Local Branding

New Age Health Tips – Is Your Dental Health Affecting Your Productivity?

on August 29, 2018

Most people believe that everyone should visit the dentist twice a year, even if they don’t do it themselves. It’s not clear, however, where these six-month check-ups initially came from. Some believe that they originated back in the 18th century, long before we had randomised controlled trials that could test their effectiveness. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1 in 7 people aged 15 and over had toothache in the last year. People prone to dental problems and children should visit the dentist often, but permanent teeth are no less vulnerable to decay, and in the teen years teeth are generally less vulnerable, at least until wisdom teeth come through in the early twenties. So, the risk varies at different points in our life.

Keeping bad habits in line

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There are some bad habits that can impact our oral health that we’re not even aware of. Chewing ice, biting your nails, grinding your teeth, eating particularly sticky or hard sweets, drinking coffee and red wine, smoking, but also brushing your teeth too hard and using a wrong technique – all of these can increase the risk for your dental health or contribute to discoloration. When you appear for regular dental check-ups, your dentist will check for any damage caused by any of these habits. Being informed about specific deteriorating habits allows you to change your lifestyle to prevent further damage.

When brushing and flossing come short

Even if you use the best brush three times a day and floss regularly after every meal, there are still small areas that are easy to miss. When plaque builds up it becomes more difficult to remove, solidifying and turning into tartar, which is extremely difficult to remove without a professional intervention. Regular dental cleanings can prevent tartar from eroding the teeth or creating holes in the enamel, which is a highway to cavities. When they appear, cavities don’t give any warning signs, apart from a small ache once the tooth is already decayed. When the damage is done, you need to have them filled and fixed, but it’s always better to take care of plaque and tartar before they can damage your teeth. In addition, a cleaning appointment is also more affordable than getting a filling.

To stay on top of your treatment plan

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That first visit to the orthodontist for consultations should never be your last. While everyone’s situation is different, making sure you that you attend the regular visits is a small cost for the benefits of your oral health and bright smile. After you’re given a plan for orthodontic treatment, you need to stick to the schedule for your return visits. This way, your orthodontic team will have a chance to track your progress and make adjustments to your braces. It’s important, however, that even the patients with Invisalign still make their regular check-ups, just to make sure the teeth are shifting as planned. So if you live in the greater Sydney area, check out the best Zetland orthodontist and get informed on the range of personal tailor-made plans they provide.

Before complications occur

To make matters worse, the plaque and tartar build-up does not only cause tooth decay, but also erodes the mouth gum tissues. The build-up can cause an infection at the point where the gum meets the tooth, making the gum pull away. This diagnose is called gingivitis, and as it progresses, the tissue that attaches the gums to the teeth breaks down, paving the way for gum disease. At this point, there’s likely to be swelling, bleeding and soreness in the mouth, but apart from breaking down gum tissue, gum disease can also cause the bone that holds the teeth in place to deteriorate. In order to avoid costly series of specialist treatments, make sure you make your cleaning appointments and address early signs of gingivitis as soon as possible.

Dentists and dental specialists are not only concerned with fixing your teeth. They take care of your oral health, prevent the onset of gum disease and check for abnormalities that may need orthodontic treatment, which may otherwise go unnoticed. Skipping dental appointments may not seem like a big deal, but in the long run, they are the better option both healthwise and moneywise.

Digital BrandingLegal Branding

Technology Disrupts the Legal Industry

on August 28, 2018

Technology is no doubt disrupting several industries, the most affected being banking and finance. While all this was going on, we sort of forgot the legal system. It has seemed invincible for the longest time now but it seems likely that the next time you seek notary services near you, you could be served by a robot. How’s that for progress? Okay, that may not be happening in a long time, but law students and lawyers are already seeing some changes in their area.

– Legal Research

Lawyers spend lots of time in their desks and libraries looking up legal documents and reading up on whatever they can find to attach to a case, but that is being made easy by technology. Instead of spending all this time in actual libraries, they can now access most legal write-up including submissions and judgments online. The only problems with this flexibility are that it strains work-life balance for these professionals even more.

– Artificial Intelligence and Decision making

These days, cases where facts are right there and stakes aren’t so high are decided by software to save time for more emotive cases. Traffic offences where the offender has been to court before are quite easy to decide after looking at the trend. However, murder cases and such that need the presence of a human being to reason and adjudicate are left to human judges. There is still the fact that coders need the help of legal professionals to come up with some of these statistics that enable the software to make its decision.

– Data Mining

Being as the data is available to any lawyer, they can now look up a judge’s reputation and judgments and be able to – almost confidently – predict his or her style and likely outcome if they are presented with a certain case. This knowledge leads to that particular lawyer pushing their case to the judge they believe would be lenient. Data mining is certainly working in favour of lawyers.

– Value Creation with Smart Contracts

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Some contracts don’t need too much time to create as they are quite repetitive and so they can be automated. Artists are already making use of smart contracts by automating repetitive services and in the process saving lots of money in legal and accounting fees. Think of a lease document or an affidavit. The message in one is the same as the other with the only difference being the figures and names of parties to the contract. These are being automated to spare time and money.

– Telecommuting

This has been working well for a while now and the future presents even more telecommuting. Law professionals travel so much most of the time but technology has made it such that people holding meetings in different continents feel like they are in the same room. This trend is breaking boundaries – where a lawyer in Africa can represent a client in Europe and vice versa. Less air travel means more work is done and less air pollution. Win-win!

These changes are not all negative. They will add value to the profession and create opportunities for those willing to jump right in.

Digital Branding

Mobile Marketing: What Is Incrementality Testing?

on August 25, 2018

All mobile app marketers are looking to engage and convert more users. With so many marketing channels available, there’s a lot of pressure to quickly hone in on what will yield the most valuable business outcomes.

The more channels a business experiments with, the higher their chance for finding a blend that achieves substantial ROI. However, the experimentation process is tricky and time-consuming. Metrics like click-through-rate (CTR) and costs per acquisition (CPA) can give some useful insights, but they usually don’t tell the entire story.

Many marketers constantly wonder if their advertisement campaigns caused a consumer to convert. The answer to this question and more lies in incrementality testing.

What Is Incrementality Testing?

Incrementality testing, otherwise known as ‘Uplift Modeling,’ ‘Incremental Sales Lift’ or ‘Placebo Effect,’ measures the lift that advertising spending provides to conversion rates.

Advertisers can use incrementality testing to see how a single variable impacts user behavior. The resulting incremental lift shows how a certain digital advertising tactic impacts sales in comparison to other marketing endeavors.

Armed with this type of knowledge, you can then use data to formulate a more concrete marketing action plan. Dividing up audiences and marketing tactics into testing and control groups through incremental integration testing gives you reassurance results are not influenced by outside factors.

What Are The Benefits of Incrementality Testing?

The benefits of this type of test are robust. Incrementality testing can:

  • Validate the impact of digital media vs. organic conversions.
  • Validate conversions that are new.
  • Validate a single targeting tactic by a vendor.
  • Validate (and then compare) incremental sales across head-to-head tests.

Incrementality testing gives advertisers the ability to fine-tune their budgets since they have a better idea of how to allocate retargeting ad spend. In an advertising industry fraught with a lack of clarity, this type of testing gives businesses confidence in their marketing tactics.

However, despite all the benefits of incrementality testing, it’s still a pretty new concept that hasn’t yet achieved widespread popularity.

Why Isn’t Incrementality Testing Popular?

It might seem a bit weird that this type of testing has not been universally adopted, especially in light of its benefits. But incrementality testing carries a couple pitfalls.

First, testing is usually costly since money has to be dedicated to placebo advertisements. However, increasingly advanced AI technology is now letting companies with small budgets and volume carry out tests.

Additionally, getting precise metrics from incrementality testing can be extremely difficult. A lot can quickly go wrong. Many marketers think incrementality can be measured merely by examining conversions before and after a digital marketing effort.

The most precise measurements, however, will come through scientific approaches like randomized control trials (RCT).

How Can I Perform a Test?

RCTs can be an easy way to take a lot of the complexity out of incrementality tests. You simply split a target audience into a control and test group and then show the test group advertisements. Then you’re able to observe conversion rates and calculate impact. This gives you a clear picture of the cause and effect of a marketing campaign.

It’s crucial to adhere to good statistical testing practices throughout the process to ensure legitimate results. This means randomly selecting people for groups from the same user pool. It also means coming up with a hypothesis, a primary outcome, and a definite start and end date to cut down on time distortions.

In the end, groups of people that have higher incremental lift probably need some more pushing through the sales funnel. Groups with lower lift are probably more likely to buy, even without an ad.

The Competitive Edge of Testing

Despite the trickiness of successfully carrying out incremental integration testing, it provides a lot of benefits to marketers and advertisers.

Understanding the effects of a marketing strategy can help optimize a budget, and getting an idea about the indirect impacts of a tactic lets you see how one marketing strategy affects another.

An optimized budget and high-level visibility into the varying effectiveness of your overall marketing strategy can position companies for long-term growth and ensure they stay a step ahead of competitors.

Digital Branding

How To Get The Media To Notice You

on August 22, 2018

Do you want more media attention for your business? Read on, here are some great ideas to do so.

1. Know What The Outlet Covers

Although most media outlets seem to cover the same publication, each outlet uses a different approach/angle for the same. For this reason, you need to identify whatever angle or approach the outlet uses in the content and news they air. It is after you have identified their ‘beat’ that you can start working on producing the same quality and matching news as theirs. You may however have to watch, read, or even listen to their broadcast severally to get the ‘beat’ right.

2. Use Email Instead Of  Calling

Unless you have a burning question, always use email for media pitches instead of the phone. One of the reasons why you need to avoid calling is the fact that most calls go to voicemail. Listening to a voicemail message takes a lot longer than reading the text. It is even harder to forward the same, with most editors choosing to delete long voice messages if it isn’t direct to the point.

3. Try Reaching the Right Person

Media outlets like this have dozens of people working on different content each day. Sending your content to the wrong person means you won’t be ‘heard.’ With multiple writers and editors, you need to identify the specific person you wish to reach out to or contact. Many media outlets today have a desk software that helps route communications to the right person. All you need to do is identify the contact or use words that the software can understand to route your message to him/her.

4. Target The Outlet’s Regular/Main Feature

Take some time to learn/discover the outlet’s features, then identify where your story would fit perfectly. Most media outlets are always looking for stories and subjects to add to their features. It is after identifying the specific feature that you can schedule your story for online publication or in print. You may, however, have to follow the media outlet on Twitter to be able to see their feeds, as well as the editorial calendars to spot recurring features that may be of interest.

You, however, need to follow all instructions outlined for that specific feature to stand a chance. One of the best ways to have your business considered in the feature is by submitting the same to the right person. For instance, looking at the Contact page can give you a direct contact of the person/editor responsible for that specific feature. Sending a generic email pitch to the outlet only reduces the probability of getting to the said editor.

5. Let Your Expertise Known

Media editors receive tons of emails from people who want their businesses featured. While they cannot publish/air all these features at once, most editors save the emails for future reference/use should they need a source.  For this reason, it would be advisable to send the editor an email every 3 months indicating your expertise and availability for an interview. Make your expertise known and especially the specific topic. Your business should also have an online presence where these editors can find it on Google. Journos are similar to employers, they want the right people and those that show their expertise – check out this post from nPower to see the similarities.

6. Make Yourself Available

Journalist work on tight schedules whereby they may want to call you for an interview. Make the process easy by providing your phone number and other contact details in all emails and company website. You also need to make yourself reachable and respond to any attempts to reach you on time. Returning calls and responding to requests sent makes it easier for the PR rep to reach you. You may also want to keep your phone close each time – you never know when the PR rep will call.

7. Create a Resource Center for your Media

The press/journalist may want to grab a few things about your business before running your story. These include images of your top products, black-and-white and color logo, as well as headshots of the business executives. Creating a resource center for this, and in high resolution makes it easier for the media to cover your business well. It would also be advisable to include figures and basic facts about the company, which the editor can sieve through when running the story. Making these pieces of information readily available without the editor having to contact you makes their job easier.

Local Branding

5 Ways Regular Yoga Class at Your Company Can Help Your Employees Beat Stress

on August 22, 2018

There are many aspects of working that can help your employees feel stressed. Of course, that is not what you want for them. You want your employees to flourish and feel like they are a part of a team doing important work. Stress is common in the workplace but there are ways you can support a more calming environment. You can also help them calm down to a level of relaxation so your employees have more clarity.

Yoga helps every muscle in your body and shifts brain chemistry back to normal. In our bodies, the feelings we have tend to sit in certain areas. For examples, the hip holds emotional stress and tension. Stretching them out helps to release that tension. The abdominal organs can often hold onto stagnant bodily fluids. Certain poses massage these areas and help the fluids move on which is something like a holistic detox. Here are five ways that yoga is going to help your employees feel less stressed out while at work.

1. Yoga and Cortisol Levels

Yoga is considered holistic therapy for lowering cortisol levels, according to a study. Cortisol levels occur due to too many instances of stress. While it is produced in our bodies and is a natural chemical, if there is too much cortisol, it can cause major health issues. They include:

  • Rapid weight gain.
  • Muscles can become weak.
  • It becomes difficult to think.
  • The thyroid doesn’t work optimally.
  • Blood sugar problems.

Probably one of the worst symptoms that most people suffer from is a chronic mood problem. This is usually anxiety which perpetuates the additional release of cortisol levels. Simply explained, when one of your employees gets stressed out about a meeting or a deadline, this may become a moment of anxiety. This is where the fight or flight response kicks in which is a part of the nervous system function.  It was originally designated to save us from sabretooth tigers or bears and lions in this more modern time.

Using this tool when we aren’t running or fighting for our lives means that cortisol just stays in the body. We get tense in the muscles because we have this energy being drawn up to be used and it never is. This tension will often sit in our neck, shoulders, or hips. Ironically, these areas will usually be pain points from sitting for long periods of time. This sends a message to the brain that the body is under stress and it becomes cyclical in your pain.

So how does yoga help?

Yoga reduces stress which means that cortisol levels have a chance to lower. The breathing poses and meditative aspects of yoga all help to fully de-stress a person. Your employees will naturally relax just by taking in a few deep breaths midday. If you provide an area for them to do yoga at the workplace, they can get into Childs Pose to find their center and safety. This alleviates the onset of stress immediately.

2. Rebalances the Body and Mind

When the body is tense, the mind has a hard time retaining information. This causes your employees to have a harder time getting work done. Yoga rebalances the body, bringing back strength, and flexibility. This helps kick-start the brain. Yoga has specific poses to balance energy in the body. Your employees will also grow more mentally stronger as parts of yoga take mental discipline.

You also have more flexibility which allows the body to soften up. This means your employees will experience less chronic pain. They will be agiler and have more energy. The feeling that yoga gives your employees when they regularly practice gives them ease and freedom. This promotes ultimate happiness that gives them increased energy.

3. More Mindfulness to Cope with Stressful Situations

Your employees will have the clarity to deal with all the stress that comes up during work. They are generally happier and have a good demeanor. They will harness compassion which results in excellent team building. This is what yoga can do for people. Stress often occurs from the things we think about. We ruminate about all the possibilities of a future outcome. This doesn’t serve us well at all because really, the future is out of our control anyway.

Yoga allows us the space to learn how to see what comes up in our mind. We can then begin to control it as opposed to it controlling us. We can create a presence and build up the thought of compassion instead of feeling confused and unsure. The poses of yoga are designed to relax us. Then we can finish up with meditation which is what helps us to gain a grasp of what it is to be mindful.

4. We Learn How to Breathe Properly

Stress and the nervous system have a strong connection. It can be quite debilitating for a person to go through major bouts of stress. Through yoga, you can learn how to negate all that stress. Breathwork in yoga is as important as the poses. It comes with as many health benefits too. It can relieve someone’s anxiety in an instant. It also helps relax the body on a consistent basis so you’re less likely to stay in anxiety for very long. With yoga asking you to focus on your breath, you become more able to use the breath in times of stress.

5. They Get Exercise

Yoga is a physical exercise and it’s important to offer it to your employees. While it would be great if everyone could play a game of soccer, it’s likely some of your employees have physical limitations. This is the nice thing about yoga. People can be doing their own thing in any given yoga class. There are modifications that can be done and there are props to make it easier.

The point is exercise matters. This is especially true for those bound at their desks. Through stretching and holding poses, your employees will get their blood moving. They become stronger and perhaps more confident. They stretch out all the tension from constant sitting or standing. Exercise helps to improve one’s mood and cognitive thinking. It is a great form of exercise that anyone can do.

To be able to provide your employees with the gift of yoga will bring everyone together. They will feel more supported, less stressed out, and healthier all around. You may be making a major difference to their life which will certainly trickle into their overall productivity and happiness.

Digital Branding

Creating a Customer Journey Using a Marketing Automation Software

on August 22, 2018

Everything in life unfolds at different stages. From physical maturity, career growth, to education. Each phase has its unique needs and should be confronted as such. It’s the same with customer journeys, there are different stages that should be dealt with accordingly. With the aid of an email marketing automation software, it’s easy to identify your customer journeys and manage them properly. A well-defined customer journey allows marketers to target and personalize their messages better. You can serve your clients better if you know what they are going through. The three common stages of customer journey are awareness, consideration and decision stages. Knowing at which stage at this journey a particular client is in will help you calibrate your marketing tactics. But how could you identify your client’s stage? The answer is marketing automation. This tool collects data, places triggers, and sends an appropriate response based on triggers. In one study, 45.9% of marketers said the marketing automation has enhanced customer experience, 37.7 % have developed quality leads and 34.9% have boosted their volume of leads. Now let’s get on to the nitty-gritty of the three stages:

The Awareness Stage

In the awareness stage, customers are not yet aware of their problems and they have not interacted with your brand yet. Your goal for this stage is to reach out to your potential customers and increase brand awareness. You must also find a way to establish communication with your potential clients. That is, by them liking your social media page, subscribing to your channel, or subscribing to your email list. To do this, you have to generate a massive amount of valuable content to reach as many people as possible. But, your effort would be useless if it doesn’t get in front of your audience. SEO is king when it comes to making sure that your message is heard. You don’t have to scavenge the World Wide Web to learn about SEO. You can use an SEO Management tool such as Linkio. Combine SEO with marketing automation to spread your message efficiently and effectively. To champion the awareness stage, create useful and attractive contents like blogs, videos, and infographics, and even create buyer personas. Ask visitors to subscribe so that you can continue nurturing them on the next stage.

Consideration Stage

At this point, the potential customers are already aware of their problems and are already aware of your brand. They are just checking out different options. Your goal is to win the trust of your customers and convince them that you are the best option. Winning trust is all about building relationships. Establish your expertise to help clients decide that your brand is a good fit for their needs. As with the first stage, marketing automation is also helpful by identifying which visitors are in this stage and sending out relevant content. Webinars, feedback from previous customers, and courses are the types of content ideal for consideration stage.

Decision Stage

During this stage, the potential clients should be ready to convert. They have recognized their problems and they have looked at all their options. They’re just one step closer to making a purchase. Your goal is to ensure that they buy your course, book, product or service. You want them to focus on that and just that. Examples of contents you can use for this stage is a free trial and a live demo. For instance, a client goes to the purchase page of your website after visiting other pages. The client will then be offered a free trial just in case he or she still has some reservations. Just in case the client leaves without making a purchase, you can still retarget the client using marketing automation. Visiting your product page is a strong indication of his or her interest in your brand. Through marketing automation, you can set triggers so that the client will still be reminded of your products even if he or she is on a different website. Automation also allows you to keep the cycle going even after the client has completed a purchase. You can keep a lifelong customer as long as you continue to provide valuable content and valuable products.

Conclusion

Awareness stage is all about reaching out to your customers. Consideration is letting them know that you’re the right fit. Decision stage is the time when they’re ready to purchase. The different stages of a customer’s journey are all important in the growth of your business. There is no one size fits all for the entire journey. Fortunately, you do not need to be manually checking on each client. Marketing automation can do that. All you have to do is lay out your plan, set it up, and let the software do the rest. You still have to generate high quality and useful contents. You need your entire mental prowess to create all these so don’t waste it on the mundane and let marketing automation do it for you.

Author Bio:

Kimberly Maceda is a Content Writer for ActiveTrail. She writes for some top online marketing sites and blogging advice on email marketing and marketing automation. The active trail is a leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for growing businesses.

Digital Branding

How to Rank A Website Quickly in Google

on August 21, 2018

Everyone who has ever tried it knows that getting on the first page of Google search results is not easy. But, on the other hand, it’s far from impossible. As experts have shown times and times again, reaching the top results can be achieved very quickly if you know which road to take. Just thinking about the need to find the right (meaning unique but still highly competitive) keywords is enough to realize that patience is indeed a virtue when it comes to the search engines, but there are a lot of other tasks you can perform to boost your website and thus increase the speed of this process. The internet is full of highly doubtful tactics that can easily backfire – the only way to rank a website quickly is to do it naturally, with so-called white label SEO. In other words, it’s important to realize what exactly Google wants from you and what is the quickest way to provide that.

The beginning of a beautiful friendship

With all those algorithms changes Google has been announcing it may seem impossible to figure out what exactly you’re supposed to do. As soon as you start adjusting your website to certain requests the new ones seem to appear from nowhere. it almost seems if someone has been intentionally keeping you in the dark – well, it might be something like that. Think of Facebook – if you want to gain access to the information about someone’s page you need to send the friend request, or you are forced to monitor all his/hers posts closely and try to catch every bit of information you can.  Same goes for Google – if you want to rank faster you need to make your website become Google-friendly. Google doesn’t accept friend requests, but you can achieve the similar result through Google Search Console. This is a free service designed by Google to make your website’s research functionality more manageable through the collection of reports and tools that will enable you to find and correct errors and create a better strategy to optimize your rankings. Basically, with the beginning of this friendship, Google will be able to find your website more easily, and you can even request for a friendly favour of force crawl every time you make changes to your website.

Every person leads to a machine (and vice versa)

This may sound like a post-apocalyptic setting of some sci-fi movie, but today it’s simply a reality we live in. If you don’t have an account on social media networks it is almost as if you don’t exist. True, you can be a rebel and promote face-to-face conversation values, but when it comes to the visibility of your business you’ll need to make an exception. Google wants to see you on social media – the interaction with your customers through these platforms is a very important factor for your ranking speed. The more links you build, the faster you’ll land on that first page. And while high-quality link building takes a lot of time,  linking your content to social media can easily make it spread like fire. All you need to do is to identify social networks your target audience is on and to keep your posts public. That will produce shares and instant traffic which will automatically rank you higher and faster. The level of your engagement on social media is a decisive factor when it comes to the amount of useful linking you’ll get.

Now for the vice-versa part, which comes with few modifications. Maybe every machine leads back to a person, but when it comes to platforms this doesn’t hold water. Today people use various platforms for their searchings, the smaller the better, and being mobile-friendly has become mandatory already in 2015. That’s why having the responsive web design has become a major ranking element. It provides the same quality of user experience on any device and there is no variation in loading time. And you don’t have to ask Google in order to know that your rankings highly depend on whether your users enjoy spending time on your site – finding content and links easily and quickly – or abandon the ship with frustration after it failed to load in 3 seconds.

Word, words, words

And now, back to those keywords. If you ever wondered why Shakespeare’s ‛Hamlet’ has been staged for over 400 years you’ve probably noticed that it’s very opened to various readings even in this modern age. And all that variety comes from a single Hamlet’s line in the second act of the second scene – ‛Words, words, words’. It is not so much about what Hamlet is reading, but how he’s reading it – people interpret words in various ways, having their own associations, and this becomes very apparent in their online searches. Some of them type in very obscure phrases that have low competition levels, and others type combinations with already high search volume. Your goal should be to find keywords that are somewhere in the middle and a tool from Google called Keyword Planner can be your greatest ally in this ordeal. It will also help you with your grammar – yes, if you haven’t noticed, Google is also monitoring your language use and sentence structure. If they have a spammy and wonky ring they’ll certainly not speed up the ranking process, so don’t let bad English stand in your way. Being precise always leads to greater speed, so it would be wise to also include modifiers – even if you’re not tied to a certain state or area branching your pages is certainly a plus.

As the popular saying of a younger generation goes – ‛Father Google knows everything’. So don’t waste your time searching for dubious shortcuts. All you need to do is to ask for a friendly advice, but choose your words carefully.

Legal Branding

Dangers of Road Rage

on August 6, 2018

The definition of road rage, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), includes actions a driver takes that endanger other people or property. It can involve an assault with a motor vehicle or the use of a weapon by either the driver or a passenger in one vehicle against the operator or passengers of a different one. Road rage is against the law, but if your vehicle has been damaged, you’ve been injured as a result, or a loved one’s life has been cut short, Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help you get maximum compensation.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 56% of crashes in the U.S. are caused by aggressive behaviour. Also, the NHTSA has found that 66% of auto accident fatalities are caused by aggression and that aggressive behaviour often results in an aggressive response. The organization found half of the drivers on the receiving end of aggression responded aggressively themselves.

What Is Aggressive Driving?

Various behaviours characterize aggressive driving. Road rage is often triggered by anger or being upset. Drivers under stress may exhibit behaviours such as:

  • Illegal passing
  • Tailgating
  • Honking
  • Failure to yield
  • Going through red lights/stop signs
  • Weaving in and out of lanes
  • Speeding
  • Ignoring traffic signals
  • Obscene gestures

However, road rage isn’t always caused by the aggressor. Driving habits that can trigger an aggressive response include using a cell phone, keeping high beam lights on when there’s oncoming traffic, or failing to use a turn signal when changing lanes or turning. Also, check your blind spot when switching lanes. Cutting someone off, even inadvertently, can trigger an episode of anger.

Getting a Handle on Road Rage

If a driver responds to you aggressively, it is important not to escalate the situation. The following tips can help prevent an incident:

  • Do not react or retaliate.
  • Do not make eye contact.
  • Continue to drive safely.
  • Realize the other driver doesn’t handle stress well.

Road rage starts due to emotions and reactions caused by many stressors in life. These can include an argument with a spouse or partner, getting fired at work, or disciplining children in the car. A driver may be late to work or an appointment and be in a rush. Road rage can happen to anyone but is more common in young male drivers and individuals with certain psychological problems.

Why Road Rage Is So Dangerous

Not having a handle on your anger or emotions can trigger the characteristic behaviours of road rage. Aggressive drivers are dangerous because they are not in full control. They may be unable to avoid a direct collision or hitting something head on. An aggressive driver is also more likely to crash at higher speeds, increasing the likelihood of severe damage, injuries, and deaths.

Consequences

If you’re caught being an aggressor, you may face criminal charges. This might mean going to court, paying legal fees, and even facing imprisonment. The potential for physical harm and death to yourself and others is too high.

A personal injury attorney can help if you’re a victim of road rage. Your attorney will offer advice on what to do immediately after the incident. They will provide expert legal help and representation throughout the case to ensure you’re compensated for head, neck, back, knee, and other injuries or trauma.

Digital Branding

Ways Social Media listening can help your Business

on July 13, 2018

With the use of a shared count, it is possible to see how much your target audience are in tune with your content, but you can always do more.

Social media listening is simply about searching the internet and specifically the social media space to see what is being said about your business or brand, your competitors and other topics of interest, and with a little time and creativity, you can go beyond just monitoring your brand. You can employ the use of social listening to enhance content marketing, business development, product management, human resources and customer support.

If you are thinking of trying out social media listening, here are 5 ways in which this technique can be beneficial to your business:

Improved customer service

Today, more people are starting to use social media as the place to make public complaints, find solutions to their problems, and commend brands on good service.

Instead of relying on onsite calls or physically waiting for customers to show up in your workspace, social media as the go-to tool for responding and reacting to customers who encounter problems. Social media monitoring can improve the quality of your customer service through digital channels so that people no longer have to wait to receive a response.

Discover where your community is

Social listening enables you to find out where your potential and current community members carry on important conversations, for example, the hashtags on Twitter can lead you towards their areas of interests and what they often enjoy doing.

It is a good technique for identifying a target audience that would befit your brand, but more so for better niching your messages to befit their interests and reach out to their circles as well.

Track down the comments and shares on social media to lead you to the places they like to visit and the kind of content they would rather consume.

Build links with advocates and influencers

Influencer marketing is growing huge today and has continued to draw attention. The importance is that the influencer marketers ensure that people are talking about you and your brand, and when you are a conversation on social media, search engines and other users will definitely know who you are.

After a big product launch or update, track the link to or the title for press release you shared to see who else is sharing it. This information will help you identify influencers in your industry. Reach out to them to start building relationships.

Focus not only on the users with a big following, but also on the important fans of your brand that may not necessarily have a huge following, but are likely to convert to your advocates more than influencers can.

Interact with users

Largely, social media exists to foster relationship building, which is the one thing social media listening can help your brand with. For a business or brand, it can be overwhelming to track down comments and posts that might be relevant to you unless through social media listening.

Once you are keen on what your target audience is discussing and the trending issues in your industry, it is much easier to interact with your users then.

Be sure to keep your response times, intelligent, and humorous yet consistent with your brand image.

Actionable insights for brand improvement

Blindly running a business on social media can be detrimental to the productivity and success of your brand, which is the key reason you require to gather actionable insights for your brand management.

Since social media allows for open feedback, it is quite easy to receive negativity and criticism that might threaten the successful running of your brand, but with proper management, can scale your brand to greater heights.

Consider the feedback you receive as insights to help you in adjusting your business.

Social media is such a powerful tool, and with a little keenness in social listening, watch your business bloom this year!

Legal Branding

What You Need to Know About Restoring Old Furniture Safely

on July 9, 2018

Have you ever walked past a tired-looking chest of drawers at a garage sale and wondered what it might look like with a bit of love? Or perhaps you’ve inherited a beautiful antique from a grandparent, but it’s seen better days? Maybe you’re simply keen to give that worn dining table a fresh lease of life rather than sending it to landfill?

Restoring old furniture is one of those deeply satisfying projects that combines creativity, sustainability, and a genuine sense of achievement. There’s something magical about transforming a neglected piece into a stunning fsocal point for your home. Plus, it’s a brilliant way to reduce waste and save money compared to buying brand-new items. However, before you grab that sander and get stuck in, there are some important safety considerations you need to understand.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about restoring old furniture melbourne. From identifying hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos to choosing the right tools and finishes, we’ve got you covered. You’ll learn when it’s safe to tackle a project yourself and when calling in a professional makes more sense. By the end, you’ll feel confident approaching your next restoration project with both enthusiasm and caution.

Is It Safe to Restore Old Furniture at Home?

Understanding the Risks Involved

The short answer is yes—but with some important caveats. Older furniture, particularly pieces made before the 1970s, may contain hazardous materials that can pose serious health risks if not handled correctly. Lead-based paint was commonly used until it was banned, and some antique pieces may even contain asbestos in certain components.

Beyond chemical hazards, there are physical risks to consider too. Sanding creates fine dust particles that can irritate your lungs, while chemical strippers release fumes that require proper ventilation. Woodworm infestations and mould growth are other common issues that need careful handling.

When to DIY and When to Call a Professional

For most furniture restoration projects, a confident DIYer can achieve fantastic results at home. Simple tasks like repairing minor scratches, applying new finishes, or reupholstering a chair are well within reach for beginners. However, if you suspect lead paint, discover significant structural damage, or encounter mould that covers large areas, it’s wise to consult a professional. The cost of expert help is always worth your health and safety.

What Tools and Materials Do You Need for Furniture Restoration?

Essential Hand Tools for Beginners

Starting your restoration toolkit doesn’t require breaking the bank. Here’s what you’ll need:

– Screwdrivers in multiple sizes

– A claw hammer and rubber mallet

– Wood chisels for detailed work

– Sandpaper in various grits (80, 120, 220)

– A quality set of paintbrushes

– Wood filler and putty knives

– Clamps for securing repairs

Safety Equipment You Shouldn’t Skip

Never underestimate the importance of protective gear. A good dust mask—ideally a P2 respirator—is essential when sanding. Safety goggles protect your eyes from flying particles, while heavy-duty gloves shield your hands from splinters and chemicals. If you’re working with chemical strippers, a well-fitted respirator rated for organic vapours is non-negotiable.

Choosing the Right Finishes, Stains and Sealants

The finish you choose depends on the look you’re after and the piece’s intended use. Oil-based polyurethane offers excellent durability for high-traffic pieces like dining tables. Water-based finishes dry faster and have lower fumes. For a natural look, consider beeswax or Danish oil—both enhance wood grain beautifully while being relatively low in volatile organic compounds.

How Do You Identify Hazardous Materials in Old Furniture?

Testing for Lead Paint on Vintage Pieces

Any furniture painted before 1970 should be tested for lead. You can purchase lead testing kits from hardware stores—they’re inexpensive and easy to use. Simply make a small scratch in an inconspicuous area and apply the testing solution. If lead is present, avoid sanding altogether and consider using chemical strippers specifically designed for lead paint, or hire a professional.

Recognising Asbestos in Antique Furniture

While less common, asbestos was occasionally used in furniture components, particularly in heat-resistant padding or backing materials. If you’re working on a piece from before 1990 and encounter any fibrous, chalky material that you cannot identify, stop immediately. Have it tested by an accredited laboratory before proceeding.

Dealing with Mould, Mildew and Woodworm

Mould appears as fuzzy patches in various colours, while mildew tends to be flat and powdery. Both thrive in damp conditions and require thorough cleaning with appropriate solutions. Woodworm leaves telltale tiny holes and fine sawdust. Treat infestations with woodworm killer, ensuring you apply it in a well-ventilated area and follow all safety instructions carefully.

How to Safely Strip and Sand Old Furniture

Chemical Strippers vs Heat Guns: Which Is Safer?

Both methods have their place, but each carries different risks. Chemical strippers are effective but release strong fumes—always work outdoors or in a very well-ventilated space. Heat guns avoid chemical exposure but create a fire risk and can release toxic fumes from old paint. For beginners, chemical strippers are often easier to control, provided you’re working safely.

Proper Sanding Techniques to Minimise Dust Exposure

Always sand with the grain, starting with coarser grits and progressing to finer ones. Use a random orbital sander for larger flat surfaces—it’s more efficient and creates less dust than hand sanding. Keep your workspace clean by vacuuming regularly with a HEPA-filtered vacuum.

Ventilation and Workspace Setup

Set up your workspace in a garage with the door open, under a carport, or outdoors when weather permits. If working indoors, open windows on opposite sides of the room to create cross-ventilation. Consider a portable extraction fan to remove dust and fumes from your immediate breathing zone.

What Is the Best Way to Restore Wooden Furniture?

Repairing Scratches, Dents and Water Damage

Minor scratches often disappear with a simple application of wood filler matched to your timber colour. For dents, try the steam method—place a damp cloth over the dent and apply a warm iron briefly. The steam helps wood fibres swell back into place. Water stains on finished surfaces may lift with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and olive oil.

Choosing Between Painting, Staining and Natural Finishes

Your choice depends on the wood quality and your personal style. Beautiful timber grains deserve staining or natural oils to showcase their character. Lower-quality woods or pieces with imperfections often look stunning painted. Consider the room where the furniture will live—painted pieces can add a pop of colour, while natural finishes create warmth.

Preserving the Original Character of Antique Pieces

With genuine antiques, less is often more. Over-restoration can dramatically reduce a piece’s value and charm. Aim to preserve original patina where possible, making repairs sympathetically rather than attempting to make the piece look brand new. When in doubt, consult an antique specialist before making irreversible changes.

Can You Restore Upholstered Furniture Safely?

Removing Old Fabric and Padding

Work carefully when stripping upholstery—you never know what’s lurking beneath. Use a staple remover and pliers to extract old fixings. Wear a dust mask, as decades of accumulated dust will become airborne. Dispose of old padding responsibly, particularly if it’s degraded foam that may crumble into particles.

Handling Dust, Allergens and Hidden Pests

Old upholstery can harbour dust mites, moths, and even bed bugs. Work outdoors whenever possible and bag all removed materials immediately. Vacuum the frame thoroughly before reupholstering. If you suspect pest infestation, treat the frame with appropriate products and allow adequate drying time.

Selecting Non-Toxic Upholstery Materials

Choose natural materials like organic cotton batting, wool padding, and natural latex foam. These options are better for your health and the environment compared to synthetic alternatives. Look for fabrics certified free from harmful chemicals—GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification is a reliable indicator.

Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Furniture Restoration Methods

Low-VOC and Natural Finish Options

Low-VOC finishes release fewer harmful compounds into your home. Natural options include tung oil, linseed oil, and shellac. Milk paint—made from milk protein, lime, and natural pigments—offers a beautiful matte finish and is completely non-toxic. These products are particularly ideal if you’re restoring furniture for children’s rooms or if anyone in your household has chemical sensitivities.

Sustainable Disposal of Old Materials

Dispose of chemical products through your local council’s hazardous waste collection service—never pour them down the drain. Old wood and fabric scraps can often be recycled or repurposed. Consider donating usable hardware like handles and hinges to community restoration projects.

Common Furniture Restoration Mistakes to Avoid

Rushing the Preparation Stage

Preparation is genuinely ninety percent of the work. Skipping proper cleaning, sanding, or priming leads to finishes that peel, bubble, or look patchy. Take your time at each stage—the results will speak for themselves.

Ignoring Safety Precautions

It’s tempting to skip the dust mask for “just a quick sand,” but consistent exposure to fine particles accumulates over time. Always wear appropriate protection, even for small jobs.

Over-Restoring and Losing Value

As mentioned earlier, heavy-handed restoration destroys the character and value of antique pieces. Research your furniture’s age and origin before making significant changes.

How Much Does It Cost to Restore Old Furniture?

DIY Restoration Budget Breakdown

A basic DIY restoration typically costs between, depending on the materials you choose. Expect to spend around on sandpaper and brushes, on finishes, and on safety equipment if you’re starting from scratch.

Professional Restoration Services: What to Expect

Professional restoration varies widely based on the piece and work required. Simple refinishing might cost, while comprehensive antique restoration can run into thousands. Always get multiple quotes and check references before committing.

Bringing New Life to Old Furniture the Safe Way

Restoring old furniture is incredibly rewarding when approached with the right knowledge and precautions. You’ve now learned how to identify potential hazards, set up a safe workspace, and choose appropriate materials for your projects. These fundamentals will serve you well whether you’re tackling a simple refresh or a more ambitious restoration.

Remember, safety should never be an afterthought. The small investment in proper protective equipment and testing materials is nothing compared to your long-term health. Take your time with preparation, respect the age and history of your pieces, and don’t hesitate to call in professionals when a project exceeds your comfort level.

So, what’s your next project going to be? That charity shop find gathering dust in your garage? The family heirloom waiting for some attention? Whatever you choose, approach it with patience, care, and confidence. Happy restoring!

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