Tag Archives: business

Oct20

Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

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Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

Nothing is more disconcerting than a customer who refuses to pay for quality services rendered. You’ve worked hard, but you’re not getting the reward. It can be heartbreaking. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to ensure that you get the money you’re owed, no matter what your industry. Check out our ideas below:

Stop Working:

If a client refuses to pay you according to the schedule you initially set out, stop working immediately. Don’t continue toiling in the hope that you will eventually get paid. The reason you should stop working is because it helps you set clear boundaries. Clients who believe that you are a pushover may continue to ask you to work, even in the absence of any pay.

Leaving a project unfinished puts the client in a tricky position. They could try to find a workaround, but usually that’s not possible. It improves your bargaining position and makes it clear that their actions are unacceptable.

Charge Late Fees:

You can also try charging late fees. Late fees encourage clients to get their act together and to pay payments on time, instead of waiting for fines to accrue.

Work With An Industry-Specific Collection Service:

You can back up your efforts by working with a company that specializes in recovering payments. Many CBD firms, for example, use a cannabis collection agency since they understand how the industry works. Collection agencies reduce the hassle of collecting payments yourself. You don’t have to personally call clients and demand money (which can be emotionally draining). Instead, experts do it all for you.

Use Factoring:

You can also use a factoring model. Here, third-party companies buy your accounts receivable off of you and then pursue money collection themselves. Prices for this can be quite high. Usually, you’ll receive around seventy percent of the value of the invoice. However, at least it provides you with cash immediately, instead of having to wait for months, meaning that it is great for cash flow.

Make Contracts:

Making contracts in advance helps you to avoid late payment problems. By spelling out precisely what each party can expect, you have legal recourse should your customers fail to pay you at a later date.

Ask Why:

If customers won’t pay you, find out why by asking them. They could provide all manner of reasons – and you won’t necessarily know what they are in advance. In some cases, they might cite their own poor cash flow, in which case, debt collection might be the only option. In others, they might tell you that they’re not happy with the quality of the service. If there is a problem, try to find out specifically what it is so that you can correct it. Often, once you solve customers’ problems, they are more than willing to pay you.

Non-paying customers can be stressful. But, fortunately, you have many options. You can explore the issue more, find out what’s gone wrong, create incentives to pay on time, and even hire legal help.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct20

4 Mistakes When Seeking A Job In The Field Of Law   

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4 Mistakes When Seeking A Job In The Field Of Law   

If you are an aspiring attorney and are looking for your dream job, it is important to approach the process carefully. Law is a popular industry, and it is likely that you are going to come across some stiff competition. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the common mistakes you need to avoid while conducting your job hunt:

Not using a recruiter:

There is no reason why you should not use a recruitment firm during your job search. Working with a specialist recruiter is a great way to ensure that you get notified about the best job vacancies and that you are matched with a job that is right for you. They will also offer you insights into law companies that are not available elsewhere, prepare for lateral interviews, and perfect your resume. Not only this, but you don’t have to pay a fortune to benefit from such a service. In fact, you will find that they are often available free of charge.

Failing to tailor your application:

One of the biggest mistakes that attorneys make is failing to tailor their application to the vacancy in question. If you are applying to join a team of nursing home neglect lawyers, you will need to tailor your application accordingly, rather than sending a generic CV. You also need to show why you are a good fit for the team. An employer does not want to see a basic resume that anyone can produce; they want to discover what makes you different from the rest and why you are a good fit for their business.

Your application is a document that literally gives you permission to *humbly* brag about yourself. Do you have a passion for supporting victims of domestic abuse like Jennifer Croker? Be sure to let your app reflect that by mentioning the shelters and centers you have volunteered for. Tailoring your application for the position you really, really want can only help you so leave no stone unturned in the process.

Self-submitting blind inquiries:

Self-submitting an application for a non-existent position is guaranteed to get your resume thrown into the recruiting director’s trashcan. You need to make sure that the company has a listed need that you can fill if you are going to go down the self-submission route. Everyone wants to work at specific companies, but your resume is only going to become a nuisance if the company does not have a specific need. This could even have a detrimental impact on any applications you make in the future when a position does not open. Make sure a need exists, rather than simply self-submitting to a firm because you like it.

Failing to conduct precision marketing based on your experience and understanding:

Last but not least, a lot of job seekers fail to conduct precision marketing when looking for a new job. You need to market yourself based on where you want to work. After all, the job hunt process is not only about finding companies that need talent, but it is also about marketing yourself as the talent that these businesses cannot afford to miss out on. Make sure your social media profiles are updated, that you have a professional website, and that you are applying search engine optimization tactics to all of this.

Job hunting for any field can be stressful. Use the tips above to help your job hunt go smoothly and help you land your dream position!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct7

3 Signs Your Business Website Needs A Makeover

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3 Signs Your Business Website Needs A Makeover

If you’re a business owner, you will understand the importance of your website. This is your virtual storefront where new and existing customers can find out what you’re offering. If it looks good and provides all of the right information, you will make an excellent first impression.

But if your website falls down in any way… That first impression might not be a very good one! It might even get in the way of your chances of business success. Sometimes, your page might just need routine website updates to keep things looking fresh and modern. In other cases, your website might need a full overhaul to reach its optimum potential.

In this post, we will list a few signs that indicate it’s time to give your website a makeover. Be it through your own efforts or the efforts of website designers and other professionals, you may make your business dreams come true. Let’s get to it:

Your images are low-quality:

By low-quality, we are talking about the photos you may have taken yourself. If you don’t have a good eye for composition, it might be that your photos aren’t showing your products in the best light (literally in some cases). Because of this, your website and products will lose the wow factor that is needed to attract customer attention.

Issues might also arise if you use a lot of stock images. If they do little to make your website stand out or if they are have been overused on other sites, they could be doing you no favors.

The answer? Well, invest in better photography. You could take a photography course and learn more about backlight photography, object framing, perspectives, and other useful photo skills. Or you could hire a professional to take photos for you. Whichever route you take, you will improve your website if you have better quality photos.

Your website doesn’t rank highly on Google:

When you type words related to your business on Google, your website will hopefully show up. Ideally, it will be on page one or two. When your website ranks highly, you will have a better chance of beating your nearest business rivals, as customers will see your website first. But if your website doesn’t appear on the first couple of pages, it’s probably because it hasn’t been optimized for SEO (search engine optimization). This means your competitors will have the upper hand, as potential new customers will get to see what they have to offer first.

You can improve matters by making a few tweaks to your website content and design. Check out this beginner’s guide to SEO for a lot of useful information and do what you can to make changes yourself. Of course, if it all feels overly complicated, there are people who can help. Look online for marketing professionals and web designers who are well versed in SEO and invest in their services. A post on social media looking for help or services of web design in Bristol can also be helpful. There may be an expense but once your site starts ranking higher on Google, you will profit your business through more customers. 

If you still feel like you don’t even know where to begin, that’s okay! Before you stress yourself out, remember that there are SEO experts for almost every type of business imaginable. Do you own a dentistry practice? There is a Dental SEO agency for that! Look for professionals specific to your field and you will surely find several agencies that will be happy to assist. And, of course, always shop around until you find the best fit. As you decide between agencies, you might find package deals like those offered by ScaleUp SEO. This can be most helpful in forming a fully cohesive plan that can take your website to a new level.

^^^ Unsplash Image

It’s clearly broken:

We aren’t saying that your website crashes after loading (although it might) but there could be other issues that indicate there are serious faults. These faults will deter your customers from using your business because they might associate your products with your rickety old website!

So, what are the signs that your website is broken? If web pages take a long time to load, it is clear that there is something wrong somewhere. If your links no longer lead your customers to the right pages (or to any page), then you will confuse and frustrate them. And if your website doesn’t display pages properly on mobile devices, then you are going to alienate most of your potential customers.

If such problems exist on your website, you will affect your SEO. Going back to our last point, this means it won’t show up highly on Google. Your website will suffer from a high bounce rate too, as potential customers won’t stay for very long. This will also affect your SEO.

The answer? Do what you can to fix any issues yourself. There are lots of helpful articles online, including this one on fixing broken links. Alternatively, call in a professional web designer as they will fix any problems for you. If you lack the skills or need issues resolved quickly, this is the best route to take as it eliminates any guesswork. To find the right professional for your website, simply enter a search for “Web Design Bedford” (or your local area) to assist with any necessary changes. When your website has been improved, you should get more people using your business.

These aren’t the only reasons why your website might need a makeover. If it no longer reflects the colors and design styles you use for your brand, you should make changes for the sake of consistency. And if the information on your website is outdated, you clearly need to update your content. Look at other websites for examples of good practice and then consider the other changes you might need to make.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Sep24

Making Your Products More Appealing To Your Audience

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Making Your Products More Appealing To Your Audience

When your company is about to unleash a new product on the market, it’s important to consider how you’re going to present it to your audience. You’ll want to make it as appealing as possible, but wanting to do that and actually making it happen are two very different things. In this post, we’re going to talk about some of the things that you can do to make your products more appealing to your audience:

Focus on Addressing Needs:

First, you should consider what makes your product different and why people should care about it. If you’re addressing real needs that people have, your product is going to have a greater use and people are going to be more likely to be interested in it. It really is as simple as that. So think about how you can show your product and advertise as the solution to a problem.

Make Exciting Promises and Commitments:

If you want to sell to people, you need to give them a reason to be excited about what you’re offering. That’s one of the most important aspects of any business proposition. If people are excited by what they’re seeing from you, they’re going to be compelled to buy. So make exciting promises and commitments, and ensure your product follows through on them.

Go a Step Further Than Your Competitors:

It’s always a good idea to keep one eye on your competitors when you’re thinking about how to appeal to your audience. Go a step further than them and offer something that your main competitors can’t or aren’t. Differentiating your products and showing people why they’re better than the alternatives that exist out there will be key.

Offer Complementary Products for Free or at a Discount:

By giving something extra away for free, you can make sure that the products you offer carries more appeal and offers more in terms of value to the customer. That’s what matters more than anything else here. Cannabis companies might offer items such as preroll packaging as extras. And the same can apply to whatever niche your business exists in.

Tell a Story About the Product:

Telling a story about your product that’s compelling and captivating will make your task of selling it a lot easier than it might otherwise be. Telling a story is something that can be done in so many different ways, as well. It’s up to you to find the method of delivery and focus that you feel will appeal most to your audience. You should keep them in mind at all times.

It’s up to you to make sure that your audience takes an interest in what you have to offer. Use the tips above for maximum effect!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Sep23

Making Your Small Business Dreams Come True

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Making Your Small Business Dreams Come True

For some people, working for themselves is the ultimate dream and starting your own small business is the perfect way to make it happen. From your own Etsy shop to an actual storefront, businesses come in many shapes and sizes and can make for a wonderfully rewarding career. Starting your own business is a lot of hard work and today, we are going to discuss some ideas to help you in your future endeavors. Let’s get started:

Planning Makes Perfect:

A huge portion of starting your business comes from planning ahead and carrying out that plan to make it happen. You can start by asking yourself a few basic questions and going from there:

  • What type of product or service do I want to provide?
  • Do I need any additional certifications, schooling, or training for my business?
  • Will this business be online or in a storefront?
  • How much money am I willing to spend to make this happen?

It is important to have solid and achievable answers to these questions or your business might never get off the ground. For example, if you would like to own a coffee shop or restaurant do you have enough funds to purchase the property or begin restaurant construction? What about if you are conducting your business online – do you know how to build an excellent website? Have you entered a domain name search and are you familiar with SEO and online marketing strategies? If the answer is no, then it might not be time to quit your day job.

Do You Have Help?

While ultimately rewarding, starting your business can be incredibly stressful and time consuming. Are you going to have a business partner or will you be flying solo? Will you be employing other people to help you? Are you proficient in creating a website or will you need services for web design in Palm Harbor (or your local area)? You also must remember that communication is key in a business. Will you be able to maintain your own social media pages? What about customer service? This is a huge aspect of a business so will you or someone else be manning the phone with your business telecom service from https://titustelecom.co.uk/ (or a similar company in your local area)?

As you can see, flying solo means you are going to have to be a jack of all trades. Although that’s impressive, it might not be feasible and that’s okay. No one expects you to be an expert at everything and some things like tech support, perfecting a storefront, or website management could be beyond your skill set. If that’s the case, you have to consider the funding for IT Staffing or construction contractors and see how to best manage your team.

If nothing else, do you have the support of your family and friends on this endeavor? You don’t want to burn yourself out before your business even opens so evaluating the help you will need and having a support system in place is crucial.

What Are Your Goals?

Of course, the end goal of owning a business is being your own boss and making enough money to support yourself. But this is a HUGE goal that will not be accomplished quickly. Rather than focusing so much on the end result, break it up into smaller goals, instead. This will allow you to feel the pleasure of small victories and keep you motivated to continue on the path you’re on. For example:

  • I need to make a budget before I get started
  • I would like to have a functional and appealing website within three months
  • I want to prepare a home office space by the end of the week

By the time you finish your goal list, your business should be well on its way for a grand opening!

Like all good things, starting your own successful business will take time. You can save time, however, by starting things off on the right foot with the tips above!

Aug25

Giving Your Customers A Great Experience

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Giving Your Customers A Great Experience

A successful business relies on several key features. Ultimately, though, it is the customers who will determine whether it has a future or not. Consequently, it’s imperative that you learn how to keep them happy by delivering what they want. From the first interaction to long-term experiences, it’s vital that you keep the customer’s needs at the front of your mind. Focus on the following factors and you won’t go wrong:

A Connection:

All customers want to feel a connection to the brand. Therefore, creating marketing strategies and product packaging that resonates with them is vital. Many companies fall into the trap of being too generic rather than targeting their chief audience. The sooner that you learn it’s better to succeed in a small pond than fail in a big one, the better. There will still be opportunities to reach secondary markets without harming your hopes of success.

Value For Money:

Regardless of whether targeting the working classes or upper classes, people want a sense of value. Producing better quality products should always be the aim, but you should also aim to do it cheaply. Embracing 3D printing is one particularly useful option. Visit https://www.zdnet.com/article to learn about its potential influence. Whatever you do, try to create products that exceed expectations. Clients will then tell friends and family about them too.

Value for money can also come in the form of promotions and giveaways. Any customer will appreciate saving some money or a freebie item and that can turn them into a loyal customer. A customer who keeps coming back and recommends you to their friends and family. It could be as simple as a twenty percent off promo or adding a gift like branded cups, key chains, or T-shirts to their order. Products with your logo on them will turn your customers into walking billboards to spread the word on your business even more.

customer1

Pixabay Image

Fast Turnarounds:

There is no escaping the fact that we live in an era where people want things right away. So, you need to use the right equipment and partner with the best companies to make this happen. The benefits of a quick dye change system in manufacturing are plentiful. Visit https://universalengraving.com/lockup to find out for yourself. Production speeds can soar. Using automated tech for other aspects of manufacturing as well as order fulfillment will serve you well.

Achieving fast turnarounds should never alter the quality of the products you are selling. This all starts with having the proper equipment and tools in the workplace. For example, if you are in the automotive industry, you might want to have a healthy supply of butyl tape from HS Butyl Ltd (or a similar business in your local area) handy for your employees to use. Those in the fashion industry should be using high quality materials for each item. Excellent quality ensures repeat customers no matter what you are selling.

Clarity:

Customers want to know exactly what they are getting from a brand. This is critical for all products and services, but even more so for items like a double block & bleed valve which requires technical know how. Customers want to feel safe with what they are buying. They also need to know that any issues they encounter can be handled quickly so promoting better client care should be high on the agenda. Chatbots are a great feature. You can learn about them at https://medium.com/swlh. They’ll take communication to new heights.

Having fair returns policies will aid the cause further. Everything you do should be aimed at giving clients peace of mind. Not least because it can remove disputes.

Safety:

Finally, consumers are increasingly aware of the threats to their data. As such, they need to feel that they can trust your company. Protecting the business can be as crucial for client interactions as it is for the firm itself. The fact that it’ll also promote increased happiness from the workers should not be ignored, either. Prevention is the key to success. When digital precautions are combined with safer workplaces and stores, clients will be more satisfied.

Providing a comprehensive client experience means that you will be creating loyal customers to keep your business booming!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

 

Aug20

Jenks Building Haul

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Jenks Building Haul

Hi! This past Saturday, Johnny explored a new to us local business in our neck of the woods called the Jenks Building. Our good friends in the Buffalo Ryders were playing at this consignment shop/art gallery/music venue and it was basically the coolest place ever! While our band boys were playing, Johnny and I browsed through the Jenks Building and walked away with some awesome finds. Check it out:

The Jenks Building had everything you could ever imagine in their consignment shop – including an amazing beer and wine selection to sip while shopping. After purchasing a beverage, you got a free coozy to take home which was a very nice touch! From books and records to furniture, jewelry, and home decor this place had it all and we could have spent hours on end in there, as it was a huge property.

Johnny and I had a blast looking through the extensive record selection and are both particularly excited about the Smokey’s Family Robinson because you’re not going to not buy that. We actually listened to it that night and it was a banger, as anything by Smokey Robinson is. We have yet to listen to The Scooters and Kick Axe but I can’t wait to hear what they’re all about. Johnny also got U2’s The Joshua Tree special for me since I freaking love them. 🙂

The Jenks Building had a huge collection of quirky jewelry and I instantly fell in love with a tape measurer bracelet by Big Blue Moma. I have always wanted something like it and just had to purchase one for myself. While I am partial to the grey bracelet I selected, I wanted one in every color available like white and a buttery camel hue. So SO cute.

Prior to the pandemic, Johnny and I would always go secondhand shopping together and this was our first time doing that in well over a year. We both can’t wait to go back to the Jenks Building and see what other treasures we can find!

What is one of your favorite local businesses? Where do you like to secondhand shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

House Flipping: A Lucrative Opportunity For Creative People

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House Flipping: A Lucrative Opportunity For Creative People

House flipping is a term for house renovations and resale. House-flippers are house renovators who intend to sell a house after renovating it. The house flipping process can be lengthy, but it can also be lucrative if done correctly. These house flippers will do minor repairs like Drywall Repair, plumbing upgrade, cosmetic repairs, all the way to complete house renovations, including adding additional features or even building an entirely new house.

Flipping houses is not a new concept, it has been done since colonial times. It operates on the principle of house resale value > house renovation expenses. Many house flippers will buy distressed properties with the help of a specialist in property bridging finance and the intent of quickly renovating and reselling them at a higher price. Some house flippers specialize in specific skills which can make house renovation more efficient, such as plumbing or electrical work.

To learn more info about house flipping, it is helpful to brush up on the fha flipping guidelines. After all, you want to start a major project off on the right foot! Now, let’s learn some more about what goes into flipping a house:

Tax rules:

House flipping can be a great investment, but house-flippers need to be aware of the house flipping tax rules before they invest. House-flipping is not different from house investing in that house flippers must pay taxes on their income earned by flipping houses.

House flipping is generally viewed as an attractive investment, especially for those who know construction and renovation. It generally requires a house flipper to have these skills if they are planning on doing major renovations such as adding or removing features of the home.

flip1

Unsplash Image

House flipping can be done by both individual investors and business entities, but it is generally more profitable for individuals due to the tax treatment of house flipping income. Individuals who earn house flipping income are taxed on the expenses which are used for improvements and renovations. A house flipper can increase their profit from house flipping by taking deductions for renovation expenses on the federal tax return. If a house flipper uses their residence as a rental property or second home, they may also be able to deduct house flipping expenses on their house income tax return.

All of this tax talk can be extremely overwhelming and we recommend not only consulting with a tax specialist but an accountant too. House flipping involves a lot of money management and it is so easy to make mistakes with that. You will want to look for an accountant that specializes in construction and real estate like the team at CharCounting (or a similar business in your local area). You can never have too much help during a project like flipping houses and a trusted team can be invaluable.

Increase value:

House flippers are not the only investors who can benefit from flipping properties. Property managers and real estate agents can also gain a great deal by house flipping because it benefits property management. House renovations will often increase the value of houses, which increases property values for property managers, house flippers, and property owners. If you are looking for property management for your newly flipped homes, simply enter a search for “residential lettings doncaster” (Or your local area). The experts will be able to make this form of income as valuable as possible.

House-flipping is not for house hackers who are looking to do renovations on the cheap. House hackers can house flip, but it may be more difficult for them because they do not have the skills or construction tools necessary to complete larger renovation projects. On the other hand, house hackers will have house hacking skills which can make the renovation cheaper and more efficient. House hackers may also use flip tax deductions for improvements done on the property they are flipping.

House flipping isn’t just for HGTV. If you have the knowledge and skills, this could be a new business opportunity for you!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Aug5

Leverage Photography To Elevate Your Marketing Strategy

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Leverage Photography To Elevate Your Marketing Strategy

We humans adore visuals. Our brains are wired for visual perception and we desire it. Images appeal to us because we spend more of our brain’s processing capacity to vision than any other sense or skill. Images are more natural to our eyes than words. Content with pictures regularly attracts more clicks while scrolling through infinite search results. The absence of pictures in your online material frequently means that it will be disregarded. Shoppers are sixty times more likely to contact a brand with a picture in search results than without. Let’s dive into the impact of imagery and photography on your marketing campaign:

Leverage Intuition:

Humans like looking at pictures and instinctively comprehending them. We can analyze a photo in less than a tenth of a second, which is quicker than reading text. When marketing your business online, always include images that assist visitors in understanding what you’re promoting. Material with pictures receives up to 94% more views than posts without images. Search engines prefer visual information and prioritize results with large image files. A well-received appearance may compensate for poor content and enhance the viewer’s overall impression of the product.

The Impact on Emotions:

Images may trigger emotions in us more than any other kind of material. These feelings are more intense than those elicited by reading a story, and individuals make strong connections between the two. When selecting pictures to accompany your web material, use images that evoke emotion. A spectacular landscape can be captivating, but one with a happy home can be moving. The image must convey the information, but it also has to fit in with the general design of your website. Your web material will be more memorable if you include images that convey emotions of love, contentedness, or liberation.

The Images Are Part of Your Assets:

Images are a vital component of the business arsenal and should be treated as such. Good pictures will help you attract consumers and help you negotiate with other products and businesses. For example, to generate inbound connections, invite social media influencers and writers to use your pictures for free in return for link traffic to a website.

Investing in your views allows you to reach across many platforms such as social media, news stories, your website, your company profile, print advertising, and more. A picture may significantly impact a news story. Many PR agencies utilize pictures as marketing material; providing great images is typical for getting companies noticed in the news.

Pictures Drive Engagement:

Pictures, in addition to capturing our attention, eliciting emotional responses, and leaving a lasting impression, possess another ability. Visuals, as every marketer is well aware, enhance engagement. People don’t only want to look at photos; they also want to share them and then see more. Material that includes images gets up to 40 percent more shares than content without pictures.

You can also use digital tools to do things like incorporate your logo into images. Do some research to determine how to make pictures transparent on photoshop, this way you can start using it for improved branding. By incorporating your logo into designs in a professional way, your audience will be more likely to see you as a trustworthy brand that cares about reputation. In recent years, we have learned that part of the judgment call process takes place in one’s visual cortex, which means that the minute consumers see your material, they are already thinking about what they will do next, whether that is sharing it on social media or responding to a Call to Action.

As we all know, engagement is everything on any platform. If you are struggling with this aspect even if you have fantastic photos, it might be a good idea to consult with a full service marketing agency. These professionals can give you insight into areas of improvement, formulate a cohesive strategy, and can use what you have as a base to take your brand to the next level.

Availability of Tools:

Images are becoming more important to marketers and academics alike, and everyone wants a piece of the action. With specialized agencies like Caravan Club that handle comprehensive production services from concept to final delivery, brands can access professional visual content more efficiently than ever before. Even technology firms are attempting to capitalize on this emerging trend by developing image-based products. The emergence of visual search engines, such as those provided by platforms like Google and Pinterest has been a significant development in recent years. The sheer increase in visual searches on Pinterest alone (from 250 million in 2017 to 600 million in 2018) demonstrates the scale of the shift that can be anticipated in the following years.

Images matter to various industries, especially those that deal with jewelry and accessories. Reliable jewelry photo retouching services are something your company can benefit from. It’s not easy to match your text with the appropriate image, but there are specific recommendations to follow to increase clicks. Remember that today’s customers are adept at evaluating ideas. These skills have been developed by assessing picture quality and distinguishing stock photos from unique brand assets resulting from their internet experience.

An image that is high-quality, uplifting, and emotional is a beautiful start, but what’s in the picture is just as essential. The image should reflect your business, purpose, and values to best enhance your customer’s experience.

Aug3

How To Be The Best Candidate For The Job

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How To Be The Best Candidate For The Job

Whether you’re at the start of your career or applying for a promotion, you’ll need to be the best candidate if you want to secure your dream role. Preparing for a job interview can be nerve-wracking but, in reality, the competition starts well before the interview phase. If you want to improve your chances of being hired, you’ll need to stand out from the get-go and ensure your resume or application beats the competition.

Once you’ve secured an interview, you’ll have the opportunity to impress your future employers with your knowledge, skills, and personality (no pressure!). Fortunately, there are some sure-fire ways to hone your performance and increase your employability. For inspiration, take a look at these top tips:

Make Sure To Market Yourself:

When it comes to finding a new job, marketing yourself might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But it is a recommended option, especially if you’re changing careers. The number of employers who look up potential hires online before offering a position may surprise you.

Many people looking to change careers end up hiring reputation management companies to give them a fresh new brand online. While that might be a drastic approach, it could be recommended in certain instances. If you want to take the steps yourself, however, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind.

Though they might seem minor at first, they can make much more of a difference in getting a new job than you might think. Some of the largest of these are:

  • Build Your Network: Everyone has heard the age-old adage that it’s who you know, rather than what you know, that can make a difference in getting a certain job. That makes networking vital. As one of the older marketing techniques, this has often been one of the more effective. You’ll not only build awareness of your skills, but be able to promote yourself much more personally.
  • Have A Message: Often seen as an elevator pitch, your message should focus on what you can provide to a company, who you are, and where you want to go in your career. Perfecting this can be much more helpful with a job search than you’d think.

Using each of the above could increase your odds of getting a new job quite significantly. That’s especially true if you’re looking for a new position in a highly competitive field. They should be more than enough to give you a competitive edge, especially when combined with other tips and tricks.

Get Expert Advice:

Receiving feedback from previous interviewers can be a good way to improve your presentation when you’re applying for new roles, but time constraints mean that many companies no longer offer feedback to unsuccessful applicants. However, this doesn’t prevent you from accessing expert advice. When you sign up with a staffing agency, for example, you can learn how to impress potential employers. A staffing agency can also fast-track your applications and give you access to vacancies as soon as they become available. With so many businesses going directly to agencies rather than advertising directly, signing up with a well-known agency can be the best way to get the expert advice you need and ensure you’re the best candidate for the job.

Understand the Job Description:

Some job adverts are frustratingly vague, which can make it difficult to determine exactly what your duties would be. Don’t risk applying if you aren’t sure what will be expected of you. Instead, get in touch with the company and request additional information. This will help you to determine whether it’s the right job for you and, if so, give you the chance to create an impressive resume or application that’s relevant to the position.

Submit Unique Applications:

When you’re hunting for a new job, it can be tempting to apply for as many roles as possible and creating a generic resume or application is the fastest way to do this. However, employers and interviewers read hundreds of these a day and they can tell instantly if you’ve copied and pasted content from one application to another.

If you want to successfully land a coveted role, take the time to complete a unique application that’s relevant to the specific business. Resumes can be a daunting and tedious task as they often have to follow a specific format with limited space for important information. If you’re struggling with your resume, a fresh set of eyes with new ideas could be just what you need. For example, Arc Resumes – who offer an Illinois resume writing service – can assist you in making a resume that will surely get you called in for an interview.

Learn About the Company:

If you’ve invited to interview for a particular role, be sure to learn about the company before you attend. Knowing about their history, recent news, and future plans will impress your interviewers and will highlight your passion for the organization too.

With a little extra research, you can confirm that this is somewhere you genuinely want to work and that you see yourself having a future with. Employers typically prefer to hire people who plan on staying with the company for a significant period of time, so take the opportunity to learn more about the business and use this knowledge to your advantage.

Practice Your Video Presentation Skills:

Many companies are now holding interviews virtually, which means you’ll need to be prepared to converse with interviewers via webcam. While there are many advantages to virtual interviews, you’ll want to practice your presentation numerous times before you go live for your first online interview.

Dress as you would for a standard interview and make sure you have somewhere quiet to sit while the interview is taking place. In addition to this, check your connection and equipment in advance so that you won’t have to deal with technical difficulties before the interview begins.

In a competitive job market, you need to stand out and make employers take notice in order to secure your dream job. By taking the initiative and perfecting your resume and applications, you can jump the first hurdle and secure the interviews you need. While applying for new roles can feel overwhelming, the right preparation will help to quell any nerves and you’ll be ready to impress your new employers.

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