Michael Levitt's Blog, page 20

Maintaining Security In The Era Of Remote Working

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Remote working can transform the way that your business is run, allowing your staff to benefit from greater flexibility and increased job satisfaction while allowing your brand to reduce its commercial property and equipment costs considerably. However, one of the biggest downfalls of remote working is a reduction of security, as you need to follow a few specific steps to make sure those who work from home don’t put your business at risk. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might expect to maintain the best levels of security in the era of remote working, as there are many innovative ideas that you can make the most of to ensure you can stay private and safe. If you’re interested in finding out more about how you and your team can achieve peace of mind regarding privacy while working from home, then simply read on to discover more!

Create A List Of Safe (& Unsafe) Websites 

One of the most effective steps that you can follow to maintain security in the era of remote working is to create a list of both safe and unsafe websites for your staff. There are millions upon millions of different websites online, yet only some of them are safe and secure enough to visit from a commercial device. The sheer volume of corrupt and malicious websites is astounding, so you need to take the opportunity to guide your team in the best possible direction to ensure they do not end up on the aforementioned platforms. Setting out a list of safe websites will be easier than pinpointing out those which pose a risk, so assess the needs of your employees to find out which kind of platforms their role requires them to visit before offering out a number of green sites that are good to go. Make sure your staff avoid using personal websites such as social media too, as they have no reason to be doing this on work time and this can pose a risk to your system’s security. 

Download Only The Most Secure Programs & Software 

Next on your list of priorities should be secure programs and software, as downloading files and systems onto your equipment can either increase its functionality or lead to catastrophic privacy concerns and even irreparable damage. Before you even think about purchasing or downloading software for your remote workers devices, take the time to read through past reviews and ratings from other commercial clients - if there is a noticeable issue with their security, then this will no doubt be mentioned in comments left by previous users. Communication platforms and file transfer systems should be the safest of all, as you cannot risk putting your customer information or private messages in harm's way. Big brand names are often more committed to safety, as zoom security is going to be far more intense than any other low level communications platform, so it’s likely better to utilize well known programs and software if you would like to maintain ultimate peace of mind when your team is working remotely. 

Encrypt Your Data & Maintain The Strongest Data Stores 

Last but by no means least, it’s essential that you can take the opportunity to encrypt your data and make an effort to maintain the strongest possible stores if you want to stand any chance of maintaining safety while your staff work from home. If a malicious user or program were to intercept your communications or access your data stores then you could be in serious trouble, as this can lead to the closure of your company due to your unacceptable lack of responsibility - it’s your job to keep your customer data and other files as safe as can be, so you even risk receiving a hefty fine if someone gains access to your information stores. Encrypting your data is likely the best option, as this means that anyone who does gain access to your storage will be greeted with a totally scrambled and incomprehensible data dump that they cannot use in any way. To further improve your data privacy when your team works remotely, be sure to install strong firewalls and other protection measures. 

Maintaining security in the era of remote working has never been so simple when you can take the time to utilize some of the brilliant tips and ideas that have been carefully detailed above. It’s vital that you can adapt the way that you operate to accommodate such a change in working habits, as your business must keep up with the times in the safest and secure way!

Examples of Traditional Marketing Businesses Still Use

In a rapidly changing and evolving business world, business-owners tend to overlook traditional media in favor of digital marketing. Digital marketing is certainly a great method for promoting your business, but don’t forget about the tried-and-true methods of traditional marketing. Keep reading to explore some examples of traditional marketing that businesses still use and find success with today.

Signage and Print Media

Any type of print media that your business produces is considered traditional media. Print media is one of the most basic yet effective forms of traditional media. For example, hanging additional signage outside your retail store can be a fantastic way to attract new customers and educate them about your promotions. Banners, posters, sidewalk signs, and flyers are all great ways to reach out to potential customers through traditional media.

Event Marketing

Event marketing is a fun way to bring your new and current customers together. If you want to create a closer connection with your customers, hosting an event through your retail store or a nearby location can help. Consider inviting influencers within your industry to bring more attention to the event and attract more participants. These connections often start online, but event marketing is all about face-to-face interactions between your brand and your customers.

Branded Merchandise

If you don’t already create branded merchandise for your business, now is the time to start. Branded merchandise can draw new customers’ attention and get people talking about your business. Another huge benefit of branded merchandise is how mobile and flexible it is. When your customers wear and use your branded merchandise, they’re spreading your logo everywhere they go. Additionally, offering branded merchandise to your customers is another way to strengthen the customer-business bond and to create brand ambassadors for your business.

Digital marketing is an effective way to grow your business in this modern age, but don’t forget about these examples of traditional marketing that businesses still use. Your business will benefit from a mix of traditional and digital marketing strategies to appeal to various members of your target audience.

Keep Your Company On Track

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When you’re running your business it’s important to stay on the right track. This can be more difficult than you might imagine. As such, it’s important to think about the steps that will help you with this goal. Here are some of the suggestions that we recommend exploring.

Set Goals 

Since we mentioned them, it is worth setting smart goals. Goals provide you with something that you can work towards and a fixed point that you can focus on. This does mean that you need to set the right goals for your company. Essentially, they need to be measurable. If you can’t measure your progress, then you won’t know whether you are delivering the right level of performance. One of the ways that you can do this is by implementing OKRs. If you’re not sure how to achieve this goal, you can think about consulting with a professional agency. 

Use Tracking Solutions 

The right technology can also help your company stay on the right track. One crucial piece of tech worth exploring would be tracking solutions and services. Tracking software allows you to track progress from spending to the overall performance of a single employee. This is critical as it will allow you to weed out and potentially replace the people who might be holding your business back instead of pushing it forward. 

Tracking solutions are scalable. As such, they will meet the requirements of virtually any business currently operating on the market. With the right tracking, you will know where your company is falling short. 

Meet With Your Team

You should also think about meeting with your business team on a regular basis. Don’t forget, in the standard work model, you won’t be interacting with your clients and customers at all. It’s going to be your team members who are operating on the shop floor. They need to be the ones you listen to when thinking about making improvements that are going to impact your customer base. 

As a starting point, you might want to consider holding weekly team meetings where employees can make suggestions. This will also help them feel more connected to your brand as a whole. 

Improve Productivity

Finally, you should focus on taking steps to improve levels of productivity in your business. The right standards of productivity will guarantee that your business is firing on all cylinders and ensure that you can dramatically increase the overall output of your company. In terms of how you should do this, there are numerous options that could be effective as strategies. As a starting point, you might want to explore upgrading your technology. The right tech will ensure that every member of your team can work faster and smarter in your business model. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key strategies that you can explore to keep your company on the right track and deliver the growth you expect. By taking the right steps here you will also be able to make your business far more competitive on the market too.

It's The Wrong Time To Fall Short On Efficiency

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Right now, businesses are under a lot of pressure to cut costs and keep spending at the right point. Energy costs are rising and the cost of living crisis is going to impact more than just the general public. Businesses will feel the strain too. So, how can you ensure that your business is saving money in the right places. Here are the key choices to keep in mind.

Upgrade Your Equipment 

First, you should think about exploring upgrading the equipment that you are using in your business model. POor equipment is always going to slow your business down considerably. In terms of the equipment that you can upgrade, one example would be your scales. You could be using Rice Lake scales but there are alternatives to Rice Lake scales that will provide greater benefits to you and more accuracy. This will ensure that you are not wasting materials and supplies that are critical to your business model as a whole. 

Use Tracking SoftwareYou need to make sure that you are using the right tracking solutions in your business. Tracking software will mean that you always know how your business is performing and the right steps that you should take here. It’s vital that you think about the key metrics that are going to impact your company in the long term. Examples include turnaround times. Ideally, you need to keep the initial turnaround under 24 hours to keep your company as efficient as possible. 

Hire The Right Team 

Next, you need to guarantee that you have the right team working for your business. Problems with your team will damage your company overall. To avoid a situation like this, you should think about using a recruitment agency. The right recruitment agency will ensure that you hire people who can work efficiently without impacting levels of quality overall. You also need to ensure that you are regularly monitoring the productivity levels of your team. If someone is falling short, you’ll have two options. You can either let them go or invest in the training they need. Generally speaking, more training will always be the right cost-effective decision. Churn and replacing employees is an expensive requirement. 

Use An Accountant 

Finally, you should make sure that you are using the services of a professional accountant. The right accounting service will mean that you can completely avoid a situation where the costs get out of control without you even realizing it. You might think that an accountant is going to put unwanted pressure on your finances. While this can be a problem there are steps that you can take to avoid this situation. For instance, you can choose to use an outsourcing service here. The right outsourcing solution will mean that you get the expert support you need without the significant cost. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should take to ensure that your business doesn’t fall short in terms of efficiency. By exploring the right options here, you can guarantee that your company is in a stronger position in the market overall. 

Types of Promotional Collateral Every Company Needs

There are many types of promotional collateral every company needs. Successful marketing requires that content be more than just informative. Promotional materials should also be eye-catching and appropriate for the intended purpose. 

With the right promotional collateral, you can make your company more memorable to existing clients and customers while drawing in additional business.

Posters

When you need to promote a company event or product launch, posters are the perfect way to do it. Posters can be printed in large sizes and contain a lot of information, so they're great for making announcements.

You can also hang them in public spaces, which means that people will see them as they walk by. This makes posters an effective way to advertise sales, discounts, and special events. In today's digital world, it is best practice to design both a print and digital version of your posters. You can distribute the digital one via the internet.

Brochures

In addition to introducing new products or services, brochures are also useful for advertising and promotional purposes. In many cases, brochures are ideal for distribution at trade shows or other events. Brochures are also great for business-to-business marketing where you want to introduce your company's products and services to potential business partners.

Social Media Images

Your social media images can leave a lasting impression on your platform's visitors, so you'll want to ensure that they're not pixelated or blurry. If the image is low quality, most people will assume your products or services are too.

To create an attractive, high-quality cover photo, you'll need to make sure that it's sized correctly for the platform in question. Close-up shots help build trust, and branded digital materials will help bring uniformity to all your online connections.

Presentations

When pitching to potential leads or sharing the latest strategy updates with your team, presentations can be powerful tools to share ideas. Visually they need to represent the brand but have the messaging tailored to the audience. Here are a few examples of tools you could use to create stand out presentations:

PowerPoint is the original presentation software. It's the most popular choice for salespeople, executives, and other professionals who regularly give presentations.

Prezi combines elements of traditional slide-based presentations with graphics that zoom in on certain parts of a slide to draw attention to them. It also has more seamless transitions between slides than PowerPoint. It gives presenters access to stock images and video clips to add to their presentations.

Canva is a newer option that allows you to create presentations based on predesigned, fully customizable templates. This platform also has the most extensive library of stock images, elements, font options, animations, etc. You can also collaborate with coworkers and share your presentations with a clickable link instead of attaching them to your emails.

Signage

When planning a promotional campaign, one of the most important things to consider is signage. Signage can be both digital and physical. They're essential for communicating with customers in person—whether it's providing directions, sharing information about your company or brand, or advertising products and services/events/promotions.

The types of promotional collateral your company needs will vary and will often shift depending on the event or your current goals. Color and design play a huge role in business branding, so it is essential to set a brand guide before designing any of these things. 

Important HR Training Topics for New Employees

A company’s HR department is a key pillar of the business, where employees go to seek out help and guidance daily. For this reason, your business can only be as strong as your HR department, so adequate training for all your human resources management members is crucial. Providing insufficient training is one of the most common HR mistakes, so follow these important HR training topics for new employees to strengthen your department.

Teamwork & Communication

Many of your HR department members will already be thoroughly trained in communication, as it is a crucial skill for a career in the human resource management field. However, not every employee entering your company will have a professional knowledge of communications. Make sure that your HR department, or other management throughout your company, offers communication training and resources for your employees to seek and use when they need extra guidance.

Onboarding

New employees must go through an onboarding process involving new hire training. Your HR department can help make the transition into the company easier for new hires by introducing them to employee culture, benefits, and of course, their daily tasks and expectations. This is also a good time to introduce company policies and guidelines so that your business continues to follow local and federal laws. All businesses need to comply with certain training and regulations, or risk penalties or fines.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance

Finally, make sure that your HR department understands the importance of work-life balance. The members of your HR department are the ones who should uphold work-life balance throughout the company, so make sure you start at the source. Finding the right work-life balance for your HR department is crucial to maintaining productivity and preventing burnout on all levels of your business. From business owners to store associates, finding and maintaining a good work-life balance is key to maintaining a good work ethic and keeping the business running smoothly on all levels.

Introducing new employees to your company is an exciting sign of expansion for your business, but you want to ensure new employees start off on the right foot. Your HR department can use these important HR training topics to be sure new hires integrate into the company successfully.

Ways To Boost Your Business’s Curb Appeal

Roadside restaurants need to draw drivers off the interstate with signage and messaging to entice them to take that exit for a break. Similarly, retail shops need to stand out along main streets or in the strip mall. Tech repair shops should look professional, not disorganized. And we’ve all seen those memes of church signs with funny messages. The exterior of your business matters. Learn ways to boost your business’s curb appeal to draw more auto and foot traffic toward your doors.

Keep It Clean

An establishment’s outward appearance has a massive influence on a customer’s decision to enter and buy. Sweep the sidewalks, keep windows clean, use bright but inviting lighting, and make sure your interior is tidy and well organized so it looks inviting from the outside.

Change window displays regularly, and keep those windows sparkling. Cobwebs and clutter are among the first things that will cause a customer to say “pass.”

Add Plants

Greenery is inviting, and it has the added benefit of freshening the air. If you have the space, place planters on either side of your entrance. Keep lawns trimmed, and add flower beds to enhance green space on your business property. Inside, use a variety of indoor plants that sit in planters on the floor or shelves, or hang in baskets in corners where they’ll look nice but won’t interfere with moving around your shop.

Invest in New Signage

Select signage that expresses your brand. The type of sign and where you install it will depend on your business. Restaurants that depend on interstate highway traffic use large, bright, attractive LED signs to alert drivers to their presence and tell them which exit to use to find good food.

LED signs are programmable, so they can display rotating messages on a set schedule, or businesses can change the message as needed to announce new products, services, or daily specials. Just make sure to take proper care of your LED sign so it keeps shining brightly!

For main street businesses competing with several other shops on the same block, new signage in a style matching your brand, plus sidewalk sandwich board signs, can draw shoppers toward a shop or restaurant. Signage should be visible, readable, and distinctive in style to express your business’s personality.

Make Parking Attractive

Your storefront may look terrific, but customers will be turned off by crumbling, poorly marked parking areas. If you rely on street parking, be assertive with local authorities about keeping parking areas paved and painted. It’s in the municipality’s best interest to attract business to their downtown area. If you share parking in a business park or multiple-business building, meet regularly with your fellow business owners to ensure your property management company keeps parking areas looking pristine.

These ways to boost your business’s curb appeal should help draw customers both to your door and through it.

The 4 Phases of an Effective SEO Campaign

There are many different ways to approach a good SEO (search engine optimization) campaign. As long as you focus on quality over quantity, it’s hard to do it wrong, but some prevailing practices have shown the best results. Here are the four phases of an effective SEO campaign.

Phase 1: Keyword Research and Strategy

The first phase of any effective SEO campaign is keyword research and strategy. This stage aims to research your target market. You’ll then create a plan to target the keywords you’ve identified in your research toward that market. Identify keywords and phrases that are relevant to your industry as well as keywords that your competition uses. Make sure you also consider the search volume of each term and how many other sites are competing for the term.

Phase 2: On-Site Optimization

Once you’ve gathered the baseline data, the second phase of an SEO campaign is on-site optimization. This involves making sure your website is user friendly and that each page’s content matches its title. Here are some ways to optimize your SEO during this phase:

Create compelling meta descriptions that tell search engines what each web page is about.

Add alt tags to all the images on your site, which allows search engines to understand what they’re looking at. It will also improve accessibility by allowing visually impaired users who use screen readers or text-to-speech software to more easily navigate your site.

Add internal links to other relevant pages on your site, which will help users find more information and keep them on your site longer.

Start an email marketing campaign to boost your SEO and to stay connected with your engaged audience.

Phase 3: Off-Site Optimization

Off-site optimization is the process of building external links to your site to increase the credibility of your website in the eyes of Google. Define a strategy to help your pages rank better, and gain domain authority by networking and connecting with other content creators. If they find your work valuable, they’ll mention it and link back to it in the creation of their own content. Think of a link like a mention on social media; if others on the internet trust you and your content and mention you on their sites, then those backlinks are driving traffic and helping your site.

Phase 4: Reporting, Analyzing, and Adjusting

The fourth phase of an effective SEO campaign is reporting, analyzing results, and adjusting the plan accordingly. This phase is about collecting information about your business keywords and using this insight to make improvements to your campaign.

Use Google Analytics or another analytics tool to measure your results. Analyze them carefully to find out what is and isn’t working for your business and where you can improve. The new information will help you adjust your SEO plan by finding new opportunities in the market. It may also help you concentrate on a specific niche or target audience.

Take the time to figure out what sets you apart from the competition and how you can focus that advantage on your marketing strategies. Identify your target audience and what keywords it’s searching for. Develop a plan to target those keywords in relevant content that will keep bringing customers back again and again. Every quarter, dive into the metrics, compile reports on each campaign, and adjust your plan for success in the future.

5 Tech Advancements That Could Soon Change Your Business

Manufacturing automated cobot - Image Courtesy of Pixabay

There are a few tech advancements you should be aware of as a business. Some are in their infancy. Yet others are soon to become standard as the tech is perfected.

Advanced 3D Printing Technology

Using 3D printers, you can make real objects from machines that are located at home or at work. While the technology is in its infancy, it is already being used well for single pieces from the medical field to vehicle manufacture. And tech advancements are being made all the time. Additionally, you can use many different types of resins, many of which are safe for use in the food industry or in children's toys. So, for example, rather than ordering new ones from the web, you can simply print out the replacement gummy molds you need for your catering business. 

Impressive Advancements in AI

You use artificial intelligence (AI) everywhere. It's on your smartphone, in your smart home systems, and it drives internet search algorithms. But instead of killer robots, AI can assist you with almost anything. For example, your vehicle probably has an automated parking feature. Modern AI is capable of nearly anything. And it's getting better and better all the time. Microsoft even has an AI that can allegedly write a novel as good as a human. Still, like many industries, AI is driving automation in manufacturing, stock control, and increasing productivity in the office.

Tech Advancements in Robotic Assistance

Using advances in robotics technology and machine learning, you can teach a machine to assist in manufacturing. This is known as a "cobot." Instead of programming them, you show them the task to be done, and they learn how to do it. As a result, they are safer and cheaper than typical hydraulic robots in manufacturing plants. Because of this, cobots work in the same area as you. At the moment, you can use them for simple repetitive tasks like lifting or moving. However, newer models can perform intricate tasks such as screwing bolts.

The Rise of Driverless Cars

Driverless car tech isn't quite there yet. But it won't be long, and your autonomous systems for vehicles will be developed using AI and machine learning instead of rigid programming. In addition to an onboard network, adaptation and the use of sensors means the AI systems in cars will be able to drive better than a human. This is because the sensors will automatically pass information to other road vehicles to help prevent accidents. The cars themselves will be made of their own quasi-network of AI-driven machines that make our roads safer.

The Shift to Internet Integration

Modern manufacturing tech is becoming more computer-based and reliant on interconnectivity. This is known as the Internet of Things. And you are probably already using it. The term refers to any devices that communicate with each to achieve a common goal. For example, your inventory management software uses sensors to let you know when you are running low and alerts you via your phone. Wi-Fi and modern data systems connected to the internet have made this possible. Very soon, almost everything will require some form of interconnectedness.

Summary

3D printing, AI, and the Internet of Things are soon to change the landscape of manufacturing and industry. Additionally, cobots and autonomous vehicles will make the world a lot safer.

3 Marketing Strategies Any Small Business Can Use

Image Credit: Terimakasih0 from Pixabay.

Every small business knows it needs to stand out from its competition. One of the core ways of doing so is by marketing, although figuring out the top marketing strategies for small businesses can be difficult. More than a few come well-recommended, however, making them worth considering.

While you’ll need to adapt them to suit your specific business, there shouldn’t be a problem using them to stand out from your competition.

Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses: 3 Top Options1. Take Advantage Of Video

Video content can be much more persuasive than other types of content and can lead to more conversions. The benefit of this is that you can use video content across various platforms to maximize its impact.

You’ll need to make sure you develop high-quality content when doing this. Using a high quality video production company, Myriad Global Media, for example, will ensure this is the case.

While that means putting an investment into creating this content, it’s one of the more notable marketing strategies for small businesses that generates a notable return on investment.

2. Maximize Online Reviews

You shouldn’t underestimate the power of a few good reviews. They build trust with potential buyers without you needing to put a lot of effort into it. Once you’ve obtained a few of these, you’ll need to highlight them, which can be done quite easily on websites like Yelp.

You can also use these as testimonials on your website. Using the words of satisfied customers acts as a trust indicator for your brand and customers will look more favorably upon it.

To take advantage of this, you’ll need to make it easy for customers to review you. Once you do, you should see them start flooding in.

3. Improve Website Performance

A website is a fundamental aspect to any marketing strategy. You’ll build many of your strategies around it, so you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time and effort on it. That goes beyond making sure it looks amazing. You’ll need to ensure it performs well and works for your business.

There are more than a few ways you can do this, including:

Include contact information to capture leads

Add a live chat function to encourage engagement

Make it mobile-friendly to capitalize on mobile traffic

Have helpful content to bring people to your site

While it may take time to implement each of these, it’ll be more than worth it for your business. Many marketing strategies for small businesses focus on generating views on websites. You’ll need to capitalize on this.

With the above, you can make sure that’s the case.

Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses: Wrapping Up

There are quite a few marketing strategies for small businesses that you can choose from. It’s not uncommon to have limited resources to dedicate to these, however, making narrowing down your options vital.

Each of the above are highly recommended. Not only can they help you stand out from your competition, but they should offer a decent return on investment. There’s no reason not to take advantage of them.