Local BrandingSaaS Branding

4 Brick and Mortar Stores That Prove Physical Retail Isn’t Dead

on January 23, 2019

Many people nowadays believe that retail is dead or dying. Since most consumers shop online, there’s really no need for brick and mortar stores, is there? That’s quite wrong actually. Sure, shopping online is more convenient and oftentimes cheaper but there are factors online shopping simply cannot provide. For instance, you’d want to try on the clothes or the shoes to make sure they fit and look good on you before you actually buy them.

What’s more, you’d want to see and try out a product to make sure it suits your needs before you order it. People tend to take things for granted. Just because people prefer to shop from home doesn’t mean there’s no need for retail. As a matter of fact, the retail industry is still pretty much alive and kicking with no signs of going out of business any time soon. In addition, people still prefer to visit brick and mortar stores whenever they can. That being said, here are a few brick and mortar stores that prove physical retail isn’t dead.

T.J. Maxx speed to market

T.J. Maxx or TJX is an American retail store that specializes in selling products at generally lower prices than other competitors. That alone is a unique selling proposition but that’s not the key feature TJX has to offer. What is it that makes TJX retail stores so appealing? It’s speed to market and empowering consumer decisions. As a matter of fact, TJX allows customers to cut deals on the spot.

What’s more, TJX renews its inventory as often as every 24 hours, meaning they constantly have a new assortment in the stores every day. TJX has well-over 3,800 physical stores in place with a goal of reaching 5,600 stores worldwide. Furthermore, their profits and revenue have been on the rise for the past 33 quarters in a row. The key takeaway here is that customers know that if they find something good in the store, it won’t be there tomorrow, so they buy on the spot.

A unique experience from Apple

Apple’s takeaway on consumers experiencing the product before buying it has led this company to open more and more retail stores. As a matter of fact, two-thirds of Apple’s revenue comes from its retail stores with the highest sales-per-square-foot in the retail industry. If you visit various Apple store locations, you’ll quickly realize as to why this company is betting big on retail.

That being said, Apple designed its in-store experience and trained their staff to provide mobile check-out with a focus on building relationships with customers and adding value to their lives instead of just sell them a product. Apple has over 500 stores worldwide but they also continue to innovate. Apple plans on improving its in-store experience by improving the hardware, software and architecture of its stores. Some stores now include a boardroom for the community and even a town square for bigger stores. Apple also plans on replacing around 35 stores with new ones each year.

Kuwaii’s strong values

Kuwaii is a fashion retailer based in Melbourne, Australia. They are focused on developing and designing top quality attire and footwear that’s made to last, which is the opposite of today’s fast fashion trends. Kuwaii’s first location opened in Brunswick, Melbourne in 2012 and the company doubled its size. They later opened yet another store in 2014 and doubled their business once again. How did they do it exactly? According to the Kuwaii’s owner, Kristy Barber, the secret lies in strong values and the local community.

Kuwaii’s key takeaway is that their items are created by hard-to-find artists and creators. Kuwaii supports and collaborates with artists and other brands by hosting sales and other events for them. Kuwaii also prefers to tell stories behind individual pieces of clothing and how they came to be. The fact of the matter is that you can attract consumers who relate to your values but only if you stick to your values at all times.

Books@One’s sense of community

If anyone can prove physical retail isn’t dead then it’s a retail bookstore. With the rise of digital formats, such as eBooks, people would think that hard-copy books will soon die out. However, every true book fan knows that nothing can replace paper when it comes to books, no matter how convenient eBooks might be. Books@One, a brick and mortar bookstore based in Ireland, is very well aware of how important books are.

Their goal is to not just sell books but create a sense of community where people can participate in events or simply sit down and enjoy a book while they sip coffee and chat with others. Their community-based initiative has the potential to change Ireland according to The Irish Times. For their takeaway on customer experience, Books@One owners Brid Conroy and Neil Paul said: “We’re creating an atmosphere where people engage with books in a communal way again.”

People are social beings, which means they need human interactions every now and then. Retail stores are there for when you want an experience you simply cannot have in the online world. That reason alone proves that brick and mortar stores aren’t going to die anytime soon.

Legal Branding

Debt Settlement Based Affiliate Programs With Back End Processing Are Growing As Business

on January 21, 2019

The debt settlement program under the affiliate notion is money up front based payment structure. With all the new regulatory laws, a debt settlement based affiliate advance fee model is no longer anything of the past.  There are two major pluses of such program as it will allow the affiliates to get paid faster than the higher commissions. This will allow the affiliates to just cover the marketing cost easier and also continually feed some quality leads agents. You can further check out some information on debt settlement ratings, which will act right in your favor as well.

Reasons to join the debt settlement based affiliate program:

There are so many points, which will set the debt settlement based affiliate programs completely different from other options you have come across. The proper starting place over here is going to be back end processing and even the commission payouts right now. You should learn more about the program before the matter gets really out of your hand over here.

More about the program and customer service:

The affiliate programs are primarily designed for those firms which are currently related to the debt settlement industry. It is also for those firms, which are not quite receiving good processing, servicing and proper and fair commission.

  • The program is mainly designed around to offer you with the finest in such key areas as just mentioned. They are also quite focused on providing clients with some best relief and greater customer service right now.
  • The primary customer service as provided to the affiliates will bring in some client satisfaction and will keep the affiliates retention at a high rate.
  • Anytime the client as question during the business hours, the friendly customer services reps will proof to be quite ready to help.
  • Clients are not going to be passed through the automated menu and menu for getting through the live agent. They are likely addressed to speak to one of the knowledgeable and friendly representative from the moment they are connected through the program.

The commission structure related to the affiliate program:

At the current debt settlement affiliates, the teams are able to offer you with the best and finest possible settlement based affiliate program and proper business opportunity. This is going to be the opportunity where affiliates get the chance to grow and then thrive. Here, they can get the chance to become leaders in the current debt settlement industry for sure.

  • The high affiliate based commissions will allow the affiliates to easily catch up with the pay marketing costs and even that of the agent commissions.
  • It will help the affiliates to come up with some high profit margin and grow the company in an exponent manner. The focus over here is more than just adding affiliates and that is to help the current affiliates to just grow.

Dealing with debt settlement processing:

The debt settlement processing will definitely bring client satisfaction and some higher client retention. The most reliable companies are able to offer you with so many affiliate programs like debt help, debt relief, debt negotiation and even debt management programs. They have special packages under debt reduction and even debt consolidation based affiliate programs. The companies are known to provide their affiliates with the best right in back end based processing associated with private student loans, consumer debt and even business debt in question.

Heading towards pay per lead:

There are some selected companies, which are not going to offer pay per lead programs like the others in question. It is mainly because the commission on the current pay per lead program is rather low. When compared to any of the affiliate shared commission program, this current pay per lead option ways quite less, and even less than half. This current pay per lead pay structure might cause the affiliates to just fail. The procedure might not work well as the commissions are rather too low for covering the agent and marketing commissions.

Benefits of back end processing and the programs in questions:

Going through the options as mentioned beforehand might actually attract you to come towards this debt settlement based affiliate program and try your luck in winning some bucks. But before any of that, you might want to take some time out and learn more about the benefits of the company’s back end processing and program, just to be sure.

The system remains effective and unique:

The reputed companies are able to use one proprietary based bulk settlement system right on the back end for getting clients the lowest possible negotiated settlements as you could have asked for. It is no doubt to state that this is one major factor for maintaining higher client retention. The clients are here to get results and if the results get better, the harrier will be the outcome. The programs are mainly designed to bring in some fast relief by just meeting and then exceeding the expectations of clients.

Customer service is rather unsurpassed:

The clients are here to receive exceptional customer service, right from start till end. It is just as vital as consolidating debt into one lower payment. The concerns or questions of the client need to get answered or professionally addressed. Not working on that might bring in some dissatisfaction, which will finally focus you to lose clients. For such a reason, the debt settlement programs are likely to go just beyond back end processing.

You can place some proper emphasis on client relations with the help of exceptional customer service. Even when the client is not being courteous, the customer service is definitely going to rep to be courteous. All these service reps are deemed to be knowledgeable and professional about various aspects of service.

Once you start being a part of these affiliate programs under the debt settlement section, you will come to learn about it a lot more. Things will definitely work out in the way you could have asked for.

Digital Branding

Prevent Security Threats Using Cyber Intelligence

on January 18, 2019

Technology has really revolutionized our way of doing normal tasks in life. Businesses everywhere employ the use of technology, to market, sell their goods and sometimes technology, is the business. The technology businesses have become more and more sophisticated with the passing of each day. This is also true for the cybercriminals and hackers. This is so also for the tools, which these criminals employ in hacking businesses and firms. Globally, cybercrime has been estimated to cost about 0.8 percent of the world’s GDP. This is from a report that was released by the CSIS. This percentage amounts to around $600 billion. This figure is higher than prior years and therefore this means that the problem is growing worse and worse. It has become much easier for users who lack the technical know-how of how to hack, to hack, because there are toolkits that have been pre-made, that one can download online absolutely free, or at a very small cost. There are also platforms like YouTube, which contain multiple videos and content on hacking. These resources are fast and readily consumed by the willing public, a combination that is very lethal to cyber security. Because it is very tasking to put up with, a new area, cyber intelligence, has arisen from cybersecurity. Cyber intelligence focuses on the collecting and analyzing of information, that entails of potential and existing attacks which threaten organizations’ and firms’ asset safety. Cyber intelligence is beneficial in that it is proactive, and it prevents breaches in data thus saving you the financial consequences of the aftermath of being hacked. Cyber intelligence gives firms a deep understanding of what threats pose greater danger to the infrastructure of their technology, and advices them accordingly on how to ensure that their businesses are protected.

How to apply cyber intelligence

Businesses can use cyber intelligence to secure their businesses from cyber-attacks. A firm can hire a Cyber Threat Intelligence provider, to work with their firm’s security team regularly. Once the service provider works with your team and expounds to them the available threats, and how these can be prevented, your IT team will be able to modify your infrastructure to make it less prone to attacks. You benefit in a major way from cyber intelligence in that it equips you with a defense that is proactive, which ensures your ability to shield yourself before incurring any costs. It also helps you determine whether you have already been breached by using IOCs. IOCs refer to indicators of compromise which determine whether your technology systems have been attacked by malware. Undetected malware is dangerous in a system in that, if it remains undetected for long, more information will be stolen and more money will be lost. Cyber intelligence takes two basic forms that are:

Operational intelligence

This is the collection and analysis of data that is performed exclusively by computers. It works in the form of software that is intelligent, and protocol that identifies signs of a threat or cyber-attack before it happens, stops it from happening and find out its source, in the form of protocol which detects a denial of service that has been distributed. It does this automatically.

Strategic intelligence

Strategic intelligence refers to intelligence that is performed by human beings who are analysts. The approach of this human performed analysis involves; a typical analysis of every aspect of this business’ business model, dealing with the requirements of customers, traders and workers and infrastructure. Human analysts focus on compiling an in-depth analysis of the systems, pin-pointing likely attack targets and safeguarding operations in order to greatly reduce the amount of risk that is involved. It is important to however create awareness about the threat of cyber-crime, that exists and to train your employees on common attack methods and teaching them to follow the required protocol so as to avoid cases of attacks. For more information, click https://ottomatik.io/blog/tutorials/mysql-backup/. You will thank yourself later!  

Digital Branding

Start Lead Generation Business for General Contractor: 4 Tips in Doing It Right

on January 17, 2019

A lead generation business provides other businesses with a client’s contact information based on their specific criteria. General contractors usually hire lead generation companies to provide them with qualified homeowners.

Most of these homeowners are no longer doing things offline, and they would instead make use of the internet to find resources. While few general contractors have some online presence, not all of them can effectively convert their website visitors into customers.

If you’re thinking of starting a lead generation business for general contractors, here are four tips to help you do it right.

1. Always Offer An Incentive

In digital marketing, an incentive refers to an attractive offer or bonus you get after performing a specified action. Based on a study made by Ippei Leads Marketing Service, about 40% of your site visitors will be willing to give out their email in exchange for something of value.

Incentives are also called lead magnets because they can effectively attract leads. Here are some top lead magnets that you can offer to your website visitors:

  • Checklist – You can provide them with a list of things to consider when remodeling a house or what to look for in a contractor.
  • Ebooks – Some of you may be thinking that writing one will take a lot of time. That may be true, but you also probably have several blog posts published that can be compiled to form an ebook.
  • Exclusive content – You can offer an exclusive video or one-on-one consultation with an expert. If you’re an expert yourself, then it’s going to make things easier for you.
  • Coupons – You can partner with a known builder’s supply chain so you can offer coupons that your web visitors can redeem.

2. Educate Through Blog Contents

Most homeowners start their journey by going online and reading resources, and your blog can be one of those. However, it’s not enough to just have a blog. You have to maintain it regularly. Doing so, will not only help your search optimization effort but, establish you as a reliable resource website as well.

Here are some content ideas you can begin with:

  • Educational articles about home improvement
  • Local projects you help build
  • Case studies
  • Pricing guides
  • House remodeling project planning
  • Articles about general contractors

Creating your content around these topics will help you generate leads through organic searches. They may not immediately provide their contact information after reading one of your blogs but, you’ll remain top of mind, and that’s also important.

3. Make Use Of Social Media

You can use social media as a platform to promote your landing pages and your content. Keep in mind that you don’t need to sign up for every social media platforms out there, pick out what’s relevant for your niche.

For homeowners looking for general contractors, you sign up on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. More importantly, social media may be the most economical way for you to generate leads mainly because it’s free to use.

Here is how you generate leads using social media:

  • Share gated content – Gated content means that they have to give out some sort of information before they can access the content. If the content is interesting enough, they’ll click on it.
  • Advertise – Social media websites like Facebook and Instagram now enables its users to advertise on their platform. You can leverage their data by advertising and targeting your ideal audience.
  • Host live webinars – You can do live sessions or webinars and while doing the video, direct your viewers to a special gated offer you have. Just be sure that the offer is enticing enough so viewers will click on it.

4. Audit Your Website

There’s no use in creating informative blogs, promoting on social media or working on your incentive if your website isn’t good enough. For example, if your site or landing pages take time to load, potential leads may abandon it before they even see you’re incentive and provide their information.

Audit your website regularly and make sure that the user experience takes into account. More importantly, be sure that you have a responsive website that renders correctly on different screen sizes as more people are becoming mobile.

Conclusion

Generating leads is a lucrative business, but it’s an opportunity that doesn’t guarantee success overnight. Attracting and collecting leads takes time, but if you follow the things listed here, you’ll have no problem generating them. Offer an incentive where it’s possible, consistently work on your content and make it better, and be sure that your website is optimized for success.

Local Branding

Why Is 360 Degree Appraisal Tool Important?

on January 17, 2019

Many people talk about the round 360 degrees appraisal these days, but if one looks back, this very concept began much earlier in the 1940s. This particular method is mainly used so that each and every employee of a particular company can get the equal opportunity to get a good performance feedback from the staff members, managers, supervisors and colleagues.

This is also a kind of multi-source feedback process and it is used as a proper assessment tool which is completely based on the performance of an individual. It can thus easily gather up all the feedback from the ones who are affected the performance of an individual in a particular job. So, it is very much essential to do this round about thing every year.

There are many companies which try to avoid this 360 degree employee evolution because this tool and process has a lot of complexity. There are a few chances that in case of 360 degree feedbacks there can be some misunderstandings. If that happens, then it is not a good thing. But at the same time, this 360 degree performance appraisal is a very powerful tool which can be used by a company so that the employees who work there can enhance their performances depending on the feedback they get.

There are some practical ways to do this thing so that the company or a business can benefit from this particular 360 degree feedback.

  • The primary thing is that, it easily opens the channel for more communication. When a company goes for an annual practice of using 360 degree feedback program on their employees, it also opens the passage of some rich communication problems and as a result of it, the problems that have been questioned and addresses can be easily resolved. As a result, the companies end up communicating effectively with the employees and bring out the best in them.
  • Also the employees can get some major feedbacks from their managers, supervisors, fellow colleagues and even from the subordinates by which they can rectify themselves. As a result of getting this peer feedback every year they try to better themselves which in turn brings profit and good to the organization.
  • Due to this feedback process, the team members can easily talk about each other and give their personal feedbacks and so in turn it creates a sense of accountability. This brings in some honest and open communications which clears up a lot of misunderstandings and the team can work as a transparent group which is very important for a company to flourish.
  • The company can also look after the feedback results and then decide how and on which field an employee needs to work more so that they can become more efficient. The company can introduce some training sessions as well if they see they need some in particular areas so that it can do more good to the company.

Why this is very powerful?

This entire feedback thing might sound complicated, but it is actually a very powerful process as it helps the leader of any team to get aligned with their subordinates. It caters in authentic team work and keeps the process going of continuous learning. It also develops the personal and company awareness at many levels. It helps one in continuous learning and the company discovers some truths in this process and can have a clear idea on where they stand in the market as an organization.

Find the right tool

This particular tool is very easy to fill and one requires very minimal technical skills in order to fill this up. The company can very easily set up the survey in the employees computers and from there one can fill up the things that ate needed to be filled up. But just like any other tools, this particular thing also has to be installed with the help of some trained professionals in order to stay away from any kind of technical glitch and complexities.

Once all the appraisals have been submitted, the company can easily get out the printed reports. These detailed reports are the thing that the company needs every year to bring improvements in the organization.

Many people may think that this appraisal process is a kind of performance review but that is not the fact. This particular thing has to be done mainly for the benefit of the company. This 360 degree performance appraisal is definitely not a way to measure the objectives and performances. It is also not a way to determine whether the employees are doing their hob correctly or whether they are meeting the basic requirements. This is not a tool which is focused on some job specific skills and basic technicalities. If this can be carefully implemented then this process can give the company and very proper and refreshing lift. It also adds to the advantage of the company’s competitive mode in the market. But the company has to be very clear when they are implementing this tool so that the experience remains hassle free and so that they can get all the proper feedback accurately.

When a company is thinking of implementing this 360 degree feedback process then they have to make sure that they have a proper and a very strong management system. A proper 360 degree performance reviews can also be used as a conjunction with one another for a powerful development of the company.

This is a much-tested tool and when a company is thinking of installing this particular tool, they need to go for the ones which are tried and tested. There are many formats available when it comes to these kinds of round appraisal things and one needs to pick the right one for their company. If the tool is not tested well then it can create much complications and problems which will not be good for the sake of the company. So one needs to do proper research before installing the right tool and use it.

Digital Branding

Use Real Estate CRM Reports in Real Time to Take Your Business to the Next Level

on January 17, 2019

https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-person-in-formal-attire-doing-shakehands-886465/  

You have a real estate business and want to see it grow in the next five to six years from now. So it is about how your property business is performing. Your company deals with loads of data such as customer details and transaction archives. Analyzing data helps you to make informed decisions. Then, do you have a real estate CRM system in place? Without it, your employees collate information manually and create spreadsheet reports one by one, which is a cumbersome, time-consuming, and tiring task. According to an article published on Huffington Post, a CRM tool for your real estate firm helps you in lead tracking and management of leads. The article also states that CRM software helps your business to create accurate reports in real time so that your sales department can close property deals successfully. Read on to learn how a CRM takes your business to the next level down the years.

Easy Data Management

With a CRM tool, you need not go from one cabinet to the other looking for files. The software has your business information and client data in a centralized location. Your business manages loads of data including property listings, contact forms, customer details, and transaction data. The application has administrator tools to ensure that only authorized staff access sensitive information.

Enhanced Productivity with Speedy Reporting

With a CRM system, your employees have all information at the touch of buttons. The dashboards have an all-inclusive display of data for your real estate team. A CRM application offers charts, graphs, pie, bars, and other visual components to make data sharing simple and spontaneous. You can read more about such tools and dashboards on the internet. For example, real estate CRM tools such as Aro Software or similar ones help to boost the productivity of your team with instant reporting. With error-free and speedy reporting, you can figure out how many leads have replied to your existing campaign or how many sales deals have been closed so far. Quick response time is essential if you want to convert leads quickly. Opt for dashboard tools that offer insights to lead activity in real time. It gives your employees an opportunity to get in touch with prospective buyers right away.

Real-time Reports Provide to Your Business

With insights to your real estate business, you can monitor aspects like the lead response, the performance of your campaign, and customer behavior. It will help your team to create a customized plan for your business needs. You can use real-time data and numbers to figure out how fast deals are closed. Make informed business decisions using data and not guesswork. A CRM dashboard helps you to understand your business better and realize essential goals.

Conclusion

A CRM application with a data reporting tool provides comprehensive information to help your real estate firm grow. You can share data fast, understand how your team is performing, and figure out what buyers want from your business. A real estate CRM application integrates new technology to make reporting simple and hassle-free. With real-time reports, you can make crucial business decisions to grow and expand your business.

Legal Branding

Basics Of Banking Allows To Create Lot More Through Loans Than Deposits

on January 17, 2019

You may be surprised to know that loans can create a lot more funds for any economy than deposits. You may tend to think how a loan can create deposits when money lending is actually giving away money from the depositor’s accounts in the banks. Well, there is a lot of economics behind it. It is true that giving away new loans create a new liability for the banks but at the same time, it also creates new assets in a roundabout way for the banking systems. It is complicated and needs a deep insight into it to know about science and economics.

The fact is that when a bank makes a loan to a borrowing customer it simultaneously creates a new credit and a new liability for both the borrower as well as the bank. In this process, the borrower is usually credited with a deposit in the account. This, in turn, incurs the borrower with a liability for the amount borrowed from the bank.

The bank on the other hand now has a new asset which is equal to the amount of the loan given out to the borrower. This asset is equal to the liability of the deposit account.

Capital and reserve requirements

There are four separate entries made for such lending that signify an increase in the corresponding categories. These entries say that the assets and liabilities of the bank, as well as that of the borrower, have grown.

  • At this point, simultaneously two more different types of liabilities are created as well. There is a reserve requirement created as well as a capital requirement. However, these requirements are strikingly different from any standard financial liabilities because these are all regulatory liabilities.
  • The reserve requirement is created when the bank creates a deposit which is, in turn, an indicator of the bank’s liability and on the other hand a capital requirement is created when the loan is issued which is actually the asset of the bank. This is because the bank expects that it will get back the amount lent along with something extra in the form of interest.

To put it in simple terms, loans heal to create capital requirements but deposits create reserve requirements for the banks.

The lending principle

If you want to have a fair idea about the lending principle, you can visit the official websites of banks and other financial organizations such as https://www.libertylending.com/ or any other. Ideally, the working principles of banks are regulated by the government and are slightly different from the working principle of private money lenders or any non-banking financial companies. As per the rule, banks need to retain some amount of its deposits as a reserve and the percentage is regulated and revised by the government from time to time depending on the present economic scenario. There are a lot of technical requirements by the regulatory authority to calculate this reserve requirement percentage.

To keep the calculations simple, assume that the reserve requirement is 10 percent, which is much higher than the actual percentage. This means that the bank invites a reserve obligation of $10 for every $100 deposit that it takes on. Moreover, as loans create more deposits, it means that a loan of $100 will create a required reserve liability of $10.

The capital ratio

In order to find out how well a bank is capitalized, the government has formulated Tier One and Tier Two Capital ratio. This combined ratio also has complicated angles to measure the eventual capital requirements.

However, to keep the calculations simple and make it easy for you to understand, if the above rate and examples are followed, then the bank loan of $100 will once again give rise to a governing capital liability of $10 for both Tier One and Two Capital.

  • Taking all these things into consideration, you can now clearly understand that a $100 loan has created a $100 deposit which is actually a $100 asset for the bank in the form of a loan.
  • , On the other hand, it has also created a liability of $120 that includes the deposit as well as the requirements for reserves and capital.

The process explained

For a common person with limited knowledge of economics and finance, it might seem to be a bad deal for the bank. On the contrary and after a deeper look into the matter you will find that it is not so bad a deal after all.

  • Suppose that a bank starts off from the scratch and lends $100 to a borrower by crediting the deposit account of the borrower with $100.
  • The next step of the bank is to figure out immediately the effective ways to meet the two new liabilities hence created namely the capital requirement and reserve requirement.
  • The bank may have to sell shares to raise the required $10 capital or it may even retain earnings or raise equity-like debts.
  • However, the best way for the bank is to charge the borrower an origination fee of 10% to create earnings immediately.

The last option is practiced by different banks to help them settle their desired capital requirements with this $10 fee that can be kept as their retained earnings.

An extraordinary way to create deposits

Ideally, a person asking for $100 loan may be offered $90 or even $80 by the money lender depending on their business policy. It means that they instantaneously create a deposit of $10 or $20 as the case may be when they create a loan account of the borrower. It, therefore, corroborates the fact that loans create deposits.

This is actually extraordinary to meet the capital requirement by discounting and creating a deposit from its own loan. This is the own money creation power of the banks and the money lenders. The eventual effect of it is that it reduces the liability of the bank but does not reduce its asset.

Author Bio

Daniel Ng is a freelance writer who has been writing for various blogs. He has previously covered an extensive range of topics in her posts, including business debt consolidation, Finance, E-commerce, and start-ups.

Digital BrandingSaaS Branding

The Significance of A Test Case Management Software for A Startup

on January 15, 2019

A startup is founded by individual entrepreneurs or founders to search for a scalable and repeatable business model. In other words, a startup is a newly emerged business venture with an objective to create a practical business framework to meet the solve a problem or meet the requirements of a marketplace.

Majority of the tech startups require a test case management tool in order to streamline their testing efforts. Now the question arises, what is a test case management software? In simple words, this software assists you to manage and track your team’s software testing efforts.

Nowadays, startups are adopting effective test case management software because of the following reasons.

1. Create Customizable Fields According to Your Test Project Requirements

An effective test case management tool assists the testers to develop customized fields according to their particular requirements. Therefore, if testers are using an integrated or third-party data source, it will assist you by providing a flexible approach.

2. It Assists You to Save as Template or Make Copies

It will help you to produce copies of your test cases and store them as templates for the purpose of re-usability. Sometimes, writing test cases is a repetitive job. Therefore, this tool enables users to create test case templates that they can recall at the time of writing test cases. As a consequence, this saves time.

3. Attaches Important Screenshots

This enables you to attach imperative links or screenshots with your test cases. This option is available with all the imperative fields, as it makes the experience more enhanced. As a result, test cases turn out to be very understandable and comprehensive.

4. Keep Track of your Test Coverage

An effective test case management tool assists in creating comprehensive customized test reports. This will keep a track of your status, references and test coverage etc.

How Can Kualitee Help?

Kualitee is a cloud-based test management tool that offers both automated and manual testing. It will help you to create and implement in-depth test cases and test plans. In fact, you can the control to utilize and implement test cases as per your requirements. You can select test cases and use them again in regression cycles.

The export feature enables you to extract your work from CSV, Word, and PDF as per your requirements. You can create your test cases and test scenarios in the test management module. This will allow you to manage every step of your test case in a professional and formal way by using kualittee’s dedicated test management module. Many Gyms now a days use gym management software as well because nowadays every sector needs a smart efficient software to manage their daily tasks.

Author Bio:

Ray Parker is an entrepreneur and internet marketer with over 9 years of experience in Search Engine Optimization, Creative Writer and Digital Marketing.

Digital Branding

How to Create a Brand Story for Your Franchise Business

on January 15, 2019

A brand story is not a marketing tactic. It’s not an advertisement material, either. Instead, storytelling helps you build a strong brand identity. Not only does it attract customers to your brand, but also evokes emotions, builds stronger relationships, and inspires loyalty.

However, to get the most out of your brand story, you need to make it consistent. You need to establish a unique voice, tone, and visual identity- the one that sets you apart from the rest.

Now, if you have a single-location business, achieving this is not that difficult. But, if you’re running a franchise business that is operating in multiple locations, well, this adds additional complexity. You need to localize your marketing efforts to cater to local audiences and, at the same time, unify them into a cohesive and authentic brand image.

Here are a few tips on how to do so.

Build Consistent Brand Image

Franchisees are interacting with your local audiences daily and understand their needs, preferences, and frustrations better. So, letting them unleash their creativity and adapt your brand story to local customers is important. On the other hand, you need to make sure that their link with your brand won’t be lost.

The solution to this problem is simple. First, you need to have a clear small business idea and know how to turn it into a brand.

Even though it consists of numerous branches, you need to observe your franchise business as a wholesome brand. Each aspect of your brand identity, from the visuals you use to your brand voice, needs to be implemented into franchisee marketing efforts strategically. And, this is why you need to create a clear brand style guide.

With the branding guidelines, you will make sure each of your franchise locations creates authentic content and, at the same times, remains loyal to your wider brand image. Otherwise, your brand will become diluted and won’t be perceived as trustworthy.

Here are a few elements detailed brand guidelines should contain:

  • The publishing frequency for your blog and social media channels
  • Using visuals on your blog and social networks (image size, filters, color palettes)
  • Your voice and tone consistency. Do you want to be punny like Wendy’s or helpful like Domino’s? Once you choose your brand voice, you need to use it consistently across all online channels.
  • Crisis management guidelines. Franchisees should know how exactly to react, what steps to take, and what language to use when handling issues that may harm your brand.
  • Using brand assets, such as your colors, typography, or logos consistently

Sell Stories, not Products

Coca-Cola doesn’t sell carbonated soft drinks. They’re selling Christmas, positive vibes, and friendship.

TOMS is not all about shoes. They’ve built their brand story around helping people in need.

Customers love brands that stand for something relevant. Statistics say that 86% of customers expect a brand to be socially responsible.

This is what you need to keep in mind when building your brand story. Having quality products is nice, but, to really engage your customers, you need to have a cause.  

Just like Coca-Cola or TOMS, many franchise businesses have adopted this approach.

For example, the UPS Store proves their community commitment by funding the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. They also emphasize that their business is built on the principles of environmental sustainability and that socially-responsible franchises can greatly contribute to the local business ecosystem:

Image source

McDonald’s takes a similar approach. On their site, they emphasize that they’re proud to be a part of the community they serve. As a result, they finance numerous events and charity programs, such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship, and so on.

Humanize your Franchise Brand

Using your social networks to publish the behind-the-scenes photos of your staff and posting employee testimonials and stories on your site, you will show the human side of your brand and connect with your target audience on an emotional level.

McDonald’s is a great example of how this is done. For example, on their parent site (mcdonalds.com), they have an entire “Meet Our People” section, where their employees share with the public why they love working at McDonald’s. Both in textual and video formats, these testimonials come from real people, someone both their customers and potential employees can relate to.

Most importantly, they managed to adapt their story and values to their local markets. Visit the German version of the site (mcdonalds.de) and you’ll see similar testimonials from their German employees.

Get your Customers to Tell your Story

Studies show that the majority of your customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. The Spiegel Center research claims that 95% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. Moreover, 92% of online consumers emphasize that reading a review online impacts their purchase decisions.

So, here are a few ways to use customer reviews to build your branding efforts.

  • Create a dedicated landing page for each business branch. It’s important to put your business in front of the right local audiences and build relationships with them. Also, don’t forget to keep your brand name consistent across these pages to prove you’re a legit brand. By encouraging local customers to post user-generated content, leave comments, and review you on your social media pages relevant to them, you will create buzz around your brand and build trust with your potential customers.
  • Claim your Google My Business listing for each location. Getting reviews and ratings on Google is an amazing way to boost brand authority.
  • Share UGC on each franchisee’s site. This is a great way to prove show how your product resolves specific customer problems. For instance, Coca-Cola is killing it with user-generated content on their multiple websites. On their main site (coca-colacompany.com), they have “Moments of Happiness from Our Readers,” where they share their comments and photos. If you visit their German domain, for example, you will see a similar section with customer photos, too.

Conclusions

Storytelling brings value to your franchise brand. When implemented properly into both you localized and overall marketing efforts, it will give your brand credibility and drive customer engagement. So, don’t use it to tell how awesome your products are. Focus on your history, missions, and values. Prove that you’re a brand for humans, the one that cares about giving back. Above all, let others tell your story. Positive word of mouth spreads fast, so don’t forget to encourage customers to review you.

How do you build your franchise brand story?

Digital Branding

Which Are The 10 Website Design Tools You Need to Keep Your Eyes on This Year?

on January 15, 2019

https://pixabay.com/en/web-design-laptop-html-design-2038872/

Every successful web designer has incredible creativity, along with years of experience. However, all of them also have a secret toolbox full of website design tools that help them in every step of the creative process. While you would like to think that having web design tools to assist the creative process is like having a cheat code to play online games, we assure you, it’s entirely different. These tools enable designers to create something unique within a short period every time a client asks for a new website or changes to their existing ones.

As a result, choosing the best available web design tools is an art in itself. Here are the top 10 website design tools that will assist every web design project in 2019 (for WordPress websites see the list of the best WordPress WYSIWYG options from Mill).

  1. Sketch

Sketch has to be the most intuitive design tool available right now. It has a wholesome design kit that enables designers of every expertise to create something unique. It is a vector-based app that can compress your files and offer comprehensive descriptions on all devices. It is a website design tool that improves the design flow for all users.

 

  1. Adobe Muse

The Adobe Muse assists the graphic designing of any website. It can seamlessly manage the front end of a site. It is a website builder tool that allows the builders to create perfect working designs without any coding. If you want your new business site up and running in record time, check out the Adobe Muse features! It is indeed very different from the drag-and-drop builders of the day. It offers a powerful platform to unleash the creativity of any designer, who does not want to delve into coding.

 

  1. Figma

Figma is a powerful tool for interface design that all modern web designers are using right now. It is one of the best interface design tools currently available that works on Mac, Linux and Windows systems. Figma enables cooperative workflow by connecting multiple systems in real-time. It is a neat new tool that has allowed design teams across Brooklyn and NYC communicate and create breath-taking new sites and blogs for businesses.

 

  1. Anima

Anima is a wonderful toolkit for Sketch. The website designers and developers can create CSS animations and transitions in coordination using Anima within minutes. You can develop high-fidelity prototypes and export HTML files from Design Sketch within seconds.

 

  1. Adobe XD

Adobe XD is one of the most popular web design tools that designers use to enhance UX. It is essentially a drawing tool that can define non-static interactions on almost all interactive digital devices. All users can select the size of the project on Adobe XD. It has its wireframing tool and vector design options for all users. Off-late, all en vogue web and interface designers in Brooklyn have been turning to Adobe XD for additional help.

 

  1. Bootstrap

Bootstrap has always been critical in web designing. Every small business website and large corporation website in Brooklyn has used Bootstrap at least once in their lifetime. Its 12-column grid system is a classic that enables the fundamental styling of almost all HTML elements on a website. It has an exhaustive list of components including button groups, dropdowns, alerts, breadcrumbs, lapels & badges, and progress bar. It comes with bundled JS plugins that make Bootstrap one of a kind among all web design tools.

 

  1. Avocode

Avocode has become the go-to web design tool for all developers and designers, who want to finish a project in record time. It supports the export of images without preparing any layers. The user has to simply click to get the assets and code. Avocode is one unique tool that gives you auto-generated code from Photoshop, Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch and Illustrator to help build the iOS, Web and Android projects niftily. Several companies of web design in Brooklyn NY rely on Avocode from time to time.

 

  1. Adobe Photoshop

It has been the designer’s best friend ever since the dawn of smart website designs. No matter which version you use right now, Adobe Photoshop is always a part of your design projects, and you know it. With its versatility and extensive compatibility, PS is indispensable in the designing project, and it will remain so in the coming years. Every Brooklyn-based website has used Adobe PS during some stage of development. The new versions have indeed brought some refreshing new features for all designers including access to high-quality stock images, and access to the creative cloud.

 

  1. Canva

Canva allows designers to create bespoke responsive templates for business websites and online portfolios. If you need a little help, there are thousands of templates you can browse for inspiration. It is the perfect tool for novice designers, which facilitates online branding. If you want to DIY your Brooklyn business blog, you should definitely check out the Canva templates.

 

  1. Coffee Cup

It is one of the most user-friendly tools that use the HTML editor for website design. You can create HTML and CSS elements for any project using the latest version of this tool. Your Coffee Cup can power your search ranking strategies, help in transferring files and improve the visualization of the site.

Any new business in Brooklyn needs a little help to stand apart from the millions of enterprises and e-commerce sites that are already there. Does your old site need a revamp? Do you need a new business site? Whenever you need additional guidance with website design and UX design, do not shy away from these ten tools!

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