3 Startup Essentials That Cannot Be Overlooked

/in /by

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Startup Essentials|3 Startup Essentials That Cannot Be OverlookedIf you’re just starting your business journey and you have a company about to be launched, you might be wondering whether or not you’ve got everything in place. After all, you only have one chance to make a good first impression (or a bad one, come to that), and it can feel rather overwhelming when you consider how much you want your business to succeed and how much work you need to put into it.

For many who have never run a business before, it might seem as though there are dozens of different elements that need to come together to make it a success, but in reality, when you’re a startup, there are only three that you really need to be thinking about. Ensure these three startup essentials are in place, and you’ll be heading in the right direction.

Funding

A startup without the right funding is doomed to failure. Even if you start to make money, without having some form of capital behind you, the income will be too slow to make an impact, and before you can really make anything of your business, it will be too late – you will have run out of money. This is why it’s important to have funding in place before you launch. You can then focus on building the business rather than having to worry about keeping it afloat.

When you think of getting money for your business you will probably consider a bank loan first of all. It might even be the only thing you consider. However, there are a large number of different funding methods to think about including finding an angel investor, using your savings, borrowing from friends and family, or even using the money you’ve made through your algorithmic trading. Whatever you choose, as long as you have a plan to pay it back, you can get started even if the bank turns you down.

Customer Service

Most entrepreneurs are looking inwards when they launch their business. They’re interested in their suppliers, their employees, how productive they can be, and, of course, how much money they are making. Although this is important, you must remember that you’ll need to look outwards too; you’ll need to think about your customers.

Customer service is one of the most important elements to get right in any business, and when you’re launching a startup good customer service is vital. It’s what is going to set you apart from the rest, and it’s what will get you noticed. Customers expect a high level of good service, and if you can provide it they will be happy to return again and again. Get it wrong, and you’ll find that your unhappy customer has told everyone they know, and probably used social media to do it. That spells disaster for a young business. Reputation is everything.

Social Media

Speaking of social media, that is another important element of business that a startup is going to need to have in place before they launch. In fact, your social media channels could even help your launch by previewing what you’re going to be selling and making potential customers interested before you even get started.

However, just having an account on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, for example, isn’t going to be enough. Posting once in a while and writing ads when you do isn’t going to be enough. You need to focus on the content and ensure that whatever you are posting is useful information and engaging too. In this way, it is more likely to be liked and shared, and that’s crucial for a business on social media.

Reasons Why Your Business Needs to Use Video

/in /by

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Reasons Why Your Business Needs to Use Video

Do you know that over 500 million videos are watched every day on YouTube?

Currently, one of the most effective tools to push your brand, generate a skyrocketing ROI, and increase sales is video.

Clearly, you could be missing out on a huge number of customers if you are not using video in your business.  Without high-quality videos, your sales, brand, and leads will keep frustrating you. This is why every business, regardless of size, needs to have video content.

Keep reading to find out why you should use video in your business.

Videos rank well in search engines

Videos appear in 70% of the top search results. Hence, using video comes with huge SEO benefits.

There would be no point in publishing anything online if no one sees it, right? Search engines prioritize high-quality and relevant videos and rank them higher than plain articles. With an optimized video, you can be sure that a lot of online users will see you.

Video is more memorable than written content

The online world is full of marketing messages that get stuffed in there every day. Chances are, you can’t remember most of them.

How about a commercial video?

You likely remember quite a few of them. This is what video does. While you can ignore or forget the written text, you are less likely to forget a good video.

Videos are more personal

Your brand is not a static strategy on paper; it must be brought to life. It must ooze personality too.

While you can inject some personality into your written brand copies, a video does more than that.

It builds an instant authentic connection with your audience.  Videos allow your audience to know you more, connect and relate with you on a more emotional level. As you can guess, you are likely to gain more customers when they like your personality and trust your brand.

Boosts brand credibility

Users trust customer testimonials more than statements from the brand. This is why customer testimonials are a great marketing strategy. They boost your credibility and lead to higher conversions.

Well-thought-of, strategic customer testimonials win visitors over and turn them into customers.

While written testimonials are better than no testimonials at all, video testimonials do the job sufficiently.

Video is popular

Regardless of the social site you use, videos will be the dominating content. Considering the insanely high number of social media users, imagine how many people would see your video.

By posting a video online, you are exposing your brand to millions of users. Better yet, videos are sharable. According to HubSpot, 92% of mobile video audience shares videos. This means that it would be shared to millions of internet users if your video was to go viral.

Clearly, your business would greatly benefit if your videos were to be shared. You can get video experts such as video production company in Toronto to do the magic for you.

Videos are mobile-friendly

Almost everyone owns a phone now. As you can guess, people watch a lot of videos on their devices.  Research shows that more customers are using their mobile phones to search and make purchases. Hence, videos are the best strategy to reach this audience.

4 Benefits of Using Bulk Bags

/in /by

StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | 4 Benefits of Using Bulk BagsWhen you have products to sell, it is imperative to have the best storage and shipping materials available. Bulk bags- also known as Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs)- support optimal storage and shipping. The following are just four of the many benefits of using bulk bags for your shipping needs.

1. Versatility and Durability

FIBCs are made from a woven fabric that is flexible enough to hold 500kg to 2000 kg. They come in different sizes and dimensions, making them perfect for toting all types of dry, flowing products. Some industries they work very well for include:

  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Construction
  • Chemical
  • Mining
  • Fishing

Additionally, bulk bags can be custom-made according to your specific needs. This ensures that you get the right type and size storage bag.

2. Optimal Storage Usage

Thanks to their customizable nature and flexibility, bulk bags make excellent storage options. Traditional storage containers and boxes force your product to fit the available space. They do not move or budge, meaning you might be missing out on storage.

On the other hand, bulk bags actually move, stretch, and conform to the products they hold. If you only need to fill half the bag, you only have half a bag taking up space. Other storage options, like boxes, stay the same size no matter how much product is in them.

Skip the boxes, drums, and paper bags in your warehouse. Instead, choose bulk bags that allow you to optimize your storage space.

3. Lower Shipping Costs

It takes a lot of money to run a business, which is why it’s so important to cut expenses wherever possible. Bulk bags can save you money on shipping costs in a few ways. First, bulk bags do not need pallets or any secondary packaging, both of which add extra weight and costs.

Additionally, being able to fit more into a bag means having to ship less overall. For more cost-saving products, learn more here.

4. Reusable or Recyclable Material

Thanks to their general make-up, bulk bags do not easily rip and tear. This means that FIBCs can be reused for quite some time. They are also recyclable due to the materials they are made from. You can use bulk bags without concern about their impact on the environment.

Bulk bags are a great way to take control of your storage space and shipping costs. Visit website to learn more about how such a simple product can make a lasting impact on your daily operations.

A Managed Technology Service Can Help Your Business Succeed

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | A Managed Technology Service Can Help Your Business SucceedWhen it comes to helping a business succeed, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of those factors is the way technology is used. If there’s too much of it, it can actually get in the way of a good customer experience or relationship due to the impersonal nature of all of it. But if there’s not enough, it can be very difficult to accomplish what needs to be done or even keep up with competitors. Clearly, it’s a balance that’s important and has to be addressed. Here are some things to consider when choosing the technological options that are right for your company.

Not Everything Needs to be Stored On-Site

For many companies, storage for customer data and other information can quickly become overwhelming. But making good use of the IT cloud can change the game. That allows your company to store much of its information somewhere else, so it doesn’t end up with servers that are slow and bogged down, glitches, lost data, and other problems. Too much of a load on your current systems isn’t good for your company or its clients. The IT cloud gives you choices, because you can put all the info in the cloud or choose what’s stored that way and what stays in-house.

Some companies worry about data breaches and related kinds of problems, but there is good protection in most of the larger cloud services — and many of the smaller solutions, as well. While it’s still possible that someone could get into the company’s information, that’s just as much of a risk when keeping the data on your own servers. In some cases it might be even more of a risk, because not all companies have the right kind of security or the level of encryption that a cloud-based IT solution can offer. With the cloud, a business can also get services that are managed and monitored, so they have less to worry about where data is concerned.

Managed solutions Can Make Data Storage Easier and Safer

Among the ways to add security to your company’s data storage is through a managed IT service that can collect, store, and monitor access to information. With managed services, a company can focus on the other aspects of operating the business and worry less about IT issues or whether customer data will be available when it’s really needed. Additionally, it’s easier to control access to information and reduce the chances of large blocks of information being accidentally deleted, lost, or mislabeled.

Companies can control what they want to see handled by their managed IT service, and that makes it easier for those companies to have peace of mind and a strong plan for the future. If a company isn’t sure what services they really need or how to handle those options, they can also work with their provider to get the information they need to make the right choices. Not only does that help protect the company’s customers, but it’s also better at ensuring employees have access to what they need, as well.

5 Reasons to Optimize Your Business Processes

/in /by

StrategyDriven Process Management Article | 5 Reasons to Optimize Your Business ProcessesMany of the processes that help a business thrive and stay afloat may seem mundane. However, no matter how mundane some processes may seem, they can ultimately be the reason for declining gains and unsatisfactory outcomes. The optimization of business processes, no matter how mundane they may seem, is crucial for business success, competitiveness, and longevity. To ensure all three, businesses should seek ways to optimize their processes. Here are some additional reasons why every business should do this.

Improved Efficiency

Optimizing your business processes can improve its efficiency. Many businesses still use inefficient systems that slow down their employees and lead to the wastage of a lot of time and money. This can reduce a business’s ability to remain viable in addition to adding a lot of stress to employees. Employee satisfaction and performance can suffer which can lead to the business as a whole suffering.

Automation, one of the most common ways of optimizing business operations, can help business operations flow better, reduce undue stress on employees, and help the business operate more efficiently. The use of software can also reduce one of the most common bottlenecks for businesses, data entry. Business process optimization solutions from TrinityIS.com increase efficiency by reducing the burden of data entry, leaving employees to concentrate on other areas that help a business meet its objectives.

Adaptability

Optimized business processes give businesses the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments and setbacks and take advantage of new opportunities quickly. By helping a business do all this, process optimization can help a business stay ahead of its competition. Having this flexibility and adaptability is especially important right now considering how rapidly the world and the overall business environment are changing.

Higher Quality Results

A major goal of business process optimization is improving the quality of results produced by employees. That may take different forms depending on the business. Common examples include streamlining the fulfillment process to improve customer satisfaction or reducing human errors in manufacturing processes. By making improvements, businesses can deliver high-quality results which can help improve the business’s reputation, retain current customers, and gain new ones.

Regulation Compliance

The regulations businesses have to abide by are always changing and failure to comply can be detrimental to a business. The process of optimization can include helping a business comply with these regulations.

It Helps Track Employee Performance

Optimized and automated business processes make it easier to track employee performance. The tools used to make this possible enable upper management to hold employees accountable as well as find other areas where inefficiencies exist. This way, employees can be urged to improve their performance and inefficiencies can be eliminated to further improve the business’s operations.

The process of optimizing business optimizations is a long one, which is always evolving, and never really ends. Although it can be costly, businesses that seek to continually check, optimize and improve their processes stand to benefit a lot. This can be through better and higher output, improved employee and customer satisfaction as well as savings in terms of both time and money.