Michael Levitt's Blog, page 70
July 15, 2021
Why 'Time Is Money' Is Truer Than Ever
Time is money. This is an old adage many of us know and generally believe to be true, just as much as ‘ignorance is bliss’ is an aphorism that has stuck around for as long as many can remember. But it’s also true that in this highly technologically sophisticated world and market at large, the former is perhaps the truest it’s ever been.
More and more companies are using time-saving measures to help them free up labor, while committing to tasks in a manner that can be completed in uniform fashion without sacrificing too much of the workday for it. Yet as there are so many systems, applications, and services we can use to integrate time-saving measures into our business, it’s hard to know what to use, how to compete, and what the standard might be for your industry.
For this reason, while time is money through and through, we hope to discuss a few means by which you can stay competitive with that in mind. Without further ado, let’s discuss this topic together:
It’s important to save time where you can, and most of the time, this can mean fielding your support experience via a third party. With business class phone systems, you can more easily automate support without having to assign labor, or a good portion of your workforce’s day, responding to these necessities and wondering where the time is going. With live chat web portals, FAQs and more, you’ll also be more likely to avoid overloading your systems in the worst possible manner.
Marketing that works for itself is perhaps one of the most powerful boons of the social media age. For instance, when posting scheduled tweets, and having that content shared by your users thanks to its insightful message or enjoyable content, you may find that marketing can explode and become seen by many more than you had ever expected. Leveraging the power of sharing social networks like this is no joke, in fact, it can potentially help you not only organize a targeted media campaign, but also ensures that through retweet and sharing functionalities, your branding is seen by more than you had expected. This helps you save money in repeat campaigns provided you gauge the approach correctly.
The terms by which you either ship or deliver your product is worth consideration. Many brands are trying to make this process more effective by ensuring that thier consumers have a choice of options. You may have seen ‘no rush’ delivery options that are free and provide your customer a later delivery for less cost as a result. This way, you might be able to wait a day or two before you send a big bulk batch of goods out through the mail - effectively helping your logistical management need less time to curate. Online delivery methods are also becoming more and more popular, such as via licensed software that can be actived with a key. Could your business make use of a plan like ths?
With this advice, we hope you can see how ‘time is money’ is more true than ever, and perhaps from there chase more thorough productivity.
Curating A Worthwhile Business Welcome
No matter if you are a public-facing business or a private office, sooner or later, you will need to welcome guests or visitors to your premises. When this requirement comes to pass, it’s important to remain as prepared as you possibly can.
Inviting guests to your business for whatever reason, be they there to utilize your services, or when entertaining business clients or greeting investors as necessary may seem simple on the service. Just bring them into the fold, welcome them, and stay polite, right? Well, this might be necessary, but there’s also a good amount of behind-the-scenes work that goes into ensuring someone can feel comfortable and safe within your premises as necessary.
In this post, we hope to discuss the art of welcoming people into your firm, how to go about investing in the best possible experience you can provide, and also how this can positively affect the development of your firm going forward.
Without further ado, let’s get started:
Of course, ensuring proper security around your premises is a good means of protecting your business and those who staff it. Yet we must also make sure that our guests and visitors are afforded these provisions in kind.
This means using proper video networks to cover all aspects of the visitor areas. It may mean issuing them with a keycard and name badge to ensure their stay there is validated, and that they can access all areas confirming their permission level.
Depending on the size and scope of your business, other measures could be in place. If you run a server farm or critical infrastructure, for instance, even as a humble managed service provider, then gentle pat-downs might be justified. Depending on your business, the level of security needed will change. Yet it can be helpful to have an ‘approved’ means of verifying a guests’ right to be there ahead of time, allowing you to ensure they are not only safe but that your staff feels safe around them.
It’s a great idea to invest in a welcoming staging area. This might take the form of a seating environment near your reception. First, considering utility is important. This might involve making sure that the seating plan is properly arranged, and the space is easily navigable. A water cooler can provide refreshment to anyone who may be waiting.
Second, comes decoration. You will no doubt find value and utility in using greenery to help space feel more natural. If you have free wall space, you might use it to showcase a well-designed chart of the history of your firm and your ambitions, including what your goals are today. Injecting a little bit of life into this area, no matter how humble your firm is, can make even the waiting process an enjoyable and informative one.
Of course, staging areas are also worth considering depending on how a guest might visit your firm. A loading bay that offers its own seating area through the office entrance doors can be helpful, allowing even those delivering on behalf of another firm to wait comfortably in lieu of being seen to.
Even small business premises are unfamiliar territory to a new guest, and so it’s worth guarding against the possibility of them getting lost or feeling exasperated when trying to find their way around. Of course, guests should be welcomed and guided in person, but just in case that doesn’t happen for whatever reason, excellent signposting around the building can help.
This might take the form of actual signposts you can use to showcase where certain corridors lead. It may involve lines on the walls that someone can follow to a select location. Maps with ‘you are here’ declarations can help someone understand where they are in relation to other wings of the building. But perhaps most importantly of all, fire exists and evacuation notices can help anyone leave the building in a pinch, as they deserve to.
Establishing meeting rooms, or a meeting room is a valuable use of your time. Not only can it help give you a little privacy against prying eyes and ears, but this kind of staging area can be a great manner by which to show off just how sincere your firm is in its pursuit of success.
Meeting rooms with adequate furniture, a television screen for a computer to showcase presentations with, and good branded mugs you can offer refreshments in certainly sells the image of being a firm with goals in mind and the willingness to invest in them. But you don’t need all the fancy trimmings to separate a space, no matter how humble, in which to politely discuss business with your guests. Or, perhaps if showing a visitor around, you can ask the office to transition to this space for their morning meeting instead of the general open atmosphere you usually go for.
Having a space to meet, in this fashion, is sure to help you thrive as a firm.
If you have the justification for it, investing in good furniture for your office can be helpful. The same goes for the waiting area or meeting rooms you bring visitors or clients to. You don’t need the most expensive ergonomic furniture, of course, but it can be healthy to invest in sofas, armchairs, or a comfortable seating pod that helps them feel a little less frustrated with waiting.
Some firms think that it’s quirky and fun to use stools, or novelty bean bags, or other sofas that may not be in the best of condition, but even if you go for the most basic option, uniformity, simplistic design, comfort, and hygiene should always be the features you opt for. After all, visitors and clients know that the furniture you sit them on is something of a symbol for the kind of business you may provide to them going forward.
Good, clean lighting is always nice. You don’t want the waiting area to look like a clinician’s waiting room, but you don’t want it to look like a dingy hideaway from the outside world. Light fixtures and perhaps a tactical lamp can help a room feel vibrant and inviting.
Of course, it’s also worth considering how the aesthetics of the walls can play into this, too. For instance, commercial wall coverings found here https://www.commercialwalldecor.com/commercial-wall-decor/type-ii-wallcoverings-2.aspx can be a great way of outfitting the space in a manner that balances practicality and beautiful aesthetics without limiting the natural light of space, or making a room feel oppressive.
This is important for your visitors of course, but also the staff that may work in your reception and the staging areas, as they will have to spend all day in this environment.
It’s good to organize your waiting space and how you welcome your staff. Once someone arrives, immediate notice should be sent to the person handling them that day. Keeping thor presence updated in your digital guest book can be important, as can making sure they know where the fire exits are. You may print them a temporary pass that helps them identify who they are and in what capacity they are visiting your office.
It can also be helpful for you to keep a super tight watch over your visit bookings to make sure you never have to feel at a loss as to why someone has arrived at your doorstep. If guests feel as though you hadn’t planned for them, even if they were told to come at this time, they will no doubt curate a negative first impression of your planning. This is why preparations in advance and informing your reception staff is such an important practice to get right.
As guests, clients, investors or visitors come to your firm for whatever purpose, it’s important to remember that the interior waiting room of your building is hardly the only place their first impression is curated. Exterior utilities, such as the condition of the parking space, how well your office or business premises is branded, if the main entrance is obviously marked or not, and if they have to walk through smokers at the front door (when they could be situated away from it), will all have an effect.
Depending on the location of your office and where exactly it’s situated, you may have full, some, or little control over your external environment. At the very least, however, making sure your building conforms to that environment is important. Even remote-operated doors that are activated after successful use of the intercom can be helpful. The more you can curate that entrance surrounding the needs of your exterior utilities, the better. It might be that even in a city, you can negotiate a parking pass for those arriving at your firm, just to use an example.
With this advice, you’re sure to curate that worthwhile business welcome as appropriate.
July 14, 2021
7 Ways to Dress Up Your Entryway
7 Ways to Dress Up Your Entryway
The main entrance to your home is your front door. It is used daily by friends, family, and visitors. It's a practical feature, but it has the potential to attract the attention of a casual passerby or a home buyer.
The door largely determines the first impression (good or bad) before entering. It builds excitement and sets the tone for the rest of your house. Simply put, your front door is an essential part of your curb appeal.
You've come to the right place if you're unhappy with the appearance of your front door. Here are the top seven ways to spruce up your front door.
You've probably seen red or black front doors before, and they make an excellent first impression. Homeowners, on the other hand, are getting a lot more creative with color. So trying a new and unusual color for your front door could be what it needs.
But, before you go out and buy a quart of nuclear orange paint, think about the consequences. Examine the front elevation and choose a color that complements the siding and trim. Even the style of your door can be influenced by color. It can transform it from simple to elegant, traditional to modern.
While this entry isn't red and green, it does have a festive feel to it. Rich metallics, woven texture, and a sprig of natural greenery add instant warmth.
A coat rack near the entrance allows visitors to remove their coats, scarves, and bags quickly. In addition, an oversized mirror will enable visitors to assess their appearance. Another point to remember is that you can never have too much pull-up seating.
Have you given any thought to accessorizing your front door? Unique touches that complement the color or style of your front door will benefit it. It is just like adding accessories to a new outfit or room inside your home.
As a finishing touch, place a doormat and a place for guests to wipe their shoes before entering. If your porch is large enough, adding planters is a great way to add color, fragrance, texture to your entrance.
Front door lighting is necessary for both safety and aesthetics. Consider flanking the door with matching sconces if your lighting plan only includes a single sconce or overhead bulb.
It will not only improve the appearance of your entrance, but it will also improve safety and security. Choose from hundreds of wall-mounted fixtures, or replace your overhead light with a pendant if you have a covered porch.
A chic tone is always set by oversized art. It's all about putting together interesting scenes while experimenting with scale. Investing in the right statement piece can help you create a dramatic entryway that will last a long time.
Consider that this will be one of the first things people see when they enter your home when choosing a statement piece for your entryway. So, you can choose something that best expresses your personality. After all, your house is a reflection of who you are!
Lands, flowers, animals, water, abstract, minimalist, nature, and rustic themes are all possibilities for wall art. You can also choose various shapes, including hexagons, circles, multi panels, geometries, and more.
If your front door is beyond repair or you simply can't stand it any longer, replacement is your best option. You'll want to choose a door that is not only strong and long-lasting but also protects your family from intruders.
The most common materials are wood, fiberglass, steel, aluminum, and composite for exterior doors. You can also choose from various styles and add-ons like glass inserts, sidelights, and storm and screen doors.
Your entryway's layout is just as important as its contents! Make sure there's a clear path to and from the door so you can walk through comfortably. Nobody wants to feel claustrophobic as soon as they walk through the door!
Consider which way your door will swing open when doing this, and leave enough space around it. Then work around other architectural features such as windows, closets, and other corridors. With that in mind, make sure the elements you choose are functional and compatible with your lifestyle.
It's never too late to think about decorating your entryway, even if you've lived in your home for a decade. Call a personal decorator interior if the idea of sprucing up this small but significant area in your home intimidates you.
They will come to your home for a free consultation to assess the available space and discuss your style and design preferences. From there, you can devise a strategy for creating the dream entryway. Now is an excellent time to update your living space.
Why Going Custom Can Get You More Customers
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
The era of mass production, in all its forms, is nowhere near its end. Customization is, however, very much making a comeback. Even the global megabrands are paying attention. SMBs, however, should be paying even more attention.
Mass production certainly has its uses. In fact, it’s almost certainly going to be a feature of the economic landscape for a long time yet. It may never die out completely. That said, it also has its limitations. Mass-produced items, by nature, have to be designed to be generic. This means they do a reasonable job in a variety of situations rather than an excellent job in a few situations.
For decades now, consumers have largely accepted this reality as a fair trade-off for the lower prices mass-production can offer. In some environments, that’s still true, at least to some extent. In others, however, consumers increasingly want or need more customized products. For example, as homes have become smaller, the need for customized furniture has grown.
Some of the global brands have been dealing with this by encouraging people to customize their products. For example, IKEA has become synonymous with “IKEA hacks” in other words, customizations, often very creative ones. Others have been encouraging smaller businesses to fill the gaps in their offering. Amazon, for example, has been pushing this approach. This is opening up all kinds of exciting opportunities for SMBs.
That said, teaming up with a giant is far from the only option. You could look at going it alone or teaming up with a similarly-sized partner. For example, if you're looking into customized metalwork designs, you could just team up with a local company offering complete on-site and in-house welding services.
Before you start moving into customization, or building on your existing capabilities, make sure your supply chain is up to it. In this context, the term “supply chain” means anything you need to deliver your product or service. It can therefore refer to internal supply chains (like workstations or departments) as well as external ones (like partners).
In the years before COVID19, there was a strong trend towards “lean” business with “just-in-time” practices. This was probably most obvious in manufacturing but was definitely a feature of the service-center landscape as well. Post COVID19 that approach is, at the very least, up for discussion.
On the one hand, it’s, of course, sincerely to be hoped that nothing like COVID19 ever happens again. On the other hand, hope is not a strategy, at least not a very robust one. This was demonstrated very clearly when COVID19 disrupted supply chains across the world. Businesses, therefore, have to decide whether or not they’re prepared to risk this again.
There are no right or wrong answers here. It all depends on your perception of risk and your appetite for dealing with it. Your perception of risk, however, needs to be based on solid foundations so do your research very carefully. Then think very carefully about your different options and make your decisions mindfully.
One of the big advantages of moving into customization (or promoting your skills at customization) is that it allows you to position yourself as an expert in your niche. After all, it’s relatively easy to design and produce generic pieces. It’s a lot more challenging to implement customizations or to create bespoke pieces.
Presenting yourself as an expert can do more than simply justify higher prices (although this can be a useful bonus). It can also really help your ability to promote your business. For example, as an expert, you can provide more valuable content than a generalist. This in itself can help you to get more traction on your content marketing.
Crucially, it can also open up opportunities for promoting your business on other people’s platforms without having to pay for the privilege. Indeed, you may even be able to charge them for the privilege of having you deliver your advice. That, however, is only likely to happen if you succeed in establishing yourself as one of the very top experts in your field.
There are, however, still numerous possibilities for people with a lower profile - as long as you can demonstrate some level of expertise. It’s even better if you can keep bringing original content to the table. Keep in mind that most content creators are very much up against the search engine algorithms. They need fresh, unique content to stay at the top of their game.
When you’re looking for ways to promote yourself through third-party content creators, your first thought may be to link up with bloggers. This can be an excellent idea. You should, however, also look out for opportunities to link up with podcasters. Podcasts are now extremely popular and can be a great way to connect with people who don’t tend to read blogs.
One area where SMBs really can learn from the major brands is the area of customer service. That definitely does not mean copying them. In fact, that can often be the very worst thing you can do. It means acknowledging that the major global brands tend to be highly skilled at maximizing the efficiency of their customer service.
The very top global brands offer customer service which is both highly efficient and highly personalized (or customized). These are the examples you need to follow. The good news is that technology has made it much easier for SMBs to implement effective customer-relationship management processes.
If you’re still hesitant to embrace the digital age then now is the time to learn more about it. While you do, remember that digitization isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about respecting their time. What’s more, there’s often a strong link between respecting your staff’s time and respecting your customer’s time.
For example, if you use technology to automate and streamline basic tasks, your customers will usually get quicker service as a result. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this in modern business. When your customers do need personal guidance, your staff should be less overwhelmed with admin. They should therefore find it easier to focus on the interaction.
5 Lessons For Every New Entrepreneur To Learn
Starting a new business in the modern era is very exciting. Consumers are open to embracing small businesses. Likewise, several strategies can be implemented to keep overheads down too. If your company is to have any chance of sustained success, though, it must follow a winning strategy from day one.
While some minor issues can be corrected via trial and error, other pitfalls must be avoided at all costs. Here are five harsh realities that you need to know from day one.
Even if you have every skill in the world, there aren’t enough hours in the day to run the business with one pair of hands. Besides, taking on tasks that do not require your expertise stops you from focusing on those that do. Therefore, finding the right candidates for your team is vital. In addition to permanent on-site staff, you may use temp workers or contractors. In today’s climate, it is commonplace for remote workers to play a significant role in the company’s journey. Surround yourself with the best, and the brand can thrive.
You know the business model and its products better than anybody. Sadly, you do not view them in the same way that a consumer will. So, even if you have great enthusiasm for the venture, you will need help. Advertising agencies help tell your brand story and celebrate the USPs of a product or service in style. Eye-catching content and messages that reach the right people is essential. With this in mind, you must also learn that not everyone is interested. Focusing on the demographics that may convert sales should be a priority.
Even if someone loves the product and brand, they will look for reasons not to complete a purchase. This is especially true when dealing with online sales as a new business. It can take time to gain the SEO ranking, testimonials, and reputation needed to make your site soar. Therefore, using Amazon to sell your products and third-party goods can be a great option. Likewise, an eBay store allows you to generate a significant volume of sales by reaching a huge audience. Since they know the brand, they may switch to your store.
#4. Bad Debt Could Destroy Your BusinessEven when starting out the business, it is likely that you will want to offer clients the opportunity to use repayment plans on bigger items. Expecting people to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars today will limit your reach. Even when you charge interest, defaulted payments from customers could cost you dearly. Worse still, you’re already relying on this revenue. So, using a credit checking agency to reduce your risks is vital. It may cost you a small number of sales, but it will save you money in the long run by eliminating bad debt.
As a new business owner, your eyes are primarily focused on getting established. Sadly, though, you cannot rest on your laurels even when that initial success has been achieved. Because, if the company is not moving with the times, it will sadly get left behind by the competition. Whether it's franchising the business, launching new lines, or adding a sister company is up to you. Either way, you must keep one eye on long-term growth. When supported by a desire to update software, practices, and strategies, you won’t go wrong.
Why Lawyers Are So Burned Out (And What To Do About It)
Working as a lawyer should be a dream career. But once you go deep into it, you soon realize that it’s a lot tougher than you imagine. Clients are demanding. People constantly want your attention. And you can often wind up working 80-hour weeks, never seeing your family.
In this post, we take a look at some of the reasons lawyers are getting burned out in more detail. We then discuss some of the methods for dealing with the problem.
Many professionals go into law believing that it is a great career to have. After all, lawyers are super successful people, we're told.
But the idea of being a lawyer and actually being one are two radically different propositions. Lawyers need a certain personality type. And if you don’t have that, you can find yourself struggling perpetually.
The trick here is to get a personality test early on. If you know that you’re not the right person for the job, you can find yourself something that suits you better.
It’s not uncommon for lawyers to put in double the amount of time into their job than, say, the average worker. That’s because there is just so much demand for their skills. Everybody needs lawyers, from the business community to married couples.
Around three-quarters of lawyers report that they do work outside of regular hours. And the average lawyer spends around 3.5 weeks per year on overtime.
Statistics like these highlight why so many professionals feel burned out. The solution? Go into private practice or find a law firm that respects the working week.
Far too few lawyers take advantage of a Wegman Partners lawsuit. Most try to go it alone without any support or mentorship, expecting to muddle through.
Being a lawyer, however, isn’t like having other jobs. It’s not clear-cut. There is no predefined path that you need to walk. Instead, how you perform directly relates to your innate talent and skill.
Finding support in these situations is, therefore, essential. You need people around you who can mentor you and help you succeed. You won’t get it all right the first time around.
Competitive culture in legal circles can be another source of burnout. While a little competition is a good thing, a lot can be a bad thing, especially for lawyer health. You can spend a couple of years competing, going to work every day. But after a decade, your energy soon runs dry and you begin to question whether becoming a lawyer was the right choice for you.
To avoid falling into this trap, think carefully about how you approach the professional culture. You’re not trying to win every battle. Instead, you’re trying to win the war. You need a sustainable working life that you can carry with you for two decades or more.
Lastly, many legal professionals fall into the trap of trying to be perfect. It’s a curse of the high-achieving personality. If possible, accept that “good enough” is good enough.
July 13, 2021
Discover How Tech Is Changing The Game In These Critical Sectors
Tech is constantly evolving and it’s interesting to explore how the latest tech can shift companies or organizations, causing them to grow in new directions. With that in mind, let’s explore how new technology has led to key industries and sectors to evolve over the last few years.
Medical Industry
First, you should think about the medical industry. A key role that tech has played in the medical industry as of late is helping pave the way for new automated possibilities. It’s a well-known fact that doctors spend little time with their patients. Instead, nurses are the customer support equivalent in this industry. Technology is bridging the gap here and allowing for more ways for doctors to support their patients and provide the service that they need. This includes the use of tablets - iPads and similar devices - that are now used throughout various major hospitals.
Schools and colleges are also learning to use technology to adapt and still provide the support that students need. The greatest example of this can perhaps be seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, schools were forced to close and provide remote learning for pupils. This was made easier using teaching software for K-12 schools. Utilizing the right software teachers and educators could still engage with students within a remote setting or environment, delivering the support they needed to continue to learn. Many unions are now arguing that teachers should be allowed to continue to operate remotely as the latest tech makes this possible.
A key question for the financial industry right now is how to protect clients and customers from security threats. The answer is again rooted in the latest technology and specifically the blockchain. If you aren’t familiar with the term ‘blockchain’ it is the basis of how cryptocurrency works. However, researchers believe that it could be useful for a wide range of purposes. There are think tanks being run right now to ascertain how this software could be used to strengthen the financial market as a whole without relinquishing control of it.
Finally, energy companies are now looking for ways to provide greener solutions to customers. New tech is giving strong choices here. For instance, there are now systems that can utilize and store solar energy in individual buildings. Right now this energy can be used when a consumer needs an extra boost the most such as throughout the winter months. In the future, it’s possible that consumers will be able to sell the energy that they don’t use back on the grid and in doing so prevent expected power shortages.
It’s clear then that tech is changing the way that businesses are run and operate in a variety of ways. That’s particularly true for companies that exist largely in the public sector and are there to serve the needs and requirements of society as a whole. The latest tech is ensuring that these businesses are safer, more secure, increasingly efficient, and provide a strong solution to clients.
4 Things Every New Amazon Third Party Seller Needs to Know
There is no denying the power that Amazon has when it comes to e-commerce. Around the world, many thousands of sellers are running successful businesses via selling on this e-commerce platform. In many cases, they started with very little capital and spent very little time per day, making it a success.
In a day and age where it is risky to start a new business, and many established companies are folding due to the effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on the economy, choosing to become an Amazon seller could be the best option all around.
So what exactly do you need to know before you take the plunge and set up as a seller?
Research ProductsBefore you rush out and buy your stock, make sure you follow the popular trends within Amazon and get a feel for what type of products are currently in fashion and selling well, along with what types of products sell well all year round. The last thing you want to do is to be flogging your products to an already saturated market.
It's not difficult to figure out how to find best sellers on Amazon. Let's have a look at how this works. The Best Sellers Rank is used to determine the Amazon Best Sellers. This takes into account various elements such as historical product data, future potential success, cumulative sales, and so on.
Remember that the Best Sellers Rank is updated approximately every 2-3 hours to account for recent sales and that the high ranking results bear no correlation on the BSR at all. Once you have identified the best products and categories, you will have a better idea of the type of stock you need to buy.
Alternatively, you can utilize the skills and expertise of established sellers to allow them to guide you to maximize your sales via amazonautomation.com, meaning you can benefit from collective expertise in this area.
FundingHow much are you able to invest in this new venture, and how small will you be starting? Many people can raise capital via family and friends who lend them money. This means you arel limited as to what you can do when you first start, and any money you make needs to be pushed back into buying new products or equipment.
Look at where you can work from, do you need a storage area or office to get you started, and how much is this likely to cost. Do you need packing materials for this, and if so, how much will it cost for postage and packing. How much stock can you really afford to buy, and what are the chances of it selling?
These factors will indicate how much you can get started with - some successful sellers started with $2,000 and worked their way to multi-million-pound sales.
ShippingAnother major consideration when it comes to selling as a third party on amazon is how you will be shipping the products. There are two options, you can use Amazon's delivery service, or you can ship yourself.
Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) is a service provided by Amazon that provides storage, packaging, and shipping assistance to sellers. The program allows sellers to ship their merchandise to an Amazon fulfillment center, where items are stored in warehouses until they are sold. When an order is placed, Amazon employees physically prepare, package, and ship the product(s). This takes the burden off of sellers and grants them more flexibility in their selling practices.
Maximizing Sales with SEOMuch like a new business needs its website and products to rank quickly in Google via the use of targeted keywords, SEO on Amazon works the same way. Think about what you type in the search bar when you are looking for products to buy on Amazon. Then look at the results. The ones that appear high in the results utilize the best SEO practices by adding keyword-rich text to product descriptions, titles, and images to allow the user to find their products.
This is undoubtedly one of the best ways for new sellers to target buyers searching for their products or similar products. Competition can be fierce, so making sure you understand what you need to add to your descriptions and titles when you ist products is vital to help you to rank well.
Of course, selling on Amazon is a complicated process and is a huge risk should this be something you want to do. However, utilizing the best tips and practices available to you before taking the lunge can give you a better idea of what to expect and how to give yourself the best start possible as a new third-party seller.
Hidden Safety Hazards in the Workplace
Most workplace hazards are as plain as a pikestaff. That sparking and smoking electrical outlet? Dangerous. The broken fan hanging precariously overhead? Probably shouldn’t walk underneath that. A massive hole in the floor? Yeah, that probably should’ve been fixed ages ago.
But other workplace hazards aren’t as obvious. These hidden hazards can wreak havoc on your business from the shadows. Here are some common hidden safety hazards in the workplace and how to stop them in their tracks.
Malfunctioning Automatic DoorsYou don’t have to worry about manual doors becoming sentient monsters bent on destruction. But automatic doors? When these high-tech doors are in good condition, they work like a charm, but when they malfunction, they do a full 360.
Malfunctioning doors can begin to open and close at random, trapping or wounding unsuspecting customers and employees. Luckily, performing regular maintenance on your automatic doors will stave off malfunctions and failures, ensuring that people can enter and exit your business without fear.
Stored EnergyYour machines and equipment may be storing dangerous amounts of electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, or chemical power. If your somehow inadvertently release this potent energy, anyone in the vicinity could sustain serious injuries—burns, contusions, abrasions, lacerations, and more.
Stored energy is a hidden safety hazard in the workplace that’s easy to miss. To prevent injuries from this phenomenon, you’ll need to identify the machines and equipment that have stored energy and perform regular inspections and maintenance on them.
Poor PostureSlouching is something that many people do unconsciously. You can’t force your employees to correct their posture. You can, however, educate them on the importance of good posture, as poor posture can lead to back pain, soreness, varicose veins, and a whole host of other unpleasant conditions. You can also encourage good posture in the workplace by introducing ergonomic equipment, such as desks and chairs, and providing employees with ample stretch breaks.
Things To Consider Before Expanding Your Store To Offer New Products
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Owning a store can be a great way to start up a business. It’s fairly easy to operate, you can handle most of the tasks yourself, and you can even save money on hiring staff if you’re willing to work on the floor as well. Eventually, you’ll probably want to expand your store or even have new locations in order to optimise your income. This is where it can help to expand the selection of products that you have in store, but what are some of the things that you need to consider before you do this?
Does your store get enough customers to warrant expanding your selection?
There are many effective ways to drive foot traffic and appeal to an ever-growing audience, but you need to keep in mind that unless those people are all eligible customers for your new proposed products, then you might have trouble actually selling anything. Remember that your customers are used to the lineup of products you sell and are more likely to know what they want to see added. Don’t hesitate to run surveys and speak to your customers about what new products they want you to add so that you’re more likely to be successful with your expansion ideas.
If you’re thinking about adding new products then you need to remember that there will be recurring costs involved. It’s not just about ordering the new products either; you may need to make new space to both display and store the products, and there might be other associated costs such as partnerships with the company you plan to work with. In order to pay for this, you may need to increase your working capital in a number of different ways. It could involve your savings as a business, it might involve a loan, or it could even be crowdfunded depending on the type of business you run.
When you want to add a new product to your store, there’s a good chance that it’s not actually a very suitable fit for your store or the image that you want to give off. This usually happens when there’s a trend going around that you want to take advantage of, or perhaps your customers see a popular product on the internet and immediately want to see you stock it. These seasonal trends come and go and can be a huge waste of money. It’s better to stick with reliable products that you know will sell instead of trying to add trendy products that may or may not be successful. Always do your research and invest early in new products that you know will work and become staples of your store.
There are a lot of decisions to keep in mind when expanding your store to offer new products. However, as long as you do your research and keep in mind what your customers want, it’ll be surprisingly easy to manage.
