All posts by Steven

CPA
Personal Branding

5 FlexJobs Careers To Work At Home

FlexJobs is one of the best sites to search for work from home careers Whether you are a student, stay-at-home mom, or someone searching for remote jobs, this is one of the best sites to visit.

Even though the site has over one hundred job sections, here are the careers to consider.

1. Data Entry

Data entry flexjobFor someone with excellent typing skills, familiar with basic computer programs, and has good communication skills, data entry is among the best FlexJobs careers to consider.

Data entry is to input numeric, alphabetic, or symbolic data into a computer. As a data entry clerk, you may be asked to key-in data, edit data, or verify some information. You can be hired by administrators of schools or hospitals, business people, or companies.

Types of data entry jobs include data entry clerk, specialist, system coordinator, library assistant, transcribers, administrative assistant, accounting assistant, record coder, research assistant, medical record assistant, word processor, and many others. Even though the jobs may have different titles, most of the tasks are the same.

In this profession, you must be able to maintain a high level of accuracy. Also, you need to be detail-oriented, be a person who can maintain data integrity, and have excellent typing skills. Other essential skills include reading, spelling, grammar, communication, and organizational.

Although some data entry careers do not require any form of training, it is important to have some experience. For instance, if you want to work in a medical field, learning more about medical programs is an added advantage.

Since you will be working from home, you need a good computer, a reliable internet connection, and a good working area.

2. Consulting

Consulting flexjobIf you are an expert in a particular field, you can start a career in consulting. Consulting is to help people solve issues and achieve their business goals.

This is another career with numerous job opportunities at FlexJobs. As a consultant, you need to provide expert advice to a person or company in a particular area. The main aim is to assist them in identifying problems within the organization and help determine the best solutions.

There are different types of consulting careers. They include management consulting, financial consulting, human resource consulting, business consulting, IT consulting, software consulting, sales and marketing consulting, social media consulting, and career and coaching among others.

Companies prefer external consultants since they can easily identify issues that business owners and managers cannot see. Happily, you can work remotely as a consultant.

Some people prefer to work as freelancer consultants while others choose to be hired by consulting firms. Working from home as a consultant comes with flexible schedules.

If you are considering starting a career in consulting, you must be an expert in the area you wish to work in. Also, you have excellent written and verbal communication skills, managerial skills, exceptional problem solving, and analytical skills.

Other preferred qualifications include a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution, 1 or 2 years of experience, advanced knowledge in specific programs, and the ability to lead a team or teams.

3. Freelance writing

Writing flexjobWhen you think of a career in writing, you may consider working as a freelance writer. This is one of the most searched remote jobs at FlexJobs.

It is a career where you can write for coaches, small and big companies, business people, bloggers, or communication companies.

FlexJobs has several work-at-home jobs in the writing field. You can be hired to work as a blogger, content writer, ghostwriter, journalist, or a children’s writer. Luckily, the demand for qualified writers continues to grow every day.

With a writing career, it does not matter when you write. The most vital thing is to deliver high-quality content. It is a career that provides a flexible schedule, good pay, and several benefits. With a good computer and a reliable internet connection, you can start a career as a freelance writer.

Most freelance writing occupations require someone with writing skills. It is also essential to be familiar with writing tools and programs, have several writing samples, and identify the niche you love. This will boost the chances of landing a job at Flexjobs.com.

4. Information technology (IT)

If you are an IT person, information technology is full of career opportunities. You can work for a school, hospital, or a small and big company, among other areas.

Information technology is a wide career. Once you visit FlexJobs remote jobs, you will notice there are many IT openings from large and famous companies. Happily, it comes with good pay and benefits. You can work remotely as a part-time or full-time employee.

The main types of information technology careers include IT consultant, computer forensic investigator, database manager, software engineer, web developer, mobile app developer, IT specialist, and IT manager.

Due to advancements in technology, most companies prefer to hire IT professionals who can work from home. The good news with the information technology profession is that you can work in any industry and there are great growth opportunities. Nevertheless, you need to keep learning due to continuous changes in the sector.

To begin a career in IT, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in computer science is needed. Also, some employers may need someone with several years of IT experience, good communication skills, analytical skills, and the ability to use relevant programs.

5. Accounting and Finance

Accounting flexjobFlexjobs.com is an employment site where you can search for accounting and finance jobs. If you are searching for a career that provides employment flexibility, this is a great career.

Some of the positions in this area include financial consultant, loan coordinator, bookkeeper, auditor, accounts clerk, certified public account, investment analyst, auditor, payroll clerk, accountant, and business instructor. Working remotely in the accounting and finance department means you can work part-time and have flexible scheduling.

To work in this sector, you must be detail-oriented and have a passion to work with numbers. Employers hire people to work in the accounting department who have experience in accounting, have a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting, and can work with basic accounting programs.

For more information about stay-at-home jobs, visit www.limberlink.com.

Planning a group event
Local Branding

How To Host Successful Events 

Hosting a successful event, conference, party, or even a workshop is a  great achievement that is often not given the necessary appreciation. But gathering a couple hundred people in one place and making it work isn’t as easy as it seems. There are a million reasons for holding an event and there are not many guides that can tell you how to do it just right.

There are so many events happening all the time for brand awareness seminars, community meetups, and whatnot. They are really useful but the success rate of these events is not pretty high and you have to consider the reasons for it. Maybe someone wasn’t clear on their agenda or didn’t do enough planning or simply picked the wrong venue. So, creating a successful event can be challenging and it takes up a lot of effort.

For starters, it can be particularly challenging to host a purposeful and successful event. There are so many things that can go wrong. Fortunately, there are many successful event organizers who have given their insights on planning a wonderful event.

Organizing a party

Image by Jamie Hines from Pixabay

Here’s what you can do to make your events successful.

1. Determine the ultimate takeaways of the event

woman talking screen

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Finding the objectives of your event is a good place to start. So, think about the takeaways of your event, why are you making this event happen. All the goals that you set for your event must be measurable so you can actually assess your success by the end of it. Be as specific as possible. Think about all the things like your audience, your value proposition, what would the audience learn from your event, what kind of activities you need to do, how can you measure the success of your event, what is your unique selling point etc. Thinking and finding answers to all these questions will help you establish goals for your event.

2. Finalize your agenda 

You have to be as detailed as possible. You have to figure out how many days or hours will require for the event, the format of your event, whether you will be streaming it if there is going to be networking. All of this will help you in finalizing your agenda.

Meeting venue

Image by Abdulhakeem Samae from Pixabay

3. Find out how much you can spend

You may not know how much you need to spend on your event and if you start thinking of your options you will end up increasing the budget again and again. It’s a constant loop, so don’t go for it. You should research how much it costs to run an event based on the features offered. Once you have enough information, go for making a detailed budget and set your limits. The most common expense is for venue, performers, staff, food, equipment, logistics & activities. Keep some petty cash for emergencies.

4. Find the perfect venue to host successful events

This is one of the most important parts, you have to make sure that the venue is good enough, it is somewhere well known or at least has all the facilities. Lucky for you, there are many event rental locations available online that you can look through. You can just book event space for the time slot or days that you want online. Once you like some venues, you can go for a tour and finalize it.

Planning a group event

Final Words

Just don’t panic too much because if you have done your homework meticulously then there are very fewer chances of it going sideways. It takes some time to learn the ropes but if you have been reading and researching about how to host successful events then you are doing it the right way.

Surfboards
Personal Branding

How To Style Your Surfboard

Surfing is a very common watersport and it is loved by a lot of people. However, you must know that you can style your surfboard in many different ways as per your liking and it gives out a really cool look.

There are two things to consider when decorating your sur board if you are going to use it for riding or just for decoration on walls and around the house. If you want to decorate a surfboard that you want to use it for riding will require more care but the results can be super awesome and professional.

Here are some of the ways to style your surfboard, even if you are not using it, you can still decorate it and keep it as a decor item at home.

Surfer at work

Photo by Clarence Alford from Pixabay

Spray Paint Your Surfboard

One of the ways to decorate your surfboard is by using spray paint. Just clean the surface of the surfboard with the acetone. This step will be good for removing all the dirt and oils that could prevent the paint from sticking to the surface. You will need some 320 grit fine sandpaper as well that will rough up the slick surfaces so you can paint knowing for sure that it will stick. Be sure to hit all the surface areas that you want to paint. You can use tape for parts that you want to keep the original shade. There is also a possibility of using multiple colors by using tape.

Decorated surfboard

Photo by Mig OConnell from Pixabay

Painter’s Tape

There must be a color scheme you would want for your surfboard, so you should mask off each color location. The basic step would be to tape off logos, fin housing, or anything particular that you want to keep original. You may require a different size of tapes and masking paper so you know that you don’t overspray any area

The logos you want to keep must be cut out precisely with razor blades. If you don’t cover up the logos or other designs properly, then there is a good chance that the paint will get it.

Start Off With One Section

Experiment with one section first, the best bet would be to use a primer first, to experiment you should use the same color as the paint would be. Spray painting is not an easy job because you have to keep the even tone and it may not be as easy as it looks in videos. You may end up applying too much in one spot etc.

Once you are sure that you know how to spray paint, lay down a coat of primer and let it dry and then use the sandpaper on it to take it off. If you think you have correctly done it with the primer, it is maybe time that you start painting your surfboard. Apply two thick coats of the color you like. You must also use acrylic-based paint because of its qualities of adhesion, gloss, and color.

Painted surfboards

Photo by Jessica Crawford from Pixabay

Get a Decorative Surfboard

This is for people who aren’t really good at painting or surfboard decor. You can get already decorated or painted surfboards from different vendors selling online and in-store for riding and decorating both purposes.

Painted surboards

Photo by Lecreusois from Pixabay

Before You  Style Your Surfboard

Painting and decorating your own surfboard can be really nice and thrilling but you also have to consider the fact that you can very well mess it up if you haven’t done it before. If you are particularly going for decorating the surfboard to keep it as wall art, it is better to get the already decorated ones and there are many people selling surfboards as art.

Essential oils
Local Branding

Top 5 Essential Oils To Strengthen Your Immune System

If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, work on your immune system. You can only lead a healthy life when the immune system is fully strengthened. There are numerous ways through which you can work on your immune system. One of the most effective ways is to use essential oils. Since essential oils are not something most people use, they are often confused about their uses.

Choosing the best suited essential oil can be a tough decision, but we are here to help you.

Essential oils

 

Tea Tree Essential Oil

While hunting for essential oils for immune system, you must have come across the name tea tree oil, popular option among consumers. People seem to love it due to the range of benefits it has to offer. The most common ones are antibacterial, antifungal properties. In addition to that, it comes with antiviral properties, which is definitely a plus one for your immune system. The best way to use it by placing it in a diffuser in your home so that it can easily fight with the germs in the air. It has proven to be super effective against influenza strains.

Oil diffuser

Photo by Monicore from Pixabay

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Everyone is aware of the benefits the eucalyptus tree has to offer. Eucalyptus essential oil is definitely a must if you are one of those people who easily catch colds and flu. It is considered to be one of the best immune-boosting essential oils. The best part is that it does all the work on the cellular level. Which means more effective and long-lasting results. Studies have found that these are helpful in enhancing the activation of phagocytes. In simpler words, it can easily fight off any harmful foreign agent.

Lavender Essential Oil

Before choosing any essential oil, make sure that its usage is not harmful. Lavender essential oil is the safest option you’re going to find on the list. The best part is that it is almost effective for anything. You can call it an all-rounder. It is extremely helpful in releasing stress levels. If you have trouble sleeping at night, it will definitely help you in getting sound sleep. Your body is only able to perform well when you are well-rested. Your immune system is at its weakest when you have a sleepless/ restless couple of days. It comes with antioxidant properties as well.

hoto by Asyouwish6 from Pixabay

Photo by Asyouwish6 from Pixabay

Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon is another all-rounder on the list that has many benefits to offer. The most outstanding one is the powerful antibacterial property. It is able to act in a small amount of time with strong, long-lasting results. It comes with strong, powerful antioxidants, which are extremely beneficial for your immune system. Other than that, it has d-limonene. It can help in increasing white blood cells. There were multiple studies conducted on its benefits. It was proven that it is extremely helpful in taking care of the liver’s health. Before using, make sure that you take to dilute the solution.

Oregano Essential Oil

 This is another essential oil that has been proven excellent for boosting immunity. There is a huge list of benefits oregano can provide, but the most common ones are antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. It provides exceptional results for the prevention of any kind of infection. It can also help in reducing inflammation. You will definitely love using it, but make sure you’re extremely cautious. It has a warming sensation, due to which it is known as a hot essential oil. If not used with caution, it can be irritating. Make sure that you use it in a diluted form. The best way to use it is through diffusion. This way, the chances of it causing any damage are much lower.

 

Digital marketing agency at work
Digital Branding

Understanding a Digital Marketing Agency

At present, marketing has noticeably evolved. The resources of any reputed digital marketing agency are now among the sought-after marketing solutions for all businesses, regardless of the industry. Digital marketing involves increased use of the internet, not just plain radio ads, television commercials, and posters. The entire marketing spectrum has transformed into more advanced and efficient methods of enticing people.

Marketing in the past could predict where the company was headed to, but not anymore. Conventional ways no longer reach the target market as they used to. Even back in the day, a well-thought-out traditional marketing campaign might not be effective; now, this approach seldom works to attract leads. Thus, firms have to adapt to the change in buying behavior.

Online shopping

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

As technology has made consumers’ buying behavior more complex, minor and major companies are opting for something that can adapt to the transition–digital marketing. Not only does this method work at present, but it will be the most feasible solution in the foreseeable future.

Hiring an experienced digital marketing agency to promoting the business is no longer a new business move. Some owners may still be apprehensive, but it only takes an in-depth understanding of how it works to see their long-term benefits. One of the many advantages is that it allows businesses to stay connected with their customers 24/7.

Digital Marketing Defined

Digital marketing primarily relies on technology to disseminate information and promote the brand to a target audience. Apart from the internet, it uses podcasts, mobile applications, and other digital media avenues to materialize all the relevant data needed to convert leads to paying customers. As time progresses, digital campaigns have proven their efficacy and continue to overpower offline marketing strategies. A seasoned digital marketing agency can strengthen the companies’ presence online quickly.

The Roles of a Digital Marketing Agency

Digital marketing agency at work

Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash

Unlike a conventional marketing agency, a digital marketing agency specializes in results-based marketing strategies on the internet. Their success can be seen in the company’s return on investment (ROI) through measurable marketing tactics.

An experienced digital marketing agency no longer depends on TV commercials, radio, or magazine ads as they are not as interactive as digital methods. With the team’s help, including digital marketing consultants, web developers, strategists, and content writers, they can bring the brand to a whole new level in the digital world and acquire a significant number of leads for the company.

Improving the Business

Targeting customers

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

When hiring a digital marketing firm, it basically means handing over all the marketing tasks to them. Initially, digital marketers will assess the brand’s status and come up with a reliable technique that will maximize the profit margin. The staff will collaborate with the firm to develop productivity and efficiency. Through their inputs, the company can have more defined objectives and identify measurable goals.

Besides, the concentration on gathering information and targeting the traffic necessitates having a clear understanding of the target market, which is usually more precise than firms currently have in them. Through thorough research, the company will recognize a select group of buyers and analyze their buying attitude. Digital marketing agencies perform rigorous research in sorting customers that are best for every company they handle.

Determining the target audience will help draft a message and benefits program tailored for them. The distinct selling proposal that perfectly aligns with every target customer will create a stable connection and eventually transform them into loyal consumers.

Maximize the Company’s Reputation Online

While working on the firm’s online presence, the digital marketing agency will also exploit every marketing tool to develop its online hub. A buyer-focused website provides the opportunity to showcase the brand in the digital world effectively. The agency will help identify the appropriate platforms and mediums to be utilized to reach out to the target audience.

Furthermore, the agency helps position the firm to be a market leader by drafting online content that will strengthen the brand reputation. A seasoned digital marketing agency is capable of implementing highly-effective content techniques to present optimum organic search rankings.

Designing and applying constructive social media marketing tactics will improve the marketing ROI better than the conventional marketing strategies used in the past. Social media marketing has proven its success and continues to deliver promising results to any company regardless of the industry.

Introduce Cheaper Marketing Strategies

Building company reputation

Photo by Le Buzz on Unsplash

Conventional marketing techniques can cost a fortune. Billboards, radio, and television commercials are expensive and take time to produce before they go live. Hiring a digital marketing agent will introduce marketing tools with scalability and filter according to the firm’s target customers. Hence, these strategies can be more cost-efficient.

Physio Newcastle therapy
Local Branding

Chronic Pain Management Therapies for Mind and Body with Physio Newcastle

Both the brain and the body participate in the pain response. The body is constantly sending signals to the brain, and the brain is constantly sending signals to the body. The brain receives pain signals from the body, and the mind makes sense of these pain signals. The mind receives a lot of information all the time, and with training it can begin to understand the signs of chronic pain differently. Mind and body therapies can help change the way the brain “reads” pain signals. They are a way of working with the signals that are constantly lighting up in the body, and can be a very effective method of physio Newcastle therapists use with chronic pain. Talk to your healthcare provider about trying one or more of the therapies listed below.

Therapies That Can Be Learned at Physio Newcastle (Active Therapies)

yoga class

Photo by Anupam Mahapatra on Unsplash

Yoga is a physical meditation that allows the body and mind to relax. It is also an effective way to gain more flexibility. An important part of yoga focuses on breathing. You will learn how the breath and the body work together. This can be helpful in managing pain and is something you can practice on your own.

Relaxation, visualization, and meditation are methods to relax your muscles and learn how to focus in a certain way. Focusing can lessen the pain sensation or help you get through the pain – an effective skill that helps a lot in cases of chronic pain and that you can learn to do without depending on another.

Coping skills are ways of feeling that you have more control and might use humor, distraction, or positive thinking to put pain in its place. Chronic pain is stressful, so knowing how to manage stress can be helpful. There are many coping tools that you can learn and have on hand.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a method in which you work with a therapist to learn how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors play a role in pain. It has been studied in depth and there is evidence that proves that it is an effective tool for physio Newcastle therapists use for pain management.

Biofeedback is an active way to take control of pain and of what you feel continuously. With this tool, you can “hear” the signals that are transmitted between the brain and body, and you can learn to work with them to help fight pain.

Self-hypnosis is a tool that consists of training the mind to change the perception of pain, combining relaxation and visualization, and allowing pain to work differently.

The value you get from these therapies will depend on the degree to which they become part of your daily life. As with any other skill, all of them become easier with practice and doing therapies offered for physio at Newcastle.

Psychological Counseling and Support Groups

Support group therapy

Photo by Phil Coffman on Unsplash

Chronic pain support groups can help you feel less isolated and offer advice for coping with pain. Plus, they’re a place you can go to find out you’re not alone. Sometimes chronic pain is difficult because you feel that no one understands it, but support groups can be a place to feel understood.

Support groups for an underlying condition can help you learn more about managing that condition and the pain it causes. They can help you live better with pain.

Therapies Performed by a Third Party (Passive Therapies)

Acupuncture therapy

Photo by Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash

Massages help you relax and can also help relieve some types of muscle and joint pain.

Acupuncture and acupressure are treatments that apply small needles or pressure to certain places on the body to stimulate the body’s natural pain control system.

Chiropractic is a treatment based on manipulation of the spine, which can be useful to relieve some types of back pain.

Certain vitamins and medicinal herbs may work for some conditions that cause chronic pain, but they can interact with the medications you take; therefore, be sure to check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before trying them.

It is important to remember that none of these therapies will completely eliminate pain. The best approach is to use several different therapies that work for you, combined with the support of others and working with your healthcare provider. It is possible to live well despite chronic pain and it is better to learn to do it with the help of others.

5 Tips to Manage Chronic Pain

Physio Newcastle therapy

Photo by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Some patients with chronic pain are referred to the Pain Unit of their hospital. In these units, a global treatment is made that associates pharmacological treatment with specific techniques from physio Newcastle with some to improve pain.

Here are some recommendations that can help control chronic pain.

  • You must comply with the pharmacological treatment prescribed by the doctor, using the drugs correctly and respecting the doses and the intervals between them.
  • Do not use other pain medications on your own if you have severe kidney, liver, or heart disease. Likewise, if you take any anticoagulant medication.
  • Try to know the characteristics of your pain, location, intensity, and duration, as well as the factors that make it worse, in order to adapt your daily activities.
  • Be aware that situations of anxiety or depression can worsen the pain, so do not isolate yourself, maintain your family, work, and social life.
  • Perform gentle physical exercise such as swimming, cycling, yoga, walking, or specific strengthening exercises, such as the back. Don’t smoke and avoid being overweight that can overload your joints.
Digital BrandingPersonal Branding

How to Leverage Your Instagram Account for Marketing Campaigns?

Year after year, social media see a subtle increase in the number of users, especially Instagram, which now has more than one billion users. It’s not a surprise that many companies turn to this popular social media channel to carry on their marketing activities. 

In fact, brands are doing a great job on Instagram; almost 90% of Instagrammers follow a brand on Instagram. 

So, if you run a business and want to promote it on Instagram, you need to have a clear marketing strategy, because the virtual world is wholly different from traditional marketing.  

In the following, I’m going to show you how to employ Instagram to its full potential and promote your marketing campaigns based on the goals you wish to achieve. Here’s a graphic to cast a glance at:

Why is Instagram Perfect for Running a Marketing Campaign?

  • Instagram tools are free
  • Instagram marketing campaigns can be easily measured
  • You have unlimited access to potential customers all over the world
  • It is suitable for any business
  • Instagrammers love to consume products and services they find on Instagram

Top Marketing Campaign Goals that you Can Achieve Using Instagram

You may have many reasons to run an Instagram campaign, from announcing your new product to establish a better relationship with your potential customers. The good news is, no matter what your goal is, Instagram can help you achieve it.

#1 Marketing Campaign Goal on Instagram: Increase Your Brand Awareness

Although many businesses use their page only to sell their product and services, Instagram can be incredibly helpful for enhancing brand awareness. 

How can you make your brand more visible on Instagram? Easy; start gaining more followers and start engaging with them. 

You may hire an Instagram manager or use Instagram management apps to cut the expenses. If you don’t have any experience using these managing apps, you can try using those that offer Instagram followers trial to see if it meets your expectations. 

#2 Marketing Campaign Goal on Instagram: Increase sale

Instagram Shoppable was a revolutionary feature that the company introduced. If your marketing goal is to increase your sale on Instagram, a combination of Instagram Shop and Instagram Ads can be immensely helpful.

Instagrammers can access to shops in their Explore page and pay for the items on the app, which makes the shopping so much easier. Moreover, you can use Instagram ads to attract specific customers based on age, location, and gender.

To have an Instagram Shop, you need to have a business account and a Facebook catalog. Don’t forget that you can only sell goods on Instagram Shop, and not services.  

#3 Marketing Campaign Goal on Instagram: Introduce New Products or Services

You can use Instagram tools such as feed posts, IGTV, Live, and especially Stories, to introduce your new products and services.

Instagram Stories can be handy as they enable you to be more flexible and funny. You can use a wide range of tools available on Stories, such as a countdown sticker, to gain your followers’ attention for the upcoming products’ announcement.  

#4 Marketing Campaign Goal on Instagram: Target New Customers

With Instagram, you can focus on finding specific customers. For example, if you want to attract local customers, you can use geotags and locations hashtags that contain your city or neighborhood name. 

Another great way to target a specific audience is to use influencers. Usually, influencers’ followers come from particular demographics. For example, a beauty influencer might have more teenage and young women in her audience.

By investing in specific influencers for promoting your less-common products that might have a particular audience, you can save the budget and avoid mass advertisements.

Just be careful about fake influencers! These people use fake likes and followers to show you they have a high level of engagement. Want to spot them? Read this.

#5 Marketing Campaign Goal on Instagram: Improve Customer Relationships

Want to engage your customers with your brand, make them loyal, and even gain the trust of other followers? What is better than running an Instagram user-generated content campaign to do that?

Besides the fact that user-generated content is authentic and considered a free advertisement for your brand on the platform, it can significantly help you with the time-consuming process of content creation.

Many major brands, such as @gopro and @airbnb, constantly run Instagram UGC campaigns to maintain and enhance their engagement with the customers. 

Another great way to improve your relationship with customers on Instagram is by responding to them promptly on the platform. When you publish a post on Instagram, many (potential) customers ask questions about their purchases, new products, or even complaints about an issue they experienced with your brand. It is crucial to answering these queries quickly and with the right language. 

Don’t forget that people are more impatient on social media. They expect a reply in less than one hour!   

Final words

An active Instagram marketing can make a massive difference for your business. If managed correctly, the Instagram campaign can help you enter new markets, grow market share, and even improve stakeholder relations.

About the author

I’m Rezvan, a freelance copywriter at SocialPros where I write about Instagram marketing. I’m a Potterhead, resistant to caffeine overdose, and love old songs.

Digital BrandingLegal BrandingLocal BrandingPersonal Branding

17 Tips for Starting and Succeeding in Your Own Offline Marketing Business 

How to start your own business in offline marketing when online is dominating?  You have to show potential customers the benefits of using offline tools. According to Statista, almost 40% of marketers worldwide consider offline campaigns important. 

Here are 17 tips for starting your own business in offline marketing. Besides offline, start-ups, the hints can help marketing specialists to promote a brand beyond the online realm.

1. Newspaper Ads

Newspaper ads are rather cost-effective. Many people are still buying them. For example, universities and schools always have some. You can post an ad there if it’s the place where your target audience exists. All in all, it’s a good advertising tool when starting a business.

2. Media Giveaways

The media is always eager to take some free products or gift certificates as prizes. TV shows and radio regularly host competitions. They will distribute your samples or gift certificates as prizes. In return, customers will have a chance to try a product or service.

3. Free Publicity

Some media are looking for stories to write. You can use this to promote a brand if you are starting a business with no money. All you have to do is to find relevant media and share your story with them. 

4. Free Samples

Giveaways are always a good idea. It’s a working way to attract customers, promote brand awareness, and let potential clients try out your product or service. You can give samples for free or launch a competition and reward the winners.

5. Networking

Connections matter. Especially if you are looking for ways to minimize costs. Joining local clubs, business communities, etc., opens new horizons. You can learn valuable insights and acquire new connections. All this will help to run the business cheaper.

6. Educational Workshops

We live in an era of meaningful connections. Customers look for value. They want to see more than just a product to use. That’s why educational workshops are an excellent idea to attract such an audience. By the way, sharing knowledge is probably the cheapest business to start.

7. Handouts

Who hasn’t heard about flyers, coupons, and handouts? It’s an ever-working cheap marketing tool. All you have to do is to print a lot of flyers and hand them out in a crowded place. Keep in mind: you should distribute them within an area where your target audience exists. Online companies like Lasting Trend agency can work to a wide audience. But in offline marketing, this is not permissible.

8. Trade Shows

Trade shows help to promote your brand in a niche. Usually, it’s a narrow-filed event, where you will find predominantly your target audience. Although usually participation is paid, the fee isn’t high. Especially if we are speaking about local events.

9. Direct Mail

Direct mail allows businesses to target specific geographic markets. It’s cost-effective: you may pay about 50 cents per piece only. Moreover, it’s an amazing way to stand out in the era of digital.

10. Banners

Banners are an ever-lasting offline marketing tool that keeps proving its efficiency. Many companies like Fortunavisual considered them as the basis when starting offline marketing business campaign. However, it requires a specific approach and professional equipment.

11. Cross Promotions

Although cross-promotions are widespread in retail, you can turn to them regarding the industry. Basically, it’s a situation when companies with related services or products promote each other. This is usually done for free, considering a mutually-beneficial effect.

12. Business Cards

Business cards are an element of branding. They are compact yet comprise all the main data. Therefore, they are ideal for cheap offline marketing strategies. Distribute them everywhere your potential clients may be.

13. Gift Certificates

Offer your potential and existing clients gift certificates. If a person doesn’t know you, it’s a way to let him try you out. If he deals with you, it’ll enhance his loyalty.

14. Cold Calls

To create a business plan, you need to think through ways how to attract clients. One of the traditional ways is cold calls. You will have to cover relatively small costs.

15. Host a Party

Who doesn’t like parties? You can host one devoted to your grand opening or anniversary. Many people are likely to come if you offer an entertaining program.

16. Sponsorship

You can become a sponsor of a local event or a sports team. In return, you will gain access to all the visitors or fans. It’s a good way to make the world hear your name.

17. Interviews

Interviews in local magazines or newspapers are a working tool for promoting an offline business. Radio and TV shows are also a good opportunity to increase your brand awareness among existing and potential customers. Just stay honest and open.

Here are 17 ideas for offline marketing. Do you consider offline ads performing? Please, share your opinion with us!

Legal BrandingLocal BrandingPersonal Branding

How to Throw a Memorable Corporate Event 

From organizing a Christmas party for your investors to sharing a milestone with your business partners – throwing a memorable corporate event is always a must. This will make you look more professional, but also more friendly and outgoing than most people knew you are. Turning your corporate events into memorable moments you’re going to cherish forever might not be easy, but it’s the only way to make all your plans come true. If you’re planning to do that soon as well, here are a few tips that might help you quite a lot.

Create a guest list

This should be the first item on your list regardless of what sort of happening you’re planning. You need to know what to consider when planning an event. From a simple birthday party to a massive corporate event – knowing who’s supposed to come and who’s not is essential. Creating a guest list might not look like the easiest thing in the world, but it’s actually not that hard either. 

It’s all about using simple yet effective tricks that go a long way – including all your important business partners and potential investors, organizing all your guests in certain categories, updating your database regularly, and making sure everyone has confirmed they’re coming to your event. Doing that will help you come up with the best guest list in the world without spending too much time, money, or energy.

Define your budget

Speaking of money, this is another crucial issue you should look into as soon as possible. Spending a ton of money doesn’t mean your corporate event is going to be a major success, and vice versa. Still, you need to define your budget and take every single detail of the event in it. 

From your catering to your open bar – everything has to be perfect unless you want your event to turn into a complete failure. In case you realize you don’t have enough money after all, you should consider canceling your event instead of throwing a party that’s going to embarrass you and your company. You may not be aware of the things that look cheap, but your guests definitely will, and that’s not something they’re going to appreciate, so either be bold and go all in or don’t throw a party at all.

Celebrate a milestone

From time to time, simple corporate events turn into something else and deserve more attention than you’ve planned. When you’re celebrating a milestone, you have to try extra hard to organize an event that’s going to be memorable. Milestones mark an end of one era and the beginning of the next, but they’re also a sign that you’re doing something right with your company, so they deserve your full attention.

So, when celebrating a milestone, you have to do things you wouldn’t do for your ordinary corporate events. Booking a special guest speaking, looking into those professional audio video rentals and hire that will help you bring everything to a whole new level, and finding an amazing venue everyone will love are just some of the ways to do that. Keep in mind that milestones come and go, but the way you treat them shows the world what kind of person you are, and that has always been vital in the world of business.

Hire a planner

Doing everything on your own and trying to turn your corporate event into a night you’ll remember is quite all right, but there’s one huge problem in this plan – you’re not a professional planner, are you? Just because you’re a successful business person and are great at what you do doesn’t mean you’ll be a successful event planner as well. 

Luckily, there are people who do this for a living, and they’re the ones you need to contact. Hiring a professional planner might seem obsolete and unnecessary at first, but once you start discovering how many things need to be done – you’ll be happy to pay them whatever they’re asking for. Doing this comes with a number of benefits, so be sure to take this idea into consideration before it’s too late!

Throwing a memorable corporate event doesn’t have to be too hard, as long as you follow these simple steps. Take your time and look into these tips, and you’ll surely be able to throw the most amazing corporate event in the history of your company! 

Legal Branding

Stay Safe- Long-Term Legal Protection Strategy For Your Brand

Running a business is nothing short of climbing a mountain- you have to play multiple roles as an entrepreneur, accountant, salesperson, and more. Things get even tougher if your small company grows into a successful brand as you have a reputation to protect. The last thing you would want is lawsuits but they are more common than you may believe. Time and again, you may face one from customers, employees, partners, or third-parties due to various reasons. What’s more, you may not be guilty in a majority of cases.

Obviously, it makes sense to have a legal protection strategy in place to safeguard your brand, whether you are at fault or not. Although there is no one-size-fits-all formula to stay safe, you can take some measures for adequate protection according to your needs and situation. While these measures may vary from business to business, here are some common ones that you can depend on.

Know your regulations

First things first, it is vital to know the regulations that your business needs to comply with. These may vary according to your business niche, legal structure, and corporate governance. From taxes to data privacy and environmental regulations, there is a lot more to deal with. You may also come across special regulations like the ones applicable in the COVID era. Ideally, you must do extensive research to understand the norms that apply to your business. Taking legal guidance from an expert is a better approach. The implications for non-compliance can be serious, so you must go the extra mile for knowing all the laws and policies and adhering to them.

Keep your paperwork strong

The biggest concern for relatively new brands is that they tend to go slack with the paperwork, which often lands them in deep trouble. Whether you are a newbie or an established brand, keep your paperwork strong. Every time you start a new relationship with another party, whether a client, supplier, or partner, you should have a well-documented written contract. It is vital to ensure trust and manage disputes if they arise at any point in time. Not just having agreements is important, make sure that you update them regularly if they expire or there is a change in clauses.

Prioritize safety for employees and consumers

One of the most common legal pitfalls for brands is personal injuries of employees and customers. You may come across personal injury litigation once or more, with reasons varying from workplace injuries, slip and fall accidents, product liability cases and business vehicle accidents. Mishaps with business vehicles can be the most complicated because they can involve injuries of an employee, customers or third parties. The victims will probably hire the best car accident attorneys with years of experience to file a compensation claim costing a fortune. Having a safe work culture can prevent such incidents in the first place. Further, you will need an expert to defend your brand in case of a lawsuit.

Learn about labor laws

Since you will probably have a team of employees working for you, there is a need to understand your legal responsibilities and obligations as an employer. Understanding employment laws is the key to preventing labor disputes that can be expensive in terms of time, money, and reputational implications. Moreover, you may end up losing good talent in the market because no one wants to work for a brand that is negative in terms of workforce wellness and culture.

Get familiar with intellectual property

One of the tricky subjects for brands is intellectual property but it deserves attention because it also happens to be a common cause of lawsuits. To make things worse, infringement of intellectual property can cost you millions of dollars in damages. So it is valuable to know all about IP laws and make sure that you are not using the registered intellectual property for your branding initiative at any stage. Extensive market research plays a significant role when it comes to steering clear of copyright issues.

When your brand faces a lawsuit in the course of business, you will need a lawyer to defend your case. But it would be a smart move to have a legal expert in your team on a regular basis. They can save you from a lot of trouble with relevant advice and quick action if a lawsuit appears to be around the corner at any point in time. Look for a lawyer or law firm with a good reputation in the corporate landscape and check their expertise and experience as well.