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The Most Effective Ways that You Can Make Your Employees Feel Safe

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Make employees feel safe|The Most Effective Ways that You Can Make Your Employees Feel SafeDo you have a number of different employees working under you? If so, then there is a good chance that you want them to feel as safe as possible within the workplace. This is a lot easier said than done due to the fact a lot of time, many people do not actually know what it is that can make their employees feel safer within the workplace. If this sounds like you, then have no fear, as this article will go into more detail about the most effective ways that you can make any and all of your employees feel safe.

Ensure You Only Use Top Quality Equipment

Your employees are going to feel a lot safer at work if the equipment that they are working with is of the highest quality. This means the tools they use, whether it is something as simple as a computer or a drill, all the way to the floor they are standing on.

If the work that you do revolves around construction, then you need to make sure that everything keeping your employees in the position they are working in are high quality and safety as well. For instance, if you have staff on board that needs to work on fragile roofs, you will need to use equipment such as that supplied by easi-dec.co.uk in order to keep everyone secure.

Make Everyone Aware of the Emergency Response Plan

If you are making your employees well aware of what they are going to need to do in the face of an emergency, then they are going to be a lot more at ease and a lot more prepared. You will need to create an emergency response plan and then make sure that your employees are trained about it, and they are visible throughout the workplace as well. Your plan is usually going to include the likes of:

  • The conditions under which following the plan is going to be necessary
  • The best emergency contact numbers your employees can ring
  • The address and phone number of your business should anyone need it
  • Information regarding where all of the emergency equipment is
  • Maps of all of the escape routes

Hire Security Guards

This could sound a bit extreme, but it is certainly necessary for a lot of different businesses as a security guard will make sure the premises and people within them are always as safe as possible. They are able to carefully monitor who enters the building and who leaves by standing guard and carrying out regular patrols on the area. This is especially useful when the building is empty as it means that you have people standing guard should there be any problems, such as individuals trying to break in.

Conclusion

You no doubt have an idea of how important it is to ensure your staff feels safe throughout the workday. If you want to have a full understanding of how you can effectively keep your staff safe, then you should consider the above.

6 Ways to Fund Your Small Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances CentralArticle |Fund your small business|6 Ways to Fund Your Small BusinessStarting a small business comes with many challenges. One of the major things to consider is how you will fund the creation, development, and growth of your business. There are different ways that you can fund a business using some of the below methods.

1. Secure a Business Loan

Business loans are very popular with those looking for initial investment for a new project. Loans designed for small business owners can come with more flexible terms than regular loans. This can help you to budget better and offers more financial freedom and agility when creating a new company. You can use a loan to buy the necessary equipment needed for the business, such as office equipment or security systems from an electrical wholesalers.

2. Ask Family and Friends

It can be much more cost-effective to get your hands on a loan from family and friends rather than a bank. This can allow you to pay back the loan over a longer period of time, or without as much interest. Offer family members or friends a percentage of the business in return for the loan.

3. Try Crowdfunding

While crowdfunding doesn’t work for every business, it is worth considering whether it could benefit your new project. Crowdfunding allows a large number of people to contribute relatively small amounts of money to fund a project. When it is complete, they either receive their money back or are given shares in the business, for example, in return.

4. Find a Private Investor

If taking out a bank loan doesn’t sound right for you, explore investments from private individuals or trusts. Often known as ‘business angels’, they could be exactly the right fit for your business. Working with experienced investors also allows you to benefit from real-life experience and knowledge as well as practical funding. You can secure these investments in the early stages of your business or when looking to grow a company.

5. Sell Business Assets

Once your business is established, selling its assets can be a good way to generate funds when needed. It is particularly useful in situations where you need to upgrade existing assets such as vehicles. You can sell equipment, for example, or trade it in for newer items. Selling assets that are no longer needed can generate funds for other areas of the business.

6. Explore Business Grants

There are a range of government and business grants available depending on which stage you are at with your business. Start-ups can often attract a broader range of grants, but that doesn’t mean existing businesses are completely excluded. Explore what’s available within your sector and see whether any grants might be viable for your business.

Finding ways to fund your small business isn’t always easy, but there are a variety of options to explore. The range of funding options available means you are likely to find something that might work for your business, either alone or as part of a combination of funding streams.

5 Ways Paid Loyalty Programs Can Bring Customers Back

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Loyalty Program|5 Ways Paid Loyalty Programs Can Bring Customers BackReturning customers are something that all businesses want. Although coaxing new customers is great, it takes more time and resources to bring in new customers than it does to keep returning ones. One way of ensuring you bring them back is to offer a loyalty program. Here are five ways paid loyalty programs can bring customers back.

Why Are Loyalty Programs so Important?

There are many surveys out there that show having a returning customer is better than bringing in a new customer.
The probability that you will sell to an existing customer is around 60-70%. When you compare this to a new customer it drops to 5-20%.

Although you want to grow your business, you also want to increase your loyal customer base as well.

1. Customer Have an Investment

With a paid loyalty program, you have created a customer that has an investment in the company.
They are far more likely to return to your brand to utilise the bonuses and offers than they would if you had a free loyalty program.

2. Customers Feel More Exclusivity

Having a paid loyalty program makes customers feel more exclusive than a free scheme that anyone can join.

Not everyone will be willing to join a loyalty program that they need to pay for upfront, which means the members will have a core group of loyal followers.

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3. You Can Offer Better Rewards

Because you are receiving a premium for offering rewards and offers, you can afford to give better incentives than a free scheme.

This will be something previous customers may find interesting and coax them to return. It means the offers you give must be of such quality that they see it as an incentive to return.

4. You Can Offer it as an Upgrade

If you have customers who haven’t returned but are on a free rewards scheme then you can always tempt them back with an upgrade.

You might want to include it in a newsletter and offer a few months on the paid loyalty program for free.

This could be enough to bring those customers back and then get them paying for the upgraded loyalty program later down the line.

5. Creating Something Your Competition Doesn’t Have

If you have done your homework, then you should already know what offers or loyalty schemes your competitors have.
If they don’t have a premium paid loyalty program, then this could be the perfect way to entice new customers to come over to your brand.

It may also bring back those customers who have left your brand for others in your market. However, it must be of such quality that it is better than the free program offered by the other brands.

So, should you invest in a paid loyalty program for customer retention?

Paid loyalty programs can be a good way to bring back your old customers as well as bring in new ones. You must make sure that the offers are high quality and give your customers something they can’t find with your rival brands in the market.

How to Grow Your Business: Pro Tips for Managers

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Busines Article |Grow your business|How to Grow Your Business: Pro Tips for ManagersAre you trying to grow your business but feel like you keep running into a brick wall? Don’t worry; this is a common experience that all managers go through at some point in time. It’s the nature of the business world: nothing is supposed to be easy!

Fortunately, you can put the following pro tips into action if you need a boost. These tips will help to protect your business, get it on the right track, and ultimately make growth a realistic possibility.

Hire security guards

For your business to grow, it first needs to be protected. Otherwise, you’ll be at risk of break-ins and theft, which could lead to devasting cost damages.

If your current business premises isn’t protected – whether it’s a small commercial office or a large, multi-floor building – you should consider hiring security guards who will be able to provide controlled gate access, entry point monitoring, and more. Get started by visiting https://usprotective.net/commercial/.

On top of this, you should also have security cameras and alarms installed throughout and around your building for extra protection. Security cameras, in particular, are a great deterrent for would-be criminals, so make sure to bear this in mind.

Create an interesting, emotion-driven marketing campaign

It only takes one really good marketing campaign to get your business off the ground and into space in the modern age. If you strike gold with a marketing campaign, it will get shared across all the major social media platforms; gaining your business some major traction.

Here’s an example of an excellent marketing campaign. Back in 2013, Dove launched their ‘Dove Real Beauty Sketches’ campaign, and it gained a lot of positive attention online.

Essentially, the aim of the campaign was to draw attention to women’s beauty standards and how they have led to many women having low (and untrue) perceptions of themselves.

In the promotional video (which you can watch on YouTube), participants in the campaign had to describe themselves to sketch artists. After this, their partners and friends were asked to describe them to sketch artists, too.

The sketches derived from their friend’s descriptions were much more beautiful and realistic than the ones derived from the actual participants, creating a powerful message.

Regarding this campaign, Dove state:

‘More than 50 million people viewed the Dove video within 12 days of its release. To date, Real Beauty Sketches has been viewed almost 180 million times. We want the film to continue to inspire every single one of the 80% of women who feel anxious about how they look to reconsider their view of their own beauty’.

The point is clear: when a marketing campaign is good, it will gain lots of clicks and have a lasting impact for years after.

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Improve your business homepage

Your business homepage should include enticing imagery, good branding, effective call-to-action, and your contact details. On top of this, it’s also a good idea to include a customer service chatbot in the corner to help guide any visitors to your website who need assistance.

Implement a hybrid work model

Modern business managers have embraced hybrid work models. Hybrid work models allow employees to work from home and enjoy greater flexibility. It also allows business managers to hire new and talented employees from different cities and countries.

Lastly, embrace the hard times

Remember, your business growth journey isn’t supposed to be easy. However, by following the tips above and placing your focus on the right key areas, you’ll be able to grow and expand your business over the coming years.

Tips To Protect Your Business Reputation

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Business Reputation|Tips To Protect Your Business ReputationIn the age of social media, 24-hour news and online reviews, it has never been more important to protect your business reputation. Customers and clients make decisions based on who they can trust and the perceptions they have of different brands. In this guide, we’ll explore some steps you can take to shield your reputation.

Positive reviews

Nine out of ten consumers read online reviews before purchasing products or contacting businesses. Positive reviews can persuade customers to buy from your business rather than a rival and they can also enhance your reputation. If a brand has a large number of excellent reviews, this makes them appear more dependable and trustworthy. Customer service, product quality and value for money are driving factors. If you provide high-quality products or services that offer good value for money and your customers enjoy a positive experience, they will be more likely to leave you glowing reviews. Use feedback to identify shortfalls or problems and make improvements, address concerns promptly, and go the extra mile to optimize service and support. It’s wise to invest in staff training and provide responsive support options, such as live chat.

Working with businesses you trust

Many businesses rely on other companies to provide customers with products and services. If you are doing deals with other businesses, you want to outsource business tasks, or you’re thinking of merging with a firm or agency, it’s crucial to do your research. You can use an LEI finder to gather information about a company before engaging in financial transactions and you can also read reviews and access data about the history of the firm online. It’s beneficial to learn more about businesses you want to work with as they will represent your brand in some capacity if you choose to hire an agency, do a deal or form a partnership.

Looking after your employees

Taking good care of your employees is critical for morale, but it can also help you to enhance your business reputation. If you are known for looking after your staff, this will make your brand more appealing to customers, investors or potential business clients. Try to aim for high retention rates by prioritizing health and wellbeing, offering attractive employee benefits packages, providing opportunities to develop and progress and rewarding hard work.

Sharing values

Customers today are conscious of the impact of the decisions they make. Research suggests that over 70% of consumers want to buy from brands that align with their values. If you give back to the community, or you support projects or donate to charities, this can enhance your brand image and help you connect with customers. Think carefully about what matters to you as the owner of the company and encourage clients and employees to share ideas.

It has never been more important to be proactive in protecting your business reputation. If you want to keep hold of loyal customers, attract new clients, receive positive reviews and feedback and encourage talented employees to stay with you, take these tips on board.