Digital Branding

Make Your Brand Stand Out As You Get Back to Work Post-Pandemic in 2021

on June 15, 2021

2021 is going to be a good year for business. People are going back to work, all businesses can be open in some fashion, and people are starting to operate like “normal” once again. A lot of changes were made to help businesses stay afloat in 2020, and while some of these are no longer necessary, they have helped businesses develop a healthy set of protocols.

More In-Person Meetings

Some people love to meet in person. Getting your team back together and meeting with clients in real life is a great way to make your brand stand out. These connections are invaluable for your business going forward. It doesn’t mean you have to get rid of virtual meetings, just that you can now offer both. Training sessions, team building, and more can all happen in-person in some places now, and if your team is willing, then go for it.

Going to The Office or Not

Maybe pre-pandemic you were against remote working. But when 2020 hit you realized the only way to get work done was to allow people to work from home. Seeing how well it worked, you can offer your staff options. Flexible options are a great way to help your brand stand out. You no longer need to be so strict about only working in the office if people are getting the work done at home. But, for those who miss the spontaneous collaboration and impromptu meetings, getting back to the office is vital.

In-Person Interviews

Virtual interviews worked well when needed, but going back to in-person interviews can help your brand stand out. For people who like to interact in real life, get a feel for the office, and get a sense of the job, in-person interviews are valuable.

Flexible Options

It’s important to be mindful of other people’s needs. Your brand can stand out if you offer different options to your clients. Maybe you are used to meeting at coffee shops or in the office. If a client would prefer an outdoor meeting because they feel more comfortable, it’s a good thing to offer that as well. Additionally, we all know that Zoom and other video meetings were very popular in 2020. It might be a good idea to offer this as an option to your clients who are slowly getting out again and aren’t yet comfortable meeting face-to-face. Understanding the pandemic and how it affected different people is crucial.

COVID Precautions

People want to know what precautions you are taking. What does your office cleaning schedule look like? How will you handle employees who are sick? Will you require masks or social distancing? Do you clean in between clients? All of these policies may be relaxed now, but it doesn’t mean that they completely go away. Communicating to your staff and customers what you’re doing will help create buyer confidence in you and your services and products. Be transparent when necessary and share what you can.

HR Policies

Having clear policies can help your brand stand out. When you can be transparent about things like credit checks and a background check for job opportunities within your company it creates trust from the start. While some of this is internal, there are external facing HR policies that can give people a good impression of your company. Often applicants never hear back if they aren’t selected for a job. This is one area that can be improved upon. Post-pandemic policies can also include being upfront about whether a job can be remote or if it must be in the office. Many people love the flexibility of working from home, so a good policy on that would be very helpful.

Social Media

We all know that social media is great for your brand. Make sure you are using the right platforms and that you are connecting in real ways. Videos, podcasts, and even photos all help create engaging content for your followers. Treat all of them as people in your pipeline. Your social media should serve your vision and your brand values. But remember it’s a tool to help you gain more business and build trust around the products you create. Your brand will stand out if you share how you’re moving forward from the pandemic in 2021.

Accounting flexjob
Digital Branding

Master Data Management Will Help Your Business Grow

on June 14, 2021

Data is becoming one of the most valuable resources in the world. People say that it is the new oil, but this is more theoretical than it is literal. The worth of the world’s data is in the billions. While most of the data out there is owned by large companies, this will likely change. Data is like a new currency. Information helps businesses learn about their target marketing demographics, innovate their business model, and pivot by revealing new directions to go in. Since it is so valuable and useful, master data management is integral not just to have a successful tech business but to understand the economy of the future.

What is Master Data?

Master data is the narrowed down version of all your data. It is what you use to analyze numbers and information with software systems. That’s why it’s important to both store the data carefully and understand how it will be useful to you. With such large numbers of data, it requires a lot of time and energy to make the most out of the information available to a particular entity. Entire business models are based on master data. It can inform the marketing and business trajectory. Not only is it extremely useful, it can be sold for large swaths of money.

Different Forms of Data

In order to use data to its fullest advantage, you need to understand it. This is why knowing about the six forms of data you can utilize. First is unstructured data, which comes from the internet such as emails, online articles, PDF files, and other forms of digital information. It is, of course, unstructured, but the ways people use unstructured data will multiple over the years.

Transactional data refers to a company’s transactions that can either be monetary or non-monetary. Of course the obvious forms of transactional data are invoices, sales, deliveries, and other transactions. It is a unit-level data that can be very informative in operations.

Metadata is data about data. It gives all the information related to the piece of data, the link, where it is stored, and more. While metadata comes in a lot of forms like reports, documents, columns in databases, log files, and configurations, it is sometimes extraneous material but sometimes it is very useful.

Hierarchical data stores how different sets of data relate to each other. It can be stored in an accounting system or as company organizational structures and product lines. Sometimes called “super master data management,” it’s pivotal to understand and discover new relationships.

Finally, reference data, also known as external data, is information that exists outside the company. It can be shared across transactional objects like countries, currencies, and time zones. This information can be paramount in marketing and other business decisions.

Improve Your Business

There are countless ways for you to improve your business with data. Not only will you be able to market your business better, you could change your whole company trajectory. You can sell data to other companies and make a lot of money. You will learn about your customers and new target demographics you can advertise to them. Since it is so versatile, there is no wonder why data will become one of the most valuable and sought-after resources.

Data in the Future

It is just the beginning of data’s explosion. It is now the basis of social media and tech companies who have become some of the largest businesses in the world. Smaller companies will get into this game as well. It doesn’t matter what your business is, the odds are it exists primarily online to market itself and promote its products or services.

Information that improves these structures will be sold for billions of dollars around the world. Of course there are ethical issues. Most people don’t read the terms and conditions found on social media and other websites. Their data is harvested and sold to others who will use it for their own gain. It is going to be an issue of debate for years to come, but it is just getting started. Businesses everywhere want a piece of the money that can be made with data. 

Ryan Beitler is a writer, journalist, and blogger who has written about tech for various publications.

Digital Branding

Effect of a Good Chief Marketing Officer on Your Business

on June 14, 2021

If you’re looking to hire a chief marketing officer (CMO), you probably have scanned a lot, even the occasional project manager resume; a short perspective on what you’re looking for, right? It might be frustrating and makes you want to hire anyone. But if your choice of CMO doesn’t work out, it might affect your business negatively.

Taking out information from a perfect marketing officer resume, here are a few things that a good CMO can do for your business.

A CMO does good market research and data interpretation.

Corporate Finance Institute said that a CMO does research which means gathering important information about your company’s target market. One example is what your target customer thinks about your product. Another is if the competition is meeting the needs of the customer better than your company.

The CMO gathers this data using multiple ways, like surveys and focus group discussions. The CMO will then put together the data, interpret the results, and present it to the company executives. A good CMO will be good at putting together this information and make it understandable. Without this data, your company will be blind as to whether your products are doing well.

A CMO develops a good marketing plan.

A CMO’s main mission is to make sure the company grows and that sales and revenue increase. To do that, the CMO comes up with a complete and very detailed marketing plan. One part of the marketing plan will increase your target customers’ recognition of your brand. Another part is ways that will help you get advantages over your competition.

Without good CMOs and comprehensive marketing plans, it will be hard for your company to know what to do. That marketing plan will dictate how you will brand your products, advertise them, and so on. It will be hard to make money without a plan. It’s a given, but be sure to check out your candidate’s skills regarding this in their chief marketing officer resume.

A CMO connects the corporation with the customer.

Sometimes, companies do not know anything about their customers. They are more focused on making their products better but unless your company connects with your customer, you will not succeed. The CMO is the one who can help with customer focus in your company and stays updated about customer preferences.

The CMO must also be technologically savvy since he or she deals with marketing. With social media and the Internet use very high these days, more data is available to be interpreted, including user experiences when using your company website or app. CMOs understand that customers must always be happy when transacting with your company in whatever way. Otherwise, they will leave and look for similar services elsewhere.

While there have been changes in the hiring process, it is still best to check each applicant’s resume. From there, you can choose the best candidate for your chief marketing officer. Remember not to hire just anybody, as the CMO will seriously impact your business.

Local Branding

Is Your Business Set For Success?

on June 12, 2021

Is your business in a ready-set-go zone? Are you primed for unlimited and unstoppable success? Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or seasoned small business owner, you’ll want to prepare to make sure you are set for success. 

To guarantee your business success, keep these 3 tips in mind.

  1. Get Ready for Action

We are working in new ways, in new offices, and in new workspaces. For many entrepreneurs, the shift to working from home is opening up new ideas. This is the time to create a dream workplace that is ready for action. 

But, let’s face it. You might be juggling a budget with the visions of luxury desks, chairs, and options. If you’re working from home and want to have a whole new reality, consider upgrading your office furniture.

Working off the kitchen table, checking emails from the couch, and Zooming from the crawl space under the porch is just not going to cut it. To be thoroughly ready for action, invest in yourself, your work, and your future.

The best part is, a lot of today’s office furnishings are more affordable, sleeker design, and more ergonomic than you’ve ever experienced.

  1. Get Set For Growth

With your home office ready for action, it’s time to look out and about. What kind of media coverage are you getting? Are you all set to get the most positive publicity and media coverage? 

Many entrepreneurs are so focused on the spreadsheets, project plans, and design details, they forget to look up and out. You don’t want to make that mistake. Instead of waiting for publicity and media to come to you, make a strategic media plan. Use your creativity to connect with reporters, do guest blogs, and offer radio interviews.

With a small investment in your media plan, you can gain a big leap forward in growing your business.

  1. Get In The Go-Zone

Home office set, check. Media coverage plan, check. Hey, you’re doing great. But don’t stop now.

There are many ways to make sure you’re in the ‘go-zone’ for unstoppable success. Among the top three most important priorities, you’ll want to lock down your dream team, invest in your energy, and find a healthy balance. 

Do this, and you’ll be ready for fast success and ongoing growth.

Hire the Best Team

As an entrepreneur, it’s vital to have the best team of creative experts at your side. You want to have people who have skills, strengths and insights that you don’t. This is not always easy, especially if you are used to being a solo hero.

As you’re hiring your team, look for people who you enjoy working with. Strike a balance. Look for people you enjoy being around – as you’ll be working together for long hours, possibly weekends and holidays. 

Also, look for people who will give you candid, honest feedback. You may not always agree on the points, but you do need to have open conversations to be truly collaborative.

Revive Your Energy

Yes, it’s true. The best entrepreneurs know how to refresh their energy, stay enthusiastic, and persist when other people give up. How do they do this? 

Many people rely on classic methods such as exercise, meditation, and getting out in nature. There is no single right way to revive your energy. Yet, there are many ways to explore so you can find the best things that work for you. 

One popular method for staying energized is called forest bathing. This ancient Japanese technique encourages people to spend time amongst tall trees such as Redwoods. In the presence of trees, it’s easier to find a feeling of balance, calm, and ease. 

If you are near a forest, grove, or natural park, you can try out this technique on your own. Track your personal experience to determine if this helps you feel creative, alert, and ready to go.

Balance Work and Play

While many professionals are married to their work, medical experts advise balance. Finding a balance between work and play can be the key to unlock more creativity, health, and ongoing success. 

If you notice that you’re living on your office couch, take stock. Having a social life, connecting with family and friends, and finding your personal balance is what makes work-and-life truly work. 

Wrapping Up

Set up your business for success. Invest in your workspace. Get good business insurance Make a media plan. Get in the healthy zone for ongoing success. With a little effort, you’ll reap the benefits of being proactive.

Digital Branding

Improving Your Small Business Status

on June 11, 2021

The year 2020 took a toll on businesses across the states. With vaccines already administered to a good portion of the population and more on the way, states are removing most of the COVID-19 restrictions. This is fantastic news for small business owners. Listed below are a few tips to set you up for an exceptional year in growth. 

Know the Competition

It’s advantageous to know what products and services the competition offers. Thankfully, there are several ways to gain this valuable information. Visit their website and read the story of their humble beginnings and long-term goals. Check for discounts and benefits for using their business and read over their reviews to see what customers like about them and areas where they may need improvement. Once you gather the information you can use it as selling points and guidelines. 

Reviews, Testimonials

Technology is paving the way for the development of more small businesses. However, there are a few drawbacks. Most adults use some type of electronic device whether it’s a cell phone, tablet, or computer, daily. If your service or product is less than satisfactory, people will instantly go on social media and write a bad review. If you perform well or clients enjoy the products, the same happens, only sending positive feedback that benefits you. Encourage customers pleased with the company to visit your website and give either testimonials or post a positive review.

Outsourcing

Unlike large corporations where they have staff in place to handle everything from customer service to payroll, small businesses often have a skinny staff of intelligent and reliable people that wear many hats. One way to gain time better used for marketing is outsourcing. 

Outsourcing puts the responsibility of a service in the hands of a third party. Today more small business owners are using companies for payroll, accounting, and IT management. E-commerce businesses are also using 3PL consulting companies to lower costs and improve logistics management. 

Social Media

Social media is not new to marketing for small business owners. All too often they misuse it. Instead of maintaining fresh content, many simply set up a presence for the business and then walk away. Social media is essential to reaching a large audience any time day or night. If any changes occur in the business such as the introduction of a new service or product, or you change your address, make sure you add that information to your social media page. It’s also essential to have valuable content on your website so that when potential customers visit they make a sale. 

Customer Retention

It’s not enough to make a sale. What gives your company the upper edge is customer loyalty. Think about it. You can bring in all the new business you want but if they make one sale and are done, you’ll never increase your bottom line. Loyal customers will offer your name to anyone they know. This creates additional sales without the need for a monetary investment. Over time, as your loyal base expands, your need for marketing recedes. Customers aren’t really hard to please. They just want to feel important. Discounts on services and products after a set number purchased, and monthly newsletters giving them a pre-introduction to upcoming promotions, are some ways to achieve it. Some businesses give their customers money for referrals. 

 Face-to-Face

Connecting a business with a person transforms your business from a name to a member of the community. Face-to-face meetings with locals is important. Sponsor a little league team and attend a few games. Host a summer music festival or set up a booth at the local fair. The point is to get customers familiar with you personally. 

Small businesses took a hard hit in 2020 caused by the pandemic. The new year brings much promise for improved earnings. 

Uncategorized

Understanding an SPV Fund: How Do They Help Your Biz?

on June 11, 2021

Nowadays, if you are in business, you need to know everything that will benefit it in one way or the other. This article will learn about SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) fund and how they help your biz. The whole thing might seem complicated if you have never worked in the financial field. You also might not be sure of how to make the best of SPVs.Read through the article, and you will know everything about the Special Purpose Vehicle fund.

What is an SPV?

With a particular purpose vehicle, you can take risk projects like investments and acquisitions. An SPV serves as a separate legal entity that you create with the parent company.

In the US, for instance, it works as a private limited company. An SPV has its assets, balance sheets, and liabilities. Once you create an SPV, it will operate as a separate company.

Why would your business need an SPV fund?

SPVs come with their risks, just like any other trade. To avoid some of the risks from happening, you have to be as honest as possible with your balance sheet statements. Here are some of the reasons your business might need an SPV fund.

1. To reduce risks

Managing a business means you know how to handle the risks that come with the business. For instance, your creditors might find loopholes to take your business assets. If you have an SPV, it will operate as a separate company, which means your bad debts won’t affect it.

However, even as you cushion your business from risks, you must be candid with your SPV statements. Unless you do that, since it is also a company, it might cross the legal line. Your SPV might then get sued and collapse due to implications related to dishonesty.

2. Protection from bankruptcy

Your parent business may have other branches in different locations. Since they all operate as a single company, bankruptcy can cripple them if it strikes. To prevent that from happening, you should consider having an SPV.

A particular purpose vehicle keeps your business safe financially. The SPV runs as a separate entity. That means it will keep running even if some parts of your company are financially down. You will still be able to raise money to support and stabilize the parent business.

3. To expand your business

Every entrepreneur wants to expand their business at some point. If your company is doing well, the best you can do is expand the market to increase profits. However, such operations come with a range of risks that might affect your entire company.

To keep your company safe from the financial implications of expanding it, you will need to come up with an SPV. That way, even if the company fails in its operation, most of your assets will still be intact. You will still be able to run your business as you find better ways to expand your company in the future.

4. To enable investment

Did you know that you can create SPVs to secure loans? If you are short of funds to increase your investments, you might want to consider SPV funds. With the help of an expert, you can create special purpose vehicles to enhance inventory.

If you qualify for enough loans, you can start other branches to gain a strong market presence. Note that your financial expert will show you how to secure a loan with an SPV. Even if you manage to get the funds, you must repay your loan based on the terms stated in the contract. Unless you do that, your SPV might face legal action.

Closing thoughts

You are free to close the SPV at any time. But once you do that, your company will take back its assets, and they will be susceptible to risks. Also, closing the SPV will affect the balance sheet of your parent company.

If you are a less seasoned investor, you need to learn first and invest in the right company. Besides, know all the risks associated with opening an SPV and how to overcome them. Once you have decided that an SPV is the best option, seek help from an experienced individual. They will help you develop one at affordable rates and without putting your parent company at risk.

Would you like experts to help you with further understanding of SPVs? Then, contact us today, and we will ease the tension for you.

SaaS Branding

5 Subscription Services and Why They’re So Successful

on June 10, 2021

These days you can get a subscription service for just about anything. But, not all of them stand the test of time or are worth the consumer’s money, and they’re quick to realize it. There are, however, many that are not only successful, but they’re also positively exploding. Let’s take a look at what they are and why they’re doing so well. 

Beauty and Grooming Subscriptions

If you’re into beauty products, you may not be into actually shopping in-store for these items. Whether you’ve been matched so off-color that you walked out looking like a clown, or you just can’t stomach the strong perfume smells of these types of stores, services like Ipsy or Birchbox are godsent. If you’re more particular about your products like you only use vegan cruelty-free – you guessed it, there’s a box for that. These types of services have even upped their game in some instances and branched out to include health & wellness, apparel, and home decor in their subscriptions like FabFitFun. With a reasonable sign-on price and often promotions for first-time subscribers, these brands’ sales are soaring. Bonus, they all make cancellation a breeze. 

Coffee and Drink Subscriptions 

Maybe you’re the type that wants the perfect pour over coffee every time. Or you need your coffee to be of a single origin. There are subscriptions for that. If you’re a wannabe wine aficionado, there are subscriptions that not only introduce you but educate you on what you’re drinking. Once you figure out your favorites, your subscriptions can be easily tailored to your interests. There are even subscriptions for single-serve bottles of wine, as the subscription Usual. You can customize your monthly shipments from as little as six bottles to as many as 24. One such subscription that’s a splurge but so worth it is the Fat Cork. At $199 a month, the party never stops with a quarterly shipment of Champagne.

Book Subscriptions

Even though a book to read the next day is just a click away nowadays, or the fact that you can read so much of what you want for free online anyway, book subscriptions not only exist, but they’re thriving. If you wish to go the route of The Book of the Month or you’re shopping for children who can’t even read yet, there are subscriptions for them. Books are an appealing subscription for so many people because it does the filtering for you. You tell these subscriptions what interests you and what doesn’t, then voila! You get arrivals that keep you well-read, have things to contribute conversationally, and it’s all worry-free—saving you even more time to curl up with a good book. 

Toy & Game Subscriptions

Maybe you picked up a puzzle addiction during a lockdown or perhaps you just want to make sure your children are getting more time away from their screens, especially since they’ve been schooling virtually all year. Either way, there are subscriptions for those too. The best part is, like most things nowadays, they’re so easy to customize. You can control if the child’s subscription will be more Montessori style or if you want them building things from kits. As far as your more adult toys, you can customize that too. And if you’re looking for a subscription to actual “adult” toys from an adult toy store, those exist too. These are successful for a myriad of reasons, the least of which isn’t the fact that even though we’re all constantly connected to technology, it feels rewarded to be offline and just enjoy games as we did in our youth.

Food Subscriptions

Everyone’s a foodie these days, am I right? Seriously, joking aside – what’s the one thing that brings us all together? The love of food! Not only do food subscriptions make a fabulous gift for nearly every adult in your life, but they’re an excellent present for yourself as well. You can literally get any type of food subscription too. Whether you’re shopping for someone who eats Whole Foods Plant-Based to a straight-up monthly cheese box for yourself (no judgment here), they exist. This market exploded and will continue to do so because, let’s face it, we all need it, and the more options, the better. Having it delivered straight to your door? The best.

Legal Branding

How to List Products on Amazon Without a GTIN or UPC?

on June 9, 2021

A Global Trade Identification Number is required for any products sold on Amazon (GTIN). You must apply for a GTIN Exemption if your product does not have one. But don’t worry; it’s not as challenging as it appears. If your product does not have a UPC, EAN, ISBN, or UPC code, you must apply for a GTIN exemption under a specified product category. Let’s have a look at what a GTIN Exemption is. Also, visit olifantdigital.com to get more information or professional Amazon help.

What is GTIN?

A Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN), commonly known as Product ID, is a unique number assigned to each product sold on Amazon, as previously stated. This can be found as a barcode label on a product’s packaging. The GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number, is a unique string of numbers that identifies particular products beneath the barcode but is not the barcode itself.

 

Types of GTINs 

UPC: A Universal Product Code, also known as GTIN-12, is a unique 12-digit numerical product identifier under a barcode that is most commonly used in the United States and Canada. These can be found on almost all tangible things in retailers. As a result, it is the most widely used barcode type on the planet.

EAN: A European Article Number (EAN) is a unique identifier for products sold in the European marketplace. The EAN, commonly known as GTIN-13, is a barcode. The EAN, also known as GTIN-13, is a 13-digit numerical product identifier that appears under a barcode.

JAN: A Japanese Article Number is similar to an EAN in that it is only used for products sold in Japan’s marketplace.

ISBN: ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, and it is a unique identifier for books. There are 10 or 13 digits in an International Standard Book Number. The number was chosen by the date of publication.

GTIN-14: It relates to the container codes.

 

UPCs and Barcodes

While UPCs are the most prevalent sort of GTIN used for Amazon.com sales, they are not required for every product sold. However, it is contingent on elements such as the brand and category in which you wish to sell. If you sell a private-label or handmade product, you may be qualified for a GTIN exemption. This exception would mean that the product would not require a UPC for listing on amazon.

All listed products must have a GS1 (Global Standards 1) registered barcode if they do not have a GTIN exemption. GS1 is a non-profit organization that creates and maintains international business communication standards. The only legitimate way to purchase a UPC for use on Amazon is through GS1. When using FBA, your product packaging must have an associated UPC number, an Amazon barcode, or an FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit). This FNSKU is an Amazon-specific code that keeps track of your inventory. You can also check the amazon PPC guide to have complete insight into the significant information.

 

GTIN Exemption

There is already a list of brands that require a GTIN to be listed on Amazon.com. GTIN exemptions are not available for these brands since they utilize a GS1 authorized barcode on their products. If a product does not have a GTIN and fits within one of these brands, it will be “suppressed.” You can apply for a GTIN exemption if you meet the following criteria:

  • You want to sell products for which the brand, maker, or publisher does not issue a GTIN.
  • You are the maker, brand, or publisher of a product that you want to sell but don’t have barcodes for.
  • You wish to sell product parts that don’t have a GTIN, such as automobile parts or product accessories.
  • You want to sell a bundled pack that contains multiple products.

 

Requesting a GTIN Exemption

To be eligible for an exemption, you must meet certain criteria. It’s a lot easier to register a GS1 account and receive barcodes here than it is to claim you need a GTIN exemption. Obtaining GTINs is the simplest solution in the long run. Check to see if your product is listed in Amazon’s massive catalog to discover whether you qualify for a GTIN exemption. Even if the same product is sold by numerous sellers or companies, it’s common for everything to be linked to a single listing. The barcode is what makes this relationship possible. Your products don’t appear in Amazon’s catalog and/or you don’t have barcodes, thus you’re exempt.

If an existing product matches yours, your offer can be added on the detail page of that product without the need for a GTIN. The product should appear in the manage inventory area on the “Seller Dashboard” within a few minutes. If your product doesn’t match, you’ll need to apply for a GTIN exemption before it can be added. You’ll need the following if you’re a brand owner, manufacturer, or publisher: The product’s name and 2-9 photos of the product against a white backdrop, taken from two different angles, including the product’s box.

 

Guidelines

  1. The brand name supplied on the application must match the brand name on the goods and/or packaging exactly.
  2. Images of the item and packaging must be taken in the actual world. When photographing the product, they must show it being held in hand or placed on a table.
  3. The product branding must be affixed to the container or the product itself in a permanent manner.
  4. There should be no certified GS1 barcode anywhere on the goods and/or packaging, as this would eliminate the need for GTIN Exemption.
  5. You can always re-apply if you mistakenly used the wrong brand name or category when applying for the GTIN exemption.
  6. Listing under a new brand or in a new category necessitates the submission of a new application each time. . In a single application, you can request GTIN exemption for up to 10 different brand names/category combinations.

 

Resellers’ Requirements

If you’re reselling products, you’ll need a letter from the brand’s owner written in the local language of the market and contains the following information: Name and contact information of the addresser or writer of the letter

  • Your address, phone number, and email or website address
  • Reasonable reasons why the product requires a GTIN exemption After that, go to Seller Central and click the following link — Request a GTIN exemption.
  • Select “Select” and search for a category that applies to your goods.
  • Then, “verify your eligibility.” If it comes back as “ineligible,” a GTIN will be required.
  • “Check for eligibility” is the next step. If it comes back as “ineligible,” a GTIN will be required. If not, click “Continue.”
  • Amazon may take at least 48 hours to react. You may check the status of this in Amazon Seller Central’s ‘Case Log’ area.
Legal BrandingLocal BrandingPersonal Branding

Experts Discuss Small Productivity Tips for That Bring Big Benefits

on June 8, 2021

In everyday work, there are a lot of challenges and sometimes even obstacles that prevent us to stay in focus all the time. It doesn’t matter if you are an entrepreneur, manager, assistant, junior or on any else position, it is important not to lose the thread. Here you will find many useful advice on how to save your time and energy, and at the same time to make the highest productivity.

Productivity in a Nut Shell.

Our partners from Managementguru suggests “Productivity in a Nut Shell”.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Productivity can’t be better explained. Productivity is the result of a commitment to excellence, smart planning and focused effort. Remember – Effective people are preferred to, rather than efficient people as the former does the right thing and the latter does things right. Procrastination is like a credit card. It’s a lot of fun until you get the bill. The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action. Managementguru is the number one source for all things business. They’re dedicated to giving you the very best of information, with a focus on social media marketing and strategy.

Be more realistic about what you can deliver as a team.

Our partner Sherene Funk from Rain Retail suggests to “Be more realistic about what you can deliver as a team”.

We recently had a goal-setting session in which we determined that, in order to be more productive, we needed to be more realistic about what we can deliver as a team. It’s always best to under promise and over deliver. Realistic goals prevent overwhelm, increase motivation, and heighten the sense of achievement when projects are completed on time, or before.

Focus on time increments and small wins – Imed Bouchrika, project leader and chief data scientist at the academic research portal Research.com.

It’s easy to lose productivity when confronted with multiple tasks. Doing them all at the same will likely end up in you pouring in lots of initial work across a field of open-ended tasks at the day’s end. In short, you accomplish nothing.

Instead, focus on finishing one task at a time across increments of short periods. You can follow the Pomodoro Technique here, where you break work into 25-minute periods. Or devise your own increments. For example, divide an hour into two 30-minutes or four 15-minutes and allot a period for each task. 

The time increments allow you to tune out of the paralyzing thought of needing to finish a lot of work NOW and instead focus on a small win, something you can easily take a good shot at. Achieving small wins will add up to wrapping up the big task sooner than later.

There is a postscript benefit to increments and small wins: It helps you squeeze out more outputs past your highest productivity level in a day. After all, it’s not that difficult to add just… one… more… 15-minute task even in your last hour of work.

 

Productivity is doing more with the tools and making sure the outcome meets standard of quality.

Our partner Andrea Curry from Zenefits says that “Productivity is doing more with the tools”.

There’s a lot of buzz words that are thrown around when talking about productivity. How many Medium blog posts or LinkedIn articles have you seen about “super-charging” our workday, “hacking our way” through a project, or “tips and tricks” to increase output with minimal input? For me, productivity is doing more with the tools I have and making sure the outcome meets my standard of quality. Honing productive habits help get this done. Step one is to get organized (and that doesn’t mean having an inbox with zero unread messages, though that helps!). Projects can get messy, so be sure that you use a system that helps you keep control and look at the big picture. I love using the online tool Asana for this reason. It helps with capturing my thoughts, outlining workflow, and I can easily update deliverables and due dates. The next thing to understand is that distractions will constantly come up. It takes a lot of self-discipline not to be pulled in different directions. It’s helpful to have an understanding of what is your “north star” — aka your purpose or big picture goal. If people or other projects pop up, ask yourself if this helps you achieve your goal, or if it will derail you. Finally, remember not to burn yourself out. You won’t be productive if you’re running low on fuel. Incorporate the things that help feed your creativity and bring you joy — whether it’s exercising, spending time with family, or taking a walk outside.

Take Charge Of Your Email Not The Other Way Round

Our partner Dr. Anthony Llewellyn from AdvanceMed suggest to “Take Charge Of Your Email Not The Other Way Round”

Dr. Anthony Llewellyn is a successful online doctor coach. He writes about the importance of getting in control of your email.
With so many points of contact into your business, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed at times. But whilst email is now considered by many as “low tech”, the “email list” still remains one of your greatest assets. So it’s important to be able to dedicate time to your email management. But that doesn’t mean it needs to always take away your focus.
One great tip I developed sometime ago came out from a bit of frustration. You see I was getting a bit sick and tired of being included as a “CC” into a whole lot of company wide and team email discussions. It often felt like I was being included either on a “just thought you should know” basis or even at times because the email sender didn’t trust the recipient and wanted some witnesses!!
So I went through my email inbox and saw how many emails I was getting on a CC basis. And I thought to myself. Would it be that different if I just chose to ignore these emails? So I set up a bit of an experiment. I set up an email rule to divert these CC emails into another folder before I could even notice them. Strangely enough, the sky didn’t fall in and the world kept rotating. I blissfully forgot about the presence of this folder for a few weeks and then I remembered it.
So I went back in and checked all these emails and to my great satisfaction, I realized that all the issues in these emails had either been inconsequential to me or dealt with in other ways, i.e. someone had come to speak to me about the issue or emailed me directly.
I’ve since used a variety of rules with emails to cut through and focus on what is important.

Recognize Your Strengths

Our partner Lori McKnight from CSI Stars suggests to “Recognize Your Strengths”.

Most people are much more productive when working on things that utilize their strengths. Identify what you excel in and focus the majority of your time on those activities. If you are in the right job, these things will be what most moves the needle and delivers results. The same goes for your team. Spend time getting to know each of your employee’s strengths. It is far more productive to leverage your peoples’ strengths than fix their weaknesses.

Identifying your employee’s strengths and recognizing their contributions will drive higher employee engagement. This, in turn, will boost your own productivity as you spend less time interviewing and re-training. Consider these stats:

Organizations that excel in employee recognition have 12x better business results
High-recognition organizations have 31% less voluntary turnover

Who knows…maybe a team members’ strengths will even complement a weakness of yours!

An organization that doesn’t trust its employees to manage their workload will quickly find itself with “doers” and not “learners”

Our partner Scott from Structural says that “An organization that doesn’t trust its employees to manage their workload will quickly find itself with “doers” and not “learners”

An organization that doesn’t trust its employees to manage their workload while being able to connect with others as needed will quickly find itself with “doers” and not “learners” which is an organizational death sentence in a world where the half-life of skills is so short.

Avoid getting caught up in the work of others

Our partner Clayton Kaufman from My Employees suggests “Avoid getting caught up in the work of others”.

“When you truly believe your work improves the lives of others, the difference you make becomes the anchor of your passion. Make the connection between the work you do and how that work makes life better for others. The decision to become a positive difference-maker for others contributes to a deep sense of purpose, fulfillment, and productivity”.

Plan your days in advance

Our partner Kelvin Mokaya from Fuzu suggests “Plan your days in advance”.

Knowing what you need to accomplish during a particular week will enable you to plan for the week. List all the tasks you’ll need to do in order of the urgency they need to be done and the amount of time it would take to complete each. This will make it easier for you to plan your calendar for the week while prioritizing the work that matters most.

Prioritize actions that will make tomorrow easier

Our partner, Fiona Adler from HR Partner, explains that prioritization is one of the most important, yet overlooked aspects of productivity. Taking the time to proactively decide which tasks are most important will put you streaks ahead. One key to this is acknowledging that you can’t actually do everything – you will always have more ideas and things coming at you than can possibly be done. Once you really understand this, the significance of prioritization is obvious – if you don’t do this, you’ll never get to those most important tasks. 

But prioritization is hard, so one thing to remember when putting your tasks in order of priority is to emphasize those tasks that will make your tomorrow a bit smoother and easier. So prioritize things like; choosing a new HR system, posting a job ad for a new accounts manager, setting up a new process, or deciding on a strategic direction.

Invent your personal workflows that work best for you

Our partner Baiju NT from RoboticsBiz says it is vital to create personal workflows to efficiently manage your time and increase productivity. Productivity isn’t just all about checking boxes off your to-do list. It is about making sure you’re getting the right things done in the right timeframe, successfully and effectively. Creating a workflow enables you to train your brain and systematically get into an efficient cycle of executing tasks from the morning till the end of your day. Start the day with easy, regular, and repeatable tasks first, and then you will have more uninterrupted time blocks to accomplish larger time-demanding tasks in a day. Millions of people use productivity tools like Trello to get into personal workflows and achieve more every second.

 


Infographic provided by Food For Thought

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Digital Branding

Best Ways to Promote your Apps

on June 8, 2021

Mobile app creation opens new ways for getting customers to recognize your brand. The app is the perfect way to show how dedicated you are towards the audience. Around 50 percent of customers use the app to make purchase decisions and scan for information.

That said, thousands of customers will be attracted to your business when you start taking care of them and give them a navigable way to get access to your goods and services. Mobile app marketing for getting more customers is very important.

Businesses approach mobile app development companies and after that they start finding the best ways for app marketing. So if you’re looking for a simple approach to promote the app, it’s worth considering certain strategies.

Explore the Ways to Promote Your Mobile App

· Choose the Right App Store

How to Market Your Mobile App – the Choice of the right App Store helps. Let us give you a broad notion. When you are considering the promotional strategy, always choose the store to list your app that will be a perfect one for the business and the market you want to target. Always make sure about adding the app to the different App Stores.

To get a sooner response on behalf of the users, start with the Google Play and Apple store. The distribution through the App Store is around $90 per month, while Google Play charges around $25 for the registration fee, and there is 30 percent associated with the list price. Besides, before you invest in picking up the App Store, consider the regions you want to cover.

· Rates and Reviews

High reviews and rates from the users ensure helping the app to draw the attention of the customers. Always ask the audience to rate the app. Also, request them to spend a few minutes writing a short review of the service they have got from your app. Add value like unlocking the new content or the virtual life.

More than 50 percent of organizations choose to redirect their investments to customer experience innovations that can give an unstoppable way to broaden your brand. Make sure about increasing the chances of getting the quality of feedback. You can also get the scope for the ranking in the App Store with the utilization of the right keywords.

· Use of Social Media Marketing

One of the most vital strategies that you need to consider is social media marketing. It can make sure about drawing the attention of the interested users. Conversion of the visitors to the customers also becomes easy by considering social media marketing. You can entertain the subscribers with useful content, thematic Infographics, and hot topics.

Make sure about never spoiling everything just by mindless copy-pasting. Rather make the social media marketing of your app great enough for catching the attention of the users. Besides, make sure about getting the feedback in time while bringing in the important updates.

· Designing the App Appropriately

Whenever it comes to promoting the app before releasing it, you will have to design the website appropriately. Highlight the main news regarding your app, the key features you’re of contents, as well as capabilities.

Pay attention to designing the app and upgrading it to match the present market standards while making it quite navigable. When you have built your mobile app, ensure attracting the people to the website while running the ad campaign with the assistance of the advertising company.

Pay attention to offering the users additional value like the personal discount. You can do so in return for the subscription to the app. The email base also becomes an additional channel that can develop the interaction with the customers. However, in the entire strategy, never consider spamming as a way to market your app.

· Connection with Professional Bloggers

The app marketing strategy starts before the app is launched. So you will have to build an international audience who will be there to serve as the face and the voice. Go ahead with marketing the app both locally and globally right after the app launch.

For that, you don’t have to consider building a bond with high-budget influencers. Rather, you can promote the mobile app by interacting with professional bloggers. You can also consider the app listing websites that can give you reviews and help generate subscribers with massive downloads.

The alternate method you can choose is reaching out to the top websites and social media personalities. Such a strategy can make sure about generating the app’s awareness with pace. One of the best ways to promote the app is to stick to engaging directly with the customers.

· Use of Email Marketing

Use of Communities, text messages, social media or interviews, video promotion, and similar other strategies can engage your consumers. However, one of the best and the classical ways to promote the app is email marketing.

Email marketing can still prove to be one of the best ways to promote the app internationally. It’s worth noting that mobile email opens have noticed an increase of 180 percent in the last three years.

All you have to do is openly broadcast the features, user ratings, reviews, benefits that your app will offer the users over similar competitive apps. Besides, you should also consider the selling point for relating every global scenario to the app: the best headlines, small and catchy titles, taglines, and subject lines. Then make sure to send out a clear picture of your app. Ensure sending out the bulk mails internationally to make sure about giving you more downloads in lesser time.

· Featuring App using your own Blog

A mobile user spends 2 hours and 51 minutes on the apps from his entire browsing time. This value suggests that the apps account for roughly 90 percent of smartphone usage. So, it’s clear how engaging the apps can increase your brand’s value. In addition to including the app on the website, you will have to regularly schedule the blog post in terms of another marketing strategy that can leverage your app’s presence.

You can also introduce the complete story regarding the app and let your target audience learn its purpose. The story-telling strategy works as one of the best ideas to promote your mobile app. Let them know how the app can be used while making things easier for them. You can include screenshots, videos to make it an engaging and better understanding of the content.

· Promotion with the Help of the Promo Video

There are around 2.87 million apps in the Google Play Store alongside 1.96 million apps in the App Store. You can create a promo video that will be good enough to promote the mobile app. It turns out to be the simplest and quickest way for someone who wants to understand the brand. Note that 21 percent of Millennials open an app 50+ times per day.

This value shows how important the promo video is for the promotion of your brand. The promo video turns out to be the best idea by which you can entice the visitors towards your brand. You can make the video quite attractive when compared to the other app promo videos.

This tip is something that can bring more views. With one of the most effective ways to promote your app, you can rest assured that you can take advantage of the video SEO. The proper title of the video will highlight your brand when the user’s query and the YouTube video title match.

Key Takeaways

So, with this blog, you have got the highlights regarding marketing your mobile app. It’s worth noting that user spending time on app stores will be increasing by 92 percent in 2022. Creating an exceptional app is important for increasing the sphere of the business while also reaching out to new customers.

There are dozens of app promotion channels, but not all of them work appropriately for promoting your app. Do follow the tailored ecosystem with a specific range of app promotion strategies as mentioned above. In the process, also consider the tools, services, and platforms. Give priority to building a strong app promotional and marketing strategy.

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