Renting vs. Purchasing Construction Mats: Which Option Is Right for Your Business Needs?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Construction Mats|Renting vs. Purchasing Construction Mats: Which Option Is Right for Your Business Needs?Construction mats, also referred to as access mats, crane mats, or equipment mats, serve a few important purposes. They protect the environment from the harm that could be caused by heavy equipment, create temporary roads and bridges, and provide a stable platform for heavy equipment to ensure safe operation.

While it’s usually obvious when a construction firm or contractor needs construction mats, it can be more difficult for business owners and independent equipment operators to determine whether they should buy mats or rent them for individual projects. Read on to find a few questions contractors or business owners can ask themselves whose answers will help clarify which solution will be a better fit.

How Long Will the Mats Be Used?

First, determine how long the project will take to complete. As a general rule of thumb, contractors should purchase mats for any project that will take six months or longer to finish. Spartan Mat offers a wide variety of new and used construction mats and also offers rental options for those who decide it’s not worth the money to buy the products outright.

Those who want a more precise idea of how much they will pay can add the amount of rent they will pay to the cost of shipping the mats back to the rental company. If it is approaching the amount of money it would cost to buy the mats outright, that’s usually a better choice.

How Likely Are the Mats to Break?

Most rental companies charge clients the price of the mats if they break, so it’s important to take the likelihood of this happening into account. There are many factors that influence how well construction mats will stand up to use, including the age of the mat, the number of times it will be moved throughout the project timeline, what type of machines will be placed on it, and whether it will be sitting in the mud.

Companies that plan to use their mats heavily in less-than-ideal environmental conditions should expect some breakage, even if they rent high-quality products. Ask the rental company about its policy regarding broken mats and consider the particulars of the job in question before deciding whether to rent or to buy.

How Much Will It Cost to Ship the Mats?

Rented construction mats must be shipped to and from the job site, and renters are often responsible for paying the return freight. If the rental company is far away, the cost of shipping the mats back after the job has been completed can make a huge difference when it comes to economic feasibility.

How Often Will the Mats Be Used?

All other things considered, if a company needs to use construction mats on a regular basis, it’s worth buying them instead of renting them. When renting other types of equipment, contractors can take advantage of perks like not having to deal with maintenance and equipment breakdowns, but since most rental companies require renters to pay for broken mats, this is a different story. As long as the company has a safe place to store them, buying mats will save money on shipping.

The Bottom Line

There’s no one right answer to the question of whether it’s more economically viable to buy or rent construction mats. Every situation is different. Contractors and business owners should now have a better idea of what factors they should consider when making this important decision.

Top ten collectible items that can land you a fortune

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Collectibles|TOP TEN COLLECTIBLE ITEMS THAT CAN LAND YOU A FORTUNECan someone be luckier than the young girl from Congo who discovered The Incomparable? As estimated to be worth $55 million, this diamond adorns the world’s most expensive necklace. That’s just one example of how collecting rare items can land you an unexpected fortune. Your grandfather might’ve owned an ordinary car back in the ’40s. He probably never thought it would become a vintage object in the future. Now you can sell this vehicle for millions of dollars. Do you know how rare William Shakespeare’s signatures are? Do you have a copy of Gutenberg’s first print of the Bible, or does your family own a book signed by its long-dead author? You can make easy money by selling an authentic photograph of Billy the Kid. A croquet picture of the American outlaw valued almost around $5 million in 2015. That’s how much people are willing to pay for rare collectibles. Collecting stuff is a healthy hobby. And, if you can contact the right pawn shop, this hobby often turns into sweet green. The requirements for a fortune-landing collectible are simple. They must be old, rare, and in demand. Below is the list of ten collectible items that can make you a millionaire in no time.

BOOKS

Books have always been a real attraction for the masses. Some have caused revolutions in human history, and some have changed our perception of the world. No wonder if da Vinci’s Codex Leicester gets sold for $31 million. You may have some rare first prints of the Harry Potter series in your attic. Signed copies by J. K. Rowling can earn you up to $2000. If you have first editions of the Kite Runner or the Twilight, that’s some treasure you’re sitting on right now.

GOLD

A wedding ring worn by your grandma can be worth millions today. There are gold watches with a price tag of more than ten million dollars. The 1933 Double Eagle gold coin is worth $7.5 million. Gold items can be sold for more than their face value if they have a history attached to them. If you are looking for an authentic platform to sell some gold, try Meriden Pawn in Connecticut for smart and secure trading. Jewelry will always keep its place among the most expensive collectibles in the world.

TRADING CARDS

The purpose of trading cards is for people to collect them. Kids have been collecting Dragon Ball, Pokemon, or Dual Masters cards for ages. The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is supposed to be a rare collectible. These cards bring people into debates about their authenticity. A unique Pikachu Illustrator Card has only six copies left in the world, and each one will cost you a hundred thousand dollars. Your playable collectibles can make you productive overnight.

MOVIE POSTERS

What if your ancestors went to see Gone with the Wind and brought back a poster? Is it likely for you to have an old poster depicting Marilyn Monroe’s signature skirt? These things do have their market among connoisseurs. In 2012, a guy paid a million euros for nine vintage posters, including one from Metropolis. Someone paid $435 thousand for a one-sheet poster of The Mummy (1932). Even the relatively-modern ones from Casablanca and Pulp Fiction can easily make you a lucky fellow.

STAMPS

Stamps collection is one of the most common trends among collectors. This hobby isn’t always just-entertainment. Sometimes, you find in your possession a rare vintage stamp that is now worth millions. Only two Benjamin Franklin Z Grill postage stamps are in existence today. One in the ownership of William H. Gross is worth $3 million. The same goes for Inverted Jenny, Hawaiian Missionary, and Black Empress; all these stamps are valuable collectibles and are worth a fortune. The mistake of a careless printer can be the source of someone’s wealth.

VIDEO GAMES

If you were a fan of Nintendo games in the ’90s, you might be hoarding an expensive collectible. In 2010, the only known complete version of Atari’s Air Raid made a sale of $33 thousand. Possessing a rare copy of Tetris or Birthday Mania can be your key to untouched wealth. These video games have now become a cultural obsession because of their rarity and previous popularity. Atari only produced one cartridge of Gamma Attack, which is now worth $50 thousand. That’s how much you can make if you’ve carefully preserved your childhood memories.

DOLLS

Yes, dolls aren’t just for girls to play with interestingly. Some toys are worth millions if people count them as collectibles. A Barbie doll from the late ’50s can land you a quick fortune. A porcelain doll made 80-100 years ago is a luxurious vintage item. In 2014, an auction house sold one such Parisian collectible for $300 thousand. There are multiple ways to determine if your doll collection is a treasure or not. The mark of the manufacturer matters just as the age of the doll does.

COINS

Collecting coins is probably the second most common hobby after stamps. Some people have an obsession with gathering coins from different countries. Others go a step further and try their luck with the currency of the past. It’s sporadic to find coins buried in the earth. But you may have some vintage ones in your collection. Flowing Hair Silver is the costliest coin in the world. Someone bought it in 2013 for an incredible sum of $10 million.

COMIC BOOKS

Possessing an old comic book or the first print of a famous manga can be quite rewarding. A 1938 comic book depicting the first appearance of Superman made $3.2 million in 2014. The hapless guy who owned this collectible started the bid at 99 cents. But eBay proved to be quite generous to Darren Adams. Two hours into an auction and people were offering millions to purchase the debut issue of Clark Kent. If someone in your family loved DC/Marvel, you should try your luck with their belongings.

ACTION FIGURES

If you have an action figure in pristine condition, it can get sold as a rare collectible. A Darth Vader or Babe Ruth action figure is worth thousands of dollars. In 2009, an auction sold a 1963 GI. Joe figurine for $200 thousand. Do you know that there exist only two Elastic Batman figures left in the world? These stretchable collectibles are worth a lot of bucks. The market’s quite crazy for Star Wars action figures if you have the rarest pieces. The Goku Yardrat Variant Full Action Figure is so unique that only a few photographs of it are available online. It’s one of the most sought-after collectibles in the world of anime.

CONCLUSION

A 2000 research suggested that 73 million American citizens were collectors. It means that around 35% of the US population used to collect vintage items. Pamela Danziger stated that most Americans collected coins, figurines, trading cards, and dolls. From books and cars to Victorians and autographs, collectibles make a vast industry. A Forbes study revealed that collectibles constitute a $200 billion market. Therefore, there’s a good chance you’re one of those lucky guys with a rarity in his/her possession. So, start going through your memorabilia because a fortune’s waiting for you.

How to Use Website Design to Drive Digital Marketing

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Website Design|How to Use Website Design to Drive Digital MarketingWhile the majority of business owners are aware of the importance of digital marketing, many lack the technical know-how to fully comprehend the extent to which a successful digital marketing strategy relies upon website design. A well-designed website is one that can be trusted, not just by customers, but by search engines too. Without this trust and navigability, the potential of any digital marketing campaign will be severely limited.

Why Web Design and Digital Marketing are Inextricably Linked

There seems to be an obvious answer to this question: customers won’t want to spend time on a poorly designed site. While this is true, there is much more to it. Awareness of the extent to which a website affects marketing comes from focusing on how a customer arrives at the site. Of course, a website design must facilitate an enjoyable customer experience, but in order for this to happen a website must be accessible, otherwise, all efforts are futile.

While there are some tweaks that can be performed in-house, consulting a website design company that specializes in marketing, such as The Gist, is the best way to ensure a site is fully optimized and complements your wider marketing strategy. Optimized design has a big impact on the website’s potential search engine rankings. The list below outlines some areas of focus.

Loading Speeds

Search engines are businesses looking to provide the best product to their users. This is particularly apparent when considering loading speeds. Take Google as an example: their research has shown that the average user expects a site to load in less than three seconds… otherwise they consider leaving.

Google has repeatedly stated the importance of loading speeds for high search engine rankings and they are set to continue prioritizing websites that have fast loading speeds. A good agency will know how to compress code, use the right images and make little tweaks to boost speed and retain users.

NathanIves.com Designing Your Digital Products Platform Online Training Program

Navigation

A study from the Stanford Technology Lab found 46.1% of participants judged a website’s credibility on factors such as visual design, layout, typography, font size, and color schemes. While the overall aesthetic of a website is very important, there is one particular aspect that is necessary to achieve a high search engine ranking: navigation.

Navigation links inform search engine crawlers which pages are the site’s most important and provide them with an easy way to access these pages. There are many different navigation tools available: drop-down menus, double navigation bars, and single navigation bars being the most common. Having descriptive titles a good robots.txt and a site navigation map will make a site more crawlable.

Mobile Compatibility

In the first quarter of 2020, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 52% of global website traffic, making mobile users an important market to cater to. Specifically tailoring a website for mobile devices can include cutting down long bodies of texts, simplifying the navigation system and reducing the size of images and videos to improve loading speeds.

Crawlability

Websites must have the human experience at the forefront; however, this needs to be carefully balanced with crawlability. Search Engines use bots to crawl websites as well as download and index information to determine if the site can be trusted and if they should recommend that site to their viewers. If a website’s architecture cannot be processed by the bot’s algorithm, then they will be automatically classified as suspicious and may be penalized.

Top Tips for Niche Marketing

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Niche Marketing|Top Tips for Niche MarketingIt is the 21st century, and because of that, most people have the option to start up a business in literally no time at all. With societal rules changing by the second and laws falling shortly behind, this has already opened a whole new world for business. It is a special time, where those who have a deep passion for something specific can come together and find others who are also into the very same specific thing and turn it into something beautiful.

That said, general marketing is just not prepared for the variety of businesses, personalities, and changes that are being made by the second, and will often appear outdated for such a new concept — which is where niche marketing comes in.

This piece will discuss some top tips for niche marketing, perfect for those who have a very specific business and customer base.

Find Strengths and Weaknesses in the Niche

Like all brilliant ideas, the cons also must be considered when it comes to taking a leap into the business world.

The idea might already be firmly planted, but it is important to analyze the niche market idea to find its strengths — and how to capitalize on them — and weaknesses, to strengthen them. This is the best base from which a niche idea can flourish.

It is also important to do this for the business too, to see how it all stacks up.

Conduct Industry Research

There will be a very high probability that whatever the idea is, somebody else out there has already done it. But that is not a bad thing! In fact, there is plenty of room for many businesses in the same sector to thrive. However, conducting research will help give those in businesses a better idea of who might want to use, buy, or rent a product.

For example, varying states have changed laws regarding marijuana, which means plenty of businesses are now popping up to start a new venture in relation to this. But there is a big difference between a consumer to business relationship and a business to business relationship, and it is crucial to work out who the target audience is, and in what areas might services be required. PDX Gold have set up in a niche market offering extraction services, whereas another company might offer growing services.

Solve Customers Problems

Who better to solve customer’s problems than a company who whole-heartedly specializes in a product, service, or industry? Find gaps where similar products may not be filling a need for the target audience or work to upgrading or changing a service that eliminates customer’s problems from other services to really stand out. Showing that a business really listens to its customers and acts on it can be a brilliant ally to a brand’s reputation.

Think About What Marketing Will Benefit the Business

It is easy to tell a business to ‘get on Facebook’, but depending on what the business specializes in, that might not be helpful at all. Look at competitors and see how they approach marketing; see what is working and what is not, and do not be afraid to think outside the box. Whatever route a business goes down, make sure it is cost-effective and that the strategy engages the target audience.

The Top 4 Ways to Level-Up Your Customer Acquisition Game

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Customer Acquisition|The Top 4 Ways to Level-Up Your Customer Acquisition GameAre you trying to build your customer base, create return buyers, and boost your sales? The answer is obviously a resounding yes.

Gaining new customers is easy enough in theory – however, the actual practice can be a bit daunting. We’re going to tell you what you need to know in order to level-up your game when it comes to customer acquisition. Keep reading to learn how you can turn more of your leads into actual conversions, acquire more customers, and boost your profits!

First of All…

Before we go any further, the very first step to level-up your customer acquisition game is to define your target market. Yeah, yeah, we know – you want to sell to anyone and everyone that will buy.

Except for the fact that this isn’t really an ideal way to approach business, marketing, or selling.

You need to take a day (or a week, or a month) to sit down and determine exactly who you’re trying to market to. Include information like your customer’s age, gender, socio-economic status, and where they live. Basically, gather any and all demographic information, regardless of whether you find it immediately important.

This information will help you make the best possible marketing decisions and learn who you’re trying to sell to in order to make offers more appealing to that person. You might realize that the particular market you’ve been trying to sell to isn’t ready for your product; you might also learn about a whole new group of people that you’ve never thought about selling to.

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Customer Acquisition|The Top 4 Ways to Level-Up Your Customer Acquisition GameMake it Personal

How many times have you opened an email from an unfamiliar address just because it included your name, the name of a product you just viewed, or a funny joke? The answer is probably more often than you’d like to admit.

You probably even wonder how that company did that – you know, make the email personal and applicable to you, specifically. There’s a decent chance that the company spent far too much money, time, and effort learning exactly how to send those emails and which programs to use to do so.

Yes, there are a lot of companies that offer you the ability to send out mass emails or even segment your subscriber list. They also usually cost an arm and a leg to use or are convoluted and exceedingly difficult to learn.

One of the easiest ways to avoid the high costs and confusion of standard mailing platforms is to use something designed to work with the mailing system you already use: Gmail. Opting to use a mail merge system for Gmail will allow you all of the benefits of a major mailing platform while still keeping the process simple and user-friendly.

When sending out your marketing emails, you’ll want to make them personal as mentioned; also, make them personable. Portraying your message or company as something that is relatable can go a long way toward getting your readers to open your email and follow through with your call to action.

Free Shipping Wins

As a business owner, you already feel the costs of shipping every time they increase and know that those costs are built into the price when a retailer claims that its “free.” As a consumer, you can’t help but buy just a little more in order to get the so-called “free” shipping.

With this said, you can already see that learning how to offer free shipping is a worthwhile task. It makes your customers feel as though they’re receiving a better value, can attract otherwise uninterested leads, and can ultimately boost your sales while encouraging repeat business.

Yes, free shipping can win business and increase sales, but you should learn the best practices in order to avoid losing money instead of making it! You might choose to have a minimum dollar amount on your orders or slightly increase the cost of each item – every industry is a little different in how they can incorporate “free” shipping.

Leverage Technology Use

Regardless of your industry, what you sell, or the service you provide, your business uses some type of spreadsheet software. These spreadsheets are used to keep track of email subscribers, inventory costs, or even payroll.

Believe it or not, Excel can be used for far more than just these simple tasks. You can choose to leverage your use of technology by hiring an Excel expert to help you create the exact algorithms and spreadsheets you need to save money while being more effective and productive.

How does this relate to customer acquisition? It’s simple, really.

When your business is saving time by not having to worry about spreadsheets and the accuracy of them, you can focus your attention on the money-making aspect of your business: the buyers.

Additionally, if you happen to be able to save a ton of money by becoming more productive, accurate, and saving overall costs, you can choose to pass these savings to your customers by offering lower prices. Lower prices will mean a competitive edge and often the potential for higher sales.

Leveling-Up Customer Acquisition: The Game You Can Win

Yes, customer acquisition is easier said than done; it’s also a very doable task when you choose to use the four tips mentioned here. When you take the time to define your target market, send out personal (and personable) email blasts, learn how to (properly) offer free shipping, and use technology to your benefit, you help to ensure a constant flow of new customers as well as repeat business.

It might take a little bit of time to learn how to implement the “cheat codes” to the customer acquisition game but you can rest assured that once you do, your sales will skyrocket, buyers will tell their friends, and your business will increase in value!