Business

If you work in customer service or work personally with clients or other vendors for your business, building strong and respectful relationships is vital to continuing a positive brand reputation. But sometimes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, things might get said to a customer or client that could be hurtful or harm the business relationship. And because this can have a negative impact on your business, it’s best to avoid these kinds of things whenever possible.

To help you know just what you should be avoiding, here are three things to avoid saying when speaking to customers or clients.

Leading With A Negative

When speaking with your customers or clients, you may not always have good news for them. And while you want to be honest about what you can and can’t do for them, when responding to questions or concerns, it’s best to avoid leading with a negative.

When you speak with a customer or client, try to avoid starting off a sentence with the word “no”. Instead, seek to find alternative ways to go about getting your point across in a less negative way.

If you’re nervous about doing this on the fly, you can always craft scripts so that you can know exactly what to say to tough questions or requests rather than just responding with “no”.

Stating What Is Or Isn’t Company Policy

While there likely is company policy that you’re advised to follow when dealing with customers and clients, this is never something that you should use as a reasoning for why you can or can’t do something for them.

When you tell someone that something is or isn’t company policy, you make it seem like it’s not possible for there to be any wiggle-room here, which usually isn’t true. And while you might not be able to break with company policy in this case, there likely is something that can be done to better the situation in another way.

Telling Someone How To Feel

When working in customer service, it’s very common to have to deal with people who aren’t happy for one reason or another. And while you might not feel like their emotions are your fault, sharing this or telling them that they should calm down usually won’t prove to be successful for you.

As opposed to doing this, try to practice active listening and attempting to redirect their passion toward finding a solution that all parties can be happy with. And as you’re able to do this, they will automatically calm down without you having to suggest this to them at all.

If you want to have a better experience as you speak with customers and clients, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn what to say and what to avoid saying.

 

A legal career is one of the most globally well-respected career choices in cultures all over the world, so, pursuing a career as an attorney is an impressive career decision. And while it may not be the best career choice for everybody, it’s the perfect one for many. If you’re on the fence about whether pursuing a career in law is right for you, then here are some of the reasons you may want to consider.

Handsome Salary

According to the latest surveys, the average lawyer’s salary is approximately $125,000 a year— and that’s just the average salary. Some lawyers rake in millions a year, and there are even some billionaire lawyers in the world like Wichai Thongtang, a famous corporate lawyer in Thailand.

And while not all lawyers become billionaires, they still have one of the highest earning potentials out of all careers. If you’re looking for a job that can offer a big return on your education costs, then a career in law is a great choice.

Helping Others

Although it’s no secret that lawyers earn a lot of money, there’s also the humanitarian aspect that comes along with helping others. The legal system can be overwhelmingly complicated, and lawyers are there to help their clients navigate the often complex ins and outs of laws. They’re there to represent their clients in the best possible light and win them a favorable decision for their legal problems.

Many lawyers opt to offer pro bono work for clients with low incomes such as victims of abuse. So, although the earning potential is appealing, for many, the opportunity to help others it’s worth far more than the salary.

Intellectual Stimulation

There is no shortage of intellectual challenges that go into arguing and debating in court. It’s a lawyer’s job to present the evidence and strategically find a way to convince the judge of their perspective. For people who love problem solving and being analytical, a job as an attorney is just about as stimulating as it can get.

Different Specializations

One of the best parts about a career in law is that there are all sorts of different specialization areas to choose from. If you’re passionate about a particular cause, then chances are that there’s an area of law that specializes in just that. From environmental law to victims of domestic abuse, becoming a lawyer is a great way to stand up for a particular niche that you feel is your calling.

Flexibility

While lawyers may work undoubtedly hard, they often have extremely flexible schedules. Not to mention, since the evolution of legal cloud software lawyers can go completely remote should they choose. If you’re looking for a career that offers the ability to set your own hours and work from home if need be, then a career in law is a great choice.

 

We have all become frustrated with digital marketing strategies that failed to live up to expectations. As a result, we are all left pondering what we could have done to make things right. Here are some digital marketing strategies that were proven to exceed your expectations in more ways than one:

Hire Influencers

Make sure the influencers you hire are in a niche similar to what you are offering. For example, if you have a restaurant, you must hire influencers that post about food on their social media channels. The rates for these influencers would depend on what you want them to do. For example, if you want to make them do a video blog and a social media post, it is going to be more expensive than just doing an Instagram story. There are influencers who would allow an x-deal if it is just an Instagram story, meaning you can just send them your items for free.

Mobile Marketing

We all know how everyone spends most of their time browsing the Internet through their mobile phones. It is what technology made us all do. Thus, better tailor your needs to how other people see your website on their mobile devices. You will certainly need web development experts here but it is going to be worth it. These days, you will only see people shopping online when they are at work. Of course, they can’t do that or else they would get fired. It would be safer for employees to shop online when they log out of work.

Content Marketing

Having experienced writers write about your brand in a way that nobody else can is always a smart thing to do. You can even have control over the topics. They can work their way around the topic and come up with a bunch of articles that you did not see coming. After all, you can write the articles yourself and see if that will work out. You can just download the right Grammar checking app so you can learn from your mistakes. It always pays to learn something new each day even if it is English grammar.

Social Media

Perhaps, one of the most popular marketing strategies is social media. these days, it is a must for your brand to have a Twitter account and Facebook page. Also, you should encourage all the people you know to follow your account somehow so you can set things straight. There are times when you can do a follow for following with some accounts. The best way to increase your followers would be to hold a contest. After all, everyone loves free things. Everyone would think of your brand in high regard when they see you have plenty of followers.

To make things easier for your brand, you must hire one of the top digital marketing companies in Ignite Digital. They have a lot of top-tier clients who have nothing but good things to say about them. Are you curious? Learn more about what they have to offer by clicking here.

Lack of productivity is a concern for many people— and rightfully so. It can be incredibly frustrating to find yourself at the end of the day scrambling to get everything done. Productivity doesn’t just hinder your work process, but it can even affect your overall well-being.

If you’re constantly feeling like you’re racing the clock, it will contribute to stress, and lead you to feel less confident about your work performance. Here are some of the best ways to boost your everyday productivity, and get the most out of every minute.

Use Technology

There are some things that you have to do manually. For example, sometimes customers need to talk to a real person, so handing them off to a chatbot or automated phone system is simply not an option. Yet, there are other manual and repetitive tasks that take up a large part of your day which could be delegated to software.

The right software can shave hours of time off of your day, and put valuable time in your schedule to do more important tasks than data entry. Get to know what programs are available for your specific tasks, and measure whether the price is worth investing. Usually, people find that automation software saves so much time that it’s well worth paying the price for.

Create a List

Lists are incredibly simple, yet very effective. Start every day off with a list and check each task off as you go. As you see each task completed, you’ll feel extremely motivated to keep going. Lists help you create a road map of your day and keep you on task if you start to get distracted. If you start to feel yourself not sure how you should be using your time, always refer to your list and check off the next to do.

Create Routines

One of the most common characteristics of productive people is that they have an established routine. Every day they do the same thing at the same hour, and as such it becomes a steady rhythm. They know that at a certain time of the day they devote their time to housework, while at other times of the day they are committed to completing work.

Mold your routine and schedule as needed, and get into the habit of following it every day. Soon it will start to become an instinct, and you’ll know when it’s time to play, and when it’s time to work.

Identify Your Distractions

One of the leading causes of lack of productivity is plain old distraction. Get to know what your distractions are, and eliminate them if possible. Perhaps it’s the TV, or maybe it’s your phone. Whatever it is that is stopping you from getting everything done, get rid of it as soon as possible

 

Getting a new customer takes a lot of effort. Therefore, there is a need to develop effective ways of ensuring the customer stays loyal to your brand. One of the best ways of keeping on getting new customers and retaining the existing ones is keeping them engaged. Customer engagement involves interacting with online and offline customers to ensure they act positively toward your brand. There are many ways of engaging your customers, but the end goal is value creation. Give your customers something unique to relate with and support them in real-time. Here are 5 simple yet effective ways of increasing customer engagement for retention.

• Improve Brand Consistency

One of the best ways of keeping your customer engaged and loyal to your brand is by providing consistency. Whether quality, delivery, or packaging, your customers need something they can relate to every time. They want to recognize your brand among others easily. Remember, brand consistency sets you apart from other products in the market. Therefore, it will be a good idea to work with a team like Bizify to help you build a consistent brand that customers can relate to, and that stands out from the competition.

• Provide Great Customer Experience

Companies that focus on improving customer experience increase revenue by more than 50%. If customers have a bad experience with a certain brand, there is a high chance they will never return. Therefore, improve operations and the process of purchasing products from your brand. Provide customer support, and make the checkout process simple and payment easy. These are examples of things that improve customer experience with your brand.

• Use Feedback

Another strategy for improving customer engagement is collecting feedback to understand your position. Let customers explain what they think about your brand and the pain points they have had during the buying process. Find the common problems and act on them as soon as possible. When you ask them how to improve and actually do it, your customers feel valued and will always look forward to buying from you again. The feedback you get from them will provide insights into what you need to improve your brand, increase customer experience and keep them engaged.

• Maintain Value

Your business with the customer does not end after a purchase. You need to follow up by sending emails or newsletters to keep them updated on what is going on with your brand and inform them of ways of saving money through discounts. You can also use a loyalty program to ensure your customers benefit from purchasing from you.

• Consider Social Media Engagement

It is also crucial to follow your brand on social media. What are people saying about you on social platforms? How far has your brand spread? Keep in touch with your customers and continue offering support on social media. By keeping track of what they are posting, you will better understand how to tailor your brand to meet their needs. Ensure you also engage them through comments and shoutouts.

Bottom Line!

You can use many engagement strategies to attract new customers and maintain the existing ones. You must actively engage your customers in all possible ways and make it effective since your competitors are also taking the opportunities.

 

There are a lot of different eGuarantee programs out there, and it can be tough to figure out which one is right for you. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of eGuarantee so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it is right for your business. We will also talk about what you need to know before signing up for an eGuarantee program.

What is a eGuarantee Program?

A eGuarantee program is a type of financing that allows businesses to get funding by using their receivables as collateral. This means that businesses can get funding having to go through a traditional bank loan process. eGuarantee programs are typically used by small businesses and startups, as they can be a quick and easy way to get funding.

Who are eligible to be on the Program?

To be eligible for a eGuarantee program, your business must have receivables that are due from creditworthy customers. This means that your customers must have a good credit history and be able to pay their invoices on time. Additionally, your business must be in good financial standing and have a strong accounting system in place.

eGuarantee programs can be a great way for businesses to get funding. However, there are also some cons to consider before signing up for one of these programs. Here are ten pros and ten cons of eGuarantee programs:

Pros

1. eGuarantee programs are a quick and easy way to get funding.

2. eGuarantee programs allow businesses to get funding by using their receivables as collateral.

3. eGuarantee programs are typically used by small businesses and startups.

4. Your business must have receivables that are due from creditworthy customers to be eligible for a eGuarantee program.

5. Your business must be in good financial standing and have a strong accounting system in place to be eligible for a eGuarantee program.

6. eGuarantee programs can help your business grow by providing you with the funds you need to expand your operations.

7. eGuarantee programs can help you manage cash flow problems by giving you access to working capital.

8. eGuarantee programs are a great way to build your credit history and improve your credit score.

9. eGuarantee programs offer competitive interest rates and terms.

10. eGuarantee programs can be a great way to finance long-term projects or growth initiatives

Cons

1. eGuarantee programs can be expensive.

2. eGuarantee programs may require you to put up your receivables as collateral, which means you could lose them if you default on the loan.

3. eGuarantee programs may have strict eligibility requirements that your business may not meet.

4. You may need to have a strong credit history and good credit score to qualify for a eGuarantee program.

5. eGuarantee programs may require you to have a business plan and financial projections in place before you can apply.

6. The application process for a eGuarantee program can be time-consuming and complex.

7. eGuarantee programs may have high interest rates and fees.

8. You may be required to make regular payments on your eGuarantee loan, which could affect your cash flow.

9. If you default on your eGuarantee loan, you could lose your receivables as collateral.

10. eGuarantee programs are not available in all states.

What are the requirements needed to be able to Join

There are a few requirements that businesses need to meet to be eligible for a eGuarantee program. First, your business must have receivables that are due from creditworthy customers. This means that your customers must have a good credit history and be able to pay their invoices on time. Additionally, your business must be in good financial standing and have a strong accounting system in place.

Conclusion

eGuarantee programs can be a great way for businesses to get funding. However, there are also some cons to consider before signing up for one of these programs. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons carefully before deciding if a eGuarantee program is right for your business.

 

Yes, it takes multiple departments to properly run the most successful business. An HR department to handle employee relations, a marketing team to create and maintain the company’s image, an accounting unit to ensure that money is where it needs to be, and a sales team that, well, sells things. And this is often just the tip of the iceberg.

But what happens when these departments don’t work together? When there is a lack of communication or collaboration amongst departments, it can lead to big problems for businesses. Inefficiencies can pop up, processes fall by the wayside, and projects can grind to a halt. That’s why it’s so important for businesses to focus on streamlining cross-functional collaboration amongst departments.

Here are 3 tips for doing just that.

Employ The Use of Interactive Tools

Nowadays, there are a variety of tools that facilitate business operations. Some are general tools that can be used for a variety of purposes, while others are specific to certain tasks or projects.

But regardless of the type of tool, it’s important that businesses employ interactive tools that allow for two-way communication. This way, all departments can stay up-to-date on what’s going on and no one feels left out of the loop.

Take data analytics, for instance, ideally, everyone should be in on it, and luckily there are tools that let you easily build professional dashboards that display data in a way that is not only digestible but also accessible to everyone. That way, when it comes time to make decisions, everyone is on the same page and can offer their insights based on the data.

Establish Clear Roles & Responsibilities

When it comes to cross-functional collaboration, it’s important that everyone knows their role and what is expected of them.

The dangers of non-clarity range from team members feeling like they are being micromanaged to thinking that their role is superfluous. This can quickly lead to frustration, a lack of direction, and a fall in productivity.

The key is to find a happy middle ground where roles and responsibilities are clear enough that everyone knows what they need to do but flexible enough that team members can take on different tasks as needed.

Encourage Open Communication

Open communication is essential for cross-functional collaboration to be successful. Team members need to feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and feedback with one another.

This can be a challenge, especially if there are hierarchical power dynamics at play. But it’s important to still try to create an environment where everyone feels like their voice can be heard.

One way to do this is to encourage informal communication, such as through regular check-ins or team-building exercises. This gives team members a chance to catch up with one another on a personal level, which can help build trust and understanding.

Another way is to get intuitive messaging apps that promote easy real-time conversation via both text and video.

Cross-functional collaboration is essential for businesses to be successful. By following these tips, businesses can streamline collaboration and communication amongst departments, which will invariably lead to better efficiency, more innovation, and increased profits.

 

Marketing has a variety of unique specializations that might be both meaningful and lucrative for individuals who are passionate about leading a life in such a career path.

Whether you are already employed in the profession or seeking methods to start your career, knowing how to secure the job you genuinely desire or the measures necessary to help you achieve it can be challenging.

Or perhaps you have seen a job opportunity listed and are unsure how to use your skills to make the most of it, or you lack the courage to take the chance. Whatever the circumstance, marketing guru Jurgen Cautreels has provided some advice to help you land your dream marketing career in this interview.

What advice do you have for individuals looking to land their ideal marketing career?

Landing your dream marketing career is no walk in the park as it requires intentional effort on the part of the prospective jobseeker. While having a solid résumé, relevant experience, and the appropriate degrees are essential, you should prioritize using the power of networking.

At networking events or platforms, you will get to make contacts in the industry that will connect you to opportunities as well as find potential employers.

What are the best-paying career paths in marketing?

There are several job choices to think about if you want to build your career in internet marketing. You might decide to work as a market research analyst who aids brands in better understanding their target market or as an account executive who oversees client relationships.

Being a search engine marketing specialist, search marketing strategist, advertising manager, product marketing manager, and social media marketing coordinator are other employment options. Each of these career paths has a range of compensation depending on the experience and competence of the individual.

What are the most important skills individuals should have to upscale their worth as a marketer?

Developing a marketing career might present many challenges but possessing soft skills can simplify overcoming them. Having a wide range of soft skills can enable you to advance as a marketer far more quickly than you would think.

The ability to adapt and persevere, as well as to have agility, teamwork spirit, verbal and written communication skills and negotiating abilities are a few examples.

In addition to the aforementioned, creative skills are needed to thrive as a marketer. Employers are always looking for how best you can create solutions to problems and bring in ideas to fine-tune already preexisting processes.

What academic degrees and certificates are necessary to help individuals in pursuit of their dream marketing career?

How far you want to advance your career determines the number of degrees you would want to go for. You can acquire four academic marketing degrees: an associate’s, a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a doctorate. You can also obtain additional credentials in Hubspot content marketing, Google Analytics, and Adwords.

Ultimately, getting any academic degree higher than a high school diploma has an impact on your salary, and wages typically increase with each level of degree.

What are the best ways prospective marketers can gain relevant experience that will help them land their dream marketing careers?

No doubt, getting experience on several marketing projects will help build your resume to align with your dream marketing career. I will suggest looking for volunteer opportunities at non-profit groups that require marketers, applying for internships at marketing firms, finding an experienced mentor to work with, and freelancing on simple projects.

There is no doubt that you have a whole host of promotional avenues available to you at your company. One of these is certainly getting your hands on some branded merch, but if this is a route that you have never thought of going down in days gone by, you may well be wondering about some of the direct advantages involved. Well, let’s check out a few of these in a higher level of detail.

Cost Effective Marketing

To begin with, it is often going to be the case that you do not have to spend a fortune on branded merch, but the impact that it can have in terms of brand recognition can be significant. Ultimately, you want to keep on getting your logo in front of the right group of people and there is no doubt that branded merch is a useful way of achieving this goal successfully. As well as keeping the items for themselves, you may also find that people decide to pass them onto others as well.

Create Brand Loyalists

If you some of the biggest and the best brands that are out there, it can be of no doubt that people are loyal to the cause and are more than happy to wear the items that you can get from the likes of anthembranding.com, put items around their house, and generally support the cause. Of course, you are going to have to make sure that you are going to do more in terms of creating the type of products that people are happy with and reflecting the quality of the overall brand.

Acts as a Business Card

There is also the sense that everything that you are using can act as a useful business card. This certainly means that it can be passed out at events in which you need to have something to give away such as a networking event or a trade show. In terms of what you are buying, you need to make sure that it is easy enough to take away and is going to cause you the minimum possible fuss to do so.

Stand Apart from the Crowd

There is no doubt that you are going to find yourself up against a whole range of competition out there, which means that you certainly need to be doing all that you can to stand apart from them. Otherwise, it is going to become more than likely that you will get swallowed up.With this in mind, you should make sure that you are pitching some original ideas and creating the type of merch that has an excellent standout impact.

Branded merch can be used in all sorts of business settings and scenarios, but these are just a few of the situations in which it can be advantageous. So, you should certainly think about making sure that you get your hands on some as soon as you possibly can, but also make sure that it’s high quality.

 

When you own a farm, space can be a premium. Farming usually requires flat land so that crops can grow properly. Fortunately, there is an alternative. If your property has a hilly area, you can use it to your advantage. Here is a guide on what you need to convert it into arable land.

Determine your slope and look at your options

The first thing you should do is check the slope of your hill. It might surprise you, but you can fully farm a gentle slope using ordinary means. Of course, there will be more erosion, but it is doable. However, steeper hills require two approaches: contour farming or terrace farming. Contour farming will have you farm by following the slope’s contours, while terrace farming requires that you build up individual terraces and cultivate them like normal.

Start building it up

Building up terraces will require a lot more work if you need to build up terraces. Fortunately, you can make it easier with pre-cast concrete retaining walls. You can click here to see what retaining wall systems you can use for the terracing. Place them in the right places, and you can have decent terraces to work on. Contour farming has you similarly cutting into the land, but it will be easier since you only need to follow the slope. This type of farming will not work with all crops, but root vegetables and grains can grow with this method. A combination of crops can work, too. For example, you can plant one line of corn alternated with a string of oats. It will require a lot of work to maintain, but there will be less erosion thanks to the roots.

Reinforce your fields

The sloping field makes it very vulnerable to erosion, so you should reinforce it with one or more additional practices. For example, you can pile on a layer of mulch to further protect the topsoil. It helps with hills that see a lot of wind and rain. Additionally, adding ditches to channel water safely off the hill can benefit your fields in that location. The gutters can also lead to a small pond that can help with irrigation around the area.

Planting and care

You won’t be able to deploy automatic planting machines unless the slopes are big. Manual planting and attentive care are best for monitoring your farm and ensuring you control erosion. No-till farming is the best approach for such fields since it ensures that the soil structure stays solid. Additionally, ensuring that ditches and irrigation are clear can ensure that your hillside fields will have enough moisture to grow. Finally, check the slope regularly to ensure that nothing is at the point of collapse.

Final thoughts

Converting your hill into farmland can be a long process. However, the effort put into it can result in a high reward. Consider your options to begin your improvements and add some new ground for your farm to use. You will find that these hillside fields will be productive for years.