Four Tips on Hiring an SEO Agency for Your Startup

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article
In today’s business market, online brand visibility is key to getting your new start-up off the ground. No matter what type of products or services you are selling, the type of audience that you are reaching out to or your goals for your business future, it’s important to have a strong online presence in order to reach success. A strong visibility in search engines and the ability to showcase your expertise and knowledge about your industry online is key to building your customer base and improving customer retention and sales. One of the first steps towards building a strong online presence is search engine optimisation; search engines are one of the first places that customers will go when they are trying to find a brand like yours.

We’ve put together some top tips to help you choose the right SEO agency for the job.

Tip #1. Ask for Recommendations:

As a business owner, you probably spend some time networking and building relationships with other business owners and influential, experienced individuals in your industry. One of the best ways to find a good SEO agency is to simply ask around within your business circles for recommendations – chances are that you know somebody who’s hired an SEO agency before, and will be able to point you in their direction if they were satisfied with their work and believe they’d be a good choice for your needs.

Tip #2. Check Out Portfolios:

Before you make a final decision on an SEO agency, it’s important to take a look at their portfolio of past work to determine whether they are offering the kind of things that you are after. Most good SEO agencies, will display a portfolio that prospective new clients can easily access to get an idea of the kind of work that they do on a regular basis. Take the Lexel SEO agency in London as an example. They have a section on their site dedicated to case studies which their audience can browse through. This is something you should be looking out for whenever you visit an SEO agency’s website.

It’s also a good idea to look at how well any prospective agencies have been doing their own SEO; are they high up in search engine rankings themselves?

Tip #3. Understand What You Need:

When choosing an SEO agency for your business, it’s important to have a list of needs and requirements in mind to ensure that you make the right decision. For example, if you run a smaller, local business, then you’re going to prefer an SEO agency that specialises in conducting local SEO and improving your brand’s visibility within your local area.

Tip #4. Conduct a Background Check:

Finally, once you have determined a few SEO agencies that seem like a good fit for your needs, it’s a good idea to take a closer look into them. One of the best ways of doing this is to get information from past clients regarding their experiences with the company. You can often do this by simply searching for online reviews – third-party websites are the best place to look since you’ll often find more honest and reliable reviews there.

Did you find these tips helpful? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

7 Things You Should Never Underestimate In Business

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
Being in business can be a lot of fun. When you’ve worked super hard for everything you have, and you’re willing to keep on putting the work in, sometimes you can stand back and be in awe of what you have achieved. If you find yourself at this phase, allow yourself some time to feel good, but then go right back to hustling. No matter how big your business gets, or how well you do, you need to stay humble. Because getting too big for your boots is bad for business. Not only does it look bad, but it can also mean you get caught off guard.

When you’re doing well, it’s easy to believe that you’re unstoppable, or that you’re better than the best. And it’s this kind of attitude that can kill businesses. Because when you’re least expecting it, you can be beaten. To stop that from happening, you need to always be on the ball and never underestimate anything. When you’re quick to write of threats as being not-so-threatening after all, you could be stabbing yourself in the back. So, instead of feeling invincible, you’ll benefit from always pushing, always watching your back, and always trying. And above all else, never underestimating anything – especially when it comes to these seven areas.

Competitors

First up, there’s always your competitors to be aware of. It’s easy to think that, when you’re doing well, you don’t really need to have your nose in anyone else’s business. But you do. When it comes to your competition. You should always know what they’re up to. Because if you underestimate them, and believe that they’ll never catch up with you, they could be sat working on a strategy to do just that, and you’d never even know. So keep an eye on the competition, and you’ll always do well.

New Market Entrants

Likewise, it’s easy to underestimate any new market entrants too. When you’re starting to see success, you can often feel like no newbie will knock you off the top spot. But that’s a dangerous mindset to have. Just remember what it was like for you when you first went into business. New market entrants are hungry. They want to be successful – and they’re willing to work hard to make it happen. So take them seriously and don’t underestimate anything they do.

Employees

When you have good employees, you often feel as if they’re going to stick with you until the end. Some will. But most won’t. So don’t just assume that those happy employees actually are happy. Because maybe they’re not. And maybe they’re planning on leaving soon and setting up shop on their own – taking their hard work with them. Treat your staff well, but always remember that they’re not the owner, and they could up and leave at any point.

Suppliers

Another key stakeholder to key an eye on is your suppliers. They’re a business, just like you are, and they’re always going to put their business interests first. So don’t assume that they’re going to do you favors forever. Because they might not. Keep them at arm’s length if you can. Because they could do something to mess up your current relationship. And that’s just business!

Economic Conditions

Never underestimate the current economic conditions either. Whether they’re good or bad, you have to learn to be reactive and stay on top of economic growth in your own way. Sometimes, the conditions will work with you, but don’t ride the wave for too long as they can soon turn. So you have to have your wits about you and be ready to react as soon as they do.

Health & Safety

Then there are the things that are ingrained in your company philosophy. So much so, that it’s easy to assume that they’re running smoothly. Like your health and safety. But you have to actually stay on top of things for that to happen. Including everything from ladder safety gates to protective clothing, you have to be sure that everything you’re doing is above board and as it should be. It’s easy to just assume, but don’t underestimate the ways of the world. Keep on top of everything and you should be fine.

Success

And finally, never underestimate your current levels of success – or the possibility of sudden failure. Things don’t always last. You worked really hard to get where you are, and you have to carry on working hard if you want to stay there. Never adopt the “I’ve made it” kind of attitude, as it could be that one thing that knocks you off the top spot.

Is a Business Degree of Any Importance to an Entrepreneur or a Business Owner?

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Generally, when we discuss MBA courses, it usually involves looking at the degree from the perspective of a student who is looking to build a career. A question we do not typically address however is whether or not an online MBA degree would be the right choice for people who already have businesses of their own. What about the ones with significant knowledge and experience in their respective fields? Can they benefit from MBA programs? The answer is yes, entrepreneurs can indeed benefit from a business degree. To understand how that is actually applicable, go over the following points.

Understanding the Theory of Business Management

Even when you already have experience in running a business, you will learn more by studying and understanding the advanced concepts of business planning and management. If your business is successful, then you most definitely know what you are doing, but chances are that an MBA degree will help you to take your success even further. Studying Business Management Theory will help you to recognize gaps in your business planning and policy that you wouldn’t ever have noticed otherwise. It’s all about supplementing the existing knowledge and experience with formulated and established theories.

The Chance to Learn from the Best

AACSB online MBA courses usually have excellent faculty members and guest lecturers who are some of the most successful businessmen and entrepreneurs in their own fields. As they explain various parts of the course to their students and share their own life experience with them, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to be able to learn from them. They might give you brand new perspective on things related to your business for improvement and progress.

Business Contacts

Your teachers and your peers are all your business contacts and in the near future, those contacts may turn out to be invaluable. You will likely find more than a few potential business partners and the necessary business recommendations while doing your MBA. As you already are a businessman, you will be able to make contacts and establish rapports easier because you are not looking to land a job, unlike almost everyone else in your class.

Security

Just in case you are a new entrepreneur who is still trying to make it, an MBA degree will provide you with a backup option, should the need to join a job ever arise. You can always go back to starting your own business after you manage to improve your financial standings, but an MBA from a good business school will enable you to land a job that will get you through the in-between stages.

These are the four prime factors which make an MBA degree extremely valuable to even established businessmen and rising entrepreneurs, but this is just an overview. There’s much more to it than this which you will learn during the course, but most of all, it’s all about learning how to grow what you have already.

Strategies for Certified Public Accountants to Grow Their Business

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As a business owner, you have a lot on your mind. There’s never a dull moment and if it’s not one fire you’re putting out, it’s another. That’s why you need a plan in place for managing your business and workload.

As a small business, you don’t have the luxury of calling upon a handful of employees to help you out. One area that’s always intriguing is how to expand your company. It’s important you have a solid foundation first before you try to develop further. See strategies for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) to grow their business.

Networking

In order to grow your business you have to be willing to put yourself out there and meet new people. You want individuals in your company to know who you are and where your business is located. Be involved in the community and join organizations and clubs that keep you engaged with others. Attend networking events and conferences where you can meet new faces and share information about your business and services.

Training & Education

You need to have the proper training and knowledge in place before you start advertising additional services and growing. For example, there are IRS approved tax preparation courses that will help you gain more clients, and you’ll be included in the Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with credentials and select qualifications. You’ll be provided with crystal clear high definition video based courses that meet IRS standards and include the latest tax law updates and exceptional tax tips. This is a great opportunity to improve your skills and increase your knowledge on topics that will help you advance in your career and grow your business.

Social Media

Use social media and the Internet to target your specific audience and find customers who are going to benefit from your services. Open accounts on various platforms and create a company page with information about what you do and how you can help your clients. If you have the capacity, be available to answer customer service type questions online and post content that will help them better understand the industry and what they need to know as a taxpayer. Be open to advertising your business on social media and bringing in more clients through a digital media strategy.

Focus on Customer Service

A proven way to grow your business is to deliver exceptional customer service and, therefore, be awarded with referrals and recommendations from satisfied clients. Even though you may be a small operation, be sure to give each customer your undivided attention that they deserve. Be on time for meetings, return messages and fix issues promptly. Your customers need to be your number one focus, and then you can worry about expanding and growing your business. Take pride in knowing your clients are happy and continue to do business with you.

Conclusion

Use these tips for creating a plan to expand your company. Keeping your customers pleased is one area of your business that’s worth focusing on. Without them you aren’t going to get too far with your company. These are strategies for CPAs to grow their business.

How Businesses Can Become More Accessible

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Most businesses are trying to do more to make their environment more accessible for customers and employees alike. There is a degree of pressure upon businesses to use their funding to ensure that everyone has the support and access they need, particularly if they have a mental or physical disability. There are several ways in which businesses can tackle the problem of being inaccessible.

Physical Adjustments

Controversially, there are currently no laws which require businesses to include lifts or ramps- if they currently don’t have employees who need them. However, there are reasonable adjustment laws which state that businesses must commit to making some changes to ensure that disabled employees can work at the business. Reasonable adjustments can include an accessible interview room on the first floor or access to affordable used mobility scooters where necessary. However, businesses should really be proactive about making their office space or shop more accessible for everyone by installing ramps and providing bathrooms for people with disabilities. After all, a more diverse workforce is great for business.

Accessible Support Materials

How many times do you receive a printed presentation at work? When presentations or support materials are printed out and distributed, it’s likely this is done without a second thought. However, the ability to provide support materials in a variety of different formats, such as with large print or written in braille, will ensure that everyone can read them. The same applies to signage around the business, keep it clear and easy to read to ensure that visitors and staff alike can get to where they need to go without difficulty.

Obstruction-Free Spaces

Businesses don’t have to spend a fortune to make their workplace more accessible for everyone; they can simply make sure that all obstructions which could prevent people from moving around the business are removed. Stray wastepaper bins, boxes and plants are common problems that people with disabilities have to navigate around. It’s also worthwhile making your business accommodating towards service animals where possible, particularly if there’s currently a “no dogs” rule implemented. Simple gestures like this can demonstrate that you are a forward-thinking and accommodating business.

Equality Training

Most businesses are proud to offer an equal opportunities environment. However, when it comes to implementing this, many members of staff may be unclear or unconfident about how to best to behave. Employees and employers alike need to be sensitive and informed about disabilities in order to break down these barriers. Providing training which covers how best to help people with limited mobility, or the correct way to interact with service dogs, will provide your staff with the confidence to behave appropriately and make sure that everyone is included and treated equally. The business should also implement people-first and inclusive language, as it is more positive. This simply means that you say “people or person with disabilities”, instead of “disabled person” and you ensure that all training materials and contracts include clauses that refer to people with disabilities too.