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Making Your Employees Feel Important

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employees|Making Your Employees Feel ImportantThere are few things in life that will make someone better than knowing that they are important. Most people like the idea of being important to those around them, and this can be especially crucial when it comes to the world of work. Of course, each and every one of your employees provides an invaluable service to your company, but this isn’t something that a lot of employers express. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to show your employees that you wouldn’t be able to do what you do without them.

The Impact Of Their Work

It can be hard for an employee to see the impact of their work, especially when they aren’t doing a job that involves working with money. This is something you can solve by simply showing them the results of their work, with regular meetings to discuss the state of the business and the work that is driving it forwards. Of course, you may have to keep some things secret, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t give your team members a glimpse at the success of their work.

Praise & Rewards

Many employers fail to take the time to talk to their team members. You need to make sure that you are praising the people who work for you, letting them know that you are grateful that they are working hard. Some bosses will also include rewards along with this. This effort will always help to incentivize harder work, pushing your employees to do even more to help your business to succeed. Of course, though, you need to make sure that this feels sincere.

A Good Working Environment

Many people in the modern world have to work in environments that don’t inspire a sense of importance. While you may not be able to give everyone their own office, you should make sure that their workspace is comfortable, personal, and filled with things that they like. Alongside this, you should also make sure that their work outside your business will also make them feel important. Options like a limousine company can help you with this.

Promotions & Progression

No one likes the idea of doing a job that will never have the potential to change or improve. Promotions are common in the modern world, but you also need to make sure that your employees can progress and improve their current roles. Personal development plans are great for this, though you should also consider the idea of advancing their training to ensure that they are always moving forwards.

Feeling important at work is crucial to your employee’s happiness. Many people lack this in their jobs, and this can make working feel very unsatisfying. Of course, though, you can’t do this at the expense of honesty and discipline, making it extremely vital that you balance this out and ensure that your team is always working to improve itself.

4 Ways to Ensure Your Business Remains Up-to-Date

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Up-to-Date Business|4 Ways to Ensure Your Business Remains Up-to-DateYour business needs to stay up-to-date if you want to compete with others in your industry. If you don’t pay attention to whether you’re making the right choices, you could find that your business falls behind. Staying up-to-date means giving customers what they want, using the right technology, equipment, and best practices to deliver. It can be easier than you might think to let your business get behind and allow other businesses to steam ahead. There are several things that you should review frequently and focus on if you want to keep your business forward-thinking and as up-to-date as possible.

Review Your Equipment

Your business equipment keeps your business running. You need it to complete essential operations and ensure your business remains productive. If it’s out-of-date or not as efficient as equipment that your competitors are using, you could be falling behind. Reviewing your equipment each year helps you to determine whether you might need to update it. It could be time to get some new Thompson Rock mixers to use on-site, or maybe you need to replace your office printer. Whatever equipment you use, it could start to be outdated long before it truly stops working. Keep an eye on what your competitors are using to keep up with industry changes.

Continually Update Your Website

Your online marketing and activities also make a difference in how connected your business is to the demands of the modern customer. If your website is outdated, it could be a huge hit to your business reputation. It’s easy to let your website become out-of-date if you don’t maintain and update it. Setting up your site is an important first step, but you can’t just leave it there. You need to maintain your site and might even need to redesign it completely every few years to ensure it looks and functions like a modern website.

Have a Technology Strategy

The technology that your business uses helps you to do a huge range of things, from recording and organizing data to connecting with your customers. Business technology doesn’t necessarily go out of date too quickly, so you don’t have to worry about replacing the tech that you use every year. However, it is important to keep up with the latest trends and practices and to assess whether new technologies will benefit your business. You don’t need to buy every new tech that becomes available, but you should make sure your business isn’t missing out.

Train Your Employees

The people who work for you also make a difference in the modernization of your business. They also need to have the correct knowledge and training to keep your business up to date. They should know the best practices in your industry and refresh their skills regularly too. Of course, as their employer, it’s up to you to help them do this. Providing ongoing training opportunities is important to help your staff stay up-to-date.

Keep your business up-to-date by staying on top of developments in your industry and the changing needs of your customers.

The Current Times: How the Pandemic Has Affected Job Networking

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Job Networking|The Current Times: How the Pandemic Has Affected Job NetworkingNot all that long ago, networking was a fairly simple process. People actually connected with one another over lunches, coffee breaks, and even in line at the supermarket. Seemingly random conversations would often veer toward career choices and job opportunities. From there, contact information would be exchanged, and further connections would ensue. Just a couple of decades ago, stopping by a prospective place of employment could help propel your career to new heights. Doing so gave people an opportunity to drop off their resumes, shake hands with some of the right people, and get their names out there.

Entering a New Era

Then, the digital world rose to fame, and the internet began to take over. From there, showing up in person would get you little more than a cold stare and curt instructions to fill out an application online and email your resume to the proper department. Though the internet technically gave people more reach, it also put a damper on their ability to truly connect with potential employers on a personal and professional level. All that happened long before anyone had even heard of COVID-19, but once the pandemic began to take shape, matters became even more distant, and Virtual Business Networking became all the more crucial.

Facing Even More Twists and Turns

While the pandemic didn’t kickstart the trend away from in-person networking by any means, it certainly took it to entirely new levels. Suddenly, face-to-face networking wasn’t only considered a less efficient approach; it was altogether forbidden. In fact, it was downright dangerous. Meeting with other people in a small space went from being the way to go to a potentially deadly experience. Spreading a hazardous pathogen isn’t exactly a great way to foster a career, and shelter-in-place ordinances and other restrictions made traditional networking all but impossible. Changes had to be made, and they’re affecting job networking even now that the pandemic appears to be winding down.

The Concept of Face-to-Face Is Evolving

Emails and online chats quickly became the norm even before the pandemic began to spread across the globe. Despite the evolution of technology over the last few decades, many potential employers, job candidates, and other networkers alike continued to feel that phone calls were a much better way to connect with others than one-dimensional messages. Whether they were one-on-one conversations or conference calls, they helped get things done.

Of course, phone calls weren’t the only options available. Video chats were rapidly growing and improving. They allowed people an extra layer of communication and connection. Written words and vocal tones account for something, but hand gestures and facial expressions can certainly add a great deal to a conversation whether you’re connecting with like-minded individuals or participating in a job interview.

Although many of the dangers and restrictions of the pandemic are fading, video conferences have become the new norm. They’re expected to remain the communication outlets of choice moving forward as well. Emails, text-based chats, and phone calls aren’t going away, but they’re certainly being eclipsed by video chats.

Opening the Lines of Communication Has Changed

Before the pandemic, getting straight to the point during networking efforts was acceptable. It was even expected. Why waste time making idle chit-chat when there was business to discuss? That has changed at this point as well. In light of all the physical, financial, and emotional hardships the pandemic has brought about, genuine concern for fellow human beings has become fashionable once again.

Just a couple of years ago, it would’ve been fine to start off a networking conversation with, “Hi, have you given any thought to the connections I asked you about the other day?” Now, that’s not necessarily the case. People have far more to worry about than the connections you asked them for a few days ago. Some have lost their jobs whereas others are struggling to adjust to working from home while also taking care of their children, houses, and other matters. Some are even recovering from the virus or coping with the loss of a loved one because of it.

Instead of focusing solely on your goals and what your network can do for you, broaden the horizons a bit. Make an effort to be a resource for others. Offer connections, advice, and other helpful amenities for those who are in your network. Stress, fear, worry, anxiety, and all the physical issues that can come with them are at all-time highs right now. Showing that you care for fellow networkers can go a long way. You can proceed to cover your own concerns at some point during the conversation, but put others first.

Job Searches Are More Dynamic

While there’s no denying that the pandemic has changed networking, it has also altered the job market itself. Some companies are slowly transitioning back to their pre-pandemic on-site operations whereas others have decided to keep functioning remotely. Many businesses are undergoing internal changes to foster productivity, efficiency, communication, and other important elements. All that has led to a complete turnaround in the way those businesses operate and conduct their hiring processes. Some companies may even be creating new positions to add to their staff and getting rid of those that are no longer relevant.

For job seekers, that means taking an entirely different approach to reaching out to prospective employers. It may also mean modifying the types of jobs you’re interested in and applying for. At the same time, it could require making certain changes to your network. With all those transitions taking place in the job market and workplace, it’s important to adjust your networking accordingly.

Bottom Line

For quite some time now, networking and the job market itself have been evolving. Many of the changes began to take shape a couple of decades ago and have simply been progressing over the years. While the pandemic didn’t cause those changes, it certainly sped them up and gave them a more specific direction. Jobs are out there waiting for the right candidates to fill them, but finding them is the key. Modifying your approach to networking can help you make the connections you need to do just that.

5 Powerful Impacts of Promotional Products and Branded Giveaways

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Promotional Products|5 Powerful Impacts of Promotional Products and Branded GiveawaysThe promotional products industry is big for a reason. In the US alone, companies spent over 24.2 billion U.S. dollars on promotional products. Successful businesses don’t overlook its powerful impacts and you shouldn’t overlook it as well. If you’ve been solely pouring marketing budget on digital ads, think again. Promotional products and branded giveaways are so effective and impactful and your business shouldn’t miss out on their benefits.

What are promotional products and branded giveaways?

Promotional products and branded giveaways are simple gifts. They are trinkets used by big and small companies to promote their service or product. Due to the global pandemic, face masks are currently the most popular promotional items. They’re closely followed by environmentally-friendly products, USB drives, outerwear, tote bags, and t-shirts. You don’t have to spend much on promotional products as you can also opt to giveaway pens, magnets, key chains, and other useful items. All promotional products, may they be big or small, bring in the same powerful marketing impacts.

5 Powerful Impacts of Promotional Products and Branded Giveaways

1. Instant Brand Ambassadors

Giving out promotional products makes people your instant brand ambassadors. They would end up using your item and you will always get free advertisement when they do. It’s not actually free as you spend it but this kind of advertising is something that can go on for many years and give you much value for your money. People keep promotional products for as long as eight months. The more useful the product is, the longer people use them. Given away umbrellas were even recorded to be used for 14 months. Hats were recorded to only last for seven months.

People also tend to give away promotional products that they receive so your simple branding move will truly go a long way. The more people your items reach, the better.

2. Good Branding Impression

Promotional products and branded giveaways give people the impression that your company cares. It creates a sense of community as people will deem your brand as helpful and considerate. Promotional products and branded giveaways create solid brand impressions that no other marketing strategy can match. Nothing is more effective than little acts of kindness that go a long way. It’s truly the little things that matter. If you want to make people know about your business and you want to make them feel that you care, you should invest in promotional products and branded giveaways.

3. Tangibility

Tangibility is supreme when it comes to having a solid presence. Nothing is more engaging than physical presence. Branded giveaways and promotional products, no matter their size, give that. They are tangible.

Consumers have evolved. They can now easily ignore almost all forms of advertising. As promotional products are tangible, it’s impossible to have them ignored. They give a recall rate of 85% because people can touch and feel them. Such tangibility is so much more effective and powerful than TV commercials and digital ads. If you want creative ideas on different promotional products and branded giveaways that you can utilize, you should check out Bladon WA.

4. Recall Rate

Data revealed that 85% of consumers remember businesses that gave them a hat or shirt. While a study on trade show attendees revealed that people remembered companies that gave branded giveaways and promotional products. Of the trade show attendees, 76% were recorded to have a good impression of companies that gave away useful items, tokens, and small trinkets.

This is something that no digital ad or TV commercial can do. The sense of tangibility is strong and it gets all the more impactful when it’s added with functionality. The more functional an item is, the stronger the positive impression it creates. People will truly appreciate your brand if they feel cared for.

5. Value for money

Spending on promotional products and branded giveaways bring so much value for your money. They last long and reach such a wide audience. Unlike TV commercials that can only air for a limited time, promotional products and branded giveaways can provide promotion 24/7. This is the case even if it’s just a pen or a face mask that we’re talking about.

In the case of a pen, your brand will always get promoted every time it is used. Even the simple fact that it’s found on a table already creates a strong impact. The more often your product or brand is seen, the more familiar it will become to people. Customer loyalty can be easily affected when a brand or product is familiar.

Every company’s goal is to make its brand or product familiar. Because in marketing, the goal is to simply make people know that your company or product exists. When consumers know that your company or product exists, they can then have the option to engage with you. The more familiar a product, the higher the rate of engagement. Familiarity breeds trust. Imagine that? All that for a simple pen? It’s simply amazing.

Level Up Your Game with Promotional Products and Branded Giveaways

Don’t miss out on the powerful marketing benefits of branded giveaways and promotional products. You should never overlook the positive branding benefits that they can bring to your business. When choosing a promotional product, opt for ones that are useful and durable. The more useful and durable they are, the more long-lasting the marketing benefits will be.

References:

Promotional products industry sales
https://www.statista.com/statistics/732818/promotional-products-industry-sales-usa/

Most Popular Promotional Items in 2021
https://www.godelta.com/blog/what-are-the-most-popular-promotional-items-infographic

Effectiveness of Promotional Products
https://www.idworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Effectiveness-of-Promo-products-2.pdf

How to save money and time with the right software products

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How to save money and time with the right software productsTo be on top of everything in the nowadays market demands a lot of work with yourself and adaptability. Moreover, if you own a business, you want to grow your business as fast as possible with all the instruments. So how can you save time to focus on the essential things of your business? And how can you save money by using the right software product?

Benefits of software products for businesses

Let’s begin with how people consume and purchase more and more software products, whether they own a business or for personal use. Moreover, the pandemic has increased the demand with all the work-from-home habits. And people are trying to find the right tool that will help them find their balance between work and personal life. As a result, many types of software products on the market are dedicated to so many industries that can meet our needs.

Thus, using a software product can bring real value to your life and company. First of all, you can save time, time that you can use to focus on the business part instead of organizing your team and projects. Instead of having regular meetings, you can use a project management tool like Monday.com, Asana, Teamwork, Trello, or Notion. Moreover, there is a lot of automation tool that will automize all your repetitive tasks. So, your employee can save time, and you can let them be more creative on other projects.

But first, you have to know what your needs are or your company’s needs. So how do you find out what are your needs? If you don’t know how to choose what is suitable for you, you can always visit a software aggregator to read honest reviews.

Secondly, using the right software product can save you money. There are a lot of products designed to reduce your costs on specific tasks. For example, there a lot of accounting tools that can help you with your taxes and invoices. So instead of paying a dedicated bookkeeper, you can choose a great tool and purchase a subscription that will be cheaper than paying a professional doing it.

Read honest reviews on dedicated websites

If you are unsure which tool is better for your needs, you can always do a little research and inform better. As a solution for this, you can always read dedicated websites like Tekpon.com, a software aggregator where users can find the best solution for their business or personal need. This website offers its users honest reviews about all sorts of software products that will help them boost their business and personal life by improving their productivity, saving time and money, from project management software, content marketing, productivity, financial, network security, e-commerce software, and so on. Everything you need in one place. Moreover, they offer great deals and coupons to purchase the tools you want and need. Also, you can read on Tekpon.com the latest news in the tech and software industry. One of Tekpon’s goals is to offer users all over the world honest reviews on each product to ease their job in making the right decision. Thus, they want to help people and their businesses to boost their business with the right software products.

Grow your business with the right software product

The software industry has been designed products over the years to help people save time, as we live in the age of speed. And also save money to invest in what matters for your company. These two are the main benefits detailed above. But how else the right software can help us grow a company or even ourselves, professionally speaking? You can now manage things that you would not know before. For example, let’s say that you need help with your Social Media accounts, and you don’t know anything about how algorithms work for each platform. If you want to hire a Social Media Specialists, you will need a great budget, more than if you invest in a software product that will help you. The significant part of this is that you don’t have to learn how the platforms work; the tools will automatically deliver you the right insights to understand your customer/followers’ behavior and do the job.

If you don’t understand the importance of purchasing software products, don’t worry. Precisely that’s the reason why websites like Tekpon.com came to light. To help you understand your needs in the actual context where every business is going digital, deliver you the right solution, and help you get the best of your product. So many great tools are designed to ease people’s lives and offer them more time to do the things that matters to them.

Time and money are two vital elements for a business and the owner. And using the right tools will give you back; time to focus on the things you couldn’t before and money to invest in growing your company further. And not only for business owners but also for their employees; if you want to help them be more productive and work better and in a healthier environment, purchasing the right tools is the key to a successful team and business.