Michael Levitt's Blog, page 44
December 28, 2021
Maximizing Your Online Marketing ROI
Finding new and exciting ways to increase your brand exposure online is always a good idea. You’re going to be meeting with your teams or agencies and spending a good amount of time brainstorming and strategizing to get the best possible ideas out to your marketplace as efficiently and operationally sound as possible. You’re also going to want to get these out to your market within the fastest possible timeframes too because after all is said and done, time is money, and sure, we all want to make our businesses more professional but we want to be smart about it too.
So that’s what we’re expanding on today. How do you quantify all of the time you’ve spent brainstorming and strategizing? How do you attach a dollar value to those pursuits and more importantly, how do you ensure that you’re getting more out of your projects in revenue and turnover than what you’ve put in?
It’s the best possible time of year to be thinking about these things because in just a few short moments we’re going to usher in 2022 and that means that there is going to be tons of new year energy and positivity around to harness, and we all want to snatch as much of that as we can.
So we have to start where the process is going to end, financially speaking anyway, and this means that you have to look back over the previous year’s performance numbers. This is a slightly unorthodox way of doing this but stick with us. Work your way through your quarterly performance this past year and determine which marketing campaigns contributed what dollar amount - it doesn’t have to be exact but this process will allow you to understand your successes and which strategies fall into the “not so much” column.
Once you’ve completed this process you’ll have both a base from which to plot your new year strategies and you’ll know what worked for you and what didn’t. Hindsight is 20/20.
If you haven’t recorded the amount of time spent in meetings, zooms, conference calls, etc. - then make it your priority moving forward, because without this information it’s tough to break down your hourly cost ratios versus what each campaign yielded. Now, it’s not an exact science, but it’s not a bad way to keep your eye on the ball.
Even small businesses can benefit from doing this and if you’re bigger than small, keeping it simple can be a precious game changer for you if you have overly complicated or inflated marketing and sales plans. Learning how to create the formula that will guide you along the way to understanding your spend versus yield is a great place to start.
As you begin setting your ROI goals, be certain that your goals follow the SMART strategy:
They must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timed. SMART. This is another reason why it’s a good idea to look back before moving forward because you’ll be able to cut through the clutter and waste with an honest reflection. As a general rule of thumb, a good ROI is getting $5 in sales for every $1 you spend, this is a widely accepted goal in business but moreover, is considered achievable.
An effective strategy for most business models, “paid advertising” when executed correctly and intelligently can form a solid bedrock for your online marketing strategy and deliverables. Now, it can be challenging to figure out what pay-per-click (PPC) platforms are the best ones for your particular business model or sector, but regardless of those considerations budget is ultimately going to be the kingmaker. Some ads can cost a few cents per click, but this number can increase dramatically to as much as $200 per click, so know what you’re doing and with whom.
Remember that you only get what you pay for - while you’re paying for it, so the only way to measure the success of paid advertising is to analyze the contact you enjoyed from specific ads and how much of that contact resulted in conversations.
This cannot be stressed enough as there are still far too many businesses with ineffective or improperly designed websites that are simply not fit for purpose. You don’t want a website that looks great and feels great but has so many moving parts that visitors click the “x” button before they’ve even seen the “contact us” page. So take a look at your website, analyze all of the “machinery” that makes your site work and try to experience what your potential customers will experience when interacting with your site, and then find ways and get some help to improve your website.
There are at least half a dozen more areas that we can expand on to better understand the ROI percentages that you should be reaching for, but all of these areas don’t mean anything to you as the business owner if you don’t have your focus in the right places first.
This begins with knowing who you are as a business owner and what your business does - really does. The spaces in between will always be fluid and that’s great, but don’t get sucked into elaborate and complicated online marketing deals and strategies with endless companies all vying for your business. This could lead to costly spending that you won’t always get back, and more to the point, might not know how to track success anyway.
So, be sure that the time you’re spending calculating ROI doesn’t have an impact on your ROI for starters, and then focus on setting up your first quarter marketing plans as soon as you return to work in the new year. The good news is that no matter how early or late you are to the party, it’s never a bad idea to know what your business is doing with its money, right?
Harnessing the power of the new year’s vibes is an awesome tool for our businesses, as our teams come back from vacations refreshed and refocused, don’t kill those spirits with boring and antiquated meeting strategies - get busy redesigning your marketing ideas and processes into innovating and real solutions, that work.
December 24, 2021
Essential Business Skills: What You Need and How To Improve Them
As a business owner or an employee, you need business skills to succeed at your company or workplace. Possessing any kind of business skills will have a positive impact on the performance, efficiency and productivity of a company. Keep reading this article to learn more about business skills and ways to improve them.
What Are Business Skills?Business skills are a part of personal skills that refer to your work ethic and how well you work with your fellow employees or your employer. You gain business skills with time, maturity, and experience.
These skills may include leadership skills, communication skills, and management skills. Financial skills, analytical skills, negotiation skills, sales and marketing skills, and problem-solving skills are examples of the business skills you need.
Note, you don’t have to be an entrepreneur, company owner, or manager to have these skills. You will need the skills, but you also need to possess both business and technical skills, as an employee.
Ways to Improve Business SkillsYou should regularly learn and implement all business skills into your day-to-day work life. To do this, you have to learn ways to improve your skills. Here are some ways to do so:
Do Thorough and Meaningful ResearchTake time to read and research the most valuable business skills you need for your workplace. Then, determine those that you already possess and you can improve.
Doing regular research and reading will help you stay up-to-date with your skills. For instance, you can research management skills and learn things like tips for selecting a work schedule maker for your business. This way, you remain informed about current and top-rated business trends.
Read-through Business BooksGet yourself several business books with information about business skills. Reading such books will help you get more knowledge and understanding about this topic.
Additionally, business books are a great source of inspiration. They will give you information on ways to develop the skills and provide tips and several strategies. Ultimately, business books will open your mind. You will start to see business opportunities even in the smallest of things. Get some relevant business books and read through them.
Have a Business MentorA business mentor will give you the guidance you need to develop professionally. A mentor will be your sounding board, your thinking room, and your support. You will also work on crucial and complex business solutions or decisions.
Nevertheless, having a business mentor will help you boost your confidence in the business and build your network of business contacts. Having a business mentor will grow your business. But you should first know what goals you wish to achieve in your business or company before deciding on having or looking for a mentor. Select a mentor with the qualities, skills, and experience to benefit you.
Enroll for a Business Course or ClassTaking a business course will help you improve your business skills. A business class provides you with the business management skills and techniques you need to run your business smoothly. As an employee, you will boost your employability since employers look for the right business skills when looking to employ someone.
You can take a wide range of online business courses-both paid and free of charge. Most are affordable, and you can easily fit them into your schedule.
Take Advantage of Existing Business TrendsApart from reading, researching, and getting a business mentor, there are several things you can add to your ways of improving business skills. Things like Investopedia, listening to podcasts about business and entrepreneurship, and joining a toastmaster’s club, will help you acquire all the information you need to improve your business skills.
Listen to TED talks, graduation speeches, and other recorded speeches. This is a great way to learn from experienced business leaders and innovators.
Alternatively, you can join a toastmaster’s club to polish your public speaking and communication skills. You will regularly deliver speeches, get feedback, lead various teams, etc. in a friendly platform.
Another great place to learn skills like investment and accounting is Investopedia- a site for educating people about finance. Also, listening to business podcasts is a great way to stay inspired and informed. A good advantage of listening to them is that you will get knowledge on the go. For instance, you can listen to a podcast about the latest business news while going for a morning walk or run or when commuting to work.
ConclusionBusiness skills are crucial in running a company. As an employee or an employer, identify where you are lacking and read books, do thorough research, listen to podcasts and TED talks, get a business mentor or do everything you can to improve your business skills.
December 22, 2021
Impress Clients With These Keys Business Decisions
Being able to make the right changes that are going to help make your company better, and this is something that you need to try to improve upon. Work on doing what you can do to improve the company, and there are a lot of things that play a role in helping you achieve this process right now. Make sure you do as much as possible to help impress your clients moving forward.
You need to try to make sure you do your best to take things to the next level, and there are a lot of ways you can go about achieving this. Make sure you come up with some of the best ways of impressing your clients, and making the key decisions as a business right now. This is something that you need to try to get right as much as possible, and there are a lot of great ways of being able to achieve this.
Be More Professional
Being more professional as a business is one of the key things that you can do, and there is so much to consider with this moving forward. You have to try to make the most of this as much as you can, and there are plenty of great ways of being able to achieve this. By being as professional as possible, you attract people to want to work more closely with your brand, and you develop a sense of reliability, as well as a strong and positive reputation. This is something that you need to try to get right as much as possible.
Events are the cornerstone of any company’s social calendar, and they actually play a hugely important role in helping to develop a good relationship with clients. There are a lot of things that you need to consider when you are trying to impress clients, and throwing a brilliant event is key to this. In order to achieve this you need to hire a corporate event planner who can help you improve your company’s social events, and throw a bash that is going to turn heads and get people talking. Impressing your clients here is one of the best things you can do to improve appeal and success.
Making your clients feel valued is one of the most important things you can do as a modern business, and you need to make sure you focus on this moving forward. You can make a lot of changes that will help your clients to feel more valued and important to the business, and this is something you can work on. Being able to focus on this and make the right changes to help your clients feel more appreciated is a sure way of being able to impress them.
These are just a few of the key ideas you can use that will help you when it comes to impressing and improving your client relationships and making your business more impressive. Being able to impress clients makes such a massive difference to the success you could enjoy as a company moving forward.
3 Ways Geology Firms Help Us
Via Pexels
Geology is the study of the Earth and everything in it. Geologists are people who have studied geology, which means that they know about rocks, minerals, fossils, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Geologists work for various companies, including oil exploration firms, mining companies, and engineering firms, to help them understand their environment better so they can make informed decisions on how to proceed with construction or extraction projects. This blog post will discuss three areas geologists work in.
Understanding the causes of earthquakes is something that geologists have been studying for centuries. Geology can help us understand why quakes happen, how often they are likely to occur and what types of tectonic plates are more prone to them than others. They also look at where earthquakes tend to be most destructive to understand better how to protect ourselves against them.
Geologists also use seismic data to help companies locate oil and gas reserves and mineral deposits. By understanding how sound waves move through the Earth, they can often pinpoint where things like coal or gold might be hidden. Then, through core sampling and professional eds testing, they can identify where the minerals are what their elements include.
Geologists Help Us Understand VolcanoesVolcanoes are another natural hazard that geologists help us understand. Studying the history of volcanoes and their eruptions can help us predict when an eruption might take place and how severe it might be. They also look at the effects of volcanic eruptions on people and property so that we know what we're up against.
Volcanologists also help us to understand how earthquakes and volcanic activity are linked. By studying how magma moves underneath Earth's surface, they can predict when an earthquake might happen and work with seismologists to study those quakes once they occur.
Geologists Help Us Understand Our LandscapeGeology isn't just about earthquakes and volcanoes – it's also about understanding how landforms are created. For example, geologists can help us to know how mountains are formed, how rivers cut through valleys, and how glaciers shape the landscape. They can also tell us a lot about the history of a particular region by studying the rocks and fossils that are present there.
When building roads, pipelines, or other projects related to construction, geologists can help us understand how to best proceed based on what they know about the land itself. They might also identify things like fault lines or areas where rainfall is likely so that we don't accidentally disrupt them.
In conclusion, geologists are essential in helping us understand our Earth and how it works. Studying earthquakes, volcanoes, and the landscape can help us make informed decisions about how to proceed with projects that might negatively impact the environment. They also play a key role in locating resources like oil and gas reserves or mineral deposits. So the next time you think about hiring a geologist or geology firm, remember that they help us understand our Earth in more ways than one!
Lessons Learned From Pandemic Supply Chain Disruption
Not so long ago, it seemed every new start-up reveled in describing itself as a “disruptor.” The word implied shaking things up, finding new business models, and creating new ways of reaching consumers or users. But the pandemic brought back more traditional, more problematic shake-ups. Let’s look at some lessons learned from pandemic supply chain disruption.
Your Suppliers Are Your Lifeline—Treat Them WellSmall suppliers of high-demand parts and materials can only respond to so many orders at a time; abandon them at your peril. When the supply of unique parts or rare materials is scarce, small suppliers can choose to do business with partners who respect them and treat them well. Don’t throw your weight around. Show your suppliers you value your relationship when times are good, and they’ll remember when things get tight.
DigitizeForward-thinking businesses are constantly improving communication and collaboration. Yet in the supply chain area, too many companies are stuck on paper in a digital world. Cloud computing can facilitate information sharing at critical points in your supply chain.
Everything Needs ChipsEveryone has heard about the shortage of microchips. Demand for cars, phones, and computers soared during the pandemic, while labor shortages and lockdowns established to protect public health made it difficult to meet that demand. Looking forward to the holiday season, retailers are already anticipating shortages in electronic toys—and a possible boom in retro toys without electronics. The chip squeeze can also apply to major appliances, televisions, and anything else with “smart” in its name.
Inventory Management Has ChangedThe essence of inventory management is knowing where your stuff is, how much of it your customers need, and predicting how much to keep available. In the pandemic, businesses that kept additional inventory on hand fared better than those that practiced extremely lean inventory management. One of the lessons learned from pandemic supply chain disruption is don’t get caught short. Anticipate your customers’ needs and have a backup or disaster plan in place with the inventory to handle it.
Diversify and DecentralizeDiversification in sourcing materials and widening distribution became necessary during the pandemic. Businesses that put all their eggs in one basket suffered when lockdowns in China meant manufacturing ground to a halt. Others already had contingency plans and were able to pivot quickly to other manufacturing plants located in Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
Supply chain management and logistics have shifted to a world where unpredictability may be the new norm. Businesses that are nimble and that can build flexibility into their supply chain operations will be better positioned to thrive in a permanently pandemic-altered landscape.
Is Your Team Burned Out? If So, Try This
Burnout is different from just exhaustion. Key features include:
Cynicism - such as disliking the company, customers, or other aspects of the job
Disengagement - where employees focus on something entirely different from the task at hand
Tiredness - the physical inability to keep going, despite deadlines and other pressures
When burnout hits individuals, it’s bad. Productivity goes down, quality of work begins to suffer, and the worker takes on a combative, nihilistic attitude to everything that the company does. But when it affects the entire team, the results can be utterly catastrophic. Whole firms can fail because they pushed themselves too hard.
Fortunately, there are things that you can do to turn the situation around. Remember, pushing your team to the limit 100 percent of the time won’t allow you to achieve the results that you want.
You want a corporate culture in which people work hard. But in some companies, this can go too far. People feel awkward going home in the evening and will often sit at their desks, firing away emails, until they exhaust themselves.
Ideally, you want to stamp this out. Take drastic action if you have to. For instance, if managerial instructions for people to go home after 6 pm isn’t enough, turn off the electricity to the building so that people cannot work. Make sure that everyone knows that this is the policy and that it has your full backing.
You might also put penalties in place for people who clock in for too many hours of overtime, such as removing their bonuses. These approaches will encourage them to get more done during the day so that they can live more balanced lives.
When employees do the same thing every day, they feel like they are on a treadmill. Another day, another dollar.
That’s why smart bosses mix things up from time to time. For instance, you might take your team away for a company retreat to a venue, such as Evins Mill. Getting out of the office – even if it’s just for a day – can have a profound effect on the psyche.
You might also want to rearrange hours. For instance, if people get into the office at 8 am and leave at 5 pm, you might want to change this to 11 am to 7 pm. For some people's body clocks, this might help to make them feel more alert during the day.
Work can be tiring: that’s normal. But for something to be exhausting, there needs to be an unpleasant psychological element to it as well.
Smart bosses know this. That’s why they always dig deeper. They want to find out why somebody who sits in front of a computer all day feels so rotten. It’s not the hardships of physical labor anymore.
If employees offer an explanation, take note. Really think about what they’re saying and what you can do to change the situation. It could be workload, managerial pressure, or repetition that’s causing the problem.
December 21, 2021
The Software Your Business Needs In 2022
As a business owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your business has everything it needs in order to grow and flourish - be that talented employees or the newest tech. The latter is particularly important in the current climate, wherein your online presence is your company’s greatest asset and many staff will be working from home. After all, you have to be able to ensure that your staff are able to carry on their duties without interruption, while also catering to the needs of your customers.
As a result, as you begin to prepare your finances for tax season, it's important you set some of your money aside to invest in new tech and software.
With that in mind, here's the software that all businesses need in 2021!
Cybersecurity Software. Right now, you probably have a tonne of sensitive data stored on your company computers, from bank details to customer contact information. As a result, it's vital that you know how to keep your business safe online. Failure to do so could not only result in private information being leaked, you could also face criminal charges due to negligence. As a result, in addition to continually updating your passwords and training employees on best cybersecurity practices, you should also invest in cybersecurity software. For example, this could include private blockchain that is designed specifically for businesses, which makes it harder for systems to be hacked or leaked.
Social media software. A recent study found that the average user checks their smartphone 52 times in a single day, and they will often spend this time on social media. As a result, your social media presence has never been more important, especially if you’re trying to boost your sales and grow your customer base. This is good news, however, as social media marketing campaigns are often cheaper than other forms of marketing. While this can be a little consuming, there’s plenty of software out there that can make running your social media accounts a breeze. For example, you can use platforms such as Canva to create stunning professional-quality graphics for your account.
WFH Software. Right now, many employers are deciding whether or not they want their employees to return to the office full-time, or whether working from home will continue to be an option in the post-pandemic future. There are many benefits to allowing your employees to work from home, most notably in regards to employee morale. However, should you decide to do this moving forward, you need to ensure that your employees continue to have access to all of the necessary software from their homes. For example, you should splash out on video conferencing or collaboration tools in order to supercharge productivity and ensure that employees are able to connect from wherever they may be in the world. Again, you should also ensure that any of the devices your staff use are also equipped with the latest cybersecurity equipment, as breaches are more likely to happen within the home than in the office space.
Ways to Make Your Business more Professional
Investing time and resources into making your business more professional can benefit you in a number of ways. You will probably improve efficiency as a by-product, you will look better to your customers and investors, and you will establish a bit more authority among other things. Feeling more empowered can actually go a long way to helping you grow your business, as it raises your confidence levels. Fortunately, there are many ways you can make your business more professional, so let’s have a look at a few today:
If you have not developed a brand yet, this is something that you need to do. A brand is not just a logo and a color scheme. It is a full-on philosophy of business. It encompasses your company culture, your brand personality, your core values, and your ethical concerns. A brand is your identity and how your customers recognize you. It is a sign of professionalism and indicates that our company has a foundation that gives it depth and this generates trust. Your brand key messages can be used in all your marketing material, and it creates a joined-up and coherent approach that is backed up with history. Create a brand creation story that shows that you have these ideals at heart. Such as, you created this brand because you recognized that there was a problem and wanted to help society at large by creating this sustainable product line, for example.
A great website will enable you to look more professional. The first thing most people do when they want a product or service from you is to look at your website. If it does not stand up to your marketing material, you will not convert as many leads as you should do. Use your brand to dictate the color scheme and usw the philosophy to help you create your content. Remember to create a brand narrative page where you show your customer your creation story too.
If you want to appear more professional, then you need a social media presence. After you create a website, this is the next thing to follow. Social media allows you to engage with your customers and advance your brand even more. It gives you the opportunity to showcase your key messages, advance your marketing campaign, and engage with your online community. You should use every opportunity to divulge something about your company, and by responding to customers as quickly as possible when they comment, no matter what it is about, you can raise your profile further.
All businesses have some special and difficult tasks that should be performed by a professional. Things such as I.T Security should not be left to an in-house team that does not have the skills required to do the job adequately. If you do this, you are open to risk, which can cost you a fortune and cause a lot of reputation damage. Take a look at all the tasks you can outsource; you can even get professional translators such as het vertaalbureau to help you talk to foreign customers and investors.
Guide to Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal Wall Art
Photo source: Elephant Stock
Who is Benjamin Moore? He's a famous paint supplier, and he has chosen the Aegean Teal shade to be the ultimate hue of 2021. Décor dreams are made of Aegean Teal, a medium of blue hue and green tint. As a color of the year, it provides a straightforward beginning for new homeowners to improve their home décor significantly. The color is easy to introduce into your home. Irrespective of your style, you have countless options to spark up your interiors with Aegean Teal.
Aegean Teal Wall Art
Aegean Teal wall art can enhance your home feelings and emotions. It denotes the sea and sky. Introducing eye-catching Aegean canvas art prints into your home can create a good vibe in every area of your home. A high-quality Aegean Teal wall art may improve your mood and spark up your space décor. Teal wall art may create a fresh and inviting look in your home.
How to Bring Aegean Teal into Your Home Décor
Wall art is an excellent means to introduce Aegean Teal into your space. Did you move into a new apartment and have painted your home already? The best way to add this great color of the year to your space is by hanging attractive Teal wall art prints in every available room in your home to portray your personality and style. You can select abstract Teal wall art print to promote the modern look of the interior. Besides, abstract art will complement your existing décor with little effort.
Source: Elephant Stock
Aegean Teal Wall Art and Shade of Grey
Aegean Teal color can also blend with other shades like grey to make a fantastic look in your home. Two colors that you can combine flawlessly are Aegean Teal and grey. They are two modern colors that are cool and calm for your interior decoration. You can make a statement while still keeping things classy by showcasing an Aegean Teal wall art to complement grey furniture in your home.
Roles of Aegean Teal Wall Art in Your Home Décor
Below are some notable roles and additions of Aegean Teal wall arts to your home décor.
1. Aegean Teal Wall Art May Display Your Lifestyle and Personality
Hanging an Aegean Teal wall art in your home may display the real person in you. It shows a lot about your lifestyle. Suppose you want the entire world to know what you adore, the kind of person you are, or you're passionate about something. In that case, Teal wall art is the best way to showcase that character.
2. Teal Wall Art is a perfect Finishing to the Room
Incorporating quality Teal wall art into your home décor will make your space appear polished and not just functional. Teal wall art will complete the area and help stitch the story together. It is a perfect finishing element that can complement the aesthetic values of your home and help pull your room together. Teal wall art is that extra touch of decoration that can take your space from appearing functional to appearing like a palace.
Photo source: Elephant Stock
3. Teal Wall Art Creates a Focal Point at Home
One of the rules of home decorations is that each space needs a center of interest. This focal point is essential to draw the attention of anyone that steps into your home. Thus, one of the crucial roles that Teal wall art play in your home décor is to create a center of attraction for your visitors.
Meanwhile, when you have an empty wall, your home becomes boring and unwelcoming. Your visitors keep sitting and staring at a plain wall without designs or pictures and speak poorly of your design sense.
Conclusion
Aegean Teal wall art is stylish and timeless. As such, it can change the look of your home while making your space looks exciting and inviting. You can bring this trendy color into your room by hanging unique Aegean Teal wall art canvases in every area of your home to complement the existing décor.
How To Help Your Sales Team Accept Rejection
Many of us fear rejection, but it’s practically part of the job description in industries like sales. You could give the best pitch in the world and still have the lead turn your offer down for any variety of reasons. However, with a couple of tips on how to help your sales team accept rejection, you’ll keep your sales reps motivated to reach their goals.
Expect RejectionWhile this may not sound great, a first—no sales company wants a rejection—your employees need to understand that they’ll hear a few “no’s.” It’s perfectly normal for employees to have their offers turned down occasionally.
As you coach employees and remind them to accept sporadic rejection, you should also promote positive self-talk. By focusing on positive aspects, they are less likely to internalize the refusal, so they can instead move forward.
Pro-TipsIf you have an employee who frequently receives rejections, set up a one-on-one meeting with them to discuss what’s going on. They may need additional training or need to shadow a co-worker to get a better handle on things.
Defining “No”When a potential client turns down an offer, one of the biggest mistakes in sales is not to accept that answer. Sometimes the process takes a while, and managers need to discuss the benefits of hiring your services. However, your services may not be necessary at other times.
A sales rep’s most important response to “no” is to politely ask why. By gathering more information, they may realize they need to change their sales approach or that your company should reach out to different types of leads.
Learn From ItAs you jot down how to help your sales team accept rejection, you’ll need to learn from it and help them do the same. A refusal doesn’t mean you’ll never speak with this lead again; in fact, they could someday become a client if you nurture the relationship.
Support One AnotherFinally, remind your sales reps that all of you are a team, and you support one another during wins and losses. Accepting rejection coupled with positive self-talk becomes easier when you’re in the right environment, so motivate your workers during these moments. By remembering this is a team effort, your salespeople strive toward the next opportunity rather than dread the missed one.


