Steven – Page 57 – Altitude Branding

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Safeguard Your Business Against IRS: Here’s How

Steven on November 5, 2019

Getting in trouble with the IRS is the last thing that you would want to do. For this reason, it is always advisable to be regular with your tax returns and payments. A major concern for taxpayers is criminal charges by the IRS. If you are going through investigation or expect a potential audit coming up, you need to be aware of the situations when the authorities may file criminal charges against you.

Though this may sound scary, remember that you will not get implicated unless you have intentionally done something seriously wrong. Honest mistakes, on the other hand, are not illegal and you will probably not go to jail for them. The key lies in being proactive and knowledgeable so that you can get help when you require it for preventing such a situation. Here are some facts that you should know about criminal charges by the IRS against the taxpayers.

Tax fraud can implicate you

Deliberately cheating on your tax returns is a crime and will definitely not be taken lightly by the IRS. If you misrepresent your annual income on the return to avoid paying taxes, you are doing a tax fraud. Once the IRS is able to prove that you did the fraud intentionally, they will go ahead and prosecute you for tax fraud. The burden of proof in such cases lies in the tax authorities, which is the reason that the IRS would rather avoid such cases. But if you are found guilty of tax fraud, be ready for jail time and large fines as well.

Tax evasion can also lead to criminal proceedings

Tax evasion is essentially a subset of tax fraud and carries similar penalties because it is also intentional. Evasion involves misrepresenting the true state of your affairs to the authorities just to reduce the amount of tax that you need to pay. Obviously, this will not be a mistake and you will know when you are intentionally claiming an income lesser than the actual. Similarly, overstating your deductions significantly is a form of evasion. Even making large and questionable donations to charities for claiming deductions comes under the scope of evasion. Such situations can also cause criminal charges by the IRS.

There are certain red flags that the IRS will look for

When it comes to initiating a criminal investigation, the IRS will consider certain red flags that indicate fraud or evasion. Experts at Travis W. Watkins Tax Resolution & Accounting Firm have a checklist of the indicators of wrongdoings that the IRS may bear while considering criminal charges against a taxpayer. Here are the ones that may put you under the lens:

Consistently underreporting your income
Destroying your records deliberately
Maintaining inadequate or shady accounting records
Concealing your assets intentionally
Dealing exclusively in cash
Illegal activities
Fictitious deductions
Omission or understatement of substantial amounts of money
Refusing to cooperate with an examiner or auditor
The irrational explanation for the behavior

Unintentional mistakes will not implicate you

While the IRS will definitely not spare you for fraud and evasion, they will not implicate you for unintentional mistakes. Being negligent with your tax returns and payments is also not illegal. When you do it without wrong intentions, you are not lying about your income or concealing it deliberately. These are genuine mistakes and the authorities are trained and experienced enough to make out the difference. You should not be concerned about criminal proceedings in such situations because they will probably not happen. At the same time, you should make your best efforts to avoid such mistakes. Hiring a tax professional to handle your returns and payments is the best approach in this context.

Prosecution by the IRS is less common than you imagine

If the IRS approaches you with a grave matter such as audit, evasion or fraud, you should take it seriously. Rather than having a panic attack, you should seek help from a tax attorney and respond properly. Scary as a criminal case by the IRS may sound, it is less common than you imagine. Statistics indicate that it is very rare for a taxpayer to be investigated for fraud. Further, the rate of prosecution in such criminal proceedings is also low. Despite this, you should still be genuine and honest with your returns and taxes to avoid the situation in the first place. If you are still worried about an impending criminal investigation or charges by the IRS, you should see a tax lawyer sooner rather than later.

Local Branding

The Complete Guide on Outdoor Current Transformers

Steven on November 5, 2019

Let’s start with the necessary knowledge you need to understand what outdoor current transformers are and how they work.

What Is a Transformer, and How Does it Work?

A transformer is an electrical apparatus that is designed to convert alternating current from one voltage to another. It can be planned to either “step up” or “step down” works and voltages based on the magnetic induction principle. A transformer has no moving parts. This means that it’s an entirely static and solid-state device made to insure under normal operating conditions a long and hassle-free life.

A transformer is made of two or more coils of insulated wire wound which are placed on a laminated steel core. When voltage is introduced to one coil (the primary), it magnetizes the iron core. Then the voltage is induced into the other coil, which is called the output or secondary coil. The change of voltage, also known as voltage ratio, between the secondary and the primary is affected by the turns ratio of the two coils.

What Are Outdoor Current Transformers?

Current transformers, also known as “CT”, are devices used to transform current from high to low. In this way, power can be controlled and measured. This type of transformers can convert current to an accurate ratio so to allow an attached instrument to receive the current without running full power through the tool itself.

An outdoor current transformer has a primary coil made with one or more turns of heavy wire. It is always connected in series in the circuit where the current is measured. The secondary coil is made of many turns of fine wire, which should always be connected across the ammeter terminals.

Outdoor current transformers are made of a core as well as a primary and a secondary winding. In particular, when an alternating current flows through the primary winding, that’s when a magnetic flux is created. Then it induces an alternating current in the secondary winding. After that, this alternating current is proportional to the current located in its primary.

Besides, outdoor current transformers are also known as “step-down transformers”. Once the current is reduced, you can safely monitor and measure it with an ammeter. Outdoor current transformers can perform circuit control. They can also play roles for current limiting and safety protection.

Here is where you can find outdoor current transformers:

Electrical substations
Generating stations
Commercial electric power distribution

What Are The Main Types of Outdoor Current Transformers?

Wound Current Transformer – This type of outdoor current transformer is connected physically in series to the conductor. The conductor carries the measured current and lets it flow in the circuit. The magnitude of the secondary current depends a lot on the turns ratio of the transformer.
Toroidal Current Transformer – These outdoor current transformers are shaped like a doughnut and don’t contain a primary winding. Besides, the line carrying the current, which is flowing in the network, is threaded through a hole or window in the toroidal outdoor current transformer. This type of outdoor current transformers is highly efficient and yet creates a minimal excess noise while at the same provide little excess leakage inductance.
Bar-type Current Transformer – This type of outdoor current transformer relies on the actual table or bus-bar of the main circuit. That’s its primary winding, which equals to a single turn. Bar-type outdoor current transformers are entirely insulated from the high operating voltage of the system. Besides, they are usually bolted to the device which is carrying the device.

How Do You Select Outdoor Current Transformers?

Determine the primary voltage and frequency you need
Select the secondary voltage that best suits your needs
Establish the capacity required in volt-amperes. You can do so by multiplying the load current (amperes) by the load voltage (volts) for single-phase. You should always select a transformer which is larger than the actual load.

Conclusion

Now that you are more familiar with the concept of outdoor current transformers, it’s time to get yours. You can spend hours online searching for a suitable option, but we wouldn’t suggest you do that. That’s why we would recommend Guangdong Sihui Instrument Transformer Works as one of the most reliable outdoor current transformer manufacturers. Visit their official website to learn more.

Local Branding

3 Aspects to Consider When Finding the Best Under Bridge Inspection Truck

Steven on November 5, 2019

Deteriorating and damaged bridges are a major concern to the transport infrastructure companies. Currently, there are over 500,000 bridges that are more than 40 years of age. Not only is that one in every nine of these bridges considered deficient. What’s more, these bridges are nearing their initial service life.

Millions of dollars are used to inspect these bridges and to make sure they are structurally sound and functional. Bridges are a vital component to the economic growth of a country. With you have poor bridges, it means that goods will be delayed to the port and also to the market. And that where the under-bridge inspection truck takes the whole bridge inspection routine to a whole new level.

Not only does the bridge inspection truck make the work more manageable, but it also ensures efficiency and overall productivity of the whole team.

Finding the best under Bridge Inspection Truck

For you to get the best under bridge inspection vehicle, there are a few factors that you have to have in mind. Here are some of the considerations you should think of when buying an under-bridge inspection vehicle.

1. Location

We all know how difficult it can be to find the right bridge inspection truck for sale. On top of that, you might not always find legit bridge inspection vehicle manufacturers. That is why it’s always a good idea to find a manufacturer near you. Or even a manufacturer that has an excellent customer support platform. In case any issues arise with the equipment, you will be able to access the team that builds the vehicle.

2. Purpose of the Bridge

There are different types and sizes of bridges. This will majorly dictate the type and level of maintenance the bridge needs. Therefore, if you know the purpose of the bridge you will be working on, then you can identify the type of under bridge inspection vehicle to use.

3. Manufacturer

Each company has its own regulations and products. So, it’s always a good idea to do a background check on the company you are planning to buy the under-bridge vehicle from. Take a long look at the company’s credentials to see whether it has obtained the certifications required to produce under bridge inspection trucks. More to that, check on the feedback from their previous buyers. With that information, you will know what to expect from the vehicle.

Before You Go…

As you can see, where you buy your under-bridge inspection equipment matters a lot. Aside from having a team inspecting the bridge, you will also need the right vehicle. That said, check out some of the best platform type Bridge inspection vehicles that will help improve your services.

The good news is, at Hangzhou Special Automobile, you will get a range of different under the bridge inspection vehicles for you. It is a professional manufacturer certified to ISO9001:2008, ISO14001:2004 and GB/T28001, with whom you will get the best inspection vehicle that will serve you for years to come. Its top-of-the-line under-bridge inspection trucks are widely used in South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Zambia, and Maldives. Take your time and go through the inspection available.

Local Branding

Bat Removal In Grand Rapids

Steven on November 4, 2019

Grand Rapids is a city of constant economic expansion. With no signs of slowing down, Grand Rapids continues to grow and add to its stock of homes, businesses, and other buildings. However, as the city soars to new heights, local bat species have less room to spread their wings. In constant search for safe shelter, bats are now turning to residential and commercial properties for vacant space to settle down. This has created an expanded need for professional bat removal.

Bat Trapping Troubles

Bats are intelligent creatures, but they often can’t tell the difference between n building where they are unwelcome and an underground cave. Once bats enter your home or business, they can quickly roost, reproduce, and start to raise their young. Typically, a multitude of bats gather in the same roost to spend maternity season in a safe and contained colony. Unfortunately, this means that your infestation can double within just a few months.

Although bats can bring devastating damage to your building, there are severe consequences for dealing with them on your own. Multiple bat species are state- endangered and protected by Michigan law, which means unlicensed removal is prohibited. Unless you seek professional wildlife management for your bat infestation, you’re at risk of violating the law while putting wild animals in harm’s way.

Dangers of DIY Bat Removal

Removing bats and moving on from their mess takes time and careful cleanup, and one false step anywhere in the process could cause severe damage. For example, conducting a faulty exclusion could accidentally trap bats within a confined space and fatally injure them inside your home or business—leaving behind a foul odor that could potentially attract even more animals. Likewise, mishandling bat guano could cause airborne spores to spread disease and severe infection. Some of the most common contagions spread by bats include:

● Histoplasmosis – an infectious disease that can cause symptoms ranging from fever to fatality
● Rabies – which requires immediate medical attention to remedy severe symptoms

To limit the risk of infection to you or your residents, tenants, guests, and pets, the exclusion of bats from your home or business should only be attempted by professional pest removers.

Signals of a Bat Infestation

A bat infestation isn’t always obvious. However, there are a few signs that definitely indicate an issue. Although you won’t be able to narrow down the exact species, here are some warning signals to tell if your pest problem is the result of bat behavior.

● Visible bat feces in piles of thin, black pellets
● Bat sightings near your property around dusk or dawn
● Grease marks near entry points, or on walls, ceilings, and floors
● Rustling and squeaking noises during late hours
● Sights or strong smells of urine

If the above signs are present in your building, contact expert pest removal services immediately to survey your space, understand the details of your wildlife issue, and quickly get started on a humane solution to carefully guide your property from removal to restoration.

Grand Rapids Bat Removal and Prevention

If bats are getting comfortable in your Grand Rapids property, the team of trained pest removal technicians at Critter Control® of Grand Rapids can control your bat problem and create a system that keeps your property in prime condition while still ensuring the safety of protected bats. Starting with your first inspection, the source of your infestation will be determined and a systematic approach will be designed to alleviate your bat problems. Then, local and state wildlife laws will be consulted to ensure a humane and regulated removal. Finally, all entryways will be sealed, interior spaces sanitized, and any damage to your attic and insulation will be restored.

Legal Branding

How To Make Sure You Get The Right Bail Bondsman?

Steven on November 4, 2019

The thing that you need to do immediately when someone from your family or friends get arrested is that get the person released on bail. The nature of the case and the current state laws around it determine the bond amount. If you know a trusted bail bondsman in the city, such as Castle Bail Service Columbus , you can expect the bail bond process to go smoothly. The person can come out of jail as soon as the company pays the bond. However, to ensure everything goes in the right order, you have to pay attention to a few things.

Bail bond process

As you may know, accuse has to pay some money as bail to get rid of the imprisonment temporarily. It is a form of guarantee that the person will visit the court at a scheduled date and time as required. The magistrate decides the amount, which the accused can pay himself or ask his dear ones to deposit. In this process, they may take the help of a bail bondsman. A bail bond company mediates between the government and the accused as it assumes the responsibility that the person will attend the court hearing. The company charges a fee for the service. If the accused doesn’t appear in court, the bonds company has to clear the amount to the government.

Usually, these companies charge 10% of the total bail amount from clients. Anyway, you should know how much the firm would take before you hire it. You will need to sign an agreement, too, and pay back the rest of the amount as per the negotiation.

Online search

You can find a reliable bail bonds company online. Make sure to look at the reviews, if possible. What others are saying about the service can reveal if you should opt for it or not. When you go through a couple of them, do pay attention to their background and experience. The companies should be trustworthy and reputable. Else, you can talk to your lawyer also for a reference. Since they have to deal with them frequently, you can get a useful contact for your needs quickly.

However, make sure you don’t believe anyone blindly. Check the status of the license the company holds. Sometimes, the charges of misconduct or legal action from a client can result in restriction or revocation of their license. So, be sure to find out if the concerned bail bondsman is facing any such issue. Plus, be specific about how much the company would charge and what they need to post bail.

Contract

Signing agreement is mandatory. Before you seal a deal, read all the terms and conditions carefully. For example, if you have convinced the bondman about partial payment of the fee along with monthly installments, then it should find mention in the papers. Plus, it should also declare the interest rate (if any) charged by the company. Then, these companies can ask for collateral, where you may have to pledge your home or some other asset. Any terms or conditions around it should also feature in the documents. And, yes, don’t forget to collect invoices.

Since honest bail bonds companies understand the pain of the defendant and are conscious about their reputation, you would not have to worry about their services.

Local Branding Personal Branding

8 Outstanding Customer Service Tips

Steven on October 30, 2019

Having outstanding customer service is the best way to make your business stand out from the competition and keep customers loyal and buying your products. If you want to ensure that you are giving the best that you can, follow the tips listed below.

1. Know Your Products

This may seem like a given, but you may be surprised at you and your staff’s inability to answer some of your customer’s most common questions. Before you are able to offer outstanding customer service, make sure you and all your employees know the products inside and out and can anticipate and answer any questions that might arise.

2. Have Trained Staff

Every person on your team should know what is expected of them when they interact with customers. Even if it’s not in their job description to have contact with customers on a daily basis, you never know when they might have to fulfill this role. Make sure they know how to talk to and act around customers. This will ensure that customers get the best service no matter who they talk to on your staff.

3. Be Respectful

Often, when a person is dealing with customer service, there will be emotions involved. That person might be upset or disappointed about your product or service, and they may not be able to keep themselves under control. When you and your employees deal with this person, be respectful of the customer’s position and don’t let you or your employee’s emotions make the situation worse.

The goal is to make the customer feel better about what happened—they may not always walk away happy, but they should walk away in a better mood when they approached. It can be hard to deal with an emotional individual, but if you and your employees stay calm and cool, this will ensure that the problem can be worked out without anyone else getting upset.

4. Listen

Listening to your customers is one of the most important aspects of giving outstanding service. Not only does it involve hearing what they are saying, but it also means taking into account their tone and body language. These can giveaway that the customer is upset, and listening to what they have to say will help you find the best solution to their problem.

5. Be Responsive

It can be incredibly frustrating and upsetting for a customer to be looking for service and be denied. Whether they are trying to talk to someone in person, on the phone, or online, the longer they have to wait, the more their emotions are going to take over. It’s better to let them know that someone isn’t available at the moment but will get back to them as soon as possible than to just leave them hanging. It still might make your customers upset, but at least they’ll know that someone will be getting back to them.

Of course, you can’t just say that someone will be getting back to them and not follow through. Make sure the customer is contacted in the promised timeframe to deliver outstanding customer service and make them happy.

6. Correct Customers the Right Way

There was a point in time when the motto was that the customer was always right. This led to a lot of problems and people who felt entitled—even though they weren’t. When a customer calls in to get service and you or your employees know they have been misinformed, make sure to correct them in the right way.

Consider saying something like, “I would really like to help you, but you have been given some incorrect information.” This lets them know that you will still work with them and opens them up to the correct information.

7. Get Feedback

If you really want to know how to improve your customer service, ask the customers directly. You can do this through surveys or by having ScoutMI Mystery Shopping come in and scout out the place. This will let you know what is being done right and what needs to be improved.

8. Be Kind

The most important thing you can do to have outstanding customer service is to be kind. It takes no effort to say nice things and make a customer feel good, but it can have a lasting and mood-changing impact.

Legal Branding

How Does A Short Term Loan Benefit Your Business?

Steven on October 30, 2019

Every business needs to maintain a minimum financial balance in order to carry out smooth operations. Seeking a loan or a credit from a financial institution is a very common practice. And, there are many options available in the market as well.

Still, a quick boost in cash deposits for any small business is best met with short term loans. For example, you can get a short term loan here, and clear of your outstanding debts to start afresh. They are easy to get and repay, and offer the much-needed flexibility without burdening the borrower with long-term repayments of the loan.

So, what exactly are these short term loans?

Simply put, like any other loan, short term loans are also credits that can be secured from a financial institution. There is an interest to be paid by the borrower on the principle amount borrowed, according to a monthly installment plan. The only difference lies in the term for which these loans are offered. Usually, the term for such loans range between 3 to 18 months.

But, the real question still stands unanswered- how do these short term loans benefit your small business?

Well, here we have listed some of the benefits of short term loans:

Short Term Loans Are Easily Processed

Applying for a short term loan is easier than ever. With the financial institutes offering loans online, the processing time is reduced from days to a matter of minutes.

In fact, all you need to do is fill in the application, upload a few needed documents. And you’ll receive a notification about the money being credited into your account not later than the next day.

With the ease in processing and securing of loans, short term loans offer stress-free conduct to business owners like you.

Short Term Loans Offer Flexibility In Repayment

Another benefit that short term loans offer is the flexibility in repayment of the loans. In other words, the lender may accept a flexible payment for the installments they receive. Moreover, the lenders are more interested in retaining a customer; since short term loans are easily cleared off, and there is no limit to how many loans you can avail at the same time.

Furthermore, short term loans, are customizable in terms of rate of interest, and the amount for installments. Since these loans usually entertain small amounts of money, this allows the borrower to easily compare and manage their loan repayment.

Short Term Loans Are More Cost-Effective

As already mentioned a short term loan can be customized, the interest rates vary for each application. Usually, the financial institutes consider a number of factors such as your credit history, your annual turnover, the assets you have, and more alike, in order to offer the best loan deals for you.

Flexibility in the rate of interest makes these loans more cost-effective with any other type of financing option. The typical range for short-term loans varies from 5% to 35% depending upon the amount requested and the period of the loan, along with the aforementioned factors.

Short Term Loans Are Usually Unsecured

While most of the other loans are secured, meaning they need some sort of collateral to secure the repayment of the loan, short term loans are usually unsecured. This means, you don’t need to place your property, or even your assets for that matter as collateral to avail a short term loan.

This can further enable you to exercise the liberty and use the loan amount as per your needs. For example, you can avail of a short term loan without having to put your shares or stocks at stake and use the amount to further expand your inventory.

Short Term Loans Can Help You Manage Your Business Capital

One of the most common situations, when a business struggles to manage, is when it runs short on business capital. As already mentioned, every business needs to hold on to a certain amount of capital for smooth operations. On the contrary, in the event of a shortage of capital, it could be a bumpy ride.

Short term loans can get your business out of these situations, almost instantaneously. For example, there can instances when you may need to pay a vendor of yours, but your business has not generated enough profits. This could create a tense atmosphere for you and your vendor. Thankfully, you can apply for a short term loan to pay the vendor, and carry on with the operations, smoothly.

Short Term Loans Are Best Suited For Emergency Needs

As the popular proverb goes, change is the only constant, business scenarios are bound to change. The circumstances can take grave turns, unannounced and you may find yourself amidst an emergency situation. For example, its payday, and you’re running short on capital. This is just one instance where securing a short term loan may help. There could be a number of situations where you may need the capital all of a sudden.

Since short term loans are easy to process and require minimal documentation, it can be a perfect solution to your emergency financial needs.

Having known the benefits of short term loans, you may feel an urge to know more about it and how to avail it.

Here’s some bonus information that may help you secure a short-term loan, easily.

Look for online financial institutes

With the digital revolution, even the financial institutes and large commercial and public banks have taken their operations online. You can access the information online regarding short term loans and the institutes that offer the same.

Compare the rates of interest

Once you’re done preparing a list of institutes that offer short term loans, you need to compare them. Look for the ones that can offer you the maximum amount for the shortest period at the lowest rate of interest. This would enable you to repay your loan easily and continue with your life, stress-free.

Choose the best plan

Now that you have the sorted list of banks and lenders, the wait is almost over. Make sure you choose the plan that suits your needs the best, along with meeting your budget. Because eventually you are to pay back the loan and you need to ensure that you can repay comfortably.

Hope that this information helps you secure the best deal for your financial needs.

Digital Branding

What You Learn by Studying Digital Marketing

Steven on October 30, 2019

When it comes to digital marketing, taking online courses is one of the many ways you can go about acquiring the basics. But what exactly are you going to learn when taking digital marketing courses online?

Well, it depends on the course you are taking, of course! But there are some common themes you’ll learn, regardless of which area you choose to study and which provider you enrol with.

According to Mallory, digital marketing has 6 major activity types: content marketing, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media marketing, affiliate and influencer marketing, and email and message marketing. Let’s have a look at some of the topics so you’ll know what to expect by taking digital marketing classes.

SEO and Keyword Research

You can’t live without search engine optimization today. SEO is at the heart of everything. Online courses will teach students how to:

Properly target keywords based upon a specific niche/industry, website they’re building, or client needs
Create enriching content online to ensure a website outranks competitors in organic SEO searches
Incorporate the right keywords, phrases, and “search friendly” details on a website, to ensure they rank highly in organic SEO searches
The basics of mobile websites, fast load times, product descriptions, blogs, and relevant content, to guarantee higher rankings online.

Without the right keywords, and without properly optimizing a website, it is going to falter. The right courses will teach students the basics of building a website with SEO in mind, to ensure it ranks well within a specific niche for a search demographic.

Social Media and the Importance of Localizing

Think of a popular website today. Does it have a social media presence? If you say no, you’re fooling yourself.

The same goes with local search tools. Many companies today have a Google My Business page. They also have local search terms, city names, local phrases, and popular search terms on their website.

What’s the reason for these things? They matter! Today, websites must:

Cater to their searcher (include local searches as people will include words like “near me” or include city/state when searching for something online)
Include social links, in order to engage with their audience and be viewed as a likable company
Incorporate YouTube, Instagram, Facebook ads, and more.

Basically, companies have to cater to their audience. Almost everyone’s on at least one social media site. So, companies have to be as well.

Marketing courses will teach you how to build an online reputation, how to incorporate localization into website design, and how to interact with audiences, through multiple social media platforms.

How to Monetize a Site

Customers want to make profits. Working in marketing, designing websites, or creating content as a marketer, means you’ll have to help clients monetize their site. Basic marketing courses will teach students the power of:

Content marketing
Affiliate marketing
Blogging and guest writing
Email marketing and building campaign lists
Utilizing online podcasts and YouTube marketing
PPC (pay per click ads) … and more!

There are several ways to monetize a website. If you don’t know how to utilize these tools as a marketer, you probably won’t go far in the industry.

Study Digital Marketing Online

Most marketing careers relies on technical skills and knowledge of online platforms. You need to embrace technology since that’s the most powerful way to connect to customers.

The crucial role of technology makes mean studying online is a natural fit. Online Study Australia has observed, “Studying marketing in an online environment makes great sense with the rise of digital and social media marketing. Marketing professionals need to be skilled at connecting customers to products using technology.”

The different types of marketing courses you can do range from watching YouTube videos, to short diploma courses, to full university degrees. A combination of online courses is perhaps the way to go. Get a grounding by doing a long course and then keep updated and refreshed with shorter courses.

Digital Branding

How to Quickly Convert Customers Need Into Sales

Steven on October 29, 2019

In the competitive marketplace, instantly converting customers’ needs into sales is key to the success of any business. Clearly, customers are the crucial factor to determine your business’ longevity and progress. Hence it is undeniable that high product and service quality is always prioritized to win customers’ hearts and then capitalize on your sales. Yes, we may know that strategy like the back of your hand; however, it is not easy to quickly drive customers’ initial thought from “I need to get a gift” to the ultimate decision to purchase that gift. It is not only a matter of time but also competitiveness.

In fact, customers demand varied differently, and the fiercest business rivals are trying to stay ahead of you by offering many attractive promotions, innovation, etc. to get as many customers as possible. Now, the game is at your hand! If you are finding a solution to Convert Customers Need to Your Sales or in other words increase conversion rate with ease, we are all about! Let’s see what we have for you.

I. Identifying Customer Needs

1. The importance of understanding customers needs

No matter how excellent your product is, the simple truth is that no one will purchase it if they do not believe they need it. You can not successfully persuade anyone that they want or need to buy unless you clearly know what it is your customers really want. Therefore, understanding customer needs is at the center of every successful business. Once you can acquire this knowledge, it is at your hand to persuade customers that buying from you is in their best interests.

When customers buy your product, not your competitors, they need a reason that we call Unique Sales Proposition (USP). Your business or your market changes leads to the shift of USP, and you can use different USPs for different types of customers. For example, a flower shop could offer a free same-day delivery service for customers within a local area – a compelling USP for customers who need fast delivery.

The more you know about what your clients are looking for, the more effective your sales and marketing strategy will be. It’s worth making an effort to find out: who they are, what they buy, and why they buy it.

2. How to understand customers need

There are several ways to gain insight into what your customers need from you: focus group, social listening, keyword research.

Focus Group

A focus group is a market research technique in which you collectively interview a small group of people who represent your target audience.

With so much data available through the social network, we may forget that the best way to get to know your customers is to connect with them directly. That open and honest dialogue with your customers helps you develop a profound knowledge of the customer’s response to your business, your product that you provide.

Social Listening

It is the process of tracking and analyzing what the public said about your business on social channels.

According to a recent, over 80% of people seek recommendations before purchasing by consulting on a social network. Therefore, keep up with customers on social listening will help you reveal your customers’ expectations as well as how good you are delivering on those expectations.

Keyword Research

This method can also give you valuable insight into what your customer needs from you, your business, and your product. If you know what your customers are searching for online and more importantly, what they are searching for your product, you can determine what they’re looking for. Once your research is completed, you can channel it into creating a product or service that better aligns with those needs. For an ecommerce business, SEO is one of the vital tools to advance in the marketplace.

customer-need-img-2

II. How to Quickly Convert Customers Need Into Sales

1. Use your understanding about customers to tailor your product

As a customer, there are categories that they can use to evaluate your product: functionality, price, experience, convenience, reliability, design, performance, efficiency, compatibility. Once you know exactly which criteria they are looking for, you can easily create a well-tailored product that customers will love. Follow four key points, and you will be on the way to delight the client in no time.

Have recognition of product alignment
Be flexible
Hone your product to particular niches
Make sure your product relevant

2. Improve customers’ experience

Customer experience is one of the decisive factors for any Ecommerce retailer who seeks to win and retain customers online. You may know these facts (researched by Medallia.com), but they seem to be still unbelievable :

89% of clients stop doing business with a brand after a bad experience
Only 1 in 26 people complain after a bad experience; the rest just leave
It takes 12 positive client experiences to make up for one negative experience
Clients are twice as likely to share bad experiences than talk about good ones
Customers are twice as likely to share bad experiences than talk about good ones
Increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits from 25% to 95%

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To truly improve customer experiences, online retail stores need to consider two critical things.

First, you need to think about the long-term strategy you’ll adopt for researching and implementing improvements in the face of business and customer needs. Second, you need to think about the reactive strategy you’ll utilize for responding to customer experience issues in real-time.

So what are the ways to enhance the customer’s experience? The traditional way to improve experiences in online retail is conversion rate optimization. However, conversion optimization is persuasion-centric, not customer-centric.

The more advanced method is through digital experience optimization. When going shopping online, of course, a high-speed loading site is what customers expect. The store owners can take advantage of technological tools to improve their site. It is evident that no online store wants to challenge the customer’s patience when they have to add filters after filters to get the favorite item. To get rid of these problems, you may consider using Layered Navigation Ultimate, which is considered as an adequate layered navigation system with multiple- filter navigation, price slider, AJAX loading technology and shop by brand function for Magento 2 stores.

3. Promote marketing strategy

There are available guidelines online for marketing strategy improvement that we all love to follow, such as abandoned cart emails, upselling, product recommendations, etc. However, it is difficult to cover all these methods within this article, so what we highlight here is content writing, which is considered as the most important part of the marketing field in the world of ecommerce.

Writing content for your e-commerce brand seems like a difficult task, as these types of websites are structured differently than traditional sites. It’s not as much a matter of writing blog posts and landing pages as much as it needs to be engaging and convincing and optimized for search engines. Here are must-have tips for excellent content writing:

Focus on your audience first, Google second
Include customer testimonials
Pay attention to word count
Avoid duplicate content
Let your content sell

III. Final Words

In a nutshell, driving customers to need to sales in a short time has never been easy when you do not develop a deep understanding of your customers and your business in the competitive online marketplace. Your practical application of this post is a great encouragement for us to write more quality content. Thank you for spending time reading.

On the other hand, sometimes it can come to an increasing price, which is not very convenient. This sales training can help you handle that situation.

Author Bio

Daisy is a Mageplaza passionate expert writer about Ecommerce. For many years of working closely with clients seeking solutions on the Ecommerce platform, she tries her best to give readers the most useful advice on online business issues.

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6 Tips To Simplify And Streamline Employee Scheduling

Steven on October 29, 2019

Creating employee schedules and ensuring that your workforce sticks to them is one of the critical business functions. However, this is easier said than done because a lot of effort is needed to allocate tasks to teams and manage shifts optimally. At the same time, it is something that you cannot survive without. Proper schedules determine the overall productivity of the employees, minimize the wastage of hours and optimize business operations.

But do you really know what goes into simplifying employee scheduling? Is it possible to prevent understaffing or overstaffing and ensure that there is no wastage of work hours? The answer lies in streamlining employee scheduling and software tools make the best bet for busy entrepreneurs. Also, here are some tips that can help you to create effective robust and time-saving schedules.

Tip #1: Know your business first

Even before you start creating an employee schedule for your business, you must understand its requirements. A good schedule goes much beyond putting the resources on the right tasks. Rather, it is making sure that the right resource is at the right place and at the right time. Investing in a software solution that provides a 360-degree view of your business is a great idea. Essentially, it should empower you to decide when you need to schedule more employees and when you can manage with less.

Tip #2: Review the existing resources

Once you are clear about your requirements and goals, you need to get a comprehensive review of the existing resources. Check the availability, suitability and exemption status of the staff members for each shift. Availability means whether an employee can be at a job location at a specific place and time. Suitability refers to the skills they must have to fit the role. Exemption status indicates if you need to pay the employee for overtime.

Tip #3: Enable seamless communication

Communication keeps an organization running like well-oiled machinery, which makes it mandatory for the success of the business. Having a smart scheduling software solution is a good idea because it can handle this requirement well enough and serve as a powerful communication tool. For example, Deputy offers powerful scheduling tools that can be used to publish and share workforce schedules easily. They also enable you to send across notifications related to shift changes to the employees and managers with the help of SMS, emails and push notifications.

Tip #4: Provide flexibility for the employees

Another useful tip to simplify and streamline employee scheduling is by providing your employees a good degree of flexibility. Look for a solution that gives them the freedom of choosing the shifts when possible. Though you cannot give them the choice every time having control over their schedules motivates the employees and enhances their performance to a considerable extent. A software solution, like a scheduling app, that enables them to switch shifts subject to availability makes a good choice for businesses in this context.

Tip #5: Consider employee preferences

Providing flexibility regarding shift changes is vital for keeping your employees happy and motivated. But that is not where you should stop when it comes to effective and employee-friendly scheduling. Rather, you should take a proactive approach and consider individual preferences while preparing the schedules. Keep track of the kind of tasks that individual employees want to do and the shifts that work for them. Unless there is shortage of resources, try to allocate them work and shifts on the basis of these preferences. This ensures a positive culture and high levels of motivation and productivity within your organization.

Tip #6: Reward good attendance

Make rewards a part and parcel of your employee scheduling process. The system can go a long way in encouraging the employees to be regular with their shifts and always show up on time. At the same time, the reward practice drives workforce satisfaction and discourages no-shows and indiscipline within the organization. You need not spend a fortune on rewarding your best employees, even small but meaningful perks can be enough to make the scheduling practice effective and successful in the long run.

These tips can go a long way in simplifying and streamlining the employee scheduling process for any business. In addition to enforcing them as a part of your business operations, you should invest in a software solution that has the right set of features to automate the entire workforce scheduling process. If you don’t already have one for your business, the best time to get it is right now. Just be sure about choosing the right one because it will be a long-term asset rather than a short-term expense.