Up For Anything

Living life to the Full

3 Reasons to Take Your Company Global and How to Get Started

By 1 Comment

As new technology continues to pave the way for globalization, it’s more appealing than ever for businesses to expand abroad. Going global helps you increase profit margins and reach a larger consumer base. By cutting costs, expanding operations and increasing sales, you can boost your bottom line and take your business to the next level.

Here are three reasons to take your company global:

1. Higher Revenue Potential

Globalizing is cheaper than ever, as the Internet has made it easy to have a presence in foreign markets without physically being there. If you want to sell more, start distributing your products in other countries. You might even discover that another country brings in more revenue for your business than your own country.

Globalization continues to homogenize cultures around the world. This makes it easier than ever to succeed in various markets with just one product. If you have an e-commerce store, analyze your data to check which countries are attracting most of your buyers. Then, adjust your marketing strategy to reach the people in those countries.

2. Increase Your Profit Margin

When you look beyond your home country, you not only find new customers, but also new ways to cut costs in your supply chain. For example, you can expand your company’s operations to another country where the cost of manufacturing is lower. Plus, by expanding your production to reach a global market, you boost your profit margin by lowering the per-unit manufacturing cost.

3. Utilize Global Experts

Marketing your products to consumers in other countries is easier than ever thanks to the Internet. On networks like Upwork, you can link up with talent and expertise from around the world to help you create a marketing strategy to enter various local markets. Having your online content translated to or created in different languages helps you build an international brand that can be recognized worldwide while appealing to specific local markets at the same time.

Amway is a great example of a global direct sales company that continually expands into local markets around the world. It does this by empowering independent business owners to profit by selling Amway’s products in their local economies. This allows Amway to use local expertise to expand its global consumer base, instead of trying to reach the entire world at once with one generic marketing campaigns. Sometimes direct sales companies are accused of being pyramid schemes. Amway is not a scam, though, because independent business owners only earn bonuses based on product sales volume—not for recruiting.

How to Expand Your Business Abroad

To get the most out of the other markets you tap into, you want to work with a company specializing in translation and cultural consulting to help you create authentic marketing strategies. Before you hit a new market, it’s imperative you know what will resonate with its consumers, so be sure not to skip this step. Create localized landing pages and implement local and global SEO strategies to help target these other markets.

Getting Started

Ready for world domination? With the ease of telecommunications and cloud-based technology today, it’s never too early to reap the benefits of being a global business. By outsourcing steps in your supply chain to other countries, distributing products abroad and employing international experts, you can start competing in the global economy.

Successful Marketing Ideas For Catering Businesses

By 2 Comments

When you start a catering business you most likely do not expect the huge competition you need to deal with. It is really important to stand out and offer the very best possible services on the market. This is only possible in the event you offer some great options for clients and the business is properly promoted. Unfortunately, marketing is the problem in most situations so here are some great ideas you can use for all Sydney corporate catering options.

Networking

The relationships you establish with wedding planners, clubs, bridal shops, exhibition centers and so on will be a huge part of the business you run. Marketing without networking basically limits the possibilities available since you would miss out on various opportunities to find clients. The problem is establishing the initial relationship. This is often much easier when you can offer some sort of discount so seriously take that into account. Also, if possible, use your food to establish the perfect business relationship.

Tasting Houses

As a catering company you want to organize tasting houses. In many cases the only one considered is bridal tasting. This is a great start but it is definitely a good idea to also reach out to as much of the corporate community as possible. A simple suggestion is to create an intimate and small tasting that has 10 qualified leads invited. This makes an impression because you showcase your exemplary service and food. Such an event can be turned into a regular meeting that you organize and that would be a large part of the overall marketing strategy. If you want to reach to more businesses at once, focus on the local ones and invite up to 100 at a larger buffet.

Press Releases

Press releases do not have a great reputation at the moment but they are still really useful to market almost all businesses. Contrary to popular belief, they are not just for the large corporations. They can be used in order to generate immediate awareness when done right. If you prepare smaller press releases there is not even a need to work with a company to help you distribute it since you can do it on your own towards various media outlets like local newspapers, bridal journals, culinary magazines and community bulletins.

Brand Your Catering Ride

Branding is very important for the catering business. Catering means you rely on a high sophistication and style level so brand image has to be proper. An interesting and effective way to show it off is to brand the food trucks that the business uses. This is going to automatically put an eye on your business. As they move through town from one point to the next you can get new leads.

As an extra tip, be sure that your branding is also properly present on regular promotional material you surely use, like brochures or flyers. Obviously, your website also has to use the same brand identity you set up before for continuity purposes.

How to design a business performance plan that’s fit for purpose

By Leave a Comment

Regardless of the type of organisation you are running, whether you’re in education, research, commerce or any other sector, it’s essential that you have a good business performance plan in place. These plans are about much more than arranging annual employee appraisals. If you’re to lead your organisation effectively, this element of management is vital. To help you, here is a brief guide to designing a business performance plan that’s fit for purpose.

Take a holistic approach

Performance management specialists gpstrategiesltd.com suggests this task is about translating goals into results. The company emphasises the importance of taking a holistic approach to the issue, stating that by connecting their strategies, cultures, leadership and employee engagement, businesses will see great rewards. According to the organisation, a good performance management plan targets not only individual employees but also teams, processes, programmes and organisations as a whole.

Consider bringing in expert help

Getting this aspect of management right can be tricky, particularly if you lack the time, experience or resources required. This is why it can pay off to get the experts involved. Specialist third parties run performance management strategies on your behalf, bringing their knowledge and expertise to bear to help drive up performance within your organisation. These companies offer a range of services. For example, they assist you by reviewing and enhancing your performance appraisal practices and programmes, and ensure your organisational performance plans are aligned with your overall business aims.

They also help you to implement robust performance ratings metrics, introduce effective rewards systems for your employees, set up coaching and mentoring programmes and offer strategic consulting on issues connected to organisational effectiveness. In addition, they run workshops to train your managers on the relevant competencies and streamline your performance management processes by implementing digital solutions.

Be prepared to adapt your plan

No matter how well considered your business performance plan is, it’s essential that you’re prepared to review, adapt and improve it when necessary. The fact is, organisational objectives and priorities change over time, so you need to be willing and able to learn and pivot as you go by adjusting to meet your goals as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Getting your business performance plan right can have a profound impact on your ability to survive and flourish as an organisation, so it’s well worth paying attention to tips like these when you’re thinking about this element of management.

How To Choose A Really Good Attorney For The Business

By 2 Comments

Source

There are so many variables that appear in business but one thing that is 100% sure is that you will need legal representation sooner or later. The business attorney can be a great asset for the company or just a waste of money. You need to be sure that you choose one that is appropriate and that will add the necessary value. In order to do this, here is some advice offered by primelawyers.com.au so that you can hire that great attorney your business needs.

Decide When The Attorney Is Hired

Getting really good legal advice will not be free. Bad legal advice is free and very easy to find. When you just want to find an attorney, be sure that you contact different specialists and you talk about basic service rates, like business formation or initial consultation for startup launches. Always try to hire lawyers before doing anything that could get you into trouble. As an example, when you want to form a partnership or you receive money from investors, legal aid is necessary.

Decide On Lawyer Type

Most of the business attorneys will be more than capable to handle formation needs. However, when referring to more complex business decisions, you are interested in locating the attorney that has experience. As an example, in the event you are interested in filing a trademark, it is not at all a problem to hire generalist business attorneys. However, if you want more serious help, like when you run a doctor office practice, someone with exact experience will be necessary.

Understanding Business Niche Or Market

When the business attorney does not know anything about how the business operates or is not familiar with the industry, communication challenges are going to appear. This does not mean you want to hire someone that just deals with businesses in your industry. It just means that you want someone that does understand your business’ operations and specific market related challenges. Obviously, in the event there is time and the business attorney is interested in learning everything about your company and industry, the generalist attorney can be considered.

Appropriately Sized Law Firm

We have advantages and disadvantages of working with solo practitioners, large law firms and small law firms. When you want to grow or you are representing a larger company, the law firm chosen should be larger. When you just launch a startup or you have a low number of employees, you are going to want to hire the smaller law firm as it is more affordable.

Consider Local Attorneys

Based on specific business needs, you may need to hire a business attorney located in your state or even city. That is necessary especially on regular face-to-face meetings are necessary. When most of the contact will happen through email or phone, geographic location is no longer that important. Some complications can appear when you have to go to court. However, if the attorney from another state is capable of dealing with your needs, can go to court with you and is licensed in the area, you can use such services.

The Role of a Real Estate Developer Explained

By Leave a Comment

For Dean Kirkland Vancouver WA was always going to be the place in which he wanted to work. With a passion for real estate development from an early age, he saw in Vancouver Washington an opportunity and he took it. Today, he provides a great deal of information, advice, and guidance to others who hope to get into the same profession, be that in Vancouver or elsewhere.

What Do Real Estate Developers Do?

Basically, a real estate developer is someone who makes a construction happen. They are visionaries, whether they are working on a skyscraper or on a single family home. They don’t get involved in the physical work of the construction. Rather, they manage the entire process around it. Additionally, they assume the risk that comes with the project.

Most of the time, the real estate developer owns the land and provides the funds necessary for the development. Hence, they are movers and shakers, people who make things happen.  They are also integral parts of the economy, as they keep people employed and create new jobs.

What Does a Real Estate Developer Need?

Perhaps more than anything, this type of professional needs money. Cash is needed to buy land and to contract the various professionals involved in the development. In the vast majority of cases, this money comes through investors, who then have a stake in the development. Together, they will set a budget for the project.

Once the money is there, the developer has to get a team together. This includes architects, planning officials, construction works, and so on. These will be responsible for the physical elements of the job itself. Having the right team in place is pivotal to the success of the project.

Finally, the need to have the necessary materials for a construction project. Without materials, the building cannot be created. Hence, real estate developers are negotiators with contacts in lots of different industries. They must ensure the materials are the right ones and that they are affordable, but also that they are of the highest possible quality.

The Risks Associated with Real Estate Development

The rewards of this type of job, according to Dean Kirkland, are substantial. However, the risks are enormous as well and it is important to be realistic about this. As Kirkland explains, the success or failure of the project rests entirely on the shoulders of the developer. While they have a team in place to perform the actual work, the end result is their own responsibility. If something goes wrong – the architect forgets a room, the construction workers go over budget, the materials don’t meet safety inspections, and so on – then the responsibility lies with the developer as they were the ones who got the other people and materials together.

Becoming a real estate developer is not something that is done overnight. It requires a lot of planning, preparation, and training, and a great deal of networking. Building a positive reputation among industry leaders is perhaps the most important thing of all.

Achieving Success in Business Management

By Leave a Comment

The place most people learn business management is in colleges and universities. They take courses in everything from business operations, business, strategy, marketing, sales, accounting and customer service. These multi-year programs can prepare the student for what will hypothetically come when they are on the job.

If you speak with those like successful business manager Larry Polhill, they will tell you that the real world was quite different that how things looked in school and their real education came while they were working at a company.

This is primarily true because there are some things involved in business management that you must learn on the job. One is the speed with which things occur. Different issues happen at a business in timeframes that are completely irregular and sometimes with each demanding a different skill set and set of tools to solve the issue. A second is the randomness of so many business related issues. You can do something perfectly every time, yet one time it simply does not work and there was no indication that there was even a chance for failure. This occurs because most businesses have constantly moving parts that need to be watched but also given room for their eventual failure.

So until you are on the job and at the business, everything is guesswork to a certain degree and this is why you need to be prepared with a set of skills and approaches that can assist you in any situation. Here are some of those skills and approaches:

Create a company culture that includes responsibility, transparency and consistency.

Employees agree to work at an organization for various reasons but the ones that are always included involve their ability to count on the organization to be transparent, consistent and responsible. These three qualities give employees a sense that the company has their best interest in mind and that if things take a turn for the worse they will know it and understand why. Companies that do not make these qualities a core component of their operating strategy either lose employees consistently or have to go to extraordinary lengths to hold on to their employees. This additional time spent can be sued to focus on other things important to growing the business, so their absence is usually very costly.

These qualities must start at the top down and permeate every level of the organization and everyone must be accountable to them. Sometimes business managers think they can exempt someone because that person has a special title or brings lots of revenue into the company, but this is a recipe for chaos and unhappiness and it creates behaviors that run counter to the success of the business. Additionally they must dictate how you interact with your customers and key partners. This approach sets a great tone for your business and creates an environment where your company and its stakeholders can depend on the relationships with those who cause your business to be successful.

Make a Realistic Plan with Execution Steps

For any business planning is essential. You need to lay out where the company is, where you are going and how you intend to get there. This gives everyone in the organization a clear idea of the company goals and their roles in the success of those goals. As a further step, you need to lay out an action plan for achieving those goals. This plan can be placed against the actual happenings at the business as a barometer for how things are actually going. Too often there is miscommunication about objectives at a company and having things committed to paper alleviates and stress about who said what to whom. Get into this practice and demand that others in the company do as well and it will pay off for everyone.

Business Management is a tough and demanding job but if you have tools and strategies to assist you the job becomes much easier.

Reducing Shrinkage in Your Store, How to Get It Done

By Leave a Comment

If you are a small business owner then you need to be concentrating on every cent that comes in and goes out of your business. Despite meeting so many people through my line of work who focus wholeheartedly on their bottom line, it always surprises me how few of them focus on shrinkage within their business.

Shrinkage is unknown loss in the business and in the main this can be put down to theft, poor practice or damage. Within this, I work mostly in helping business owners reduce theft and stopping them from being exposed to shoplifters. Recently I have been working with John Bradberry Charlotte NC resident and security expert on some stores in a shopping center in Charlotte, helping small business owners to focus on shrink and protect their stock.

Training Your Staff

One of your best weapons against theft is the service which your staff can offer the customers as they are walking through the door. The reason why this is so effective is because thieves do not want to be bothered, especially not by a smiling face asking them what they need. Staff should also be ever-present on the shop floor and be vigilant throughout their shift for anyone who looks out of place or indeed as though they are up to something.

Targeted Protection

Understanding what goods are being taken from the business is massively important and you can use stock counts to highlight what it is that is going missing. Throughout this process, you will be able to be far more effective at targeting at risk products in your store and finding ways of making them less exposed for shoplifters.

Product Protection

If you sell high value items then you should have processes in play each day that have staff checking the product protection and ensuring that everything has stickers and alarms on it. You should also be regularly moving the products in your store about and removing the possibility of blind spots within your store which will invite thieves to go about their business in peace.

Investing in Security

Investing in security cameras and security staff for your store amy cost you a bit of money up front but in the long run it could sea you a great deal of money and it is well worth doing. Not only do methods such as these deter shoplifting, they can also help you to catch a shoplifter in the act. Very often small stores are targeted by the same thieves and catching them could cut down the shoplifting altogether.

Neighbourhood Watch

If you are on a high street or in a shopping center then you should be working with your neighbours to ensure that the area is trying its best on the whole, to reduce theft. Sharing information is vital to everyone being on the look out and you should be working as a team to eradicate theft from your stores.

Changes To Make So That Your Hotel Attracts More Customers

By 1 Comment

As a hotel owner, you may feel that you do not have the time to make changes in your hotel or to look at how you can push for new clients. This is the trap that many owners fall into and it is vital that you find a way to step back and take a look at the big picture when it comes to how your hotel is doing.

On you take this time out, you will be able to ensure long term success for your hotel and you will be able to avoid spending your day putting out fires. Let’s take a look at some of the changes which you can make to encourage more customers.

Accessibility

Disability accommodations are very often hard for disabled people to come by, so much so that there are actually specific websites for those who are disabled, so that they can find the hotel that is perfect for them. This is a huge market that you can tap in to and if it is not already, you must ensure that your hotel is fully geared up for people who are disabled and for people who use wheelchairs.

Online Presence

If you are not pushing hard online then you are going to lose out on a great deal of potential clients and you need to start right away and growing your online image. Most people book hotels these days based on what the internet says about them and if you want to generate more customers through your doors, you too will need to push when it comes to how you are perceived online.

Fixes and Engagements

Once you are working hard online, or even if you have an online profile already, you must engage and address any concerns which people may have after they have stayed in your hotel. As the owner, you should take at least a couple of hours out of your week to sit and read through the comments that people have made about your hotel. If they are unfounded, comment, if they are complaining, fix the issue and offer them a discounted stay, if people are happy, thank them and if someone had a terrible time, offer them a free stay and personally make sure that they enjoy it. Word of mouth is more powerful than it has ever been and if you are not responsive to this, you will see less and less clients in your hotel.

Audit

To ensure the best possible hotel experience, you should constantly be auditing each room and service area in your hotel. Ideally you should choose someone who is not linked to the hotel and ask them to come and audit for you. Doing this once a month or so can make sure that you are giving your customers the cleanest and most comfortable hotel experience that they could possibly ask for.

Take you head out of the daily minutiae and focus on pushing the reputation and service of your hotel if you wish to see more people through the door.

Top Online Marketing Trends in 2017

By Leave a Comment

 

As 2017 is now well under way, it is time to review whether the lessons of 2016 have been properly implemented into your digital marketing and SEO strategy. Hopefully, you have registered with a local SEO company and they have implemented all the necessary new information, trends, and rules. But just in case, below are a few of the most important trends that you should pay attention to.

  1. Effective Engagement

Firstly, with competition becoming stronger, only those who find new ways of engagement can still make their mark. This can only be achieved by embracing any new technologies. It is important that you create a memorable and interesting experience for your audience. For many, this is achieved by using social media to share interesting videos. Additionally, they complete sponsored advertisements and you will focus on the various messaging apps as well. Some reports have shown that, if people see a vide they like, 43% of them look for more videos from the same source.

  1. Live Videos

Live video is another very important tool that you will have to implement in your social marketing campaign. This means you will deliver interesting content as and when it happens. Make sure that you work together with an experienced digital marketing agency for this element, as going live also has a number of dangers, not in the least accidental bloopers (which can sometimes go in your favor as well!).

  1. Native Advertising

Native advertising is quite an old way of advertising, but it is making a comeback. Banners are still great ways to pitch products and services online. It is an opportunity to share interesting and meaningful content. The difficulty is creating something unique, however.

  1. Responsive Designs

Websites now have to be mobile responsive is they are to be relevant. There are now 7.22 billion active mobile phones in the world – pretty much as many as what there are people – and they love going online. In fact, in 2015, 2 billion people searched the internet through mobile and, today, that stands at 4 billion, a doubling in just two years.

  1. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is one of the most modern technologies out there. Progress has been somewhat slow, but it is being made. If you get in there now, you will instantly be ahead of the competition. Augmented reality allows your customers to digitally try before they buy.

  1. In Store Marketing

Last but not least, businesses are starting to focus back on their in store marketing as well. While customers are attracted by websites, and look for an enjoyable experience, those that do have a physical store do also want customers to come in there. There seems to have been such a focus on all things digital, that some businesses have forgotten about that. Don’t be one of those businesses and make sure that your physical store is attractive and delivers high quality customer service.

Consumers today have high expectations and only those businesses that can meet those will continue to be relevant.

What Is the Role a Public Relations Firm Can Play?

By Leave a Comment

Source

Do you the role that a PR firm can play in improving your organization? To better understand that, you first have to gain an understanding of what PR is. PR, which stands for “public relations”, is both an art and a science. Specialists get to work on developing a positive brand identity, helping you to build favorable relationships with your chosen audience – the public. This is why it is called “public relations”. Essentially, therefore, they want to make sure that people get to see you in a positive light, trusting you to do what you say you will do.

Understanding PR

PR firms do a lot of different things, all targeted at making sure you, be you an individual, business, or group, develop a positive image among the general public. They communicate information about you, what you stand for, what you do, and who you are, in a way that makes people accept you. They also work on resolving any issues that exist that may cause you to not have a positive reputation yet. They are not advertisers, however, as their goal is not to push forward a specific product or service.

Instead of trying to increase your sales, a PR firm wants to increase your goodwill. Naturally, if goodwill increases, sales usually also increase. However, that isn’t what a PR firm works towards. Rather, they want to make sure that the public knows that you are a genuine expert in your field. They do this through community service programs, speaking engagement, press conferences, news releases, and so on.

What few people know is that a company’s HR department is essentially a form of PR. This is because their goal is to make sure that a business has the right people, who become assets to the business through their productivity, experience, and knowledge. They are also responsible for maintaining a positive relationship between employees and the organization. They do this through various forms of communication. Additionally, they help to motivate employees to be as productive as possible, and work hard to retain them by offering bonuses and incentives. All of this put together ensures that a company has happy, satisfied, productive employees who are committed to the organization because they know it is a good one. Essentially, the HR department creates goodwill among employees, who in turn take this outside of work and create goodwill among the general public.

In today’s world, everything is about communication. Groups, individuals, and businesses can no longer build a name for themselves unless they learn how to communicate properly and where to do this. Hence, the role of PR companies has become increasingly vital in the overall success of an organization. They have important communication tools, techniques, and skills at their disposal to ensure they can manage and build relationships, while at the same time keeping the lines of conversation open at all times. While this sounds easy, it is actually a hugely complex piece of work.