Why Your Business Needs To Be Tech-Savvy From The Get-Go

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We’re well into the second half of 2019 now, and boy do we have some crazy hardware, software, and apps around. Everywhere you go, and almost everywhere you look, you’re bombarded with a piece of technology. The future really is now; lord knows what our communities will look like in a decade or so. If you look back at around twenty years ago; you’ll picture things being awfully different to now.

From a business and money-making standpoint, it’s kind of crazy how many opportunities to earn a good living are based around the tech and gadgets we have in our households. For example, you could sit in your home working on a website, and within two years, you could be the CEO of a thriving online business. It would obviously take a lot of work, but it’s completely possible – isn’t that amazing?!

With that said, if you’re currently running a business or you’re planning on launching one, then you might want to get yourself online and figure out how it all works pronto. There are still some old-school business and old methods being applied, but they’ll soon be swallowed up by an industry that is only going to grow from here on in. There will be more and more tech in our faces as the years go by, so you’ll need to get to grips with this stuff ASAP.

It’s not a mad rush; don’t panic. But you will want to be a tech-savvy company with a sexy online presence sooner rather than later – the success is waiting for you; all you have to do is get with the times. Here’s why it’s probably a good idea to have modern online existence right from the word ‘go.’

You’re Ready Immediately

A proactive attitude is better than a reactive one. If you’re constantly on your heels and behaving to what happens around you, then you’ll also ways be second best. Beginning on the front foot is the right way to go about things.

You’ll Look A Lot More Attractive Overall

When you look at a company’s website to learn a little more, how annoying is it when the site isn’t available because it’s not ready yet? Quite. First impressions are key, so you’ll want to make sure that people’s perceptions of you are great right from the start. Being online and knowing what you’re doing in this walk on life also looks a lot more professional. People are comfortable being around a group that knows what they’re doing.

You Can Be Protected At All Times

If you know your onions, then you’ll know that you can be attacked by hackers and alike at any time. Knowing what you have to do in terms of cybersecurity may save you a lot of stress and a lot of money. Getting help from companies like Vertex Solutions early on can save you any hassle or heartbreak as they’ll keep you secure and deter any wrongdoers.

You Can Evolve Quickly

Sooner or later, technology and different apps are going to go one further and become something even more powerful. If you’re in the position to move with the times, then that’s only going to be beneficial. If you’re stuck in the past and aren’t really familiar with what’s around now, then you’ll be forever playing catch-up.

How To Run A More Successful Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How To Run A More Successful BusinessIt’s important that you’re always trying to improve if you want to run a more successful business. You may be getting by as it stands today but this type of approach isn’t what’s going to help you grow and reach your full potential in the long run.

It’s important to take matters into your own hands and figure out ways for how you can set and achieve your goals in a timely manner. You’ll find your job that much more rewarding when you’re able to overcome obstacles you’re facing and reach new heights. Avoid wondering what could be, and instead focus on putting the following ideas into action so you can experience future success at your business.

Deliver on Your Promise

One way to deliver on your promise is to have a strategy in place that you can execute on time and time again. Always provide great service and never let your reputation or quality of work and products come into question. For example, check out how one company came up with a winning formula for solving problems related to designing Silicone wound care products for their customers. The more consistently you deliver on your promise the more business you’re going to be able to retain and win over.

Hire Leaders

Your company will experience greater success when you have leaders in place who are supporting you with your endeavors. As you expand your company over the years, you’re not going to be able to execute on all you want to do by yourself. You’ll need individuals in influential roles who can help you move the needle in a forward and positive direction and ensure that your company becomes a leader in your industry.

Organize Your Finances

Run a more successful business by understanding your financial situation and what money you have going out and coming in each month. Know where the majority of your profits are stemming from and take time to recognize and cut unnecessary spending. You’ll find that your company performs a lot better when you’re making wise financial decisions and avoiding making assumptions when it comes to your books and record keeping.

Take Calculated Risks

Another way to run a more successful business includes being willing to take calculated risks when the situation calls for it. Sitting back waiting for opportunities to come to you will likely leave you feeling defeated and frustrated at the end of the day. So, it’s important to step up and take initiative, and to figure out ways for how you can outsmart your competitors and innovate your products or services to show you’re committed to evolving over time and not settling for a mediocre business.

Conclusion

Your business will become more successful when you’re willing to fix problem areas and focus on the right types of projects. Use these tips as a starting point for coming up with a winning formula that will make a real difference in your performance and customer satisfaction scores. Be sure to track your progress so you can see exactly which modifications are bringing you the greatest rewards.

3 Ways to Improve Your Digital Marketing Skills

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StrategyDriven Professional DevelopmentArticle | 3 Ways to Improve Your Digital Marketing SkillsAs more and more people are now shopping online and getting their information from the internet, the demand for digital marketing professionals is increasing. The rise in smartphones has led to billions of people having access to the internet all over the world, and it is only going to increase in the coming years.

Whether you are just starting out or have been in the industry for a while, there are always new things to learn. That is especially true of digital marketing where social media and advertising platforms are always updating guidelines and algorithms. To stay up to date with what’s happening in the industry and to keep yourself in demand as one of the top markers around, here are some tip to keep you at the top of your game.

Take an Online Course

Thanks to the internet, access to online courses of most people is really easy. The accessibility and affordability of courses mean that you could get a professional qualification from a marketing body or an industry-standard certificate from any of the leading online education platforms.

One of the most popular advertising platforms is Google AdWords. Because of its popularity, it’s advisable to have a working knowledge of the platform at least because you are likely to come across it at some point in your career. Finding an AdWords Course and completing the qualification will give you a greater depth of knowledge and will help you to learn some more advanced skills.

Attend a Seminar or Marketing Event

The great thing about marketing seminars and events is that the organizers usually book keynote speakers who have won awards or who are key industry influencers. This provides a fantastic opportunity to learn from the best in the business and find out what the latest trends are in the industry.

You will also find at events like this that there is ample opportunity for networking. If you haven’t done any networking before, it might be an idea to brush up on your networking skills before you go. Remember to take business cards with you and ask people for theirs, just in case you meet any useful industry contacts that you need to follow up with.

Buy Digital Marketing Books

There are many digital marketing books that have been written by top industry professionals that you can learn a lot from and apply to your own marketing. The topics can range from in-depth digital marketing strategy to building a tactical plan to planning a campaign. You may even be able to find books on specific platforms like Facebook or Twitter.

Marketing books can be purchased from a range of different outlets, including online through Amazon. These books are usually written to be worked through and referred to, not as a sit-down and read. Most will have space for you to make notes, and it’s a good idea to highlight any key themes or frameworks you think might be useful to implement in your day to day work.

Industrial Generator Sizing: How to Measure Your Place of business for the Right Generator

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | Industrial Generator Sizing: How to Measure Your Place of business for the Right GeneratorBefore you choose a generator for your place of business, you have to measure the building to buy the right one. Learn about industrial generator sizing here. Power outages are one of the most common reasons businesses experience interruption-related loss. Claims of this type have totaled more than $5 billion. If you live in an area where there are storms of any kind, then you are at risk for this type of loss. It is easily preventable, though. All you need is a generator. But you can’t buy just any generator. You need to buy the right one that is big enough to run your business. Use this guide on industrial generator sizing to help you with your purchase.

Size

Before you start shopping for a generator, you need to know what you want to power. This will help you determine what size generator you need.

Factoring Size

You can determine the size you need by calculating the voltage of all of the electronics you wish to power. Then you can figure out the total voltage you need to power everything.

Make a list of everything that needs power. Now note on your list the starting and running wattage requirements for each item. Calculate your total need.
You should be able to find these requirements in the owner’s manual or on a metal plate affixed to the unit. Occasionally you will find amps instead of watts.

You can use this formula to convert them.

  • Reactive load: (amps x volts) x load factor= wattage
  • Resistance load: Amps x volts = wattage

You need to know both the starting and running demand to ensure you buy a generator that can handle these two different types of needs.

Single or Three-Phase

You will also need to decide if you need a single or three-phase generator. The power that comes out of the generator is the same as your home electrical outlets. The power travels in a wave pattern.

A single-phase generator has a single output of fluctuating wave where the power goes up and down. A three-phase generator uses three different waves. They are slightly out of sync so that the generator is always at peak power.

If you need to power basic office electronics, then you’re probably okay with a single-phase generator.If you need to power large equipment or machinery, then you will do better with a three-phase generator.

Noise Level

Think about where you plan to place your generator. Generators can be loud, and it will disrupt your work if you put it too close to your office. You should also consider any noise ordinances.

As a general rule, the larger the generator, the more noise it will produce.

Budget

Our guide wouldn’t be complete without a section on budget. Determine what you can afford and stick to it.

Keep in mind that this unit will save you thousands in losses from power outages. You should also consider the growth of your business. You don’t want to invest in a barely big enough generator that you will outgrow in a year or two.

Bellwood Rewinds has plenty of options so you can find the perfect generator for your business.

Know Your Industrial Generator Sizing

Now that you know the basics of industrial generator sizing, you are ready to start shopping for your generator. Remember, you need a generator that will power your electronics during both starting and running.

You can narrow down your search by focusing on generators that are within your budget.

Be sure to read our insights section for more advice on running a successful business.

Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs: The Straight Dope – Why needs are more like vitamins than pyramids

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article | Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs: The Straight Dope - Why needs are more like vitamins than pyramidsThe question of how to motivate people is a central preoccupation for most businesses: how to motivate employees to work hard; how to motivate customers to buy and recommend your company’s products; how to motivate partner organizations to work with you; how to motivate shareholders to buy your stock. For many people, the go-to theory for motivation was put forward by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper ‘A Theory of Human Motivation’ and is most commonly known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

The chances are you’ve come across the five-tiered pyramid, with physiological needs such as food, sleep and sex at its base, rising up to needs around safety, then belonging, then esteem, until we reach the top of the pyramid, where needs around self-actualization reside: the fulfilment of these needs was a subject of fascination for Maslow. He admired people like Albert Einstein, who he believed to be a paragon of self-actualization. In fact, he was so enamored by the likes of Einstein and Mother Teresa and Beethoven that he based his theory of self-actualization around them. The tip of his pyramid contains a list of the qualities he most admired in his heroes: morality, creativity, problem-solving capability and absence of prejudice. The purpose of the hierarchy is to demonstrate that until lower-order needs have been met, it’s difficult for individuals to focus on and satisfy their higher-order needs. In Maslow’s words: ‘For the man who is extremely and dangerously hungry, no other interests exist but food.’

Where’s the science?

The popularity of Maslow’s hierarchy lies in how simple it is to grasp and how flexible it is in its application. As a universal theory of human motivation, it can be used to make the case for staff canteens, team-building days, canapés at investor presentations and CSR schemes. And because each of the five layers of needs feels intuitive to Western minds, any huckster business consultant or cod psychologist can manipulate it to suit their purposes. But few people who use the hierarchy seem to understand it is based on the biographies of 18 people. There’s no scientific method at work. No body of evidence exists to prove or disprove the veracity of the model or its assumptions. He may as well have built his model around Jane and Michael’s nanny advert from Mary Poppins: a cheery disposition… Kind… Witty…. Never cross or cruel… In fact, there are striking similarities between Mary Poppins and Maslow’s actualized self.

A more serious issue with Maslow’s model is that it reflects a Western tendency to consider the individual above the collective. This is a huge value judgment, given that self-actualization and self-esteem both sit above love and belonging. It’s not clear why needs need to exist in a hierarchy at all – particularly one that champions the self to such a degree. Van Gogh and Vermeer managed to create sublime works of art, despite spending much of their lives on the poverty line. And a 2011 analysis of Gallup data from over 60 thousand people across 123 countries revealed that we are happiest when we achieve a balanced fulfilment of needs – including a balance between basic needs, social needs and self-actualization needs. In other words, it’s wrong to think of needs belonging to a hierarchy. Needs are like vitamins – we need a healthy and varied diet of them.

Beyond making ourselves happy, this has significant implications for how we think about leadership, attracting and retaining employees, and how to make customers happy. In the case of leadership, it suggests we place too great an emphasis on individual effectiveness and not enough on understanding group dynamics. When it comes to motivating employees, we probably pay too much attention to personal development, reward and recognition, at the expense of influence and social currency. And in the case of customers, we almost certainly pay too much attention to satisfying individuals’ rational and emotional needs and too little on the social benefits that organizations deliver to their customers and the communities they are a part of. Ultimately, humans are far less selfish than Maslow’s model suggests. That’s a reason to celebrate. And to find a better model of human motivation.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Nick LiddellNick Liddell is co-author, with Richard Buchanan, of Wild Thinking: 25 Unconventional Idea to Grow Your Brand and Your Business. He is Director of Consulting at The Clearing, helping global brands grow and make a difference. For more information, please visit: https://www.koganpage.com/product/wild-thinking-9780749484507