People often say that they need to go to work to earn money. But when you really look at their lives, are they actually as rich as they hope?
Almost always they are struggling with bills, credit card debt and down payments on their house. It’s not the life that many imagined.
For millennials, the situation is even worse. Many are working in gig or zero contract hours companies, get lousy pay and only receive a couple of weeks vacation each year. Many view their full-time jobs as more of a prison than a career path because of the sheer amount of time, energy and mental effort that they require. Younger people are wondering why they are investing so much effort and energy to do something that pays barely enough to cover their bills.
Unfortunately, most workers are stuck in the 9-5 trap. They spend so much time working, dedicated to their jobs that they fail to see all of the opportunities around them. They simply don’t have hours available to explore other possibilities, outside of their work and busy family lives.
So how do you get out of the 9 to 5 pattern? Here’s what to do.
Set A Timetable For Yourself
The first thing you need to do is improve your time management skills. Many people working in 9 to 5 jobs can’t afford to leave their present positions immediately. However, they may be able to rearrange their time to allow them to work on side projects alongside turning their main income.
Be strict with yourself and dedicate a few hours everyday to pursuing a different goal. Find a way to either sell your skills or build a business that will allow you to create an income stream that doesn’t rely on your present employer.
Do It As A Side Hustle First
Many budding entrepreneurs, such as Charles Zsebik, became successful by exploring their passions as a side project at first. Instead of abandoning their previous life and pursuing clients full time, they look for ways to to grow to do what they love on the side. If their passion grows into a viable business opportunity, they take full advantage of it.
Plan Out What You Want To Do
If your goal is to create income that replaces your existing salary, then the easiest thing to do is to sell your existing skills. Working as a freelancer in your current capacity allows you to escape the 9 to 5 and work hours that you decide. For instance, if you are a writer for your company, you might consider transitioning to writing for agencies or freelance platforms. These make it easy to kick start your freelance journey and money at the same time, whilst gaining independence.
While you are doing this you will also need to set your rate. You don’t want to leave your current 9 to 5 and wind-up working from 9 till 7. That won’t improve your quality of life, even if you are earning more per hour. If you aren’t happy with your current arrangement, don’t be afraid to fail fast. You can always try something new while you are experimenting with different income streams on the side.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/aditya-saxena-_mIXHvl_wzA-unsplash.jpg7241200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-05-31 18:00:202022-06-26 11:13:59How To Dump The 9-to-5 And Join The Ranks Of The Rich
Your marketing campaign is vital to the continued success of your business. Every business must be able to come up with an effective marketing plan to reach potential customers. Customers mean profit, and profit means a healthy cash flow that can support your business and allow it to grow and develop.
A marketing plan allows you to focus your strategy and maximize its performance. Otherwise, it’s easy for your marketing efforts to get lost and drown when compared to more effective campaigns. Here are some tips to help you to create a focused campaign.
Know Your Audience
The first and possibly most important part of developing a marketing campaign is to know who the target audience is. While it might be tempting to try to reach every potential customer out there, this can easily result in failure.
By muddying the waters in this way, you ensure that your company doesn’t stand out when compared to other, more tightly focused campaigns. Yes, you might reach more people, but they will be less interested in a general advertisement than something that is designed to specifically appeal to them.
The only way to make sure that your marketing campaign is geared towards a specific audience is to know who that audience is. Part of this should come into play when designing your brand and product. Some products naturally appeal more to some customers than others, and you should know which ones.
This is where market research comes into play. Market research allows you to interview your most likely customers and ask them what appeals to them. You can do this directly by conducting surveys, but you can also use other research methods such as data collation and analytics to figure out what kind of customer you should be targeting
Existing Customers
When coming up with a marketing plan, it would be a mistake to neglect your existing customers. Turning a one-time purchase into a repeat customer who is loyal to your brand creates a level of stability that companies desperately need.
The good news is that it’s often easier and cheaper to market to your existing customers. You’ve already won them over once and, as long as your product is good, it isn’t too difficult to encourage them to return. Sometimes it’s just a matter of reminding customers that you’re still around.
Most customers are willing to provide their email address or postal address when making a purchase. This allows you to reach them. However, it’s important to give them a reason to return. Marketing spam irritates customers and may discourage them from coming back, but providing offers is another matter entirely.
Digital Marketing
Every marketing strategy should integrate digital marketing, as it’s proven to be one of the most effective ways to reach customers. Marketing gurus like Joey Armstrong can provide detailed advice on how to keep up with the trends and to use digital marketing tools more effectively. Used well, this new avenue of marketing can breathe new life into your business.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/campaign-creators-gMsnXqILjp4-unsplash-1-1.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-05-31 17:00:492022-06-26 11:12:02How to Create a Focused Marketing Campaign
Over the past few decades, technology has progressed at an incredible rate and has increasingly become a larger part of our lives. Humanity has reached the point where technology is synonymous with progress. It’s changed everything, including the business world.
However, technology is a tool, first and foremost. As with any other tool, the best way to get the most out of it is to learn how to use it properly. With that in mind, here are some ways to use technology to improve your business.
Digital Marketing
Good marketing and good business go hand in hand. Your marketing strategy will help you to reach more customers which will, in turn, increase your profit margin and help you to maintain a healthy cash flow in your business.
The internet has opened up a whole new avenue of marketing strategies with the rise of digital marketing. One of the age-old tenets of good marketing is to go where the customers are. Right now, the customers are all online. Even older customers spend a lot of time on the internet, so it makes sense to reach them there.
Good digital marketing means being able to collect and analyze data so that you know what your customers are interested in. With this data in hand, you can create focused and intelligent marketing campaigns. Learn to use tools like GoogleAds and social media effectively and you’ll find that your marketing efforts will become far more effective.
The Cloud
One tool that can help you in nearly every aspect of your business is the cloud. Cloud computing eliminates the need for huge server rooms, which cost money and take up space. Using the cloud, you can move most, if not all, of your operations to third-party services.
This provides you with plenty of space without being constrained by your server limit, as well as the ability to rapidly expand and shift your business. You also eliminate the fear of permanently lost data due to crashes or other issues.
The cloud opens up opportunities that allow you to streamline your business operations, allowing your employees to focus on other things. For example, cloud-based payroll services make managing the payroll of your employees simple, saving time and effort.
Instant and Easy Communication
Communication is necessary for any business to succeed. Technology makes it easier and more efficient to communicate with your employees, suppliers, and customers alike. The most impressive thing about the avenues of communication that technology allows is that you can reach people anywhere in the world, instantly.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to a video-conferencing boom that hasn’t really gone away. Meeting in person is arguably the gold standard of communication, but technology allows you to have a similar kind of meeting no matter where you are.
Technology also allows you to communicate with people easily by using instant messaging systems and emails. Learn when and how to use these methods and you’ll find that communication within your company becomes far more effective.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/annie-spratt-g9KFpAfQ5bc-unsplash-1.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-05-31 16:00:192022-06-26 11:13:50How to Effectively Use Technology to Level Up Your Business
You might be stuck in a career where you are unhappy and no longer look forward to going to work. This hasn’t been helped by several lockdowns and being forced to work from home, which a lot of people have struggled with. If you are on the lookout for a new job and a new career path then think about where you want to work. A great way to find your perfect job is to think about what you are good at. If you are good with your hands then there are plenty of jobs out there for you. Take a look below for some potential inspiration.
Surgeon
For this job, you need to have steady hands, super steady hands. You also need to be qualified and this means heading back to school if you don’t already have those skills and qualifications. You will need to decide which type of surgery field you want to work in as well. There are many different types including orthopedic, pediatric, and cardiac to name a few examples. It may take some time to get into the working environment but if it’s something you enjoy then it will all be worth it in the end.
Architect
If you want to design things then this is the perfect job for you. You will be in control of designing buildings and overseeing the construction to make sure it matches your vision. You may even get to work with some amazing people in wonderful places. Every building you see around you someone has designed. That someone is an architect, so if you love to draw and design buildings then look for a way into the field. Take a look at Gene Gross of Denver Co to find out more about being a top architect.
Landscaper
If you want to help people and get your hands dirty then why not think about being a landscape gardener. You not only get to meet people, but you also get to design their ideal garden and make it become a reality. You could change someone’s life by giving them a garden they have always dreamed of. You can start your own business or you can join an existing landscaper to work alongside them. There will always be people who are not able to work on their own garden, or simply don’t know what to do with all the space they have. This is where you come in to make their home complete with an amazing garden.
Chef
Finally, if you like making things and serving people then being a chef sounds like a career for you. People think chefs are just individuals in the kitchen making basic food. This takes a lot of intricacies and making sure that food is displayed in the right way. How food is displayed makes us want to eat it more, it is all psychological. You can go to culinary school or become an apprentice to learn all about what it takes to become a top-notch chef. You could even get to a point in your career where you earn stars for your cooking.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2022-05-31-083027.jpg7681200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-05-31 08:00:292022-06-26 11:15:42Outstanding Career Ideas If You’re Good With Your Hands
If you are thinking of getting into the auto trade business then there are many things to think about before you open. You will need to have a solid idea of how you are going to run your business, this comes in the form of a business plan. A great business plan leads to a great business. Take a look below to find out what you need to consider to start a car sales business.
Budget
First of all, you need to know your money situation and how much you have to put into a business. Starting a business doesn’t have to cost you a fortune but you will need to part with some cash. You will need to have money for the premises, you will also need money for the cars that you are going to sell. If you don’t have this money to hand then you will need to apply for a business loan. In order to be successful with this, you need to have a high credit rating, this means you manage your money well and have never been in any trouble involving paying the money back.
Competitors
Next, you need to know that there is a need for a car sales showroom in your area. You can find this out by comparing your competitors. Using something like competitive intelligence tools will show you how well your competitors are doing and how you can outdo them. You could also work alongside your competitors and maybe do a collaboration that means you both earn a good chunk of money.
Cars
Now, you will only have a car sales business if you have cars to sell. You need to decide if you are going to be a new car dealership or if you want to focus on selling used cars instead. There is a need for both of these so it really depends on what people in your area want. Speak to the general public to get their thoughts and feelings. This is really the only way you will know what people will buy, you don’t want to guess and get it wrong. When it comes to filling up your lot with cars there are many ways to get your hands on cars. You could ask friends and family members if they are wanting to sell their vehicle or if they know anyone selling a car. You could also advertise online for people wishing to sell their cars.
Location
Finally, location is super important when it comes to owning a business. You need to be somewhere you can be seen or easily found. You don’t want to be in the middle of nowhere as you will struggle to get the right amount of foot traffic through the door. You can advertise online or on billboards. That way people will know what you’re about and can pop by if they need a car. If you are set back a bit from the main road then you could rely on signs on the road to direct people to your business.
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How To Dump The 9-to-5 And Join The Ranks Of The Rich
/in Professional Development/by StrategyDrivenAlmost always they are struggling with bills, credit card debt and down payments on their house. It’s not the life that many imagined.
For millennials, the situation is even worse. Many are working in gig or zero contract hours companies, get lousy pay and only receive a couple of weeks vacation each year. Many view their full-time jobs as more of a prison than a career path because of the sheer amount of time, energy and mental effort that they require. Younger people are wondering why they are investing so much effort and energy to do something that pays barely enough to cover their bills.
Unfortunately, most workers are stuck in the 9-5 trap. They spend so much time working, dedicated to their jobs that they fail to see all of the opportunities around them. They simply don’t have hours available to explore other possibilities, outside of their work and busy family lives.
So how do you get out of the 9 to 5 pattern? Here’s what to do.
Set A Timetable For Yourself
The first thing you need to do is improve your time management skills. Many people working in 9 to 5 jobs can’t afford to leave their present positions immediately. However, they may be able to rearrange their time to allow them to work on side projects alongside turning their main income.
Be strict with yourself and dedicate a few hours everyday to pursuing a different goal. Find a way to either sell your skills or build a business that will allow you to create an income stream that doesn’t rely on your present employer.
Do It As A Side Hustle First
Many budding entrepreneurs, such as Charles Zsebik, became successful by exploring their passions as a side project at first. Instead of abandoning their previous life and pursuing clients full time, they look for ways to to grow to do what they love on the side. If their passion grows into a viable business opportunity, they take full advantage of it.
Plan Out What You Want To Do
If your goal is to create income that replaces your existing salary, then the easiest thing to do is to sell your existing skills. Working as a freelancer in your current capacity allows you to escape the 9 to 5 and work hours that you decide. For instance, if you are a writer for your company, you might consider transitioning to writing for agencies or freelance platforms. These make it easy to kick start your freelance journey and money at the same time, whilst gaining independence.
While you are doing this you will also need to set your rate. You don’t want to leave your current 9 to 5 and wind-up working from 9 till 7. That won’t improve your quality of life, even if you are earning more per hour. If you aren’t happy with your current arrangement, don’t be afraid to fail fast. You can always try something new while you are experimenting with different income streams on the side.
How to Create a Focused Marketing Campaign
/in Marketing & Sales/by StrategyDrivenA marketing plan allows you to focus your strategy and maximize its performance. Otherwise, it’s easy for your marketing efforts to get lost and drown when compared to more effective campaigns. Here are some tips to help you to create a focused campaign.
Know Your Audience
The first and possibly most important part of developing a marketing campaign is to know who the target audience is. While it might be tempting to try to reach every potential customer out there, this can easily result in failure.
By muddying the waters in this way, you ensure that your company doesn’t stand out when compared to other, more tightly focused campaigns. Yes, you might reach more people, but they will be less interested in a general advertisement than something that is designed to specifically appeal to them.
The only way to make sure that your marketing campaign is geared towards a specific audience is to know who that audience is. Part of this should come into play when designing your brand and product. Some products naturally appeal more to some customers than others, and you should know which ones.
This is where market research comes into play. Market research allows you to interview your most likely customers and ask them what appeals to them. You can do this directly by conducting surveys, but you can also use other research methods such as data collation and analytics to figure out what kind of customer you should be targeting
Existing Customers
When coming up with a marketing plan, it would be a mistake to neglect your existing customers. Turning a one-time purchase into a repeat customer who is loyal to your brand creates a level of stability that companies desperately need.
The good news is that it’s often easier and cheaper to market to your existing customers. You’ve already won them over once and, as long as your product is good, it isn’t too difficult to encourage them to return. Sometimes it’s just a matter of reminding customers that you’re still around.
Most customers are willing to provide their email address or postal address when making a purchase. This allows you to reach them. However, it’s important to give them a reason to return. Marketing spam irritates customers and may discourage them from coming back, but providing offers is another matter entirely.
Digital Marketing
Every marketing strategy should integrate digital marketing, as it’s proven to be one of the most effective ways to reach customers. Marketing gurus like Joey Armstrong can provide detailed advice on how to keep up with the trends and to use digital marketing tools more effectively. Used well, this new avenue of marketing can breathe new life into your business.
How to Effectively Use Technology to Level Up Your Business
/in Managing Your Business/by StrategyDrivenHowever, technology is a tool, first and foremost. As with any other tool, the best way to get the most out of it is to learn how to use it properly. With that in mind, here are some ways to use technology to improve your business.
Digital Marketing
Good marketing and good business go hand in hand. Your marketing strategy will help you to reach more customers which will, in turn, increase your profit margin and help you to maintain a healthy cash flow in your business.
The internet has opened up a whole new avenue of marketing strategies with the rise of digital marketing. One of the age-old tenets of good marketing is to go where the customers are. Right now, the customers are all online. Even older customers spend a lot of time on the internet, so it makes sense to reach them there.
Good digital marketing means being able to collect and analyze data so that you know what your customers are interested in. With this data in hand, you can create focused and intelligent marketing campaigns. Learn to use tools like GoogleAds and social media effectively and you’ll find that your marketing efforts will become far more effective.
The Cloud
One tool that can help you in nearly every aspect of your business is the cloud. Cloud computing eliminates the need for huge server rooms, which cost money and take up space. Using the cloud, you can move most, if not all, of your operations to third-party services.
This provides you with plenty of space without being constrained by your server limit, as well as the ability to rapidly expand and shift your business. You also eliminate the fear of permanently lost data due to crashes or other issues.
The cloud opens up opportunities that allow you to streamline your business operations, allowing your employees to focus on other things. For example, cloud-based payroll services make managing the payroll of your employees simple, saving time and effort.
Instant and Easy Communication
Communication is necessary for any business to succeed. Technology makes it easier and more efficient to communicate with your employees, suppliers, and customers alike. The most impressive thing about the avenues of communication that technology allows is that you can reach people anywhere in the world, instantly.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to a video-conferencing boom that hasn’t really gone away. Meeting in person is arguably the gold standard of communication, but technology allows you to have a similar kind of meeting no matter where you are.
Technology also allows you to communicate with people easily by using instant messaging systems and emails. Learn when and how to use these methods and you’ll find that communication within your company becomes far more effective.
Outstanding Career Ideas If You’re Good With Your Hands
/in Professional Development/by StrategyDrivenSurgeon
For this job, you need to have steady hands, super steady hands. You also need to be qualified and this means heading back to school if you don’t already have those skills and qualifications. You will need to decide which type of surgery field you want to work in as well. There are many different types including orthopedic, pediatric, and cardiac to name a few examples. It may take some time to get into the working environment but if it’s something you enjoy then it will all be worth it in the end.
Architect
If you want to design things then this is the perfect job for you. You will be in control of designing buildings and overseeing the construction to make sure it matches your vision. You may even get to work with some amazing people in wonderful places. Every building you see around you someone has designed. That someone is an architect, so if you love to draw and design buildings then look for a way into the field. Take a look at Gene Gross of Denver Co to find out more about being a top architect.
Landscaper
If you want to help people and get your hands dirty then why not think about being a landscape gardener. You not only get to meet people, but you also get to design their ideal garden and make it become a reality. You could change someone’s life by giving them a garden they have always dreamed of. You can start your own business or you can join an existing landscaper to work alongside them. There will always be people who are not able to work on their own garden, or simply don’t know what to do with all the space they have. This is where you come in to make their home complete with an amazing garden.
Chef
Finally, if you like making things and serving people then being a chef sounds like a career for you. People think chefs are just individuals in the kitchen making basic food. This takes a lot of intricacies and making sure that food is displayed in the right way. How food is displayed makes us want to eat it more, it is all psychological. You can go to culinary school or become an apprentice to learn all about what it takes to become a top-notch chef. You could even get to a point in your career where you earn stars for your cooking.
Starting A Car Sales Business Is Easier Than You Think
/in Starting Your Business/by StrategyDrivenBudget
First of all, you need to know your money situation and how much you have to put into a business. Starting a business doesn’t have to cost you a fortune but you will need to part with some cash. You will need to have money for the premises, you will also need money for the cars that you are going to sell. If you don’t have this money to hand then you will need to apply for a business loan. In order to be successful with this, you need to have a high credit rating, this means you manage your money well and have never been in any trouble involving paying the money back.
Competitors
Next, you need to know that there is a need for a car sales showroom in your area. You can find this out by comparing your competitors. Using something like competitive intelligence tools will show you how well your competitors are doing and how you can outdo them. You could also work alongside your competitors and maybe do a collaboration that means you both earn a good chunk of money.
Cars
Now, you will only have a car sales business if you have cars to sell. You need to decide if you are going to be a new car dealership or if you want to focus on selling used cars instead. There is a need for both of these so it really depends on what people in your area want. Speak to the general public to get their thoughts and feelings. This is really the only way you will know what people will buy, you don’t want to guess and get it wrong. When it comes to filling up your lot with cars there are many ways to get your hands on cars. You could ask friends and family members if they are wanting to sell their vehicle or if they know anyone selling a car. You could also advertise online for people wishing to sell their cars.
Location
Finally, location is super important when it comes to owning a business. You need to be somewhere you can be seen or easily found. You don’t want to be in the middle of nowhere as you will struggle to get the right amount of foot traffic through the door. You can advertise online or on billboards. That way people will know what you’re about and can pop by if they need a car. If you are set back a bit from the main road then you could rely on signs on the road to direct people to your business.