4 Ways to Maximise Real Estate Investing

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | 4 Ways to Maximise Real Estate InvestingWhat do your investor friends talk about all the time? What investment vehicles do they discuss, and what sectors dominate the conversations? Chances are that real estate investments are a major part of every conversation. People are drawn to real estate investments for a number of reasons: Having a real-life asset that you can touch, or amicable tax incentives are among many reasons why real estate is a popular investment niche. If this is something that you’re interested in, be sure to check out Brooklyn, NY property management.

But beyond the water-cooler conversation, how can you get the most out of your real estate investments? What do you need to do to maximize their potential, and what tips or tricks should you keep in the back of your mind for future deals? In this article, we’ll look at four possible ways to maximize your real estate investments.

Look Global

Global real estate investments have never been more accessible for investors large and small. New investment vehicles, accessible online, allow a small investor in Florida, USA and a large investor from Saudi Arabia to invest in the same properties. One of the most common vehicles is the US-based Real Estate Investment Trusts or REITs. A REIT is a company that owns, operates, or invests in revenue-producing real estate. REITs function as intermediaries, allowing investors to see profits and revenue without direct ownership or property management.

REITs began in the United States, but have now spread around the world; in the US, various kinds of REITs account for nearly $3 trillion in gross assets. There’s a wide range of flexibility within the world of REITs; a REIT can invest in any form of real estate, although most specialize in a particular niche. Hotels, multifamily, offices, senior housing – all are legitimate sectors for REIT investments.

Go Mobile

It’s the age of apps, and real estate investment is definitely in on the trend. There are apps to help locate investment opportunities like Property Fixer, apps that provide networking and education resources like BiggerPockets, and even apps that allow direct investment into REITs. In the last category, known as eREITs, you can find highly successful apps like Fundrise, which have taken the expanded reach of REITs and put them onto everyone’s phone. The world of real estate investment has even produced entire suites of software designed to streamline communications between investors and operators. These suites, known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software like the one from Groundbreaker.co, are all aimed to boost your real estate investments to their maximum potential while giving you more access to your portfolio from anywhere at anytime.

Get Expansive

Today is not the day to think small. Whatever your budget, there are more opportunities than ever before, from traditional house-flipping to building a portfolio of REITs that focuses on specific niches you find attractive. There are new investment niches, such as green real estate or the growing student housing market, and new ways to research those areas. Think big, look beyond local markets only, and network with other investors to find and fund new real estate opportunities.

Shrink Your Vision

Now for the opposite advice: don’t forget the small-scale stuff either! There are lots of opportunities still available close to home. Some long-standing investment models are receiving fresh attention and interest. Delaware Statutory Trusts fall into this category, an older, well-established model of investment trust which has recently emerged as an attractive vehicle that facilitates participation in tax-deferment programs for real estate investments. While you are pursuing and researching the latest and best eREITs and investment apps, don’t forget to perform due diligence on some of the tried-and-true methods right in front of you.

Conclusion

From new apps with a global reach to long-standing legal entities designed to protect your investments, these are four ways to maximize your real estate investing and give your portfolio new life.

Marketing Advice for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Marketing Advice for Your Business

You may have the best product or service in the world, but if you do not know how you market it, you will not be able to sell it. What this means is that your competitor with an inferior product can potentially make far more sales than you if they have the marketing wherewithal you lack. It may seem easy, post a few adverts on social media, the product will sell itself. You need to understand now that this is not going to work. You need a fully thought out marketing strategy and the ability to maintain it into the future. So here are some ideas to get you started.

Your website

You need to invest in your website. It has to be fully functioning, quick loading, and work in all browsers and devices, as a prerequisite. There is no point in having a beautiful marketing campaign that points to a rundown old website that doesn’t even work properly. There will be a huge disconnect, and people will think they are in the wrong place. Your website needs to be discoverable, so you need to invest time in working out keywords from your target market, and what they are likely to input into a search engine. Once you have done this, you can fully SEO (search engine optimization) every page of your website. Content on the site needs to be updated regularly, so having a blog is essential these days.

Brand awareness

You need a good brand for the business. So think logos and taglines. These must be used on all your content. The idea is to get the brand into people’s minds. In addition, think about your personal brand. You should create your own site where you can authentically promote your business. As a person, you can connect with people more easily, so developing your personal brand is essential. This means that if you have any accolades which make you the perfect person to listen to, such as having gone through a master of occupational therapy program for your clinic, tell your story on a vlog.

Social media

Any business that wants to succeed in the modern world has to have a presence on social media. It is a free way to advertise, and it gives you an unprecedented way to learn about your target audience and connect with them. You need to create a separate method of marketing for each social media platform. However, the onus is on quality posts over quantity. You need to have some glossy images, a good story to tell, think about social responsibility, and what you are doing to help the plant, for example. Have a look at your competitors and members of your target audience to get an idea about what they share. This will give you some ideas about how best to proceed. In terms of frequency of posts, about two to three times a day, every day. You need to be there, but not whitewash people’s feeds as this will have the opposite effect to the one you want, they will switch off.

How To Build A Reputable Contractor Business

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article | Entrepreneurship | How To Build A Reputable Contractor Business

Working in the construction industry is a competitive landscape but can also be a rewarding career. It’s up to you to win over new clients and build a book of customers who will use and recommend your services.

As a contractor, your reputation matters and the word will spread quickly about whether or not you know how to do your job. It’s up to you to impress clients and produce quality work, so know there will be a lot of pressure on your shoulders on any given day. Use the following advice to help you build a reputable and successful contractor business, so your company is around for years to come.

Present Ideas & Solutions

As the contractor, it’s your job to come to client meetings prepared to share your knowledge and expertise. Offer up ideas and solutions that your customers will find useful and will help them to achieve their project goals. For example, incorporate the advancements in technology such as https://www.sgspecialties.com/products/contractor-solutions/expansion-joints to help protect and prevent the buildings you create from experiencing any fire or earthquake damages. These are solutions that your customers may not be aware of, and that will help you to construct a better building.

Collect Testimonials

You need to have a solid reputation if you’re going to make it long-term in the construction business. Therefore, collect testimonials from your customers so that others can see the benefits of working with you. People who are interested in hiring you will want to hear what you’re like to work with from other clients and not necessarily from you. The better reviews you have, the more likely it is that you’ll begin to receive more work orders. Use these testimonials as a marketing tool to show potential customers that you’re the best person for the job.

Be Responsive

Although you’re in the business of building and constructing, you’re also in the business of working with people. Your clients should be your number one priority, and you should do whatever’s in your power to keep them happy if you want to succeed. Improve your reputation by being personable and friendly in your interactions and responsive to questions or inquiries that arise. Disappearing for days at a time or not being available to address concerns will make you look bad, and your reputation may take a hit for your actions.

Perfect Your Skill

Another way to build a reputable contractor business is to let your work speak for itself. Perfect your skill by learning from others and your mistakes. Use your free time to practice in areas that are giving you trouble or to take a class and advance your education. You’re going to want to make sure you know what you’re doing and can produce results worth talking about for your customers. If you’re continuously committing errors or not delivering on your promise, then you risk people going elsewhere for these types of services. Be organized and avoid cutting corners or having hidden fees if you want to build an excellent reputation for yourself and your business.

6 Ways Entry-Level Engineers Can Get an Employer’s Attention

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | 6 Ways Entry-Level Engineers Can Get an Employer's Attention | Talent Management | Resume | Cover LetterYou are about to graduate with that coveted engineering degree. It’s the ticket you were told would land you a high-paying position in that big (or rising) tech firm you’ve had your eye on. Yes, the economy appears to be humming along with many companies eager to hire. But before you prepare your resume and cover letter, there are several things you need to do to make yourself more attractive to today’s CEOs and the people that they trust to make the best hires for them.

Here are six helpful tips that will be a sure way to catch that employer’s attention:

Clean Up and Polish Your Social Media

A recent Harvard Business Review article noted that many recruitment subcontractors scour LinkedIn and other social media to find potential candidates. They’ll trace your “digital exhaust” from cookies and other user-tracking programs to learn who you are. So, ditch those college party photos you have on Instagram, Facebook, etc. Replace them with photos or videos of you working hard at that tech firm you interned with during the summer. Don’t have any intern photos? Plug in some pics of tech projects you worked on in your garage or senior lab. Use photos of you attending tech seminars and symposiums – preferably those attended by that tech firm you want to join.

It also doesn’t hurt to add a professional bio to your social media account(s). And replace college handles and URLs with those that make you look more professional. Create a brand that sets you apart – post, share, or re-tweet anything related to the industry you’re eager to enter. Follow blogs, news sources, and any other websites that represent thought leaders in the tech field you want to work in.

Network like Mad

Referrals and professional networks are 1st and 3rd in order of what CEOs consider sources of quality. People in the tech industry know that you’re young, hungry and need advice. And many are all too willing to share what they know. They remember what it was like when they tried to break in. So go to every trade show, conference seminar, and networking event you can get into. Talk to people in booths and after seminars. Ask what you can do to get into their apprenticeship, internship or mentor program.

Print out 500 “job seeker” business cards with your name, major and the job you’re looking for. Include your contact info and website if you have one. Hand these out to people you meet at trade shows, tech conferences, and seminars. They may not have an opening, but word gets around about your unique approach. And someone may just call you.

Another tactic is to attend any social/community outreach programs which the firm you’re interested in may be sponsoring. Talk to the people there and ask if you can help. People are more open at these events and the conversation tends to be more relaxed. It also builds your reputation as a caring individual; the kind that other employees like to be around. Who knows, you may end up serving food to the homeless next to the firm’s CEO. (if that happens, ditch the hard sell, but answer any questions—just make sure they remember your name. Write your last name out clearly on your “Hello, my name is” tag.)

Sell Yourself in the Cover Letter

The letter is a key element in any job search. It paints a picture that CEOs, recruiters, and hiring managers will create in their minds about the kind of person you are. Like your resume, your letter should dovetail with the firm’s needs and requirements. If you met an engineer or other tech staff member from that company at a seminar, conference or other event, namedrop that in your letter. ‘Beta test’ your letter with a career counselor or someone you know in the industry. And keep it short, no more than a page – single-spaced.

Fine Tune Your Resume

If you’re an astute tech grad, you should know how to write a resume. There are all sorts of resume writing tips and templates online. The important thing to remember is to fine-tune your resume to the needs of the tech company you’re eager to join. That means including any internships and mentor programs you’ve completed. Don’t forget to stress any senior-level projects that align with the company’s product or service.

And don’t ‘fudge’ your background—many university career counselors advise students not to be as forthcoming with their qualifications or remove entire degrees if the job posting doesn’t call for it. While this may get you the interview, it will bring up more questions that will put off hiring managers when they ask you for details during the interview.

As with your cover letter, beta test it with guidance counselors and any pros you know in the industry. You can also get a free resume evaluation at Monster’s Resume Writing Service. You’ll get detailed feedback, including a review of your resume’s appearance and content, as well as a prediction of a recruiter’s first impression.

Make Your Resume Bot Friendly

It’s a regrettable fact that many recruiters, HR managers, and other gatekeepers use applicant-tracking systems (ATS) to pre-filter resumes. These bots look for keywords and key phrases. So include verb phrases and skills written in the firm’s job description. Use both the acronym and the spelled-out form of any given title, certification, or organization. And dump the ‘career objective’ section. Bots ignore this and so do most gatekeepers. Replace it with a qualifications summary – a bullet-pointed section packed with ATS-friendly keywords that highlight your achievements, applicable skills, and internships. Use spell check and grammar-check programs to wipe your resume (and cover letter) of any mistakes.

Ace the Interview

You made the shortlist and got a face-to-face interview. At this point, the job is yours to lose. So learn all you can about the company. Scour the firm’s website. Commit to memory the company’s key current events found in the ‘news’ section. If you met any company employees at a seminar, trade show or other function, be prepared to talk about your conversation(s) you had with them.

If you don’t know the answer to a tough technical question, own up sooner rather than later. It’s much better to admit temporary ignorance than fake your way in front of a potential expert. And do ask questions. If you don’t ask anything at the end of an interview, it shows a lack of interest in the company and what your typical workday might be like.

Know your resume like the back of your hand. Be prepared to discuss how your skills and talents align with the needs of the company. By the way, you should already be familiar with the basics of interviewing – firm handshake, smile, good eye contact, and dressing a step up from the person you meet. Check out a few videos on body language as well. And do follow up promptly after the interview with a thank you email – that’s one more chance to stand out among the other in-person interviewees.

You will want to start working on these steps well before you graduate so that when that graduation ceremony comes up and you get your cap and gown, you are well on your way to landing your first dream job.

About the Author

Dr. Radu Reit is the Vice-Chair of the Marketing Committee at the Society for Information Display (SID). Display Week 2020 will be held June 7-12, 2020, in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.displayweek.org.

Content Marketing Success Through Audience Targeting

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Content Marketing Success Through Audience Targeting

It seems to happen to the best of us. You devote hours and hours of time to writing a great piece of content that you just know is going to drive hordes of people to your website. Of those hordes of people, hopefully, a few will become customers. For some reason, however, it doesn’t work. Very few people read it and those who do aren’t engaging with you or your business. You’re left wondering what happened and what you could have done better.

Often the problem lies in a disconnect between the content creator and their audience. If a piece of content fails to pick up traction, it’s usually because it doesn’t fit what the audience was searching for. Content marketing towards your target audience is an essential piece of the puzzle. Before you can effectively deliver your message, you need to understand who you are marketing it to and why.

Understanding your target audience is complicated and involves more than one step. Here are some ways to achieve content marketing success by targeting the right audience.

Conduct Market Research

The fact of the matter is if you want to know who your target audience is, you’ve got to do the research. Both SEO and content marketing demand research to be successful. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking up keyword strategies or choosing topics for long-form content, you have to begin by researching what topics people want to know about.

Thankfully, you don’t have to just guess. There are several tools available that can help you find out what topics are trending and how to rank long tail keywords. Audience Key, for example, allows you to optimize content, quantify search audience, map your keyword strategy, and much more. You can find data and analytics that will help you know what’s working and get to know your audience.

Sometimes the research may take just as long as it does to produce your content – and that’s ok. It’s better to take the time to produce content for your intended audience and see results instead of spending all that time to effectively have the content flop.

Engage Your Readers Using Emotion

In any case, you’re looking for your readers to have an emotional response to what you’re saying. Of course, you want clicks, shares, and conversions. It’s your business after all. None of that follows if you can’t reach your audience on an emotional level, however.

One of the easiest ways to drive engagement on your site and connect with your audience is to ask them questions. You want your audience to share their own feelings and opinions to connect with you. Ask your readers what they want to hear about. You can also end your content with direct questions to get the conversation going in the comments. Additionally, ask their opinions on your recommended products and services. Encourage conversation, questions, and healthy debates.

Reconnect With Your Audience

If you are having trouble engaging your audience, try starting over again. You’ll need to get a good understanding of your audience. This includes:

  • Find out what your audience is passionate about, and write content for them.
  • Connect with your readers on an emotional level to build a community. Encourage conversation and questions.
  • Research the market demographics of your audience thoroughly.
  • Remember to include a call to action when you want your audience to do something. Often, people simply need to be told what you’d like them to do.

It’s easy to see how these guidelines can help increase the amount of engagement your content receives, as well as sales and conversions. When it comes to content marketing, it doesn’t have to be a mystery.