An Essentials Checklist for the new ‘Homepreneur’.

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Homepreneur|An Essentials Checklist for the new ‘Homepreneur’This year has seen a massive rise in the numbers of those working from home, either for the same boss they had at the office, or working for themselves where they are now the boss. It is beginning to look like ‘homepreneur’ (an entrepreneur who works from home) is becoming the fastest-growing type of small business.

While the 20-second commute every morning to the spare bedroom or kitchen table might seem like the answer to all of your prayers, this new way of working has its own checklist of pros, cons and a couple of essentials you might not have thought of.

Why your home-based business is a great idea

Being a homepreneur has a long list of advantages.

I’ve mentioned the 20-second commute to work already but this aspect of having your business 10 yards from your bed cannot be underplayed. With a recent study showing the average American spends nearly an hour a day getting to and from work, that’s a whole chunk of your week saved just like that.

Next on the list (and this one is probably on the spreadsheet too) are the low overheads involved with a home-based business over renting an office space. With margins tight for any new business those overheads can mean the difference between success and failure.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to deduct the space you use, as well as a portion of your utility bills from any tax payable on your profits. Of course, there are tax experts who can tell you what is necessary for your situation, so you should contact one.

But working from home is not all great

Like everything though, there is a downside to being a new homepreneur

You might not have the commute, but everyday tasks that fall to you because you’re at home can be a major drain on your time. Kids at home during school holidays are the obvious one, but simple things like loading the dishwasher or cutting the lawn tend to get done more often if you’re staring at them all day.

When the house is not overrun with kids or other family members, it can be a very quiet and solitary existence. If that’s why you escaped the office in the first place it’s no big deal, but if you’re used to having other people around it can take a lot of getting used to.

And there are a couple of things you need to take care of.

Insurance – As well as having to talk to a tax expert, your insurance needs have changed now you do your business from home. Things like driving your car for business or if a client has an accident whilst visiting your home are things you need advice on, so contacting experts like www.meslee.com should clear up any worries you might have.

Networking – as you’re now on your own at home, the networking side of your new business needs attention. As well as having a presence on social media, it is essential that you start or update your LinkedIn profile and start building a network of allies and possible sources of new business.

This is by no means everything you need to know – but it’s a good starting place so that you don’t spend too much time in your new business just standing there scratching your head.

SEO Tips for a Winning Casino Website

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article | SEO Tips for a Winning Casino WebsiteIf you are the owner or marketer of a casino website, you have a lot to do to ensure you stay ahead of the competition. You not only have to bring people to your website, but you have to make sure you are also giving your visitors the best experience so that they keep playing your games. With all these things in mind, it is important to understand how to use SEO to increase your visibility and get more people to visit your website. Remember that the bigger your online presence is, the more people will visit your casino.

Keywords Are Crucial

Keywords are crucial because they are what people use to search for and find your website. To ensure you are using the right word, you need to carry out thorough keyword research. The keywords you use should not only describe your website and what you have to offer. They should also undercut your competitors by being better optimized when used inside your website.

Once you have these keywords, remember to revisit them often. The internet is changing all the time and so are people’s preferences. The keywords that work this year or even this month might not work the next, so you have to revisit and revise your keyword list as things change.

It is also important to remember to use keywords as naturally as possible and not stuff too many of them into your copy. Search engines frown upon such tactics and will penalize you.

For example, Gamesys bonuses is a potential keyword as it has a reputation for being more secure and this could be something players are actively looking for.

Optimize

When talking about optimization under SEO, we are talking about your content as well as your website. All elements in your website can be ranked on search engines, so take the time to optimize it. Additionally, remember that each of the pages on your website can be ranked individually. Therefore, each of your pages should be optimized for the keywords you have chosen.

When optimizing your website, responsiveness and speed are two key elements. Search engines are starting to prioritize websites that allow for content to shrink to fit a user’s screen. Your online casino should also be fast. Search engines, especially Google, prioritize websites that load very fast. Additionally, people want faster websites, and having one that loads quickly reduces your bounce rate and encourages people to stay and keep using the website because it offers such a good user experience.

Invest in Topic Clusters

Google loves excellent quality content, so many SEO campaigns focus on this. By giving people the information or help they need when they visit your website, you can also help your own business. Because of this, it would be a better idea to invest in topic clusters when adding content to your website. These are clusters of articles that have the same focus. This content increases the amount of time people spend on your casino website and makes them come back for more.

When creating these clusters, it is important to focus on quality and originality. People do not like reading the same content over and over.

SEO for a casino website is not much different from SEO for any other website, and there are some key things to keep in mind. For example, since the market is getting saturated with casinos competing for space, it is important to work on original content that users will begin to associate with your website. It is also important to ensure you offer the best user experience through your website’s design.

How to Prepare Your Business for International Expansion

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How to Prepare Your Business for International ExpansionInternational expansion can be a big step for any business, no matter its size. It can bring plenty of benefits to a company – a whole new array of potential customers and the opportunity to operate in a less saturated market. However, it does come with risks – expanding is expensive and you’ll be operating in unfamiliar territory. What can you do to prepare for international expansion?

Market Research

Before you begin to think about expanding overseas, you need to understand the new area, and who you’re selling to. Market research is a vital tool for success. You need to have a firm knowledge of the country’s culture, how your customers think, and if your brand would succeed there. To get a firm understanding of the region you’re aiming to expand in, you need to spend some time there. For example, if you’re hoping to operate in the States, you can stay in a serviced apartment in New York to help guide your research and develop your understanding of the market.

Understand Your Capabilities

You need to assess whether international expansion is the right step for your business at this current time. You need to ensure the company is strong and secure in its current market. Venturing abroad won’t help if the business is already struggling. How are your finances? Review your budget and make sure you can afford to invest in international expansion. Expanding your business should help its success, not further hinder its funds. You also need to assess your company’s infrastructure and whether it would work abroad.

Delivering Goods

When it comes to shipping packages you need to understand a variety of global regulations. These can differ from country to country, so you need to ensure your packages are labelled properly depending on when they’re being shipped. Plus, take into account shipping times as well. You want to ensure effective delivery service and customer satisfaction in whichever country you’re operating in. Research courier systems and see which ones could benefit your business the most.

Right Team

Take due diligence with selecting your team members. Whether you’re intending on opening an office abroad or hiring remote workers – spend plenty of time considering who is right for the role. Hiring within the international market comes with pros and cons. You have got access to people who know the culture but potentially lack experience and vice-versa. There is a solution to this. Research countries that have a lot of professionals within your line of work, then you can hire new staff with ease. Your team will have a drastic impact on future success so don’t rush your decisions.

International expansion offers incredible opportunities for a growing business, but it is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Do everything you can to ensure your company is prepared. Have you had any experience with international expansion in the past?

Growth Strategies For Your Online Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Growth Strategies|Growth Strategies For Your Online BusinessCountless people are starting online businesses, and even though it might seem easy, it is hard work. There are 582 million entrepreneurs globally; however, 22.5% of companies don’t make it past the first year. To develop a successful business, you will need to connect with the right audience using the proper strategies such as the following listed here.

1. Conducting market research

You need to understand your market when venturing into a business. Research should be conducted directly with potential customers, allowing your business to recognize its target market and get feedback about interest in the product or service you are offering. Having a fair idea about your market will also help you know if you will be successful. Additionally, it enables you to refine your ideas and strategize ways to help your business stand out from the rest.

2. Getting a website

Developing your website is vital to getting your business online as most people looking for information on your business will check the internet. Having a website is essential whether you will be selling goods online or providing some information about your business and your contact particulars. It should not be a complicated or expensive process. Note, however, that customers usually expect your domain name to be related to your business name. Therefore, choose a domain name that reflects your products or services so that customers can find your business quickly through a search engine. To register your domain name, discover an accredited registrar, and go along with their registration demands. Services, charges, terms, and conditions may differ from registrar to registrar, so be meticulous in checking differences.

3. Leveraging social media

Social media should be a choice in enhancing your presence in the online market. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other social media platforms have highly engaged audiences. If you want to be successful, it’s best to begin by determining what social networks work best for your business. Also, cross-promote your social media accounts on your website to raise brand awareness and engage with customers to gain valuable insights, share content, get feedback, and build brand loyalty. And by keeping your profiles active, you can grow your following and drive more traffic back to your website.

4. Email marketing

Messaging platforms are escalating, but emailing has stood its ground, and you can use it to grow your online business. Start by looking through your old contact book for email addresses that might come in handy. If you don’t have any, don’t fret; start building an email marketing list. Compiling one will require time and effort, but with patience, you will see its fruits. Once you’ve amassed a sizable list, start reaching out to the people to promote your business. You can work with an online data broker for a faster yet reliable process at a reasonable price. Data brokers already have an extensive email list and the necessary information for a more targeted advertisement.

If you’ve been discerning ways to start your online business, be patient; you can establish a formidable business online once you enhance your presence in that space. With these steps, you can develop something for your target audience and grow your business successfully.

Easy Initiatives to Improve Your Office’s Morale

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Office Morale|Easy Initiatives to Improve Your Office’s MoraleA happy office is more likely to be productive and cohesive as a team. Therefore, it is important that you as an employer or manager are always searching for ways to boost morale in the workplace. Here are some of the easiest ways for you to give a boost to your team.

Take Their Ideas on Board

One of the first things you should do is consider taking on the suggestions your employees might be able to suggest. There are so many ideas that they might have that could slip past you. One person can only come up with so many ideas, whereas a group working together might be able to come up with some fresh ideas.

What’s more, it will give you some great ways to connect with your workers. There are so many ways that you can make them feel more involved in how the office is run, and this is a quick and easy way to do so. Why not bring up this topic at the next time meeting? Even a quick brainstorm session of just five minutes could unlock some brilliant ideas that could quickly be introduced to the company soon.

Add a Benefits Program

Many employees want a lot more than just a simple pay cheque and holiday allowance. Things like gym memberships, help with travel, and many other discounts are all greatly appreciated as part of a payment package from a company.

Using a software like the employee benefits platform by Zest Benefits means that you will have access to a wide variety of different benefits that you could use to improve your employees’ experiences at work. Placing it all in one easy-to-manage piece of software should not impact on the amount of admin work that such a program might otherwise add. It should be a straightforward and easy task to make it part of your admin tasks and company operations.

Organise Out-of-Office Activities

One of the easiest ways to improve relationships around the office is to encourage them in a non-workplace environment. If team members can build some sort of rapport with one another, they will be better attuned to each other’s needs. They might be able to better avoid conflicts and reach agreements within the office overall.

There are lots of little things you can think about doing if you want to encourage some interactions outside of work. Why not start small with something like a few drinks or a meal after the day is done on Friday? If you have a bigger team, you could think about starting a sports team or some other group that might want to get together regularly. You could even just arrange a team-building day with some fun activities that could bring you all together. No matter what, there will be something that could appeal to your whole team and help them bond a little better. A team that works well together will hopefully be happier overall.

Think Up Some Ways to Boost Morale Now

There are so many little things that you can do to try to improve your morale around the office. Make sure you speak to your employees to get an idea about where they think improvements can be made, as they are the ones who will most likely be impacted by any changes that are made. Whether you are trying to spend more time together as colleagues or whether you are introducing something new to the business such as small benefits, there are plenty of ways for you to boost the mood in the office. Start searching for a way to improve the vibes now.