forward. Focus on delivering quality products or services that are innovative and meet the needs of your customers. Engage with them on social media and be available to answer their questions or talk through any concerns. What will help you out the most is continuously testing out new products or services with small groups of people before you go to market with them, so you can guarantee they’re a hit.

A Plan for Problems

You should never expect all to go smoothly and as planned when you’re running a business. There will always be roadblocks, obstacles and unexpected happenings that you’ll need to deal with and manage. Think ahead by planning for problems and determining what it is that could possibly go wrong, so you’re prepared for these hiccups when they do occur. Always spend within your means and have resources available to you should anything get steered in another direction, and you need to act fast. Focus on problem-solving your way out of sticky situations instead of flying off the handle or giving in to these inevitable issues.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the essential ingredients every business needs to truly thrive in a competitive and cutthroat landscape. Work on achieving success in these areas, and you’ll be a lot better off as you continue to develop your company. What will help you to accomplish this goal is if you make a list and then prioritize what you believe is most important that you get done first and continue to work your way through the remaining items.

Leadership Inspirations – Committees

/in /by

StrategyDriven Leadership Inspirations Quote
 
“What is a committee?  A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary.”

Richard Long Harkness (1907 – 1977)
Washington Correspondent for NBC and The Philadelphia Inquirer