If you want to increase sales on your e-commerce site, you should not only focus on traffic but also on your conversion rate. The higher your conversion rate, the more money you can make with the same number of visitors. Here are five tactics to help you increase your conversion rate. Test Testing is an important part of improving your conversion rate. Split testing can help you determine what aspects… Read more
If you’re a small business owner with a modest marketing budget, every dollar you spend has to be worth the investment. For decades—before the web, Google, and social media transformed the nature of marketing—buying an ad in the local Yellow Pages was a reliable way for people to find a business. The fact is, these days most consumers across the globe use the web and review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor,… Read more
Freelancers in all industries deal with the same problems due to the nature of their work. Typically, freelancers are solo work-from-home contractors that manage every aspect of their business. If you’re thinking of dropping your career as an employee to begin freelancing, consider the following obstacles you will need to navigate. Unfortunately, problems beget more problems, and a shaky foundation quickly leads to a crumbly business, and many regrets about… Read more
Email marketing is one of the best ways to develop a relationship with your customers. It’s also a proven way to increase sales with subscribers who are interested, qualified buyers. The key to maintaining high open rates with your email campaigns is to craft catchy subject lines for every email you send out to your customers. These ten proven tips will show you how to quickly grab attention with compelling… Read more
With social media, you can connect with business associates quickly and creatively. But this communication mode is not without risk. A thoughtless post can offend customers and other business partners and damage relationships rather than build them. By following a few ground rules you can be confident your comments and posts will be appropriate ones. Check your Messages for Grammar and Spelling Your co-workers and business partners evaluate your communication… Read more
In today’s fast-paced, digital world, interacting face to face with clients and prospects may seem passé. In fact, face time is more important than ever. For one, you’ll stand apart from your competitors who only touch base with their customers via email, social media, and virtual conferencing. And by hosting in-person events that attract new leads as well as existing customers, you’ll be able to create trust and strengthen ties.… Read more
The worst thing about a rude message is the author presuming you’ll respond to a complaint or request when his communication lacks any hint of civility. When confronted with an obvious violation of good manners, you can easily delete the email without upsetting anyone who is aware of politeness standards. You can also punt the request to a co-worker, but that would make you the bad guy. It’s best to… Read more
While most small businesses spend a great deal of time and effort in finding the right employees, they often fail to capitalise on their newly hired talent by ceding the on-boarding process to HR or neglecting their responsibility entirely. From long waits for workspace, equipment, or training to an overly negative recitation of ‘don’t do these things or you will be fired,’ employers consistently miss the opportunity to inspire new… Read more
Small businesses can grow in boom times as well as periods of difficulty by working smarter and taking advantage of opportunities. Put these following effective tips into practice to help grow your business. Utilise new Technology Modern technology can save you time, improve productivity and reduce your operational costs. Make use of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media tools to market your business. Dropbox is a cloud-based service that… Read more
Once you’ve made the decision to sell your home, chances are you’d like to do it as soon as possible. While some houses sell almost as quickly as they hit the market, others sit for a considerable amount of time without generating any offers from prospective buyers. Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to increase the odds that your house is in hot demand and sells quickly.… Read more
For small businesses, nothing reduces credibility faster than careless typos and sloppy spelling. The trouble is, business owners are often so busy they neglect to notice the errors that can creep into their work, in spite of the latest word processing spelling and grammar tools. Taking the time to carefully edit your newsletters, reports, emails, blog posts and marketing collateral – following these simple tips – will make all the… Read more
Q. I am finding it tough. Sales are slowing but I can’t figure out exactly why. No-one seems to be unhappy with what we do, and no competitor has entered the market. People seem to be buying less often and in lower numbers. Your existing customers are your most valuable asset. This is because it’s easier and far less expensive to get an existing customer to buy off you again… Read more
The same advice for building a healthy investment portfolio applies to your business: diversifying will lower risk and increase growth. Adding a recurring revenue stream (or two, or three!) can provide a predictable, ongoing source of income which will improve the accuracy of your projections, increase profits, and provide a buffer for any unexpected sales dips. Here are four simple ways to start earning recurring revenue for your small business.… Read more
Don’t be left up in the air by traditional IT solutions. Check out the top 9 advantages for small businesses switching to cloud computing. Cloud computing is fast becoming the norm because storing information and using software hosted on the Internet has many advantages. Save Money Traditionally, a small business spends money licensing software or buying packages to install or download onto individual computers. Cloud computing, on the other hand,… Read more
Very few small businesses have a huge marketing budget to work with. Fortunately, there are a number of simple, free and low cost ways to get the word out about your company that are also highly effective. These tips will show you five simple ways to promote your local business without breaking the bank. Get Free Press Advertising rates for local newspapers and radio stations can be way too costly… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Australian markets take a hit after multiple US banks collapse Australian markets experienced a sharp decline on Tuesday after multiple banks collapsed in the United States. The ASX200 opened down 1.6% and fell a further 2%, wiping out all gains made this calendar year, with financials bearing the brunt.… Read more
Online marketing tools make it inexpensive and easy to promote your events online. If you want to expand your business and offer webinars or offline events, these eight tools will create online buzz about your event to a worldwide audience. When interacting with people on the Internet, remember to always act in a polite and courteous manner. Don’t spam invitations or promotions about your event 24, 7. Use common sense… Read more
Local search engine optimization (SEO) is an important part of any online marketing strategy for traditional businesses which service a specific geographical area. Local SEO works in much the same way as normal SEO, although there are some important differences to consider. Taking the time and trouble to optimize your website for local is essential due to the fact that about a fifth of desktop queries and more than half… Read more
Good news for small business owners: according to the US Small Business Administration, nearly 80% of small businesses survive their first year. However, that number begins to drop as time rolls on. Only half of small businesses pass the five year mark, and a mere third celebrate their tenth anniversary. Taking steps to create a good foundation in the early days of your business is essential for a sustainable and… Read more