Local Branding

What to Consider When Designing Your Business Card

The Design

This is the most obvious factor and possibly the most important. It should grab attention, make an impression, and communicate who you are — all without being overwhelming. There are multiple important factors which will set you apart from the rest.   Who Is Your Audience?   This is an important consideration. A writer’s business card may have a white background with minimalistic design and information while hairdressers tend to favor black backgrounds and vibrant colors. Think about your target audience and optimize your design for them. What do you want them to think and feel when holding your card? What action should they take?

No Clutter

A customer confused is a customer lost. Focus your attention on the information you want to get across and don’t include unnecessary things — rather include a link to your website where the client can gain more information. Keep in mind that less is more and make it easy on your prospects.

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An Effective Logo

We mentioned that less is more but if you have a unique and eye-catching logo, it may be a good idea to incorporate it into your design. That said, “unique” doesn’t mean a ton of extravagant colors and a complicated design. The only people who could possibly get away with that are artists and graphic designers.

The Back

A card has two sides and using both is advisable. This will give you a chance to put a logo or name with your business description on one side, while developing contact information etc. on the other. In addition, it will help to keep your card clean, uncluttered, and simple to navigate.  On the other hand, if you leave your prospect with a blank side, they may be tempted to take useful notes on your product or service for future reference.

The card itself

The physical card will make as much of an impression as what you put on it. There are a few options to consider before taking your design to a printer. And, if you’re in need of a printing company, JoinPrint Printing offers some great business card advice and solutions.

Paper thickness

Thicker paper speaks of quality and generally leaves a better impression than a flimsy little thing. Leaving a potential customer with a bit of weight in their hands may just make them look twice. How thick you go however, will depend on the kind of work you do (if you’re in construction or engineering, thicker is better, but don’t leave your prospects with a brick in their pockets).

Size and shape

If you’re in the real estate industry, you may be tempted to give clients a little house-shaped piece of cardboard to consider. While this will leave them with something unique, it may not communicate professionalism. A card that’s too small will be easily missed or lost. In contrast, a card that is too large might be impractical to handle and end up in the trash.    In general, sticking with standard business card shape is effective but there are some exceptions. The mere act of presenting someone with an unconventionally shaped card could leave them with a lasting impression.

Finish to gloss or not to gloss?

Glossing will give most cards a sleek, finished look. However, it works best on darker colors. Bright colors may benefit more from a matte finish and gain some extra edge.    Other finish options you may want to consider includes varnish, spot UV, and embossing. In the end, your card should communicate who you are in an effective and professional way and convince prospects to take action.

Digital Branding

Benefits of Using Accounting Software for Bookkeeping

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Accounting and bookkeeping have changed drastically ever since the processes became automated and it changed further with the advent of cloud computing. Bookkeeping and accounting used to be so much of hard work that procrastination was rampant in accounting that hindered business growth. Business owners could not access real-time data as the accounting records were seldom updated and had to depend on guesswork to take business decisions that were often incorrect. All these are now history because even the smallest business can now use Darcy Services Bookkeeping MYOB to ensure that the bookkeeping and accounting records are up to date. Using a system for tracking income and expenses has become so easy that business owners can project future costs and revenue quite confidently.  It has greatly boosted the prospects of doing business in a better way.

Ready information in your hands

Today, no business can do without a primary business software system that has changed the ways people used to maintain accounting records. All essential information is now at your fingertips courtesy the reports generated by the system that keeps you abreast of the critical financial indicators. From accounts receivable by customers to sales and expense report as well as profit and loss by product – you are aware of everything.

Enhance the benefits of online banking

Banks are offering many benefits to its customers, and by using the accounting software, it becomes easy to harness the online benefits provided by banks. The software can coordinate with several banks and provide information so that you can quickly download transactions and reconcile the data with complete ease.

Better collection of accounts receivables

Generating sales invoice is a breeze by using accounting software that generates professional looking invoices that you can send across to customers over e-mails. The speed of sending invoices can be complemented well by requesting customers to make online payments. The payment cycle can shrink considerably depending on your ability to prevail upon customers to make timely online payments, and this can have a far-reaching effect of business profitability.  The software generates various reports and statements, and you can generate customised reports to identify customers who you consider the high risk with respect to collecting payments.

Receive payments promptly

The accounting software has provision for recording payment received via credit cards which speed up crediting the payment in your account immediately. Some software allows users to upgrade the system to synchronise it with POS (Point of Sale) system and integrate it with your cash register and credit card machine.

Bills payments made easy

By using the accounting software, you can manage your cash flow efficiently by tracking the accounts payable so that you can choose the most convenient time for paying bills. It helps to save cost as there is no fear of paying overdue interest for unpaid bills. You would be better placed to interact professionally with your vendors. Accounting software can be easily integrated with POS System.  For additional information and to Find out the best POS System for your small business.

If you are using online accounting software, you are in complete command of your financial status as you can access information any time and from anywhere.

Local Branding

What Is The Significance Of Promotional Products in Today’s Market?

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All big cities have thousands of brands competing with each other for gaining the attention of potential customers. Traditional marketing and digital marketing are no longer enough to secure the market. People need to see more than glittery signboards and flashy TV commercials. They need a taste of the “real deal.”

In the world of digital marketing, every company faces one significant disadvantage – the lack of tangibility. Customers may enjoy the advantage of shopping from the comforts of their home or taking a quick shopping break during their office lunch hours, but they miss the good old practice of judging the quality of products through touch and feel. Many brands are now thinking about giving away promotional products to increase their market presence and boost their tangibility.

Answer this question honestly – are you using a branded promotional pen in office? If not, do you have branded coasters, journals and promotional t-shirts at home? Every 21st-century shopper has a myriad of branded promotional products in their wardrobes and cabinets. Promotional products boost the visibility of a brand. According to a Forbes study, the brand recollection rate for promotional products in New York City is almost 85%. It is incredibly higher than the recollection rate of banner ads and print ads. Print ads are everywhere in NYC, and that contributes to the significantly low brand recall.  Promotional products in NYC help in planting the seeds of curiosity and interest that prompt the recipient to search the brand later. When a person wears or uses a promotional product, the average passersby and the co-workers take notice. It prompts the other people to search the brand as well.

What are the advantages of promotional products?

In a world of online stores and service websites, personal touch has become crucial for almost every customer. Promotional products can help you reach out to your consumer groups better than any online campaign and paid advertisement campaigns your competitors have launched –

  • Improved market reach – Most importantly, these promotional products empower a brand by creating the perception of high value among the recipients. When a business buys promotional products in bulk, they invest a nominal amount. However, the recipients are not aware of this small investment.
  • Building dedicated groups of customers – When the consumers receive a complementary product with a touch of personalization, they are likely to believe that the products are expensive.
  • Improved brand reputation – Research shows that giving away promotional products of standard quality and a touch of personalization boosts the reputation of a brand.
  • Increases the credibility – Customers are likely to view the brand and its products with improved reliability. The small touch of tangibility can go a long way to establish a mark of quality for any new brand operating online or launching a new storefront in New York.

Why is working with experienced marketing professionals imperative for promotional marketing campaigns?

If you step into any doctor’s office in NYC or visit the average middle-class home, you will notice tens of different branded promotional products. The chances are that you have been using a promotional product like that for weeks without even realizing it. It can be a coffee mug, coaster, pen, notepad or mouse pad. Why is it that some promotional products blend right in with the rest, but only a few stand out amidst the clutter? The answer is customization. The key to drawing the right kind of attention to your promotional products is by customizing them adequately. Anyone can stand on the corner of the road and give out pens and coasters, but the brand that can leverage the products to establish their identity have chances of reaching their target demographic.

The right colors, logos and identifiers play significant roles in reaching the target market. If you are thinking about launching your promotional campaign, you need to visit the best promotional product design company in NYC for guidance. Consumer psychology plays an integral role in the selection of product types, colors and logo typefaces. Thus, always ensure that you have a strong marketing team by your side while beginning the initial phases of planning.

Promotional products boost the “aided” recall value of a brand. This principle of marketing leverages a simple trait of customer psychology. When a consumer receives a free product, he or she will use it for a few days. For example – you receive a complimentary pen or umbrella from your go-to stationary brand or outdoor accessories brand. You are likely to use these articles till they last and if you enjoy the product quality, you are highly likely to seek out the same brands when you are in the store the next time. By using promotional products, any brand can increase their impact on their target consumer groups. They can improve their aided and subsequent unaided recall, as well as improve their market presence over time.

Digital Branding

Tips to Select The Right Video Production Company For Your Marketing Requirements

As per the present state of affairs, the video holds the pinnacle when it comes to communication and marketing strategy. Full-scale marketing campaigns for all your venture needs, a simple inspirational message from the CEO, or for the memories of an event or ceremony; a videographer Jacksonville FL (or your local area) is the choice for everyone. Statistically speaking motion pictures and videos comprise about 65% of all the internet content and estimates say it will grow to a whopping 80% by the end of 2019.

But to bring your ideas to life, you need a video production company, and with so many available options it is quite difficult to make the perfect choice that will suit your requirements to the “tee.” It is a tricky path to navigate, and any possible wrong turn could lead to wastage of time and money. In the following article, our experts have compiled together a list of important considerations that you need to be aware of before investing in a video production agency.

To get more information and quotation for your specific videography needs to consult A wing visuals Denver.

Here are the vital points that you need to consider before selecting a video production service,

1. Face to face communication is important

A face to face communication is ideal while choosing a video production agency. It can be a casual catch up and exchange of ideas over a cup of coffee or proper planning with PowerPoint presentations, you and the agency needs to work as a team and find time to get together. Shop around to gather quotes; a general rule of thumb is to get quotes from 3 different video production agencies to make the ideal choice.

To cement the perfect future and plan and execute the video profile for your entre fruitfully always insist on a face-to-face meeting where ideas can be exchanged, and you can get a clear picture on how the wavelengths match between you and the video production agency.

2. Go through the portfolio for the video agency

A production company worth their salt will have a portfolio where they maintain all of their previous work in chronological order. Ask to see the prior work of the agency and don’t be afraid to be pushy about it, since you will invest your hard earned money.

Examples of previous work will give you a feel and idea of what you are getting into and what you can expect from the video production agency. Be it the variety of the work, the expertise of handling the camera equipment, logistics and post-production work; you need to take into account the entirety of the services provided for by the agency. Video production is a fast-paced and dynamic industry and the techniques of last year won’t be working for the current year. Avoid a one trick pony; instead, select an agency with a repertoire of thinking outside the box. If you are going to invest in a video, you have to make sure that it will feel fresh and maintain audience retention. The only way to achieve that is by making the perfect choice for your video production agency.

3. Perform a credential check

It is always a great idea to do a check of the credentials for the firm you are thinking about choosing. The following are some of the critical points that you should gather information on before signing the dotted line,

  • The experience of the agency
  • The equipment used by the video production agency for shooting as well as editing and other post-production work
  • Does the firm own the equipment or will they hire it and if yes how much of the rental charge will you have to bear as the principal investor
  • Does the agency have a personal studio?
  • Agency officials for camera work or hired freelance talent?
  • Handling of the post-production by the firm or outsourcing of the same from a different agency at a different location
  • Will they be able to handle animation if that is your requirement?
  • Architects and drafters who can render diagrams and business charts into the videos
  • Can they shoot is more than one format like the use of time-lapse, drone footage, hand-held documentary type or the primary tripod filming

You need to do thorough background research for the agency you will be investing in. It is essential that you do your homework as it can be a cornerstone for a long and fruitful relationship. Your agency needs to be flexible with your requirements and demands. So shop around to search for the quality of services you deserve.

4. Finding the match

A word of advice from our experts! Ideally, you should avoid an agency that offers its services for a low rate. Chances are a company quoting less than the industry norm is an amateur agency trying to increase the experience. That will result in an amateurish production for your video which will hurt your venture in the long run. The proof of a company is the final product on offer. So ask for reviews and recommendations from previous employers of the video production agency.

5. Make sure your company uses innovative ideas

You have to understand the purpose of a video when it comes to online marketing. You are looking to stand out in a crowd of thousands of competitors in the over-populated market. A professional video production agency will bring out the salient features and the unique selling points for your firm and venture. The best bet is to go with a video production agency that is known for doing unique work. Avoid practices performing routine jobs. Pitch your ideas to the agency and check their prior work for a clear view about the use of original and creative ideas by the agency personnel and crew. If your agency cannot come up with inspirational and unique ideas, it is advisable to look for a new one.

6. The quality of the production

Post production and the production quality of the video is a vital aspect for any video as a poor quality video takes the shine out of any unique selling point you might want to advertise about your venture. Check the recent works to get a clear picture of the camera and sound work. Resolution and post-production work should also be factored in.

Make sure of all of the points mentioned above never to put a foot wrong while selecting a video production agency for your venture requirements.

Digital Branding

Choosing The Perfect Website Designing Company Made Easy in 7 Steps

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Your website designing firm should essentially be your partner and have the best interests for your venture at heart. But before making that choice, it is essential that you understand the makings of a good partner. Without the adequate information you will end up making a wrong choice, and it can prove to be a monstrous waste of time and money. Do not hurt your venture by making an ill-informed decision.

Protect yourself and retain the best interests of your venture by selecting SWD Studenten Webdesign Webseite erstellen lassen. If you want to know more about the criterion your website design firm must conform to, all you need to do is read on.

1. Knowing the budget

It’s imperative that you know the company budget before making a choice. You might already be scrolling through web design agencies trying to get an idea about their work, but you need to first take into consideration whether your company or venture allows you the shoestring or the unlimited budget option.

You should put the number in writing and make sure you search for a firm within that budget range. You can quote your budget up to a 70-80% of it to the website design firm you are choosing. Discuss the matter with your firm in a detailed manner to never miss the mark with budget proportions for your business venture.

2. Get a quote from the company from you choose

Detailed information about the pricing of an agency is a must even before you select the firm. The pricing of the agency is important to make sure you are not going overboard the budget you have been provided or kept aside personally. Agencies vary their pricing according to the job at hand and the type of website design you provide as the assignment. There can be different packages on offer for you as well, but what is critical for the partnership process is that you find out what you can afford and how it can aid you in improving your business.

You need to contact the agency personally because they don’t usually publish their pricing. You need to provide all the information up front to work within a set budget and with complete transparency. Research online to find the best agencies out there!

3. About fees and charges

As stated before a website designing firm doesn’t advertise their pricing, so you need to aware and read the fine print in your contract. Make sure you go over all the details before you sign the dotted line. You need to inquire about the policy of agency regarding fees including charges for making unscheduled updates to the site, billing for the extra hours and costs for unscheduled checkups. Since there are no standards when it comes to fees for a website design agency it is essential that you are upfront with all your information along with making sure that you read the offer document carefully.

4. Check the past clients

You need to ask about the web designing agency from the previous customers and clients. This personal review will give you a clear idea about the policies, terms, and conditions in place for the firm you finally select. You can ask the firm to provide you with the contact details of previous clients, or you can check the website for client reviews and ratings. If the previous clients speak highly about the firm, you will have a better chance of success employing the website designer for your venture.

5. The fact about client retention

A professional website designing agency will be able to retain their customers better than duplicitous and non-professional practices. A client retention rate of around 60-70% is an indicator that is average for most of the professional website designer. A client retention rate around 90% means you are dealing with the best. So it is essential to ask and shop around to get the best out of your deal.

If your firm has a higher client retention rate than the competition, then you can find this fact highlighted on the website of the firm. This high client retention is borne out of partnership, professionalism, and commitment to success. Make sure you choose a firm accordingly.

6. Ask to know the person who will be dealing with your site

So now your meeting has been scheduled, and you will soon be meeting a company official who will take you through all the details and terms and conditions of the firm. But you have to make sure you get to talk personally with the official in charge of your website. Always deal in the specifics as communication is the key towards designing a novel and user-friendly website. Any undisciplined work culture will undoubtedly be the downfall of the firm as well as your venture. So it is always advisable to make sure that you select the firm of your choice after careful reviewing.

7. About customer support

Other than establishing a dedicated point of contact for your venture requirements and website designing you also need to ask about the provision of technical and customer support by the firm. It is essential to have company personnel on speed dial so that you can contact him/her at a moment’s notice when the webpage services breakdown or you need maintenance for your page. It is essential to have 24-7 support as you never know when you will require assistance. Your contact can even take leave or fall sick while the work is ongoing, so you need to ask about the deputizing personnel in such cases. You might have to wait to call up the company official, or they might be available all around the clock; either way, you have to be sure about the company policy. So it is always a great idea to ask about the protocols in place before making a choice.

Keep in mind these simple and easy to follow steps before choosing a website designing firm for your venture needs. All the very best!

Digital Branding

Numbers Are Important But No Less Important Is The Activity Level Of Instagram Followers

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Social media marketing success depends not only on the number of followers you have but also how fast the number keeps growing. When you are using Instagram, you must create strategies to ensure that the follower base keeps expanding and most importantly comprise of a high number of active Instagram followers. You just cannot afford to feel complacent even if you have a million followers because unless most of them are active on the platform and take interest to share your content, it does not add any value to the marketing campaign. The element of shareability linked to the high visibility of brands makes social media so much valuable to marketers. And sharing of content on Instagram is only possible when your followers take an active interest in your content to share it.

Building the numbers first

Nothing happens unless you can develop a sizeable number of followers on Instagram. To begin with, you must engage a full-time person experienced in Instagram to look after your account who can do all the hard work necessary to attract viewers and then convert them into your loyal followers. At this point, you must not fuss about the quality of followers too much because the numbers do matter in giving you confidence about the prospects of using the platform for your needs. When you see that many people are taking an interest in your brand, you can plan the next step to sensitize followers and use them for propagating your brand across the platform.

Build relationships

Once your brand becomes familiar to your followers, you must think about how to use them for growing the brand. Besides creating high-quality content, you must interact with followers closely to develop a more close relationship that goes beyond numbers. You must stay active on the platform and respond to what others are posting so that your online existence becomes quite convincing and authoritative that takes your marketing efforts to a new level. Your followers can discover the human face behind the brand that generates more trust and encourages them to come forward and share your content.

Activity outscores numbers

While the number of followers on Instagram might make you proud, do not forget that their activity level is perhaps more important. This brings us to the point where quality rules over quantity. After all, what sense does it make to build a crowd if only a few choose to spread the good word about your brand? Unless your followers turn into your brand ambassadors, the number of followers would only remain a vanity metric, doing little good for your marketing cause. Indeed, you must target the maximum following but also take steps to ensure that the followers stay active and help you gain an advantage in marketing.

The activity level of followers is an indicator of the extent of interest they take in your business and brand that really matters. Even if you have fewer followers who are highly active, it will translate into a better business which is the purpose of taking your business to Instagram.

Local Branding

Top 5 Tips to Be a Successful Contractor Entrepreneur

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If you are a general contractor or you are a small contractor business owner and want to be a successful entrepreneur on your business line, here are some tips you can follow to help you achieve the success you want for your business.

Like what you do

Like any other job, it is better to do something you like, if you love fixing things, building things, remodeling, if you enjoy working with your hands and you can look with pride at the result of your work, you will not dread going to work every day.

Enjoying what you do comes across to your clients, they will notice how happy you are doing your job, which will give them confidence in you, if you follow this and the rest of the tips on this list, you will probably have a client for life, and that client will generate more clients for you, as the client will recommend you to friends and family, even co-workers. Of course, you should not only rely on referrals for getting more clients, investing in publicity, marketing in your area, social media ads, is always good. Have cards printed with your name, your business name, phone number, email and business hours, so the client can know when you are available and when and where they can reach you

Have good customer service

Having excellent customer service can mean a lot for your business, it will mean you will have a happy customer, if you have given your client your card, they will know when and how to reach you, but what happens when you are unreachable? Always have an extra person that can answer your clients questions, or if they cannot answer their questions they can reply to their email or call and let them know their email has been received and you will be getting back to them soon with an answer, or you will be getting the message that they called with questions and you will call them back as quickly as possible to solve any issues or questions they could have and your staff if not ready to answer.

As long as your client feels they are being taken care of, that they matter to you, and they are not left in limbo if they have a question, request or just need to reach you, your client should be happy and that should always be your aim, having satisfied customers, that will hire you again for any work they might need in the future.

Use good materials

When you want to do an excellent job like an artist you will not get a cheap paintbrush, bad quality paint, a lousy canvas, if you’re going to do a good job, one you can be proud of and that will make your clients happy, you need to invest in getting good materials. What is the point in fixing a pipe if you know in 2 days it will be leaking again? Do the best job you can do and with the best materials available to you, if the pipe has a leak that requires you to replace a length of pipe do so, do not just patch up a whole and hope for the best, replace that piece of faulty pipe with a good quality pipe, use the best adhesive for the job, fix the hole you made on the wall to get to that pipe so that the fix is unnoticeable. Be a perfectionist with what you do and with the materials you use. That will guarantee your job will hold and last, and your client will notice you are professional and responsible and that your work stands the test of time.

Have insurance

Even if you have years of experience in this branch but have just decided to start to your own business, or if this is a new venture in which you are not that experienced, no one is free of unexpected situations, so to save your company from potential bankruptcy from an accident caused to the client or another third party, a mistake while doing your job, a lawsuit resulting from a dissatisfied customer, or what they may feel was misleading advertisement. You may think you only need contractor’s general liability insurance, but you may benefit from having a commercial auto insurance policy as well, as your auto policy will not cover you if you use your car to go to work sites, or transport materials or tools, or has any sort of logo for your business on it. You could also benefit from inland marine insurance coverage that covers your tools and equipment, and it is always a wise investment to have workers compensation insurance coverage for your most valuable assets, your workers.

Keep your Schedule and Budget

Another way to be a successful contractor entrepreneur is to give your clients strict schedules of when the work will be completed and a Budget as an accurate as possible as well. Contractor has the unfortunate name of always being behind on their Schedule and delivery dates, if you want to set your business apart and then make yourself known for being on time with your Schedule, we all know there are unforeseen delays that may happen, but when you are planning for a project make sure to have the materials you are going to need to be ordered as ahead as possible, make sure you will have enough or a little extra in case some mistakes are made you won´t need to reorder the product. If your specialist in drywall calls in sick unexpectedly make sure you have someone that can do the job as well, and the right way, as it will take you longer to have it taken down and redone. Always make sure you have the right tools on site, all the materials needed, a place to store them safely and reliable workers. Being on time and the schedule will earn you a good name and reputation with your clients and good reviews from them.

Digital Branding

Reinvent Your Cloud Potential with these Top AWS Tips and Tricks

With over 100 on-demand cloud computing services under its belt, Amazon Web Services is a force that propels the Internet forward. In fact, it occupies a sizeable 34% of the whole cloud (IaaS and PaaS) space easily over competitors like IBM, Google, and Microsoft.

 

The wide service offerings of AWS include some heavy-weight cloud-computing services like elastically provisioned servers (EC2), object storage (S3), payment processing (DevPay), monitoring (CloudWatch), content delivery networks (CDN), among many others.

 

The USP of AWS lies in its on-demand availability, quick scalability and also affordability. In fact, a service like AWS is considered to be the backbone that strengthens the IT operations of modern-day organizations.

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AWS helps all kinds of enterprises meet their computing needs, from startups to giant corporations. But, given the complicated spectrum of services and also the pace at which they are constantly updated, a lion’s share of AWS’s true potential is under-utilized.

 

Here are some ways how you can tap into that untapped potential that will not only improve your organizational performance but might also save you some costs.

 

Leverage the Free Elastic IP Feature

Unknown to many, and even if known, not used properly is the Free Elastic IP feature in AWS. By default, AWS provides one free Elastic IP for every running instance. This free Elastic IP in AWS assigns a static IPv4 address which helps in dynamic cloud computing services. This elastic IP address helps in covering up any software downtime or instance failure by remapping the affected instance to another instance.

 

Save Costs with Amazon Load Balancers

AWS Application Load Balances can help cut down your ELB costs by at least 90%. AWS has priced its ALBs at $0.0225 per Application Load Balancer-hour (or partial hour). AWS ALB also supports host-based routing and path based routing. Most importantly, a single ALB can replace upto 75 ELBs. The only catch is that AWS ALBs do not support TCP protocol, however, support is available for HTTP and HTTPS.

 

Configure Multiple Cloudwatch Alarms

Normally, Cloudwatch alarms are raised when instances breach a set threshold. The alarm is notified to a team which is responsible for troubleshooting and fixing the issue. However, if the same alarm is to repeat, it is not possible to alert a different team, possibly a higher authority who could fix the issue.

 

Configuring multiple Cloudwatch alarms will help notify such breach instances and take timely action. The good news is that AWS Cloudwatch has such an option to configure multiple alarms for various breach instances to alert different teams.

 

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Use Compression at the Edge Feature in Cloudfront

AWS allows you to compress certain file types and also serve the compressed files directly to users. The compressed files sometimes are just one-fourth of the original size. Since the cost of Cloudfront data transfer is based on the total volume of data delivered to users, Compression at the Edge feature would save tons of money. Also, compressed JavaScript and CSS files will help accelerate your page loading speed thus delivering superior user experience.

 

Save Small-Sized Chunks in Glaciers

Amazon Glacier storage offers a safe and scalable way to archive data for the long-term. But, retrieving data from glaciers is a time-consuming affair. Also, it can prove to be expensive too depending on the volume of data that is being retrieved.

 

You can save time and effort in such a data retrieval process by uploading data in small-sized chunks. Organizing files into small-sized chunks will make it easy to spot the right dataset that needs to be retrieved easily and quickly. The small-sized retrieval also ensures that your data retrieval costs are contained to a bare minimum.

 

Use Versioned Object Names in Cloudfront

It takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete a single invalidation request in Cloudfront. If the size of the CloudFront cache purge request is big, then the time taken would also be proportionally longer. Now imagine getting 1000 requests or so every month. It can hamper a web administrator’s productivity significantly. But, not purging CloudFront cache can lead to invalidations too. Using versioned object names is a better and faster way of handling invalidation requests.

 

In-Built Usage Monitor

As a scalable cloud-computing service, AWS is billed based on your actual usage. So, it is wise to keep a constant check on your usage, just to keep track of any spikes that you may not be aware of. Also, you can also set soft limits for specific regions to keep your AWS billing within limits. Rest assured, cost-savings could be well-planned and achieved with AWS.

Final Thoughts

AWS has achieved a cult status in the cloud computing space. Its competitors are nowhere close to matching the giant’s offerings. The fact that it was spun off from Amazon’s very own enterprise IT operations makes it flexible and scalable for all kinds of businesses.

 

These tips will help you make the most of AWS without having to break the bank. They will help you keep your cloud computing costs within limits and also take your cloud infrastructure efficiency to new heights.

 

 

Author Bio:

Pratiksha Prasad

Digital Marketer with over 7 years of experience. Passionate about the latest trends in Digital Marketing, Technology, Cloud Computing, and App Development.

Digital Branding

What Are Algorithms and Why Should We Care

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Whenever you perform a Google search, whenever you browse through the recommendations on Netflix, whenever you see the trends on Twitter or take a peek at your Facebook news feed, you see the result of their tireless work yet you don’t even spare them a thought. They are the algorithms, the unseen forces shaping our lives – especially the digital one. They are the pieces of code that recommend you related products when you buy something online, they are the ones who select the “people you may know” on social media and they are the ones compiling a playlist for you on various music streaming services. Their role is very important in everything digital so let’s take a brief look at what they are and what they are used for.

What are algorithms?

In mathematics, an algorithm describes a set of rules to be followed in calculations – and its role is similar when it comes to computers, too. The visual representation of an algorithm would look a lot like a flowchart used in programming, for example: lots of “if-then” statements with instructions for either case. Think of it as a series of people working at a fruit packaging plant putting apples in one crate if they are red, in another if they are yellow, and calling their supervisor if a pear gets mixed into the batch. They can describe something as simple as the recipe for apple pie to something as complex as AlphaGo, the artificial intelligence that beat Lee Sedol at Go, and everything in between.

Algorithms in everyday life

We don’t see the algorithms in our everyday lives but we see their “handiwork”, so to say. When you book a ticket. When you pay with your card at the grocery store. When you play your favorite game on your phone. We usually call them programs, software packages, applications, apps – depending on the environment. Even reading this article is the result of an algorithm running in your brain: you read the letters left to right, recognize the word, look for its meaning in your memory, understand it, then proceed to the next one in the text. There are many algorithms that are surprisingly complex doing things that seem like magic, like getting the most relevant result when performing a Google search, unlocking your smartphone by allowing it to read your fingerprint or finding the shortest route between your home and the supermarket on your GPS. Today’s digital world wouldn’t function without them.

Algorithms vs humans

Algorithms are becoming “smarter” and more complex as they get more and more data to work with. And, as many jobs can be broken down into simple tasks, they are getting better at them – sometimes better than humans. Take Uber, for example, replacing the dispatchers traditionally working at cab companies with an algorithm that does its job right, sending a driver to the desired address in due time, and taking care of handling the payments, too. An increasing number of companies are now experimenting with replacing part of their human personnel with computers, and the results so far seem promising. In time, algorithms will become even more complex – smarter, if you like – and will be able to do even more of the jobs that were traditionally done by humans. They will do this through a better understanding of the things they do, breaking these things down into simple tasks, and figuring out ways to automate them.

In 1964, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov predicted the following: “The world of A.D. 2014 will have few routine jobs that cannot be done better by some machine than by any human being. Mankind will therefore have become largely a race of machine tenders.” While he was off by a few years, we’re definitely getting there.

Digital Branding

4 Tips for Cannabis Business Branding

Branding your Cannabis Brand takes some foresight and some thought. These tips will help you do so.

Tell a Story

Today’s consumer is smarter than ever and has caught on to the usual sales language. However, one thing they cannot resist is a good story.

A good brand story is one that entertains while connecting to consumers emotionally. Think about the “Most Interesting Man in the World ads” by Don Equis. All they did was take a cheap lager and turn it into something else completely. A cheap beer suddenly takes on an attitude of sophistication and adventure. To make things worse, consumers took the story and molded it to their lives with the “I don’t always/but when I do” meme. It is a story that’s likely to continue selling years after the conclusion of the campaign.

You don’t even need to have an elaborate story. A complex fiction may work wonders, but you might be surprised by what a simple origin story of your brand is capable of accomplishing. It provides a sense of authenticity and leaves your customers feeling like they are taking part in something greater than themselves.

So, you need to think about your brand’s story and find a good way to tell it. If you do that, you are guaranteed to connect with an eager audience.

Think “Lifestyle” Rather than LOLs

The Dazed and Confused image of marijuana was ubiquitous when cannabis was sold exclusively via the black market. However, as it enters the mainstream market, savvy businesses will brand their cannabis products for audience that’s more expansive.

It means marketing cannabis products as “lifestyle” enhancers instead of sticking to the traditional stoner niche. Think sophisticated and sleek i.e. a new product for a life of luxury. Apple is a prime example.

You can alternatively consider what the craft breweries did as their industry exploded following the turn of the millennium. Beer suddenly tool on a completely different level of refinement. Each brewery, today, has a distinct, storied brand. Beers are available for all occasions and to be paired with certain foods. A massive brewery tourism industry has even blossomed.

Think of it like this: The average consumer of cannabis is a middle-class, late twenties to early thirties. So, what kinds of products do these people buy? Organic foods, bespoke clothing, craft cocktails… you get the picture. Simply put, your brand should appeal to their desire for a more refined lifestyle.

Cannabis companies should be looking at more innovative techniques of branding in the modern cannabis era – use a cannabis marketing agency to help.

Elevate the Language

This is an extension of the point above.  All the outdated slang i.e. herb, grass, pot, bud, etc., speaks to the outdated and under-the-radar market. Today, you are selling in a mature and vibrant industry. You now sell “doses” rather than “hits” or “flowers” instead of “buds.”

Obviously, there’s enough room for all the silly aspects of marijuana culture that people know and love, but stay classy and still refer to it as cannabis for branding purposes.

Don’t Use Clichés

Never forget that you are attempting to elevate the conversation and that tired old clichés do everything besides that. Afro man songs, 420, tie-dye, laziness, and Rastafarian colors and even the long-embraced pot leaf have all started to fall by the wayside.

Sure, there’s a place and time for all these, but if you do have to use cliché and nostalgia, only include them as periphery elements – never make a tie-dyed pot leaf the basis for your whole brand.