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The Five Key Qualities of a Decision-Maker

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StrategyDriven Decision-Making Article | The Five Key Qualities of a Decision-MakerDecision-making is one of the most important qualities when it comes to successfully running a business. Without being able to make the right decisions a business is likely to completely flounder. That’s why it’s so important to know which qualities separate a proper decision-maker from somebody who is simply coasting. Whether you are the CEO of a company but are unsure of how to proceed or you are looking to rise up the ranks of your company through firm and decisive action, you have come to the right place. Read on now for all you need to know about decision-making.

Research

A good business leader knows that no decision should ever be entered into lightly, as there can be a whole bunch of factors that could come into play once a decision has been gone into. That’s why you should make sure to do as much research as you can within the given time-frame as well as putting in the time to learn key skills and insights about the business. For key learnings about how to get better insights into your business, you should check out the services of a small business consultant today.

Listening

Listening is often an underrated part of the decision-making process, but the best CEOs know that they are not so often operating autocracies, but take all ideas in-hand before finally committing to a final decision. Take the example of the long-serving chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, who is often praised for her ability to listen to everyone before finally taking her own initiative.

Understand Risk

All decisions are about balancing risk in some way. After all, no matter which decision that you make in the end, you might encounter some difficulty along the way. By doing your research and understanding all the different risks involved, you will be able to make the best possible decision possible for your business.

Deliberation

Only the worst decision-makers jump rashly into a new business plan. It is worth fully deliberating and taking your time before you decide to commit to an idea. The worst decision you can make is a quick one, as this can definitely backfire. Remember it’s always better to not do something risky than to commit at all, meaning that you should be aware of all the different outcomes before making that final commitment.

Decisiveness

Intense deliberation should never be confused with indecisiveness. Instead, it is about weighing up options before committing to one. This mean that eventually you want to be able to make a key choice, good or bad, to allow the company to move forward. One of the worst options is to take too long to come to a final conclusion as this can slow down company processes completely and also cause your employees to start making decision themselves without your authority. Instead, once you have an idea of what you want to do, it’s important to take the lead, make that decision and then be responsible for any possible outcome.

The Best Software to Improve Operational Efficiency

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | The Best Software to Improve Operational EfficiencyOperational efficiency is the process of delivering quality services with fewer resources. The more high-quality output you can produce with limited input, the more you can sell and the better able you are to serve your customers. When your business is able to maintain high levels of operational efficiency the more profit you are able to make from a project. So, with all the benefits offered, all businesses should be looking to improve their operational efficiency today.

Accounts Payable Automation Software

AP automation software can help you to improve the operational efficiency of your accounts processes. No matter the size of your business or the scale of your operations, you will benefit from using an AP automation system. The software helps you to automate every related process, from invoicing to manual checks, helping you to save both time and money.

Problems with cash flow and accounts can cause issues above and beyond operational efficiency. For example, when you experience issues with accounts and your staff are not getting paid on time, this can lead to low morale, poor worker wellbeing and increased staff turnover.

Chatbots

Chatbots are another very valuable piece of software that businesses can use to improve their operational efficiency in their customer service teams. Chatbots can be set up to answer many routine customer questions, which means that staff can spend their time on more critical tasks.

Not only does using chatbot technology help you to improve the operational efficiency of your customer service teams, but it also benefits your customer relations. The average customer expects an answer from a customer service representative instantly, which means, within 10 minutes from making contact. Chatbots will provide customers with that instant response they desire no matter the time of day, or day of the week they are contacting you.

Employee Engagement Software

The term employee engagement is used to describe the relationship your staff have with their work and your organization. An engaged employee is absorbed in their work and will go above and beyond to further the interest of the organization they are working for. In contrast, a disengaged employee will do the bare minim work and is either apathetic to the organization or might actually try to harm the business’s reputation.

Using employee engagement software can help you to track levels of engagement in your organization. This can help in everything from task allocation to hiring, all of which can help to boost operational efficiency.

Project Management Software

Project management software is another hugely valuable tool that you can use to improve operational efficiency in your business. Project management software enables you to track the progress that is being made with all staff members that are involved in the project.

When managers have access to the up-to-date information that is provided by the software, they are better able to identify potential drains on efficiency. When you are able to identify when progress is not being made as expected, you are able to make changes early on.

5 Effective Ways to Maximize Your Digital Marketing ROI

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, 5 Effective Ways to Maximize Your Digital Marketing ROI

In order to get the most out of your marketing budget, you need to constantly monitor the performance of your campaigns to ensure you maximize on ROI. There’s no point investing in ads that aren’t working to target the right customers or keywords that aren’t drawing in traffic, for example. It’s essential to analyze your campaigns using the appropriate metrics and tools. It’s also worth educating yourself on the latest trends, techniques, and customer behaviors. Here are five effective ways to maximize your digital marketing ROI.

Outline measurable goals

Set measurable goals for your marketing campaign. These could be anything from number of conversions, click-through rates, or number of reposts on social media. This will help you tailor your campaigns to specifically meeting these targets. Without clear goals in mind, it’ll be more difficult to design marketing strategies that work. Here is a complete guide on how to set and achieve marketing objectives.

Improve your digital marketing skills

It may be worth improving your knowledge and digital marketing skills. You could even study a course such as an online mba in digital marketing or something a little more short-term. The more knowledge you build on different digital marketing strategies, the more equipped you’ll be to leverage this for your business. You could also consider researching your competition to find out what strategies are working for them. Gather as much information as possible to help you achieve your marketing goals.

Automate certain tasks

Many small businesses are enjoying the benefits of automation technology. You can automate plenty of repetitive marketing tasks such as sending out personalized email campaigns, retargeting ads, posting on social media, and more. This will save you time and resources. You can then focus on monitoring and improving your digital marketing strategies and other more complex aspects of running your business.

Focus on the right metrics

Many people fall into the trap of using the wrong metrics to measure the progress of their digital marketing campaigns. These can end up distracting you from your business goals and throwing you off focus. The metrics you use will depend on the type of campaign you’re running, your target audience, and your objectives. There are certain metrics that are worth tracking, however, including click-through rate, engagement rate, and reach. Other types of metrics may not directly correlate with your business goals or increasing revenue.

Monitor your performance

It’s worth investing in the best predictive analytics tools to ensure you efficiently monitor the performance of your digital marketing campaigns. These tools will use data to help you make forecasts for the future. They look for emerging patterns and behaviors and can even predict the ROI of your marketing campaigns. With social media, for instance, predictive analytics can help you decide which content to most and when according to the specific preferences and habits of your target audience. It’s essential to take advantage of all the tools and resources available to you. This will help to ensure you maximize your digital marketing ROI.

How To Take Your Business From ‘Small Fry’ To ‘Big Fish’

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Right now your business is small. You love what you’re doing and where you’re going but you’re starting to wonder how you can progress your business success more quickly. Being a small business is great but if you’re someone who aspires to go from ‘small fry’ to ‘big fish’ then you’re probably wondering what it takes to give your business the boost it needs.

Growing and developing a business isn’t always simple or straightforward, as there is a lot to think about, from budgets to planning. You have to think about a wide number of things if you’re serious about expanding your business. It’s stressful growing a business, that’s a given, but if you get your approach right, it’s worth taking the time and putting in the effort.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How To Take Your Business From ‘Small Fry’ To ‘Big Fish’

So, what steps should you take to start growing your business? Below is a guide to some of the ins and outs of achieving successful business growth.

Create an action plan

First things first, if you want to give your business a boost and actually see results, you need to create an action plan. Your plan of action should lay out the approach that you are going to take to growing your business.

It’s best to set large targets with a number of small goals leading to each one – this approach makes achieving growth seem more doable. You don’t want to set overly ambitious targets as this can make them seem impossibly difficult to reach. Instead, aim to keep goals achievable – remember, you can always exceed them.

Speak to a consultant

If you feel like you could benefit from some professional advice about any area of your business and how to utilise that to see growth, consider booking an appointment with a specialist consultant. Whether that’s a general business consultant or with a consultant from a more specialised field, such as speaking to a finance consultant.

If you’re struggling with a certain area of your business, such as your brand’s marketing, for instance, then you might want to consider expert marketing consultation. You might find that taking the time to speak with a specialist gives you the insight and knowledge that you need to give your business the boost it requires to meet your goals.

Work smarter, not harder

Be a smart worker, not a harder worker. Yes, growing a business requires a lot of hard work, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be smart about how you achieve business growth. Don’t be afraid to utilise smart tech as a means to an end for your business. Believe it or not, you can use smart tech to make managing your business processes simpler and easier – you can simplify and automate your entire operation.

There you have it, a simple guide to how you can make achieving business growth simpler, easier and more doable. Take note of the tips and ideas above, utilise them for your business and you should be able to make growing your business into a ‘big fish’ a little easier to achieve.

Fun Things You Can Do During the Winter Season

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Fun Things You Can Do During the Winter SeasonDuring winter, it can be challenging to find the motivation to engage in recreational activities. If you want to do nothing but relax on the couch and scroll through your phone, you can do so, but where is the fun in that?

Instead of letting time pass with boredom, have fun instead! The winter season is a great time to enjoy alone or with friends and family. The cold temperature and the snow are some of winter’s unique and special attributes. To ensure that your winter will be well-spent and filled with enjoyment, here are a few recommendations of fun things that you can do, whether it’s by yourself or with somebody.

The best hot chocolate

You can invite your friends over to compete in making the best hot chocolate ever. This can also be done with your family members or by yourself. It’s all about creating the most innovative, delicious, and overall best hot chocolate in the world. The best part about this is that you get to drink what you’ve made-a perfect match for the cold season.

Snowball competition

Winter isn’t winter without any snowballs. If you’re tired of all the snowball fights, how about competing for the giant snowball. The winner of this competition is the person who can create the giant snowball within a minute. Seems fun, right? This game will surely excite the competitive spirit in everyone.

DIY Candles

To add warmth to your homes, how about making a personalized candle? A lot of candle-making materials are available online, and the process is not that difficult. You get to customize the scent to make it perfect for your home. Seeing the candles that you’ve made with your own two hands around the house will cozy up space with your personalized touch.

Knitting

Winter is the perfect time for trying out new hobbies. One hobby that is perfect for the cold season is knitting. You can create knitted winter wear for yourself, your friends, and your family members. You start by making mug coasters for the best chocolate you’ve ever made and then progress to making a scarf or a beanie. You might realize that you have a hidden talent in knitting.

DIY Sled Competition

Sledding is one of the most enjoyable things we do as kids (even as adults) during winter. Make sure that your driveway is free from snow so that you can hold the competition there. You can hire a snow removal service to do that for you. To spice things up, you can have a competition in finding alternatives to the regular sled. Everybody can try to find unusual items that you can use to sled, and the person who can successfully sled down the snow hill wins. This competition can get funny, especially when their DIY sled gets destroyed while trying it out.

Reading books

Catch up on some reading! Take a seat in your favorite spot in the house and start reading books that have been on your wish list for a long time. You’ll undoubtedly appreciate this peace to yourself during one of the laziest times of the year.

Fireplace

It’s time to build a fire on the cold winter nights. Cozy up by the fire with a bunch of friends and a few warm blankets that are both beautiful and comfortable at the same time.

Yoga

When it comes to de-stressing and pondering your day, yoga is one of the most specific activities you can do. Make yourself comfortable in your favorite pair of comfy yoga outfits by the fireplace and focus entirely on your breathing.

There are many advantages to stretching your body, such as boosting your energy, relieving anxiety, and relieving stressful conditions during the cold winter season.

Baking with the family

Nothing brings you and your kids together than a fun baking activity. Bake cookies and cakes with the kids. You can decorate them with fun icing colors. You can give some of these cookies and cakes to your neighbors and friends to spread some fun during the cozy winter season.

These nine things are only a few of the numerous fun things you can do during the frosty wintertime. Aside from winter sports such as skiing and ice skating, there are relaxing and enjoyable activities that you can do during your leisure time. Whether spending time by yourself or with a company, there will always be a fun winter activity to do. You can create a list to look at it to choose something to do whenever you’re bored, and you can start your list with these nine recommendations.