Product liability insurance covers product related defects for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Product liability related lawsuits typically receive the largest jury awards, which could cost your business a lot of money. This makes it important to have the right insurance coverage to protect your business. In this article, we’ll cover key facts about product liability… The post Product Liability Insurance: Costs, Coverage, and More appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/product-liability-insurance/
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Instagram is a rapidly growing social media platform, with the number of U.S. businesses using it for marketing expected to grow to over 70% in 2017 (according to eMarketer). It’s also already the second most popular social network– after Facebook–with 600 million monthly users. This means that it’s time for small businesses to consider Instagram… The post Instagram Advertising: How to Promote Your Small Business appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/instagram-advertising/ Sponsored Post Many small businesses believe creating high quality content is too expensive and time consuming. Only big companies have the budget to employ someone just to write up pages for a website, right? It’s true that many big companies spend the big bucks on hiring staff with the sole purpose of keeping their websites up-to-date and interesting, but it really doesn’t have to be done that way! By investing a little time, your small business can have big-bucks content too without breaking the bank. Forget Everything Firstly, forget what you’ve been told about high costs of content. Your content can be kept simple and low budget, if necessary. A quick tweet, blog post, re-sharing of an article with added commentary about how your brand relates to it, or even a short video or podcast, are good examples of low-investment/high-return content. Define Your Goals Start by deciding what your goals are. What do you hope to achieve? Increasing visitor numbers to your website? Having people sign up to receive emails? Targeting potential first time sales? Encouraging happy customers to come back again and again? All of the above are goals that can be met with careful content strategy. Your content needs to have a purpose, and be relevant to your readers. It needs to fulfill a purpose in a tangible way. Your CRM data will help you decide which goals are most important for your company, right now. Choose Your Target Focus your efforts on your target audience, and on finding out which particular needs and wants you and your brand can meet. Use your CRM data to help you find and reach your target audience, and decide which direction you want to take. What is your audience looking for? What do they as a group, prefer to see? What brand style are you hoping to achieve? Formal, informal? Cartoon style, flowcharts, graphics led? You can develop content in many ways: Vlog, slides, sound bytes, written content. Your original content, shared with context, with a mix of the types of content could be a very effective strategy. Quality not Quantity Whichever style you opt for, you’re after quality, not quantity. Keeping the standard high is vital. Remember, you’re competing for attention against every other site on the internet. Make your content snappy, informative, and personable to draw your customers in and make them want to come back for the next installment. If you only have 60 minutes per week to spend on your content, then make it a great hour’s worth of work, rather than short-changing yourself with 20 minutes each on a few sub-standard pieces. Research shows that people prefer to spend a little longer on reading one great, informative article over giving smaller chunks of their precious time on average or less-than-average articles that aren’t new or interesting. Using your CRM to monitor click-throughs, you can quickly and easily check on which posts are most effective at catching attention. Vary Your Content Content is not limited to words, and you don’t need any special equipment to create videos; most of today’s smartphones have amazing camera features. Try something simple, like greeting your customers with an explainer video. Keep it short, upbeat, and informational, and tell your customers about your business as if you were telling a friend. Other simple-to-create video content might include how-to’s and, if you can get them, customer endorsements. Keep it Relevant Everything you post should be on-topic and relevant to your brand. Refrain from over-posting on social media. It can turn people away if their notifications are full of repetitive, unoriginal or thoughtless updates. Your brand will be judged by the quality of your content. Keep it Fresh Remember, you don’t have to do it all yourself, all the time. Give your team members a chance to post about what they’re working on. It’s worth considering attracting authoritative guest writers from time to time, too. Track your social media metrics to see which platforms and article styles are most effective at fulfilling your goals, and emulate that style for future promotional pieces. It All Comes Down to Promotion Whatever your style and content, it’s only going to be successful if it’s promoted. Use social media to get your brand out there and get people talking about it. Extend your reach by mentioning and linking to others who are influential in your field, and ask them to do the same for you. Join the conversation on other industry blogs and social media posts to increase your audience. Mention relevant information in previous articles and link to them when creating new pieces. Send email newsletters to highlight informative pieces you know your customers will be interested in. You don’t have to spend big bucks to produce strong and effective content, just take a little time to get your content strategy together, build your brand with strong content and be ready to follow through with top quality service. About the sponsor: Insightly was designed as a simple to use yet powerful Web-based CRM system for small businesses. With integrations to widely used applications such as Google Apps, Office 365, Mail Chimp, and Dropbox, Insightly CRM keeps you connected to the right information at the right time—including contacts, sales information, project activities, and more. Because we handle all of the technical issues like server upgrades and security fixes, you can focus on growing sales, not maintaining an IT support staff. Insightly CRM helps you concentrate on what matters most, running your business. The post How To Create Big-Bucks Content Without Breaking the Budget appeared first on Succeed As Your Own Boss. from http://succeedasyourownboss.com/create-big-bucks-content-without-breaking-budget/ The most important consideration when seeking small business debt relief is whether you plan to continue to operate your business. If you do, it is essential that you find debt relief that preserves your personal and business credit. Consolidating or refinancing your business debt can result in a lower APR, longer repayment terms, and less… The post Small Business Debt Relief: Consolidation Loans and 5 Other Options appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/small-business-debt-relief/ It’s already been established that it’s an absolute must to have a high-quality website, in order to succeed in today’s business world. But you can’t stop there. Most startups can also benefit from having a blog on their website. A blog can help draw new customers to your website, and it can help establish credibility and trustworthiness for your startup. It’s a great way to establish yourself as an authority on a subject or industry. Perfect for Low-Budget MarketingStartups are worried about budgets, and unfortunately, marketing is often the business aspect that gets pushed aside. Blogging is one of the least expensive means of marketing, and it’s certainly one of the most cost-effective methods. For virtually no dollar amount, you can create a blog, and you just need to devote some time to keeping it updated. A blog is a great means of communication with website visitors and potential customers, and it gives you the ability to promote your startup to a larger audience, via the internet. More exposure for your startup is always a good thing, and a blog can drive more internet traffic to your website. Used in conjunction with social media, a blog is a great way to convert that website traffic into leads. Helps Build RelationshipsA blog can demonstrate to the internet what your startup is all about, but it can also offer another means of two-way communication with those internet users. If you allow comments on your blog posts, you can extrapolate some very useful information about your readers, and you can use that information to further improve content on your website. By sharing your expertise with internet users, you will demonstrate your knowledge and authority in your industry field, and this improves your credibility as a startup owner. A blog improves trust with customers, as well, by making them believe that you are the best one to provide the product or service that they need. A blog can also be used to demonstrate that you have a human side, that you’re not just a business person, and this can attract more customers, too. You can also use a blog to network and create relationships with other businesses. One way is by promoting your blog to other businesses that are in your industry, but that you don’t compete directly with. In return, these businesses that you’ve forged relationships with may be willing to recommend your business to their own customers. Networking relationships with other businesses are just as important in order to grow your startup as increasing your number of customers. More Control Over Your Online ReputationA blog can give you some control over how people respond online to your startup. With a blog, you can communicate your mission more clearly to people, and you can have another voice for your company. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can use your blog to offer some thoughts on current events or particular topics, and you can use your blog to engage readers in a conversation. Even if some readers are in disagreement with you, you can have meaningful discussions about your differing viewpoints. If your startup is the unfortunate recipient of negative feedback or online reviews, you can use a blog to explain yourself, which can help mitigate some of the possible damage to your reputation. Long-Term Results
A blog is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest information in your business industry, too. In order to create great content for your blog, you will have to stay informed on the relevant information and trends in your industry. There’s really no way for you to stay uninformed. Most business blog posts require some degree of research, so you’ll be looking for the most current industry information to share with your readers. Establishing Your BlogGetting started with a blog can seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it’s fairly easy. Most blogging platforms are user-friendly, with many options to customize the blog and make it your own. Decide on a Blog PlatformThere are a number of blog platforms out there, and you’ll have to decide which one best suits your needs. Among the most popular blog sites are WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and Squarespace. Some are more user-friendly than others, some include options for optimizing for SEO, and some give you better ability to customize your blog. Decide on Purpose and ContentThe type of content you put forth on your blog will depend on the purpose of your blog. For example, maybe you just want to share information about your field with readers, or maybe you want to promote a new service or product line. The type of content will vary, depending on what you want to accomplish with your blog. However, it’s important to use a variety of mediums, including written content, images, and videos, as different website users prefer different types of content. Optimize for SEOJust as your website should be optimized for search engine results, so should your blog. Use strategic keywords, but don’t overstuff your blog with them. Make sure your content is well-written and original, and if you use images, make sure they are of high resolution and load quickly. Experts from SEO Reseller Hub, say that optimizing for SEO is the single most important action to take with a blog. Choose a ThemeBlogging platforms, such as WordPress, typically offer themes to make it easy to design a blog. If you use a theme, make sure that it’s a responsive design, that will display correctly on desktops, tablets, and cell phones. Any theme you select should be customizable, although that will vary according to your needs. Check into the customer support that is offered, too, in case you have any difficulties. Final TouchesYour blog is not complete without a few extra finishing touches. For example, create an About section that offers readers a little bit of information about you and your startup. Include subscription options for your readers, so that they can get notifications of new posts. And most importantly, make your blog posts shareable by adding social media buttons to each post. The more your blog is shared, the more potential customers you can draw to your website. Most startup owners already understand the importance of having a great website. A blog should be a part of that website, particularly if your company is just getting started. It’s a great way to reach out to website visitors, to connect with them in a way that may not happen just through your website. The post Why Blogs Are Important for Startups and How to Establish Them appeared first on bizHUMM. from http://bizhumm.com/blogs-important-startups-establish/ It’s already been established that it’s an absolute must to have a high-quality website, in order to succeed in today’s business world. But you can’t stop there. Most startups can also benefit from having a blog on their website. A blog can help draw new customers to your website, and it can help establish credibility and trustworthiness for your startup. It’s a great way to establish yourself as an authority on a subject or industry. Perfect for Low-Budget MarketingStartups are worried about budgets, and unfortunately, marketing is often the business aspect that gets pushed aside. Blogging is one of the least expensive means of marketing, and it’s certainly one of the most cost-effective methods. For virtually no dollar amount, you can create a blog, and you just need to devote some time to keeping it updated. A blog is a great means of communication with website visitors and potential customers, and it gives you the ability to promote your startup to a larger audience, via the internet. More exposure for your startup is always a good thing, and a blog can drive more internet traffic to your website. Used in conjunction with social media, a blog is a great way to convert that website traffic into leads. Helps Build RelationshipsA blog can demonstrate to the internet what your startup is all about, but it can also offer another means of two-way communication with those internet users. If you allow comments on your blog posts, you can extrapolate some very useful information about your readers, and you can use that information to further improve content on your website. By sharing your expertise with internet users, you will demonstrate your knowledge and authority in your industry field, and this improves your credibility as a startup owner. A blog improves trust with customers, as well, by making them believe that you are the best one to provide the product or service that they need. A blog can also be used to demonstrate that you have a human side, that you’re not just a business person, and this can attract more customers, too. You can also use a blog to network and create relationships with other businesses. One way is by promoting your blog to other businesses that are in your industry, but that you don’t compete directly with. In return, these businesses that you’ve forged relationships with may be willing to recommend your business to their own customers. Networking relationships with other businesses are just as important in order to grow your startup as increasing your number of customers. More Control Over Your Online ReputationA blog can give you some control over how people respond online to your startup. With a blog, you can communicate your mission more clearly to people, and you can have another voice for your company. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can use your blog to offer some thoughts on current events or particular topics, and you can use your blog to engage readers in a conversation. Even if some readers are in disagreement with you, you can have meaningful discussions about your differing viewpoints. If your startup is the unfortunate recipient of negative feedback or online reviews, you can use a blog to explain yourself, which can help mitigate some of the possible damage to your reputation. Long-Term Results
A blog is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest information in your business industry, too. In order to create great content for your blog, you will have to stay informed on the relevant information and trends in your industry. There’s really no way for you to stay uninformed. Most business blog posts require some degree of research, so you’ll be looking for the most current industry information to share with your readers. Establishing Your BlogGetting started with a blog can seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it’s fairly easy. Most blogging platforms are user-friendly, with many options to customize the blog and make it your own. Decide on a Blog PlatformThere are a number of blog platforms out there, and you’ll have to decide which one best suits your needs. Among the most popular blog sites are WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and Squarespace. Some are more user-friendly than others, some include options for optimizing for SEO, and some give you better ability to customize your blog. Decide on Purpose and ContentThe type of content you put forth on your blog will depend on the purpose of your blog. For example, maybe you just want to share information about your field with readers, or maybe you want to promote a new service or product line. The type of content will vary, depending on what you want to accomplish with your blog. However, it’s important to use a variety of mediums, including written content, images, and videos, as different website users prefer different types of content. Optimize for SEOJust as your website should be optimized for search engine results, so should your blog. Use strategic keywords, but don’t overstuff your blog with them. Make sure your content is well-written and original, and if you use images, make sure they are of high resolution and load quickly. Experts from SEO Reseller Hub, say that optimizing for SEO is the single most important action to take with a blog. Choose a ThemeBlogging platforms, such as WordPress, typically offer themes to make it easy to design a blog. If you use a theme, make sure that it’s a responsive design, that will display correctly on desktops, tablets, and cell phones. Any theme you select should be customizable, although that will vary according to your needs. Check into the customer support that is offered, too, in case you have any difficulties. Final TouchesYour blog is not complete without a few extra finishing touches. For example, create an About section that offers readers a little bit of information about you and your startup. Include subscription options for your readers, so that they can get notifications of new posts. And most importantly, make your blog posts shareable by adding social media buttons to each post. The more your blog is shared, the more potential customers you can draw to your website. Most startup owners already understand the importance of having a great website. A blog should be a part of that website, particularly if your company is just getting started. It’s a great way to reach out to website visitors, to connect with them in a way that may not happen just through your website. The post Why Blogs Are Important for Startups and How to Establish Them appeared first on bizHUMM. from http://bizhumm.com/blogs-important-startups-establish/ It’s already been established that it’s an absolute must to have a high-quality website, in order to succeed in today’s business world. But you can’t stop there. Most startups can also benefit from having a blog on their website. A blog can help draw new customers to your website, and it can help establish credibility and trustworthiness for your startup. It’s a great way to establish yourself as an authority on a subject or industry. Perfect for Low-Budget MarketingStartups are worried about budgets, and unfortunately, marketing is often the business aspect that gets pushed aside. Blogging is one of the least expensive means of marketing, and it’s certainly one of the most cost-effective methods. For virtually no dollar amount, you can create a blog, and you just need to devote some time to keeping it updated. A blog is a great means of communication with website visitors and potential customers, and it gives you the ability to promote your startup to a larger audience, via the internet. More exposure for your startup is always a good thing, and a blog can drive more internet traffic to your website. Used in conjunction with social media, a blog is a great way to convert that website traffic into leads. Helps Build RelationshipsA blog can demonstrate to the internet what your startup is all about, but it can also offer another means of two-way communication with those internet users. If you allow comments on your blog posts, you can extrapolate some very useful information about your readers, and you can use that information to further improve content on your website. By sharing your expertise with internet users, you will demonstrate your knowledge and authority in your industry field, and this improves your credibility as a startup owner. A blog improves trust with customers, as well, by making them believe that you are the best one to provide the product or service that they need. A blog can also be used to demonstrate that you have a human side, that you’re not just a business person, and this can attract more customers, too. You can also use a blog to network and create relationships with other businesses. One way is by promoting your blog to other businesses that are in your industry, but that you don’t compete directly with. In return, these businesses that you’ve forged relationships with may be willing to recommend your business to their own customers. Networking relationships with other businesses are just as important in order to grow your startup as increasing your number of customers. More Control Over Your Online ReputationA blog can give you some control over how people respond online to your startup. With a blog, you can communicate your mission more clearly to people, and you can have another voice for your company. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can use your blog to offer some thoughts on current events or particular topics, and you can use your blog to engage readers in a conversation. Even if some readers are in disagreement with you, you can have meaningful discussions about your differing viewpoints. If your startup is the unfortunate recipient of negative feedback or online reviews, you can use a blog to explain yourself, which can help mitigate some of the possible damage to your reputation. Long-Term Results
A blog is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest information in your business industry, too. In order to create great content for your blog, you will have to stay informed on the relevant information and trends in your industry. There’s really no way for you to stay uninformed. Most business blog posts require some degree of research, so you’ll be looking for the most current industry information to share with your readers. Establishing Your BlogGetting started with a blog can seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it’s fairly easy. Most blogging platforms are user-friendly, with many options to customize the blog and make it your own. Decide on a Blog PlatformThere are a number of blog platforms out there, and you’ll have to decide which one best suits your needs. Among the most popular blog sites are WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and Squarespace. Some are more user-friendly than others, some include options for optimizing for SEO, and some give you better ability to customize your blog. Decide on Purpose and ContentThe type of content you put forth on your blog will depend on the purpose of your blog. For example, maybe you just want to share information about your field with readers, or maybe you want to promote a new service or product line. The type of content will vary, depending on what you want to accomplish with your blog. However, it’s important to use a variety of mediums, including written content, images, and videos, as different website users prefer different types of content. Optimize for SEOJust as your website should be optimized for search engine results, so should your blog. Use strategic keywords, but don’t overstuff your blog with them. Make sure your content is well-written and original, and if you use images, make sure they are of high resolution and load quickly. Experts from SEO Reseller Hub, say that optimizing for SEO is the single most important action to take with a blog. Choose a ThemeBlogging platforms, such as WordPress, typically offer themes to make it easy to design a blog. If you use a theme, make sure that it’s a responsive design, that will display correctly on desktops, tablets, and cell phones. Any theme you select should be customizable, although that will vary according to your needs. Check into the customer support that is offered, too, in case you have any difficulties. Final TouchesYour blog is not complete without a few extra finishing touches. For example, create an About section that offers readers a little bit of information about you and your startup. Include subscription options for your readers, so that they can get notifications of new posts. And most importantly, make your blog posts shareable by adding social media buttons to each post. The more your blog is shared, the more potential customers you can draw to your website. Most startup owners already understand the importance of having a great website. A blog should be a part of that website, particularly if your company is just getting started. It’s a great way to reach out to website visitors, to connect with them in a way that may not happen just through your website. The post Why Blogs Are Important for Startups and How to Establish Them appeared first on bizHUMM. from http://bizhumm.com/blogs-important-startups-establish/ Searching for insightful accounting information? Looking for more clients? Latest in industry news? Or maybe you’re looking for advice on how to start your own accounting firm? You’re in luck. We’ve scoured the web for the most helpful blogs that cover accounting information and put together the list below of the Best Accounting Blogs of 2016. Our intention for… The post Best HR Blogs of 2017 – Top Human Resources Content from Around the Web appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-hr-blogs-human-resources/ In today’s digital age, it is easier than ever to make money without having to leave the house. Whether you want to make some quick and easy side income, or have the expertise and time for longer projects, you will find something in this guide that fits your skill set. Learn how to make money… The post How to Make Money Online – 101 Ideas from the Pros appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/how-to-make-money-online/ There’s nothing more idyllic than a good contest amongst your sales team; your employees buckling down, respectfully competing to get the most sales; all while learning new skills and sharing their strategies. It may sound like a fantasy, but it’s true. A sales contest can do wonders to motivate your team—but only when setup correctly.… The post 5 Great Sales Contest Ideas To Motivate Your Team appeared first on . from http://fitsmallbusiness.com/sales-contest-ideas/ |
AuthorHello I am Teri Crawford 26 years old living in Toronto, Canada. I have recently finished my MBA and planning to start my own business. Archives
November 2018
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