Mohit Tater's Blog, page 548

How Do User Interface and User Experience Affect Your Business

Did you know that the overall look and feel of your website can instill trust and make your business more credible?

According to web credibility research from Stanford, 75% of users reported having made a judgment about a company’s credibility based on the company’s web design. That being said, a smooth visually appealing experience with your business website or mobile app plays a fundamental role in creating happy and loyal customers. In fact, 88% of customers don’t return to a website after having a bad user experience. 

According to Foundr, a slow website with poor visual design may repel those interested in your product and increase a bounce rate. Whereas a good-looking and easy to navigate website can immediately generate a base of loyal customers who would bring profits from the early stages of your ecommerce business.

But how do you ensure users have a smooth experience with your website?

It all boils down to two incredibly popular buzzwords: UX and UI design. So what are they, and how do they impact your business? Dive in to find out.

What are UX and UI Designs?

Essentially UX (user experience) refers to how your website functions.

It’s all about how users navigate through your website, what happens when a user clicks a button etc. The tenets of UX revolve around the user—how hard or easy it is to get from point A to point B on your website.

UI (user interface), on the other hand, refers to your website visuals—how your website looks. A website’s aspects like typography, branding, color pallets and choice of imagery are what constitute UI design.

Minor changes to your user experience and user interface design can have major impacts on your business, and even increase your conversion rates by up to 200%, according to a 2016 Forester Research Study.

With that in mind, you don’t want to have a messy UX or UI design. To get it right, it’s imperative that you hire skilled UI/UX designers or work with reputable UI/UX design agencies to create a killer web design that will attract leads and exude professionalism in your work.

How Do User Interface and User Experience Affect Your Business

Ah, Yes, the million-dollar question, how do UI and UX affect your business? Take a look.

1. Boost Customer Retention

According to Time News, the average customer spends 15 seconds on a website before deciding on whether to continue or hit the back button. This means you have only 15 seconds to get a customer’s attention and demonstrate the services you offer.

If your website is slow or stuffy and can’t get the customer what they want, they will no doubt bounce. But if your website is optimized for customer experience, that customer will want to return, and possibly even refer others to your site.

2. Impart Great First Impressions & Credibility

We all know that first impressions matter, especially with so much competition offering the same products/services as you.

A recent Nielsen study found that a website’s first impressions matter. It affects users’ perception of the product’s aesthetics, usability, and credibility. A visually attractive website with clear fonts and decent imagery may also compel readers to stay longer on your site.

3. Optimized Customer Journey

According to Clay.Global, good UX simplifies a customer’s journey which is key to increasing your website conversions. Simplicity is key, and if customers have to go through twists and turns to get your contact or view some of your product info, it may not be good for business. UX helps to steer customers’ motivation and simplify the buyer’s journey.

What’s your take on the impact of UI/UX on a business? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Secret Habits of Top Performers You Should Know

People become and remain successful not only because they work hard, but also because of the lifestyle and habits they adopted. If you want to become successful like the successful people you know, you too will have to adopt all or some of these habits. All that you are today and all that you will ever be is tied to the habits that you form and develop. 

To help you get started on creating a successful future, here are a few secret habits of top performers you should consider adopting. 

They focus on what is important

Successful people spend their time focusing on the important things and avoiding distractions. This does not mean they don’t have fun, but they don’t have fun at the expense of the things that are important to them. Successful people focus on personal growth, building their skills, improving their social lives, and service to society. With the right template in place to achieve all these, avoiding distractions becomes very easy. 

They are highly productive

High performers believe in spending time on the things that matter. This results in a high level of productivity that translates into high success rates. 

The interesting thing is that going beyond your reach will be difficult at first, but after a while, it becomes automatic. In fact, you will not know when you developed the skills for high-level productivity until you begin to see the results. However, you should be able to strike the right balance between work and personal life, so that the other important things in your life don’t suffer as a result of your work. 

They demonstrate courage

Studies have shown that in the face of uncertainties, fear, judgement, risk, or hardship, top performers always demonstrate more courage than average performers. 

Most people spend a lot of their time complaining about the things that are not working in their life, but you will rarely hear a high performer complain. They know the process to the top is hard, but they are willing to take on the toughness and uncertainty, in order to create the future they desire. 

If you want to be a top performer, don’t focus on the things that make you afraid, instead play up your strengths and successes, this will help you lose your fear so that you can face the obstacles that will come on your climb to success. 

They approach tasks with passion

High performers always approach any task, assignment, or project with passion. They bring a strong sense of enthusiasm into any endeavour, and this is why they enjoy a high rate of success. This does not mean they don’t suffer from discouragements like everyone else, but instead of allowing the discouragement to get to them, they explore ways to overcome the loss of passion. For some of them, it is as simple as taking a few moments to meditate. Others will take a brief holiday and come back reinvented. When you approach tasks with the right frame of mind, you will always come up with a way to overcome the barriers you are facing.

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What Kind of Business Structure Should You Set Up?

 The type of business structure you choose can have enduring tax and legal implications thereby affecting your profitability and survival. 

Each type of structure comes with its own set of advantages of disadvantages. Therefore you have to scrutinize each structure to ensure their advantages align with your business type and their disadvantages are what you can live with.

How to Choose the Right Business Structure

To choose the right business structure, you need to take three vital factors into consideration:

TaxLiabilityRecord keeping



The Common Types of Business Entities



Sole proprietorship

In this business structure, you are in complete control of your business and it’s the easiest to create. The major disadvantage of this form of business entity lies in its liability – you’re personally liable for all debts and actions of the business. In the eyes of the law, you and your business are one and the same. You can be sued for the actions of your business.

Another disadvantage is in raising finance. Most banks will reject your application for a loan. If you operate a low-risk business and just starting out and want to test your business idea, a sole proprietorship is appropriate for you. But it’s advisable you get an insurance cover to mitigate the risks you may be exposed to.

Partnership

When two or more people come together and agree to share the profits and losses of their venture, it’s called a partnership. In terms of liability, each partner is liable financially. A major advantage of partnership is that the partnership is not taxed, rather each individual is to file their tax report personally.

Corporation

Any entity that has been legally incorporated to carry out business is known as a corporation. A corporation is different from sole proprietorship and partnership in the sense that the business is completely different and separated from its principals.

The business bears the tax burden and is held liable for its losses, finance, and actions. Founders who choose this form of business structure do so because of the liability the business bears on their behalf. The founders are shielded from tax and legal actions.

The downsides to this structure are the comprehensive record you must keep as required by law and the exorbitant cost of incorporation.

Limited liability company (LLC)

If you are looking for the advantages available in both a partnership and a corporation, then go for LLC. In the UK, a Limited liability Company is liable but only limited the total value of unpaid shares.

Like a corporation, LLC is seen as a ‘person’ in the eyes of the law and has the freedom to own bank accounts, carry out business, buy assets, and get taxed.

If you go for this business structure, you are shielded from personal liability. If the business goes bankrupt, for instance, you won’t be held liable; all your personal assets will be protected.

Technically speaking, as a founder of an LLC company, you are seen as self-employed and are required to make your own personal tax filing based on your income.

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Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Yes we all know it is a horrible practice. But there is no denying the fact that sexual and other discrimination in the workplace of women is a reality that we have lived with for decades and perhaps even centuries. The incidences of sexual harassment against women have increased quite significantly. There are many high profile stories where some of the most worrisome cases of sexual harassments have taken place. While many have been exposed from big and well known companies, it is quite possible that there could be hundreds of cases that might go unreported.

According to experts what gets exposed and reported might just be the tip of the iceberg. According to the United Nations, there are around 40 to 50% of women belonging to the European Union and around 30 to 40% women in Asia-Pacific countries who are subjected to various forms and types of sexual harassment at the workplace. The figures are also quite depressing as far as the United States is concerned. According to a survey around 30% of women in this country have been subjected to some form of sexual harassment.

What About Others?

There is no denying the fact that women bear the brunt as far as sexual harassment in workplaces are concerned. However, many LGBTQ people are also subjected to such harassments. Further, women belonging to different colors are also affected more when compared to whites and fair skins. There are also a small percentage of men who are also harassed by other women and men.

What Is Sexual Harassment In Workplace?

While understanding the various harassment facts is important for women, the right beginning has to be made. We will have to understand the basic definition and scope of sexual harassment at the workplace. Put in simple words, sexual harassment at workplace could be defined as unwelcome sexual behavior. The behavior may be such that it could offend the other person. It could also make her feel intimated and humiliated. The form of abuse can be physical, verbal or written. Sexual harassment is deemed to have happened if it takes place at the workplace, at various work-related events or in places where people are busy with their work-related activities. It also is considered to be sexual harassment when people share the same workplace and there is some inappropriate activity happening in such situations.

A single instance of sexual harassment is enough and there is no requirement for repetition. If we look at the various sexual harassment statistics most of them may have occurred only for the first time. As mentioned above, men are also subjected to sexual harassment but the instances are far lower when compared to women. Some studies point out to the fact that one in five women may have experienced sexual harassment at the workplace during their career lives.

Importance Of Culture And Sexual Harassment

When we talk about sexual harassment, we need to look at it from a broader perspective. In a country like the USA, where there is a large diversity in cultures workplace harassment could have a bigger impact on the organization as a whole. While there are well laid down sexual harassment policies in place in the USA, there are still many cases of sexual harassment complaints pouring in. Has this got to do more with the specific cultures of the persons being impacted or being accused? We need to perhaps delve a bit deeper into this subject.

In some cultures, holding hands or even shaking hands with a woman is considered inappropriate. However, according to western culture, a warm hug with a caress of the cheeks is considered perfectly okay between a man and woman. Therefore, it may not be right to use the same brush that is applicable in one culture and paint it across the board. Sexual harassment perhaps becomes obvious when the privacy of the woman in question is impacted negatively. Further, when she feels that she is being intimated or humiliated either by physical action, verbal or written action, then it is a clear case of sexual harassment that cuts across cultural, ethnic and color barriers.

There Should Be More Transparency And Opening Up

Most sexual harassment claims are not even brought to light and they are silently settled behind closed doors. Hence there is little chance of getting to know as to what actually has happened. Even when details are shared, the focus remains more on the juicy and interesting part of the exploitation rather than trying to learn lessons from it. There is a need for women and all other interested and right-thinking stakeholders to be more forthcoming and transparent. Otherwise nothing much will change on the ground and rules and regulations will continue to remain merely on paper.

Having A Reporting Culture is Important

Many women who undergo sexual harassment are too traumatized and afraid to report and escalate the matter. Hence, there should be a more efficient and foolproof way by which things can come out from the hearts and minds of the women who undergo such suffering. The women should be made to feel that they are safe escalating the matter and there will not be any hounding or victimization if they are open and forthcoming. This is all the more vital if the offender happens to be either her immediate superior or someone higher up in the hierarchy of the company. In many cases, women prefer to keep silent because they believe that reporting and perhaps taking the help of a lawyer in NY could only complicate matters further.

The Red Flags To Look For

Many sexual offenses are quite obvious and could range from touching that is unwelcome or inappropriate, leering or staring, sharing posters, videos and pictures that are sexually explicit, unsolicited invitations for dates, requests for sexual favor and even asking uncomfortable and intrusive questions about the anatomy of women.

Who Should Be Made Responsible

This again is a gray area as far as sexual harassment is concerned. There is no doubt that the person who makes such acts is the primary person who could be in the wrong. The organization cannot also escape responsibility. This is because in many cases, the woman who has suffered may have escalated the matter as per laid down procedures. If the person up in the hierarchy refuses to act, then the organization and the persons responsible for acting should also be held liable.

The Final Word

To conclude, sexual harassment at workplaces is a reality and it cannot be brushed under the carpet. The onus lies on society in general and men in particular to understand that this is a wrong thing to do. Women also should be more forthcoming, brave and ready to take the bull by the horn if the problem has to be corrected, over a period of time.

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How to Build a Car Fleet for your Business

Whether you’ve been running a business for
years or you’re creating a new startup, building a car fleet may be necessary
for your business. Depending on the operations your company performs, having a
fleet of reliable cars can take your business to the next level. For example,
common business types that utilize fleet cars include taxi cab services, car
rental companies, public works agencies, and even companies who need their
employees on the road. If you’re considering investing in a fleet of cars for
your business, take a look at these five steps below first.

Step 1: Find the Right Dealership

Choosing the right vehicle for your business
is no easy task. If your sales team is out on the road meeting customers and
showing them around, you’re going to want vehicles that show your clients your
company means business. Or, if you need a fleet of cars for people to rent from
your rental agency, you’re going to need a variety of makes and models for
people to choose from.

When searching for cars for sale, you’re going to want to start by doing your research. This means gathering the information from all the local car dealerships in your area. From here, email, call, or visit each dealership in person and inquire about bulk orders. Many dealerships will be ecstatic when they hear a customer needs more than one car, and more often than not, these dealerships will give you a pretty substantial discount as you buy more cars.

Step 2: Purchase Fleet Insurance

The next line of business in building a car
fleet is purchasing fleet insurance. As you search for insurance premiums for
your business, you’re going to notice it’s pretty expensive. That’s why it’s
important to take some preventative measures to keep your insurance costs low.

One way to do so is by conducting a background check on all of your employees and getting access to their driving records. If their records show they’re prone to accidents, it may not be worth hiring them or allowing them to drive company cars. Additionally, investing in roadside assistance is another excellent way to save money in case an accident or break down were ever to occur.

Step 3: Hire Fleet Drivers

Now that you have your car fleet and fleet
insurance covered, it’s time to hire the right people for your business.
Hiring new staff can be difficult, which is why it’s important you take enough
time during the hiring process to ensure you’ve hired only the best of the
best. This means having multiple hiring rounds, conducting background checks,
and bringing potential drivers on test drives to ensure they fit the bill when
it comes to operating your company’s vehicles.

Step 4: Train Your Fleet Staff

Now that you have a team of dedicated staff
ready to take the roads by storm, you must begin training them. At first, you
may be wondering why you need to train a fleet crew if they already know how to
drive. However, there’s a lot more to operating fleet vehicles than meets the
eye. Fleet driver training helps improve performance, which in turn can increase your company’s profits. There are
numerous online fleet training modules online, such as those offered by
SafeMotorist and the National Traffic Safety Institute. These fleet training
programs will teach your drivers about the laws of the road, how to maneuver
their vehicle, how to respond in emergencies, and more. Investing time in
training your fleet will pay off in the long run.

Step 5: Manage Your Fleet

Once your fleet staff is on the road and out
of reach, it’s important you know how to manage your mobile sales fleet.
Luckily, technology has made managing fleets much easier, with gadgets that record miles driven, easy communication
between employer and employee, and live GPS tracking. Incorporating tools like
these will allow you to keep track of your employees, even when they’re on the
road. This will enable you to stay in the loop, and provide cost-saving
decisions such as rerouting their navigation if you notice a large detour or
traffic ahead.

Building Your Car Fleet

At first, the idea of building a car fleet may
seem daunting. However, following these five steps will ensure you hire the
best drivers and save the most money when your employees are going from
customer to customer. From buying the right cars to investing in the proper
technology, building a car fleet will take your business to the next level.

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Industries That Need Video Content

Video content has been used heavily in the corporate world; especially by newer players like SaaS companies and startups in the tech industry. This is understandable as most of the players in those fields have to communicate complex and novel ideas to their market on a regular basis. But are there other industries where video usage is key? Award-winning moving image agency, Liquona, talks about some industries they produce content for and why they need it:

Healthcare

Health is the most important resource any human being has. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry suffers from significant trust issues between health workers and their wards. Similarly, because of the sensitive nature of tools in this industry and the risk associated with trying new things, trust issues exist between producers of healthcare products and the health workers who use them. The use of video, therefore, is invaluable in improving the situation all around. Health Workers and hospitals can make videos to explain complex procedures to their patients and also use them to train their staff, and healthcare producers can make videos about new products that explain the benefits of using their products to help health workers make purchase decisions that are better for their patients.

Finance

Calculating numbers and contemplating personal finances have never been exciting endeavors. More often than not, customers of banks, investment houses, and financial consultants have no clue as to what is happening to the money they give them, and this can lead to high levels of anxiety. In order to help customers make good financial decisions and give them a sense of ease, companies in the industry need to educate their clients. This can be done using video. From videos that explain the differences between checking and savings accounts, to investment promotions and tutorials on the planning software used by investment bankers – videos connect customers to their companies and help foster trust.

Defence

The defence industry spans public corporations such as the military but also includes private contractors that supply them, and also those that offer security services within the private sector. A defence video company in this industry uses videos to show demonstrations of the services each business provides and communicate their marketing messages with elegance and simplicity for viewers. They can also use video to create training content for clients and staff; which can be highly valuable in situations where personal interaction is impossible.

Charities/Non-Profit Industry

Charities exist to create good change without profiting from it, and can definitely benefit from creating and using video footage. The videos that charities distribute can show all of the great things they are doing for mankind; exhibiting different places and people who need and receive help. Of course, this kind of coverage encourages people to get involved and support the efforts being made to improve humanity’s lot in the world.

These are just four of the many industries that Liquona works with. However, it is obvious that regardless of the industry, video production is an indispensable communication tool needed by all.

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Unique Things to do in Leicester

The city of Leicester is Britain’s tenth largest city, and it’s one of its oldest ones. There is never a shortage of things to see and do in this amazing city, including both historical and contemporary activities. Leicester is an incredible cultural hub too, so no even if it is the corner of the city, there’s bound to be something interesting going on.

Prepare to explore space

The National Space Centre is UK’s biggest attraction that’s dedicated to all things space. It’s a topic that’s attractive to a mind of any age, so the space centre is easily fun for all groups and ages. It’s also an enormous building that houses a wide array of inner attractions, most of which you can get easily immersed in for days. From the magical planetarium, several interactive galleries, a rocket tower, and even a simulation of how a journey to Jupiter’s moon Europa would be.

Learn about the animal kingdom

Gorse Hill City Farm is one of the most popular family-friendly attractions in the entire region around the city. It’s an ideal learning spot about how different animals behave and function, as the farm is entirely approved to keep different not-as-popular breeds of animals. There are hundreds of different breeds on the farm, and the farm itself is part of a community project that’s ideal for school visits, but you can also volunteer yourself.

Throw a party

Since Leicester is one of the oldest cities in Britain, it’s become one of its most important cultural hubs. Because of that, it has evolved into an ideal destination for any kind of party. From weddings to private parties, to corporate retreats, this is a city that will absolutely accommodate you for any need. On top of that, it’s extremely easy to find an ideal venue, as there are more than enough amazing ones in the city. Hall hire Leicester is the way to go, as you’d have your own dedicated venue for the party, which is why you should check out Venuefinder to find your ideal location.

Experience Film

If you want to indulge yourself in art and culture while in Leicester, then you definitely need to visit the Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre. It’s a venue dedicated to film in all shapes and forms, so you can expect to find everything from mainstream films, to arthouse ones. It’s located at the very heart of the city’s cultural life and hosts several festivals and workshops throughout the year.

Take in peek under the hood of theatre

The Curve Theatre in Leicester is known for doing things differently. Instead of privately practising their roles, so that the actors can the flawlessly perform them, the entire process is laid bare in front of the audience. There is no backstage area in this theatre, which is only one of the many differences with other theatres. This institution’s mission is educational, as it intends anyone to be able to learn everything about the artistic process behind plays and theatre.

Leicester is home to some of the most fascinating attractions in the UK. It’s a city that will easily keep you occupied for a long time, and you’ll definitely want to see more of it.

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The Danger of Weak Passwords: How Privileged Credentials Enable Data Breaches

As we all have likely heard, many of the major tech organizations (Facebook, Apple, etc.) have had at least one data breach in recent years, and other organizations are hardly immune – the healthcare sector seems to have been especially hard hit.  Obviously, these data breaches hurt organizations’ reputations and bottom lines due to the loss in confidence of their customers and the cost of detection, remediation, and restoring operations.

Recent legislation has also placed an emphasis on ensuring the privacy of the consumer.  Regulations like the EU’s General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have implemented strict rules for how organizations should protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and have enforced strict policies for non-compliance.  As a result, organizations need to prioritize the cybersecurity defenses that can help with prevention and detection of data breaches.

The cybersecurity threat landscape is so varied that it is difficult or impossible for an organization to identify and remediate all potential threat vectors.  However, hackers often target the “low hanging fruit” and may move on to greener pastures if a particular target proves difficult to crack. Identifying and protecting against simple attack vectors can make a huge difference, and no threat vector is as simple (and potentially dangerous) as poor password security.

How Bad is Password Security?

Passwords are a pretty simple concept and can be an effective way of protecting sensitive information.  Ensuring that only people who know the “secret code” have access to a given resource helps to raise the bar for attackers attempting to gain illegitimate access.  Passwords can definitely be lost or stolen though, especially when they are poorly protected.

Yubico (a manufacturer of physical two-factor authentication devices) recently released a report on the state of password security that was developed in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute. Unfortunately, the state of password security is fairly bad, according to the report.  Over two-thirds of respondents (69%) say that they share passwords with coworkers (potentially over an insecure medium).

Over half (51%) said that they reuse passwords over multiple accounts.  This can be a serious threat to organizations’ security if a poorly-secured personal account (potentially exposed in a data breach) shares a password with a corporate account with access to sensitive data.  Many organizations are transitioning to webmail (G Suite, Office 365, etc.) and allow access for remote workers, meaning that attackers can test passwords and gain access without ever setting foot on the company’s campus.

A final worrisome statistic from the report is that users will not even take basic security actions after they have been a victim of an attack.  57% of the respondents to the survey will not change their password after experiencing a phishing attack. A successful credential-stealing phishing attack results in the attacker having access to the target’s login credentials.  There is little or no uncertainty on the attacker’s part about their legitimacy, meaning that they can be used instantly or sold for a pretty penny on the black market.

Privileged Passwords and Data Breaches

There is a huge difference between the potential impact of an attacker gaining access to the password for your bank account and for that website where you signed up for a meaningless mailing list.

Multiple levels of security exist for business accounts as well. 

You have the traditional user accounts that have the privileges to get their job done and not much more, which limits the amount of damage that they can do if compromised.  And then you have the privileged accounts with significant power (think system and network administrators) that can do a lot of harm in the wrong hands.

Organizations and privileged account holders need to take additional steps to protect these privileged accounts.  However, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, 74% of data breaches involve malicious access to a privileged account.  This isn’t too surprising since privileged accounts are the ones with the power necessary to carry out data breaches; however, it also demonstrates that many organizations aren’t taking the necessary steps to protect their most powerful accounts.

Preventing Password-Enabled Data Breaches

Data breaches have become increasingly common and are likely to persist as data becomes more and more valuable.  However, organizations can take simple steps to decrease their probability. Poor password security (especially of privileged accounts) is an important contributor to many data breaches.

The first step in preventing attackers from compromising these accounts is to implement basic cybersecurity hygiene.  Organizations should implement (and enforce) a strong password policy and give employees the tools that they need to properly protect their accounts (i.e. password managers and a multi-factor authentication system).  Companies should also follow the principle of least privilege: giving any given employee only the permissions that they need to do their job. The average employee shouldn’t have Administrator or root access to anything, not even their own workstations.

The second step is accepting the fact that accounts will be compromised and knowing how to deal with this eventuality.  A core part of any cybersecurity strategy is deploying technology to monitor and detect anomalies in usage of all (but especially privileged) accounts.  A compromised account is unlikely to continue performing “business as usual” and detecting this may mean the difference between a breach and shutting down the attack with no damage done.

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The Best Ways to Get Your Brand and Logo in Front of Potential Customers

The first step of a successful branding campaign is generating awareness. You can’t drive conversions or sales if your customers don’t even know you exist. You can have the most innovative product or life-saving service, but without customers taking an interest, your offer is destined to flop. Therefore, getting your brand and logo in front of potential customers is critical. 

Prioritize building brand awareness, beginning with your individual brand and its offer. Marketing is not one-size-fits-all. Barbecue grills are going to require different marketing methods than sneakers. Take a look at what competitors in your industry have done that has worked well. There’s no point in reinventing the wheel, so use past success as your guide. At the same time, figure out what makes your brand different from others. Surely you wouldn’t have entered the market if a carbon copy of your brand already existed. Know your secret sauce so that you can do what competitors have done to generate awareness and then do it better. 

After you’ve figured out the path of least resistance and found a way to make your brand unique, put your brand out into the community. Exposure is key. Here are some tried and true ways to generate customer awareness and interest in your brand.

Take Advantage of Social Media

    Go to the customers instead of waiting for them to come to you. People spend hours every day scrolling through social media, so put your brand right at their fingertips. 

    Social media is an ideal opportunity to build an identity around your brand. It’s your opportunity to showcase the values of your brand that your product can’t display on its own. This boosts transparency, giving a face to the people and the ideas behind the brand. That’s why social media marketing is one of the most powerful methods to transform a useful product into a brand that people resonate with. 

    Optimize your social media for engagement. Passively posting twice a week is not very effective. Instead, get people involved by asking them to tag a friend or comment responses to questions asked in the post. This is especially crucial for Instagram and Facebook. Posts with more engagement in the comments section receive a higher boost on feeds and explore pages. Find ways to give your audience something to talk about rather than just something to look at.

Perks of the Influencer Economy

    The influencer economy has been booming for the past few years, and for good reason. Influencers are essentially modern day sales people. They can build awareness of your brand name and product within their broad sphere of influence. Furthermore, many influencers will show products or services in use. This is helpful if you sell a product in which testability is a barrier. If an influencer tests it out, then potential customers can see the product value without having to try it for themselves. 

    Maybe you’ve thought before that it seems like anyone could be an influencer. With countless Instagram influencers, it sure seems that way. The beauty brand Glossier thought so, too. In fact, they used it to their advantage to generate growth in followers on social media. Glossier decided to treat everyone like an influencer, showcasing customers testing out their products on their official feed. This community sharing helps generate growth, trust, and favorability among customers. If Instagram or celebrity influencers don’t fit your brand identity, consider making your local customers your primary influencers.

Cultivate Strategic Partnerships

    If you want to increase exposure to your brand, consider a partnership with another brand. Linking arms with other brands can help your company inherit that brand’s identity and reputation. This goes a long way in reinforcing your own brand’s values, so long as they align with your partner’s.

    Reach out to brands that have similar target audiences to yours but a slightly different market. Your offers or values should be complementary, not substitutable. For example, marketing two types of protein powder is going to be counterproductive, but marketing protein powder and gym memberships together could really get you somewhere. 

    Depending on where you’re located and the scope of your reach, it’s sometimes smart to partner with local companies. You’ll get a better idea of the community that you’re marketing too. Plus, you’ll create a sturdy network and a sense of trust through more personalized interactions.

Everyone Loves a Freebie

    People love collecting free stuff at festivals and conventions. You’d be doing a disservice to your brand and to attendees by letting them leave you empty-handed. Give customers promotional giveaways so that they’ll be exposed to your brand every time they use or see your branded freebie. It’s worth it to spend a few extra dollars get your brand name and logo in front of as many customers as possible.

    When deciding on what you want the swag to be, consider your customers. If they’re fun loving adults, offer them a koozie. If you market to families, a frisbee or game might be a good choice. Also consider the item’s relevance to what your brand sells. If your brand is technology oriented, give away branded screen cleaner stickers or something else phone related to remind them of you.

Befriend Google

    When you go to search for something on Google, how many results pages do you shuffle through? If you’re like most people, you don’t go past the first page of Google results. When real estate agents stress “Location, location, location!” they’re referring to buying property. But when marketers say it, we’re talking about the first page of results on Google. Customers search everything on Google, from navigation to information, so a top spot in their results in invaluable. 

    The safest and most reliable method to boost your ranking it to integrate search engine optimization, or SEO, into you marketing plans. Certain SEO strategies are more applicable to some markets than others, so research optimization strategies that work well for your brand. Just by understanding what your customers are searching for and how to best reach them on the web, you can significantly boost awareness of your brand.

    There are many ways to get your brand and logo out to potential customers; however, the best ways are by placing your brand where your customers are already looking: Google, their phone, social media, and at products they already own. Find clever ways to place your brand in plain sight so that learning about your brand is easy and intuitive.

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The 4 Best Gold Farms in Classic WoW Phase 1

If you’ve been playing Classic WoW since launch, you may have noticed that the Auction House has not settled down and got into a rhythm yet. This is to be expected when a game first launches, items are still being farmed for, and nobody has enough WoWC Gold to sink into the Auction House. You may have browsed the Auction House only to find that something you’d expect to go for several WoW Classic Gold is listed for a mere few silver! If you’re frustrated with this element of WoW Classic buy Gold yourself and beat the competition. Alternatively, you can follow these Classic WoW Gold farms to line your bags with more Gold. 

Black Dragonscales

Dragonscales are skinned from Dragonkin mobs and are used in Dragonscale Leatherworking. There are some high-end Dragonscale armor pieces that leather-wearing classes will be seeking after as the approach the higher level dungeon content and the early Classic raids. If you farm for these scales now, you’ll be in a good position to demand a high price for them when the demand for them starts to grow. You can farm for Dragonscales by killing the Dragonkin mobs in the southeast of Dustwalllow Marsh, outside of the Onyxia Lair raid instance. The Dragonkin also drop Rugged Leather, which is also highly sought after, making this a very lucrative farm. 

Firefin Snappers

For this farm, you’ll need to have fishing as a secondary profession. The Firefin Snappers can be farmed from Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Azshara, Dustwallow Marsh, Stranglethorn Vale, Wetlands, Taranis, and Stonetalon Mountains. The best place to farm for this fish is in Stonetalon Mountains. The Firefin Snappers are needed to make Fire Oil, which is used to make other fire-based items such as Elixir of Firepower, Firepotection Potion, and more. 

Mining and Herbalism Professions

Mining and Herbalism are great gathering professions for making Gold. They are easy to level up since you often come across the nodes as your leveling through zones, and there are enough herbs and nodes everywhere that you can increase your skill level in no time. You can follow gathering maps posted by expert gatherers online, or use addons like GatherMate or Gatherer to help you locate nodes. Players leveling Blacksmithing and Alchemy will be in need of constant herbs and copper core, and you can fill that role and make yourself some WoWC Gold in the process. 

Jadefire Farm Run

This farm is more for players who are max level, or near max level. In the Felwood zone, there are Satyr mobs that will be called “Jadefire X” and these mobs drop two very useful items. They drop Demonic Rune, which is an essential raid consumable for any mana user, and particularly healers. Secondly, they drop Felcloth, which is used in Tailoring to create early raid armor for Warlocks. Felcloth sells extremely well on the Auction House.

If you’re more of a casual player and don’t have time to wait for the Classic economy to settle, then a CLassic WoW Gold Buy might be more for style, and this is something we can help with! 

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