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How to Use Your Time Efficiently as a Busy Entrepreneur

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Busy entrepreneur|How to Use Your Time Efficiently as a Busy EntrepreneurAs a business owner, your time is dominated by all the tasks and responsibilities you need to complete each day. The pressure of life as a business owner is something most entrepreneurs thrive on, but there is no doubt that sustaining this hectic pace of life can be challenging in the long term. Finding ways to maximize your time and work more efficiently is an excellent way to get more done and relieve some of the everyday pressures you face. The more efficiently you work on routine tasks, the more time you will have to focus on the bigger picture and your strategy to drive your business to greater success. Here are some tips to help you use your time more efficiently:

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

As an entrepreneur, doing everything yourself and constantly working comes naturally to you. However, just because you can do everything yourself does not mean you should. Learning to delegate tasks can be a challenge when you are used to doing everything alone, but passing some tasks over to your employees for completion is essential. Training your team members to confidently and competently handle some of the day-to-day tasks will leave you free to focus on the strategic side of the business. Feeling confident that your team can take care of your business will enable you to be less restricted and even means that you can work away from the office to focus on complicated tasks without being disturbed.

Develop a Marketing Strategy

Marketing is an essential tool that every business needs to prioritize to stand out from its competitors and attract customers. However, marketing a business successfully can be a time-consuming task if you do not know what you are doing.

Many business owners take an inconsistent approach to marketing their businesses, dipping in and out of their marketing efforts depending on how much time they have to spare. Working on your marketing without a plan and taking a scattergun approach can cause you to waste your time, money, and resources. Instead, it is better to create a digital marketing strategy and stick with it. Implementing a strategy enables you to focus your efforts and measure its effectiveness to see which activities work best and which require some refinement. Monitoring these results will help you maximize your time and marketing budget more efficiently and achieve even better results.

Do Not Multitask

Multitasking is often viewed as the best way to get lots of tasks completed at the same time. However, multitasking could actually slow down your efforts to rush through your to-do list and make it take a lot longer to complete. When trying to do too much at once, it becomes hard to focus, and you may make mistakes. This means that it takes longer for you to get everything done, and the standard of your work is likely to be lower. So, avoiding the temptation to multitask is vital if you want to use your time efficiently and get more done.

Podcasts vs. YouTube Channels: Which Content Form Is for You?

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |podcasts vs YouTube |Podcasts vs. YouTube Channels: Which Content Form Is for You?Did you know nearly 60% of Americans listen to podcasts, and around the same number use YouTube?

Growing a business is much easier when you leverage valuable tools like these to push your content and grow your audience. The challenging part is choosing which avenue to pursue.

Keep reading to compare podcasts vs. YouTube and see which option is the right fit for your business.

Podcasts

Podcasts have grown tremendously in popularity over the past few years. As a result, more and more businesses harness the power podcasts bring to reach a unique and diverse audience.

Pros

Podcasts are audio-only, which is often easier for camera-shy people.

While they still have many moving parts involved, not worrying about video makes creating a podcast more simple than a YouTube video.

People also have more opportunities to listen to podcasts than to watch Youtube videos. For example, a podcast can be listened to on someone’s way to work or on a long road trip, whereas YouTube videos require the person to look at a screen with their full attention.

Cons

The effort it takes to host a podcast shouldn’t be underestimated. Thankfully, working with a podcasting production agency can make the entire process feel seamless.

Standing out among the crowd can also be tough with podcasting. People typically search for specific podcasts rather than stumble across them. So more effort is needed at first to push your content to people and get them hooked.

YouTube

YouTube has been around for a long time. Over time its popularity has ebbed and flowed, but people are now gravitating back toward it, making it extremely popular again.

Pros

When you create content for YouTube, it’s easy to reuse in other places. For example, taking snippets for TikTok or posting on other social media channels is straightforward.

The YouTube search algorithm makes it possible for your videos to pop up even if you aren’t well established on the platform.

Cons

YouTube content marketing is much more complex than creating a podcast. Combining audio and visual requires the expertise of many different people, and the costs can add up quickly.

Copyright infringement and other strict rules are common issues YouTube users face. Something as simple as a snippet of sound in the background from a song you don’t have rights to can get a video removed. Podcasts are often more flexible.

Which Is Best?

While both podcasts and YouTube have pros and cons, podcasts are a more beginner-friendly option. Plus, having a podcast allows you to reach people more frequently for less effort.

Trying out both at some point might be wise, but starting with a podcast is likely best for your business!

Podcasts vs. YouTube — A Clear Winner

As a business owner, deciding between podcasts vs. YouTube can be a stressful decision. So throughout this brief article, we highlighted the pros and cons of each.

At this point, it’s easy to see a podcast is often the better option. So get started with one as soon as possible to see the benefits hosting one brings your business!

If you’d like to read more information to help you grow your business with ease, please take a look around to see what else our site offers!

7 Factors to Consider Before Becoming a Cryptocurrency Investor

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |cryptocurrency investor |7 Factors to Consider Before Becoming a Cryptocurrency InvestorIf you’re thinking of becoming a cryptocurrency investor, you’re certainly not alone. 55% of Bitcoin investors only got involved in the past year up to April 2022.

Some boasted measured strategies. Others might have just seen the potential profits and decided it was better to get in late than never. There’s significant support for the idea that cryptocurrencies might change the global financial system. If that becomes the case, certain coins will become far more desirable.

Of course, that’s not the only factor behind rising prices, but a great return is all but essential for any investment. There’s as much risk involved as with any other investment but with potentially massive returns.
Here’s how to keep the risk low and become an educated crypto investor, not just a speculator.

1. Every Cryptocurrency Investor Needs a Strategy

A cryptocurrency investing strategy could mean many different things, but at the very least, you shouldn’t part with your hard-earned cash on a coin because you like the name. The more you can plan, the more likely you’ll achieve success. That means understanding entry prices, exit strategies, and diversification.

Essentially, you want to know the second and third steps around your investments before taking the first.

2. Research Every Investment Ahead of Time

There’s plenty of information out there on every cryptocurrency you might be tempted to invest in. They generally have whitepapers and roadmaps, indicating what sets them apart from the competition and where the future will take them. Of course, they don’t always meet their targets, but you can get an idea of a coin’s future and how that might affect the price.

3. Always Consider a Diversified Portfolio

It’s rare for a cryptocurrency to disappear completely, but it does happen. Like stocks and shares, you can protect yourself somewhat from issues with a single investment by spreading your cash out.

Once you’ve done your research, you’ll find several attractive options, and it’s often better to diversify into several appealing coins than risk it all on the back of one.

4. Consider Your Wallet Needs

You can keep your cryptocurrency on the exchanges where you buy and sell or store tokens in hot and cold wallets.

A hot wallet is common when buying Bitcoin with plans to spend or sell in the short term. It’s always connected and ready to use without delay.

Meanwhile, a cold wallet trades convenience for security. It’s usually a piece of hardware where you store your investment, and the only way to get funds out of it is through having the wallet itself.

5. Not All Crypto Exchanges are Created Equal

Crypto exchanges are online sites that facilitate crypto transactions and take care of buying and selling. While not strictly accurate, a new cryptocurrency investor can think of them as a bank or PayPal, but for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other tokens.

There are plenty of big names, and it’s always worth considering the reputation. However, keep in mind that online exchanges aren’t the only way to buy. You could just as quickly do so at a kiosk in the street – find out more about how they work at Byte Federal.

6. Prepare Yourself for Volatility

Crypto investment and gambling have more in common than some investors like to admit. For example, if you were a Bitcoin investor in April 2021, you’d have witnessed an 11% drop on a Sunday of all days! That wiped around $7,000 off every coin’s value, and they’re the risks you must be prepared for before you make your first investment.

7. The Tax Inspector Still Wants a Cut

When you make money, the tax inspector makes money, and crypto investments are no different. In the US, crypto holdings are treated similarly to property holdings for tax purposes. Legally, a cryptocurrency investor must report all crypto transactions, and you’ll pay capital gains taxes on any profit.

Taxation is nothing new, but it’s worth keeping in mind when you do your research and establish your exit strategy. After all, a sale price won’t be quite as attractive when a percentage goes to the IRS!

Start Your Crypto Investing Journey Today

If you want to become a cryptocurrency investor, there’s no need to leave it to luck. The cryptocurrency investing market is firmly established, but there’s still plenty of time to get in early. With the correct strategy and sufficient research, you can make wise investments and enjoy potentially fantastic returns.

You can learn much more about business and financial strategies and discover how to apply them to investing in cryptocurrencies and anything else across our blog.

5 Tips on Building Content Marketing Campaigns for Small Businesses

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |content marketing campaigns |5 Tips on Building Content Marketing Campaigns for Small BusinessesWhat’s the key to success for your small business? Marketing. A strong marketing campaign bolsters your brand, draws in new customers, and puts more eyes on your product.

There are dozens of different ways to approach marketing, but in the age of the internet and social media, content marketing campaigns are among the most effective.

Building a great content marketing campaign might seem daunting, but there are a few tricks that can make it easier. Read this article to learn five ways you can become an expert at marketing with content.

1. Choose a Core Message

Your content marketing campaign needs a strong foundation. The first step in any campaign should be to determine the core message: the idea that you want to impart to your audience.

“You should buy our product” is not a strong core message. You need to go deeper–why should someone buy your product? What sets it apart from the competition?

Identify your product’s strengths and build a campaign around that. If you sell towels, for instance, your core message might be, “Our towels are the softest, most luxurious towels on the market–and you deserve that luxury.”

2. Understand Your Audience

Understanding your audience goes hand-in-hand with selecting your core message. You need to determine what your audience is looking for and what types of content they’re likely to respond to.

Think about your target customer’s goals. Are they looking at your content because they want to relax and have fun, or because they want to learn something new? What other interests might they have?

3. Decide on a Format

There are two questions you need to answer when deciding on your content’s format: what is the most effective way to get your message across, and what is your audience interested in viewing?

Video is an increasingly popular format for content because it’s engaging and eye-catching; however, making regular blog posts is a great way to keep your audience engaged over a long period.

Keep abreast of trends–for instance, podcasts are an increasingly popular medium.

4. Spread the Word

It doesn’t matter how good your content is if no one sees it. That’s why it’s smart to create content for social media–social media makes it easy for people to find and learn about your brand.

Content syndication platforms can also help your content get seen. Click here to read more about content syndication.

5. Analyze and Learn

Publishing your content isn’t the end of the process. Once it’s out in the world, you need to observe and analyze how people react to it. Did your target audience find it engaging?

Figure out what people like and dislike about your content. Then, use that information to improve your next content marketing campaign.

Upgrade Your Content Marketing Campaigns

Content marketing campaigns help you connect with your customers on a deeper level. Videos and blog posts provide consumers with entertainment and education while also building your company’s brand.
Entrepreneurs understand the importance (and the difficulties) of marketing businesses online. For more guidance on this crucial topic, visit our entrepreneurs page, where you can find more insights to help grow your business!

Things That Payroll Officers Must Avoid

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Things That Payroll Officers Must AvoidThere are several things that payroll providers must avoid. These violations can lead to imprisonment and fines of up to $10,000. Many employers try to comply with the law, but they are still prone to mistakes that could cost businesses money and reputation.

Falsifying wages

Employees can falsify their wages to benefit themselves or employers. Falsified wages are common ways to cheat payroll departments. Employees may also use their payroll access to forge or alter checks and alter the amounts. Physical reviews are also easier to develop and steal.

Another way to defraud a payroll system is to perform timesheet fraud. This involves submitting timesheets that do not accurately represent an employee’s work schedule. This method is prevalent among non-exempt employees, who may use false timesheets to cover up a problem. An employer can correct time records before wages are paid to prevent any further fraud. Falsifying wages is something that payroll officers must avoid.

Falsifying hours worked

One of the biggest problems in the workplace is that employees may be tempted to falsify their timesheets. Even if you are not at fault, it is vital to maintain accurate time records for both exempt and nonexempt employees. It is critical to keep correct documents of all time spent working, including meal breaks and constant changes. You should also justify what will happen if an employee submits a timesheet containing false information. You should always review your timesheet policy with your employees and ask about any discrepancies in time records. This way, you can resolve any issues before payroll time arrives.

Another ordinary mistake payroll officers must watch out for is the use of ghost hourly employees. This type of employee uses the payroll system to steal from a company. In a larger company, ghost hourly employees may use this scheme to take advantage of the company’s payroll system. Regular audits of payroll records will help you spot irregularities and inconsistencies in payroll budgets. Falsifying hours is also possible with sophisticated time clocks that require employees to enter a unique passcode for each employee.

Falsifying tax forms

While employers who pay their employees in cash have many risks, one of the biggest is the risk of misclassifying them. If payroll officers don’t classify employees correctly, they may violate federal tax laws. The consequences of misclassification can include fines of up to $25,000 per instance and penalties and back payroll taxes. To avoid such a scenario, payroll officers should work with a competent payroll company to classify employees correctly.

Falsifying sick days

In the workplace, employees must give as much notice as possible if they will miss a shift. Unfortunately, many will try to resolve the issue, saying they will return later, but this isn’t appropriate. Instead, call to explain that they’re sick and tell your employer when you expect to return. While coming in with a cough may be uncomfortable, it is still better than not coming in.

While some employees may be able to make it through the workday with the excuse that they’re ill, some might try to fake it. This can cost a company money and goodwill, so it’s vital to have a system to catch false claims. A drive-by of an employee’s house is one way to catch someone out with fake sick days. When a supervisor sees someone on camera, they’ll be fired or given their job back.

Falsifying vacation

There are multiple ways in which an employee may be misclassified as a fake employee. In some instances, employees have been caught doing something illegal, like falsifying vacation hours, and payroll officers are often responsible. Payroll officers may have detected irregularities and declined to process them, but employees and managers have also criticized them. Falsifying vacation and severance hours for employees can be a significant problem, and the consequences of these actions could be costly.