Michael Levitt's Blog, page 117

Why Treating Your Employees Well is So Vital

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It goes without saying that your employees are incredibly important part of your business and without them, your business would not run as well as it can. This means that one of the most important things that you can do for your business is to make sure that you take proper care of your valuable employees.

Need some more inspiration on why it is worthwhile making the effort to treat your employees well? Here are some of the main reasons that you should be doing whatever you can to ensure that they feel valued.

It ensures that your staff are loyal

Loyalty is a hugely important thing when it comes to business. You want to ensure that your staff always feel a sense of loyalty to you. Recruitment is time-consuming, so, if your staff members leave, then you are going to need to take the time to hire someone else. However, if they feel loyal to you, then they are going to want to stick around, to learn and develop themselves, all within your business.

It prevents legal issues

The reduction of legal issues should never be the main focus to keep your employees well supported. However, it is definitely something that should be in the back of your mind. An example of how things can go wrong if you don’t treat your employees right is the case of Summer Uchin vs Condo Roccia. A legal case that shows the negative impact of not treating your staff in a way that matches with key guidelines, legal contracts and policies.

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It helps increase productivity

You are going to want to have employees who are both happy to work for you and also to do the best that they can whilst they are at work. Productivity is key when it comes to success, so you are going to do whatever you can to keep your employees happy. That way they are going to care about doing the best for your business and working with you to ensure that you reach your business goals.

Your clients will hear about it too

Not only are your staff important, but so are your customers and you are going to need to find ways to ensure that your customers see you in the best light possible. When you treat your staff well, this is going to get back to your clients in one way or another. They may hear the positive feedback, or they may see an improved quality in the service that they receive from your employees.

You will see reduced sick days

Sick days cannot always be avoided when it comes to your employees, but sometimes these sick days come from stress-related issues. Some stress comes from outside of work and that is going to be hard for you to fix, however, if the stress comes from inside your business, then you should do what you can to reduce it.

It is vital that you treat your staff as well as you can in business. Not only will it benefit you in the short-term, but also in the long-term too. Not only this, but it can also help to make sure that your staff are happy too.

 

4 Savvy Ways To Reduce Your Company’s Operating Costs

Bloated, bureaucratic businesses very rarely thrive. In fact, in the current market, the leaner your operating cost, the more likely it is you will succeed. The good news is that cutting costs in your company may not be as difficult as you think. Keep reading to find out more. 

Streamline 

One of the most straightforward and effective ways to cut costs in your business is to streamline it. That means making sure that your processes are focused only around actions necessary for success. 

Sadly, it is often the case that there are many things in a business that do not serve this purpose. Redundant processes in manufacturing are one example, while long extended meetings are another. 

Of course, what this means is you must take a long hard look at the way in which your business operates and trim the fat if you want it to be as streamline and as cost-effective as possible. 

Search out new tech and equipment 

Next, to slash your company's operating costs, it can be beneficial to keep an eye open for the latest technological developments within your field. Now, some people assume that new tech means spending more money rather than saving it. However, this is a very reductive and short term view. 

For example, a business investing in developments like this electric cylinder tech to replace their hydraulics can save a great deal of money over the long term.  This being something that will easily outweigh the initial investment costs. 

Prioritize onboarding 

Recruitment is another area that can contribute to operating costs. In particular, prioritizing a thorough onboarding process is crucial. This is because it can cost so much to advertise, interview, and find the right person for the job. An expense that is all but wasted if you lose them within the first few months of employment. 

Happily, with a thorough onboarding program, you can ensure that you retain the right people. The reason being that they will not only feel integrated into their teams but also confident enough to work effectively from the very beginning.

Outsource 

The best person to complete a task is one that is expert in it. Unfortunately, it is improbable that your company will contain all the expertise you need to succeed. Especially as the market and technological development within it are so fast-moving. 

However, the good news is that you can both ensure you have access to the right experts and reduce your operating costs. The way to do this is by outsourcing essential tasks and projects. 

In fact, a great deal of the market works on the basis of outsourcing with freelancers, agencies, and consulting companies vying for their slice of the action. Of course, this is excellent news because the more competition there is for work, the more competitive the outsorcerer's price will be. Something that means your business can get high-quality help at a very reasonable price. 

Final thoughts 

To cut costs in your company is not as simple as only streamlining your processes. You must also consider investing in strategies that will have a longer-term effect. 

Amazing Hacks to Help Your Business Thrive in the Future

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Helping your business to achieve success is really important, and you also need to look at what you can do to help the company improve and thrive in the future as well. This is something you are going to need to make the most of, and there are a lot of things to consider with this. Try to make the most of these hacks and ideas, and use them to take things to the next level as a company right now.

You are going to need to think about the best ways of coming up with hacks that will allow your company to get better and improve. Thinking outside the box is one of the best things you can do to make the most of this, and it is really important to do that. Here are some of the things that you are going to need to work on moving forward right now, and it’s essential to make the most of this. 

Go Green

Going green as a business is one of the most impressive things you can be doing, and it’s a great way of being able to make the company more sustainable. Caring for the environment is really important, and there are a lot of things that play a role in helping you to make the most of this. Changing the way you run the company is one of the key ways of being able to do this, and you need to look at things like recycling, energy efficient lighting, and turning the business digital as much as possible. 

Find the Perfect Premises

You need to make sure you are focused on doing as much as you can to find the perfect ways of being able to help the company grow. You have to ensure that you have the best possible business headquarters, and this means looking at what you can do to find the ultimate office environment for your company. There are a lot of things that play a role in helping you to find the perfect premises for your company moving forward. 

Make Sure You Have the Best Machinery

The best possible machinery for your company is one of the most important things you need to make sure you get right as much as possible. You have to make sure your company is focused on being able to function at the highest level, and this is really important. There are a lot of things that you can do to achieve this, and you need to think about hiring a CNC repair technician to take care of these important pieces of machinery that you need to get sorted right now. 

Look at some of the things you can do to take the company forward in the right way, and there are a lot of ideas you might use to help you achieve this. It is so important to make the most of this as much as you can, and this is something that you need to keep in mind. Try to come up with ideas that are going to help you with this, and it is vital for the future of the business.

Retraining for a new career online

The internet has been a revelation when it comes to allowing people access to education. You can now study for a bachelor’s degree without setting foot on a university campus. 

Having the ability to study anywhere, at any time is perfect for those people who want to study for their dream career but don’t necessarily have the time or money to take a more formal, classroom-based qualification. 

If you’re thinking about upskilling or changing careers entirely, the internet could be your best friend. 

Decide on your goal

Are you dreaming of a new career? Do you want to know how to become an electrician or learn to code? Maybe you’ve lost you’re job and are looking for a clean start. Or do you want to learn skills that will benefit you in your current path and help you get that promotion? 

Knowing where you want to get to is the first step. 

Do your research

Certain career choices require you to have specific accreditations of qualifications to get your foot in the door. Find out what these are so you know exactly how much work you’ll have to do to achieve your goal. If you’re unsure of what you need, take a look at as many job ads as you can find and create a list of accreditations and skills you need to have. 

Find the right learning platforms

Your research should have left you with a list of learning objectives. The next thing you need to do is find out where they are available to study.  There are a number of online providers out there offering different levels and quality of courses. 

Platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, and EdX are becoming increasingly popular for people looking to learn new skills, but don’t necessarily have any educational prerequisites. They exist to provide knowledge to everyone regardless of their background. 

Plan to succeed

You’ve done your research, found your course, and enrolled online. Now you actually have to get started and do the work. Plan your life so that you can devote yourself to achieving in your online studies as well as holding down your regular job and any other commitments you might have. It might seem impossible to keep all those plates spinning but think about working harder, not smarter.

Schedule in study time and stick to it. There’s so much to distract us in our lives. A quick check of social media can turn into hours of watching pointless videos or chatting with friends when you really should be working. Make it easier on yourself by minimizing distractions. 

Have a social life too - all work and no play will fast lead to burn out. Downtime is important to your mental and physical health. 

Look after your health  - maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not only keep you in good shape but has many positive benefits in relation to your memory and productivity, both great to have when you’re studying. 

4 Remote Onboarding Techniques For New Recruits

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If you think that the Coronavirus pandemic will shut down your recruitment processes, you should think again. Many businesses are doing well from the crisis and require more employees to help with the extra work. Others may be struggling, yet not every company can afford to shelve their hiring plans as certain roles are essential to survival even if jobs are high-risk.

What this means is that onboarding takes on a different guise. Rather than introducing recruits to the organization and their peers in person, you must do it virtually. Remote workers are no longer afterthoughts - the number of people who don’t have an office has increased by more than 150% in the last fifteen years.

As a result, you should not only get used to virtual onboarding as a short-term measure because it’s here to stay. Plus, it’s not something you can half-ass as retaining staff is linked with the business’s first impression. Make it a positive one and they’re more likely to stay.

Of course, remote practices are still novel since most of your processes took place in the office, face-to-face. It’s essential to adopt techniques that allow employees to hit the ground running with that in mind. Here are four that you won’t want to forget.

Make Them Feel Part Of The Team

All workers want to feel is that they are valued members of the team. For newbies, the atmosphere, people, and way of working are foreign, so they may experience a sense of loneliness. You may not help the situation if you fail to recognize that they require more of your time.

Employees must be self-sufficient, yet that’s with regard to their ability to work independently. When it comes to finding answers to their questions, it’s all about one-to-one time with a boss. A massive 72% believe that this is the most important feature of an onboarding experience. The key is to use the right technology to make them feel welcome.

Zoom and Microsoft Teams are fantastic video-calling tools that allow you to hold meetings to connect with new employees. However, people need to socialize with colleagues, too. Thinking outside of the box is necessary as it’s not easy to mix virtually, yet a virtual photo booth can lend a hand. Just ask everyone to take a photo and add a caption to explain who they are and what they do.

When you put a name to a face, you’ll instantly eliminate the confusion that occurs with remote onboarding for teams.

Reduce The Number Of Events

How many activities do you reckon the average recruit has to complete during an onboarding process? The answer is fifty-four. For new hires, this is a daunting amount of events that can get in the way of the job. Most bosses can’t even think of twenty essential things, never mind more than fifty!

The key is to reduce the counterproductive ones, and you can tell if they are needless if they prevent employees from learning essential skills and information. For example, a forty-minute meeting that outlines the work/life balance perks is something you can avoid. Although it’s healthy to point out the advantages, nobody wants to waste that time on something they already know.

It’s probably part of the reason they took the job. Instead, you can organize a meeting that includes info on the most pressing issues, and at the end, take questions about the role. If they require information, they’ll bring it up.

Also, you can use the company’s intranet page to answer frequently asked questions. All you need to do is get a copywriter to craft an FAQ blog post that outlines the basics.

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Provide The Correct Tools

If a bad worker blames his tools, what does a worker who has no equipment do? It’s not rare for businesses to kickstart the onboarding process without providing the right gear, and not only the stuff that makes life easier. Some won’t even have passed on a company laptop before they try to jump the gun.

The temptation is to see tools as stumbling blocks. It’s far better to introduce people to the business first and deal with equipment later. However, in the new hire’s eyes, it’s a reason to be anxious. The last thing they want to do is nag their boss for a laptop, yet they have to as it’s a vital part of the job.

You must order the tools well in advance of the start date. Doing it with time to spare means that you have more leeway should a problem pop-up out of nowhere. Plus, it provides recruits with extra practice if it arrives early, allowing them to get used to the equipment and processes.

Speaking of, you should consider planning a meeting with a member of the IT team. That way, a technician can solve any little problems before they escalate.

Set Up Out Of Work Activities

The office isn’t the be-all and end-all of a new job. Navigating politics is about making friends and contacts, and that takes place outside of the office. Yes, that’s almost impossible in a COVID-19 environment, yet it shouldn’t stop you from setting up activities outside of the workplace.

For instance, you can plan a Zoom meeting for Friday afternoon where peers log on and socialize over a virtual beer. Some people won’t turn up, but if you tell them that they can finish early as long as they attend, the attendance figures will be high!

Depending on your location, you may be able to organize social activities in-person. Before you do, you have to ensure that everyone is comfortable, and if they aren’t, they don’t feel as if they must attend. To do this, you should run events consecutively so that nobody misses out.

One week can be for remote get-togethers, whereas the next week can be for face-to-face meetings (as long as they are allowed).

Do you find the idea of onboarding remotely challenging? Hopefully, these pointers will eliminate some of the pain.

Careers That Women Are Under-Represented In

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Despite the fact that great strides have been made in the name of equality, there are still a number of careers in which women are underrepresented. This can be down to a number reasons, from a lack of girls pursuing STEM subjects at school, to the outdated views that some jobs are meant to be done by men. In the most lucrative jobs, women account for less than 30%. Some industries themselves have gained the reputation of being fairly hostile to their female professionals, which deters women from considering them as an option. Whatever the reasons, there are many fulfilling, well paid careers that women can pursue. Here are a few roles in which women are very much in the minority. 

Firefighter 

Outside of support roles, women make up a very small percentage of firefighters. Firefighters not only run into burning buildings, they also provide essential fire prevention advice to households, schools and businesses. In some states they are also first responders for some medical emergencies. 

A career in the fire department can be extremely rewarding, with a clear path for advancement into policy and management. 

Electrician

Another great option for women is to get their electrical license and become an electrician. These skills are always in demand and electricians can be found working in a range of sectors. When trained you have the option of setting up on your own and become self-employed, or joining a specialist company. Prospects are good for those trained in the sector. 

Film Director

Representation in Hollywood, and the film industry in general, has been under the spotlight in recent years. Despite 51% of cinema goers being female, only 12% of top grossing films were directed or co-directed by a woman. 

Again, women are underrepresented in many technical areas of the movie industry, including directing, editing, composing and cinematography. Many film schools and universities are actively trying to recruit a more diverse range of students so now is a great time to get into the industry. 

Surgeon

The medical profession as a whole is becoming more diverse, but surgery is still very much a man’s domain at present. Surgery is seen as the more ‘cut-throat’, competitive side of the medical profession, which can put women off specialising in this area. 

Surgery is one of the best paid careers in an already lucrative field of medicine, yet women make up between only 11-30% depending on which specialisation you look at. 

Career prospects for surgeons are excellent, with good salaries and benefits.

Software Development

Software developers work in a range of sectors and are responsible for designing and testing software apps and websites. 

The career prospects for software developers are excellent as these skills are very highly sought after. The average salary of a software developer is $108K and those who work freelance or in consulting can ear much more. 

Pilots

Many women are put off becoming pilots due to the prohibitive cost of training, long hours and the lack of women taking math and science at school. Training to become a pilot is a big commitment but pilots can expect to earn a very good salary and benefits. 

Politicians

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll notice that politics is in a period of huge upheaval at the moment. Women make up only a small percentage of those elected to office. Its been over 100 years since the first woman, Jeanette Rankin, was elected to congress. With the population being 50% female, over three quarters of the state legislatures are male. 

There’s no one right way to get into politics, some people study it at college, others begin by volunteering at a grass roots level or through activism. 

Politics is failing to represent many areas of the country and needs better representation in a number of areas, including women. 

Chefs

Certain areas of the food industry, women make up a high percentage of workiers, but the top kitchen job remains an overwhelmingly a male stronghold. This is a very strange situation as cooking is very much considered a female role in a lot of cultures. Yet women don’t make it to the highest positions in the kitchen. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics research showed that less than 20% of head chefs are female. 

There are a number of career paths for chefs, including working in restaurants, owning your own place, teaching or becoming a private chef. 

CEOs

It’s still a fact that the higher up you look in a structure of a business, the less women you will find. There are many reasons for this, including the perception that women end up stalling their career when they have children or caring responsibilities and are then overtaken by their male peers in the race for the boardroom. Though true in many cases, these outdated views on women in the workplace are not only detrimental to women’s career progression, they also affect companies too. Studies have shown that companies with women in the boardroom perform better than those with just ment. Though the number of female entrepreneurs continues to rise, there are still a great deal of catching up to be done. 

Conclusion

Increasing women’s representation in certain careers is no easy task. In many cases, they’re fighting a lack of opportunity and encouragement and outdated views that there are jobs that are more suited to men, and some to women.

Many jobs in the science sector are the result of the lack of encouragement at school for girls to pursue STEM subjects, which takes these careers off the table at an early point in their lives. 

The gender pay gap still represents a real problem for women in the workplace. Depending on the sector, women earn between 71 and 89 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. , Another factor is the  lack of flexibility by employers which can make raising a family and climbing the career ladder that much more difficult.

 

 

9 Ways To Increase Your Willpower

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Everyone has one or two things they wish they could change about their lives. The desire to climb heights in your professional career and self-improvement is part of your human DNA. However, failures and struggles always loom around every facet of human endeavors. In the face of troubling times, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, you need enormous amounts of willpower to steer your business through the crisis. So, here are a few ways to increase your willpower.

Exercise your body

Most workers skip exercise routines because they have this erroneous perception that physical activities are only suitable for building huge muscles. On the contrary, research studies have proven that physical exercises help lower stress levels and improve performance on the job. For example, one study conducted by the University of Bristol researchers on the topic "stress, exercise, and the workplace" found eye-opening results. About 72% of workers reported that they were able to manage their time better during their exercise days. As if that was not good enough, another 79% testified that exercises improved their mental health and interpersonal performances. All in all, the research project backs the importance of exercise for improving productivity at the workplace.

Nourish your brain with protein diets

Your brain is more or less the powerhouse of your whole being. As the center of your nervous system, your mind controls your emotions, cognitive abilities, actions, inactions, memory, and almost every activity going on in your body. Therefore, it’ll be beneficial to empower your decision-making lever by feeding your brain with healthy, sumptuous meals containing adequate amounts of protein. Ideally, you may want to eat regularly by nourishing your thinking machine with veggies, complex carbs, and low-glycemic meals. These will help your brain to stay healthy and improve your willpower.

Reward your success

In some cases, people lose confidence because they ignore their success. It's not all the time you have to wait for people to reward you for your achievements. Reward yourself when you think you have accomplished a lot. For example, assuming you have reached a major milestone in your job, celebrate it with gratitude. If you have hit your fitness goals to lose weight, pat yourself on the back. This, too, can improve your willpower since you will always be looking at the bright side of life.

Approach changes gradually

Although willpower is controllable, increasing it cannot be done in a day. Just like your muscles take time to build after workouts, boosting willpower is not something that you can fully achieve overnight. So, approach the change gradually, instead of trying to affect a myriad of changes at a time. Have a clear map of the goals you want to achieve for the long term, and work within the time frames. After all, slow and steady wins the race.

Get enough sleep

Your ability to control your mind also depends on how much rest you get. Too much work and little rest can take a severe toll on your brainpower. The fact is that tiredness deprives your body of delivering enough glucose to your brain. On the other hand, if you get good sleep, it allows your body to make good use of the available glucose. But just how many hours of sleep is enough for your body? Well, for adults, sleeping for seven to eight hours per night is okay for your health. 

Be safety conscious

Another way to boost your willpower is to avoid risky situations. Always be aware of your surrounding and try your best to adhere to safety measures. You can also go the extra mile to learn what to do when faced with risky situations such as spills from dangerous substances. For example, if you work in a hazardous environment, it will help to prioritize material safety data sheet management.  

Avoid procrastination

Procrastination is the thief of time and an enemy of success. Therefore, strive to get your tasks done in time and clear them from your work table. As a business owner, communication is critical. When you have tons of unread messages hanging in your inbox, they can build up and stress you. You may never know which email is crucially important until you read it. Therefore, instead of piling up tons of tasks to be done at a go, ensure that you attend to them in time. This will help you avoid stressful loads of work that erode willpower. Business-wise, customers who spend so much time waiting for feedback can gradually give up on your company before your late reply reaches them. Also, today's award-winning entrepreneurs value efficiency. So be up to your tasks, or outsource them if you feel that pressure is exceeding your work rate.

Go for a Break

Tony Schartz, a consulting firm leader, summarizes the importance of breaks as follows. "When you don't have any downtime for workers to refresh themselves and recharge, they'll gradually become less efficient and prone to making needless mistakes." But how does this connect with willpower? Recent studies have shown that many employees work for long hours without going for breaks. The only break they get is during lunchtime. Unfortunately, this weakens their willpower. It's only a matter of time before they run into burnouts. Taking routine breaks away from work can boost productivity because workers will come back stronger to continue their good work. 

Practice meditation

Meditation is a form of devotional exercise. It's taking time off from external interference to contemplate on your whole being soberly. Meditation can help you understand the things that are weighing you down, and how you can rebuild yourself towards a better future. Every man is a summary of his thoughts. When you become mindful of your real identity, you can unlock a massive amount of willpower that you never thought you had.

To summarize, many experts agree that "willpower is like a muscle."Thankfully, to some degree, it can be built gradually with practice. When your willpower is depleted, you may find it hard to overcome stumbling blocks. Therefore, increase your willpower to increase your productivity.

Business Owners, Is It Your Job To Help Employees With A Personal Crisis?

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You’ll take on plenty of different roles as a business owner. Being in charge of a company means you are in charge of many different processes and people. It’s your job to keep the business together and ensure there are few issues. 

Usually, it’s easy to look at things and understand if you’re responsible for them or not. Still, one or two things can be harder to deduce - such as employees with personal problems. As the head of a small business, is it your job to help employees with a personal crisis?

Some of you may say yes, while others say no. It’s a tricky topic, but we’ll go through some of the key talking points to understand where your responsibilities lie. 

You are responsible for employee welfare

Walk into work and look around your office. You are responsible for every single person in there. It’s your job to ensure that your employees are okay and that they’re provided with excellent working conditions. With that in mind, doesn’t this mean you’re responsible if they have a personal crisis? If it’s impacting their work, shouldn’t you step in to see if you can help? It’s a very blurred line as you should technically support your employees and their mental health, but should you be concerned with something that’s none of your business?

Personal problems are personal for a reason

It’s rare that an employee will come to you with a personal problem. They stay personal for reason - people want some privacy. You will likely hear about it through the grapevine, or by making an educated guess based on an employee’s behaviour. So, is it your business to butt your head into someone’s private life? Surely you should just provide time off or let them know where they can get some support? This keeps you out of their business while still offering some help if they need it. 

You’re not qualified to help

You should also take into account how qualified you are to help with a personal crisis. Be realistic, you don’t have a Bachelor of Counselling qualification, so how can you provide good help? What if you end up providing bad advice that just makes the situation worse? From this perspective, you could argue it’s better for your employees if you didn’t get involved!

Overall, we can come to a pretty solid conclusion based on these three talking points. First and foremost, you are responsible for the wellbeing of your employees at work. This means that anything at work that’s causing them problems needs to be taken care of by you. So, you technically don’t have to help them with a personal crisis. However, consider the impact that this employee is having on your business. They may be absent all the time, their head’s not in the game, and they’re slowing down progress. So, it might be worth taking it upon yourself to reach out and provide guidance. You don’t have to help directly, but you can point them in the direction of people or resources that can help them. This way, you can stay out of their personal business but still offer your assistance.

Selling To A Global Audience Made Easy (Well…Easier)

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COVID-19 has caused a lot of disruption to businesses from virtually all backgrounds. Sadly, the revenue opportunities for your primary geographic audience will be limited. On a brighter note, though, the digital age is very accommodating to brands that wish to cast their nets further afield.

It does require a conscious effort to make this approach to business worthwhile. Once the winning strategies are in place, though, it should lay the foundation for extended success. Here are six simple steps that will enable you to achieve those goals.

Use Amazon Selling

When trying to reach new audiences, you have to accept that your brand reputation back home counts for very little. Consequently, then, some of the leads will hesitate to use your company directly. Amazon overcomes many of those issues because it is the biggest online retailer with a global reputation.

Once you've set up an Amazon store and partnership, managing sales and inventory is easy. Moreover, it's possible to store items in their various warehouses and units. This reduces your admin and expenses, along with the risks. Better still, you'll gain the benefits without losing the ability to offer quick order fulfillment.

This is the perfect way to test the waters in multiple territories.

Consider Franchising

Amazon isn't the only partnership that can be made. If you want to reach new territories without needing to play an overly active role, you're not alone. Turning the company into a franchise is the easiest way to make it happen. The first one requires a lot of hard work and preparation, but the blueprint can be used again and again.

Franchises are commonplace around the world, particularly in the food and restaurant industries. Retailers, gyms, and salons can make it happen too. The Which Franchise guide will provide the insight and direction needed to succeed. As long as you find the right territories and franchise owner candidates, you'll do well.

Your profits per venue will be small, but the overall returns can be huge.

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Appreciate Cultural Influences

Ultimately, we are all a part of the human race. A far greater number of attributes unite us than divide us. Still, cultural differences do exist while contrasting climates have an impact too. For the sake of resonating with an audience, it's vital that you show an appreciation of the location. When you do, the leads and conversions will soar.

Depending on your line of business, temperatures could have an influence. Likewise, religion and political views may alter your branding and services. In a bid to make the brand more accessible, Architekst translation may be a very wise investment too. After all, the interactions with your brand should be free from ambiguity.

The contrasts from one place to the next are minimal. Still, that doesn't change their importance.

Have Distinct Social Accounts

Even if you are essentially running the whole business from one location, clients need a local presence. Firstly, a virtual office address will give you a presence in a new territory without the costs of opening a store or office. Meanwhile, website extensions relating to individual cities or countries can be very useful too.

In today's world, however, many interactions take place on social media. Setting up accounts for individual stores or territories is easy and helps the overall brand image grow. If you don't have an active team in that area, freelancers or outsourced customer care teams can take care of everything. This extends to live chat and telecommunications.

The brand needs to be accessible, especially when leads have questions. Embrace it.

Use Zonal Pricing

One of the key differences between varying locations is the GDP. If you are trying to sell products at the US value when people in the new country earn 10% of the average American, it won't work out. The prices have to reflect the costs of living and the levels of disposable income. Think supply and demand, and affordability.

The basic concept is known as zonal pricing, and there are plenty of reading materials on it. Until you get this right, you'll have no chance of beating the existing competition. People want value for money in every location. If you can't offer it, there's very little chance of the venture taking lift-off. Regardless of the product quality.

Overlooking this issue is one of the most common problems of all. Don't fall into the trap.

Be Consistent

Finally, whatever you do in business, there should be a level of consistency. Otherwise, you could find yourself with a mixed reputation across locations. Likewise, when people have a bad experience in one territory, it could impact their consumer habits in other places. Worse still, their scathing reviews could cost further sales.

As mentioned, some subtle differences may exist. For example, menus may add new dishes while clothes may incorporate fresh ideas. Nevertheless, a clear brand personality and marketing strategy should be in place. Whether you play an active or passive role in secondary locations, this direction is vital.

When supported by the other ideas above, success is virtually assured.

What You Need To Know About Teaching English Online

Photo by Mohammad Shahhosseini on Unsplash

Online lessons are becoming incredibly popular for a number of reasons. Not only is it the preferred way to study amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, but it can actually be cheaper than attending lessons in a school and they’re generally more convenient. As such, many people are looking at online study as a way to create new businesses and generate more income.

One great example of this is teaching English online. For people who are looking to make a bit of extra money online or even start a new career, teaching English online is a good way to establish a stable source of income while also creating opportunities to start a business or move to a different career.

So what do you need to know about teaching English online? Here’s a brief article that will cover the basics.

What does teaching English online mean?

Teaching English online can mean a number of different things. Technically, it covers basically anything about the English language from speaking to writing. However, some people act as speech coaches that are solely focused on conversing in English and offering advice to people who want to sound more fluent. Teaching English online can involve many different things, but it’s flexible work that should fit around your clients.

Do I need to invest in anything to teach online?

Depending on your approach to teaching English online, you may want to consider getting resources for ELL students. These are generally designed for newcomers to the United States, but it’s a fairly lucrative market because the service has a surprising amount of demand. While you can always invite parents to your household or visit them to teach English, you can actually adapt some of these resources to work in online lessons.

Where can I teach English online?

Teaching English online can be done anywhere. Some people prefer to do it at home in the comfort of their study, while others prefer to set up a little studio with a green screen and transition effects to a whiteboard. However, since it’s done completely online and you don’t even need to show your face, you could technically teach online from anywhere in the world. In some cases, you may want to mix online and offline study for your students, so being in a relatively populated town can be a benefit.

What do I need to teach English online?

To make this business idea a lot less stressful, it’s important for you to invest in the right gear. This means getting a decent computer with a high-quality webcam and microphone if you plan to do live lessons. Alternatively, you can still find success without a webcam or live lessons if you’re able to create excellent study materials and guide your students through text alone. If you want your online English business to be as legitimate as possible, you’ll also want to get yourself a TESOL/TEFL certificate to unlock more opportunities. You don’t absolutely need one, but it does add to your credentials.