How You Can Step Up Your Work Schedule Game

Productivity is arguably the most important aspect of running a small business or any business for that matter. The more productive you and your employees get out of your work schedule, the more revenue your business will generate. In fact, more productive companies have 50% higher operating margins.

One way to go about boosting your productivity is by getting more organized.

When you organize every single day and your entire week with a specific purpose in mind, you and your employees will get more done and build a successful and profitable business.

Therefore, I have put this guide together to help organize your workweek at a small business…

Create a task value chart delegate tasks based on value:

Cutting down goals into tasks is a common method people use these days to simplify projects. But what they forget to do is make a task value chart. A task value chart is a spreadsheet where you detail how valuable a task is. Tasks that add more value to your business’s bottom line should come under high value tasks and tasks that don’t make that much of a difference should be categorized as low value tasks.

An example of a high value task is a meeting with a potential client who could hire you and pay you thousands of dollars. While a low value task is scheduling the meeting with the client.

Another example of a high value task is creating a webinar that can generate sales. And a low value task is sharing details about the webinar with your social media followers.

This way you should asses tasks and grade them based on their value on a scale of 1 to 10 and then delegate them to the right people. You, yourself or your most skilled employees can handle high value tasks. While employees such as your assistants can handle low value tasks.

You can also hire virtual assistants to help you handle the low value tasks, especially if they are a lot of them. And of course, there are a lot of tasks you can automate. This can work out even cheaper than hiring a virtual assistant. Automation apps can also handle certain tasks more efficiently than virtual assistants.

Have a work schedule for each day:

Another tactic that works very well is having a work theme for each day of the week. This will help you and your team focus on one thing and minimize distractions. For example, Monday can be the day when you work on your marketing, Tuesday can be for sales and Wednesday can be for meetings.

This way choose a theme for each day. You can create a work schedule template in advance to help you stick to this format and make it a habit.

The main benefit of having a theme is that it prevents multitasking which most of us aren’t very good at. Studies have shown that multitasking can reduce productivity by 40%.

When you force yourself and your team to work based on a theme for an entire day, you will completely eliminate multi-tasking.

Plan even minor details beforehand:

There’s a problem many of us face almost every day that destroys our productivity. This is known as decision fatigue. When you have several decisions to make on a daily basis, it leads to paradox of choice. Having to make these decisions on a daily basis not only costs us time, but also makes us mentally tired and it reduces our focus and productivity rates.

So, plan every single thing you need to do beforehand. Decide on what you are going to eat, at what time you will get to work and more minor decisions like these at the beginning of the week or the previous night at least. Top entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg take decision fatigue very seriously. This is one of the reasons why he wears the same clothes every single day.

Conclusion:

This is the simple step by step process you can use to organize your week. It does take some effort and a lot of time to get organized, but the effect it will have on your business is priceless. If you are too busy to handle this, I recommend that you get one of your employees to do this or outsource a freelancer to help you out. There are many people out there who specialize in this.

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Master The Art of Emailing With These 4 Simple Steps

Emailing is probably the best marketing medium out there. You can use it for everything from cold outreach to permission marketing.

3.9 billion people actively use email. Over 293 billion people send and receive emails every single day. And about 40% of people check their email 6 to 20 times per day.

If you master email marketing, you should be able to reach any of the marketing goals you have. So, here’s a quick guide on the 4 most important components of the perfect email and how to get them right…

A curiosity generating subject line

The subject line is probably the most important part of the email. If you ace it, you will convince more people to open the email and check out the rest of the content. So, spend an ample amount of time writing this part, especially if this is a cold email approach.

Remember that the main job of the subject line is to convince people to open the email and read the rest. Quite often people try to add the end goal of the email here and they end up writing a subject line that doesn’t generate any curiosity.

Here are a few advanced tactics you can use to write a better subject line…

Keep them short: A study from Sendgrid found that 3 word subject lines have the highest engagement rate at 21.2%. So, remember that less is more when it comes to email subject lines. Don’t try to write a sophisticated subject line just because you ‘need to’. Instead, in a few simple words get your main point across.

Only start the first word with a capital letter or don’t use any capitals at all: When you email friends or family do you use any capital letters in your subject lines?

I am guessing that you don’t, as most people write them quickly without using any capital characters at all.

This is the same tactic you should be using when you write emails to potential clients or customers. Most of your competitors are capitalizing each word in their emails. Therefore, when you send an email with no capitals in the subject line, it will stand out and draw the attention of the receiver and they will be more likely to open it.

Split test different subject lines: Another tactic you can try is to split test subject lines. This is where you create 2 or more versions of the subject line and test them out to see which one drives the highest engagement. The best way to do this is when you run big outreach campaigns using an email service provider as you can set the software to send emails with different subject lines to different people and then pick the winner.

It is possible to use this technique with cold outreach as well, but you will need to use an email tracker and analyze results manually.

The email introduction:

The next part of the email is the introduction. This is where you introduce yourself and add in some personalization to show the receiver that you wrote this email specifically with them in mind. You can easily do this by typing in ‘Hi’ and placing their name right after that. And then writing a couple of lines about what you like about the receiver’s work or the company they work at.

This personalization will help you build some rapport with the receiver.

Here are a couple of rules to follow while writing the subject line…

Write at the level of a 3^rd grader: People receive an average of 88 emails per day. Going through all of them and replying is a straining task. This chore will cause their attention span to dwindle. This is why to ensure your email gets read, you need to keep it as simple as possible. The easier your email is to read more people will read it fully.

So, use a tool like Hemingway to edit and reduce the reading level of the email to that of a 3^rd or 4^th grader.

Make it all about the receiver: In order to make an impression, you need to get the receiver to like you. So, instead of talking about yourself, make it all about them. If necessary, conduct some research online to learn as much as you can about the receiver.

Main email content:

The next part is the main email content where you let the receiver know the reason why you are sending this email. Don’t try to dilly dally here and get to the point quickly. There’s no need to write your life history. As aforementioned people receive several emails daily and they don’t want to spend hours reading unnecessary text. In a few lines just let them know what you want and the next steps they need to take.

The email introduction along with the main email content should be no longer than 300 words.

Here are a couple of tips that will ensure your main email content gets the job done…

Include a call to action: You should ensure that the main message of your emails ends with a call to action and a link that gets people to take action. You can actually try using a button call to action instead of the usual anchor text with a link option as buttons can increase click-throughs by 28%.

Check grammar: As I mentioned earlier, people receive several emails daily. Therefore, it is your job to make a good impression and stand out from the rest.

One way to do this is to make sure you write your email with impeccable grammar. When your writing is clear, more people will read it completely and follow through with the call to action.

So, take your time to write the email and proofread it a couple of times before hitting send. If necessary, you can use a browser extension that checks for errors.

The Email Signature:

The signature is what you end your email with. A basic signature should start with a greeting like ‘Thank you’ and should be followed with your details and links to your website. There are so many variations for email signatures. For some ideas check out these examples of email signatures.

A good signature should establish credibility and increase the chances of a response. So, add in details such as companies you have worked with and sites you have been featured on. You can even include links to your social networks (especially if you have a lot of followers) to show that you are the real deal.

Bonus: 3 tips for writing a better email

Here are some bonus tips to help you get the most out of the above 4 components…

Have one goal:

The key to great emailing skills is to have one goal. When you have too many goals for each email it leads to the paradox of choice and the reader doesn’t follow through on any of them. So, think about what your most important goal is: is it get more traffic or get a reply or get a sale or something else like getting a backlink for SEO and then build up towards it in your email.

Optimize for mobile:

49.1% of people will read your email on mobile devices. To ensure that these people have the best experience while reading your emails you will need to optimize your emails for mobile. If you share any links, images or attachments in your emails make sure they are optimized for mobile as well.

Follow up:

People can sometimes miss your email because they have had a busy day or week or because your email could have ended up in the spam folder. So, make sure you follow up with people who don’t open in 2 to 3 weeks. You can try using a different subject line. Check these stats to see how follow-up emails can make a difference.

Conclusion:

These are the 4 most important components of an email. If you want more people to open your emails, read them completely and take action you will need to include all 4 of them in every email you send. And to get even better results, you can make use of the 3 extra bonus tips I shared.

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4 Home & Auto Tech Innovations You Should Be Aware of

Whether it’s innovations in the car industry or for the home, trends are trends for a reason  — because they are popular, and people love to keep up with them. While there were many tech trends in 2019, the new year is looking pretty good as well. 

The American public has been fascinated by the automobile since Henry Ford drove the first Model T off the assembly line in 1908. Since then the technological advances in the car realm have been nothing short of spectacular  — and 2020 is destined to impress yet again.

Electric Trucks

While electric vehicles are steadily becoming more efficient, they still have quite a ways to go before they become mainstream, but it looks like we’re about to see some significant advancements.

One of the latest and greatest ideas is the electric truck. Tesla’s Cybertruck, for example, is claiming an impressive range of up to 500 miles and a quick 0-60 time of as low as 2.9 seconds. Its futuristic look has people divided, but you can’t argue with over 250,000 preorders for the new model.

It also appears Tesla will have an advantage over other automakers like GM, Ford and newcomers, Lordstown, Rivian and Bollinger  — who won’t have their all electric trucks ready until sometime in 2021.

Wireless and Quick Charging 

The question of “how long do electric cars last?” might be a thing of the past as electric cars and the chargers to go with them continue to improve. If car companies choose to go down the supercapacitor route, then having an electric car will be easy to charge and wireless as well. Instead of sitting for hours waiting on your car to charge, you might be able to do it in almost an instant. For example, you might only have to stop for 10 minutes to charge your vehicle and then continue on your way.

Fully Autonomous Driving Systems 

Self-driving cars are not a futuristic dream with several companies have models in the testing phase right now. While it might not happen as soon as 2020, experts are predicting that cars will be driving themselves fully by 2025 at the latest. The mechanics of how this is going to work are still being developed, but it involves 3D sensors and a ton of AI. 

There are even self-driving semi-trucks in the works, with Tesla again, on the cutting edge with hopes of going into production in 2020.

In the future, while your car drives you where you want to go, you’ll be free to relax, study, read, or even talk to a friend on the phone, none of which you can do in today’s old-fashioned cars where you have to do the driving. This is definitely a market to keep your eye on.

Tech for Business Applications

Innovations in the business arena are moving forward by leaps and bounds as well. Things like factory automation have come a long way and are only getting more prevalent. Amazon’s already unveiled the automated grocery store where cashiers have been eliminated, and that’s just the beginning. 

Warehouse robots at Amazon are helping the retail online giant to speed up deliveries and increase accuracy. Sometimes working alongside human counterparts and sometimes in place of them, automated workers are changing the way industry does business.

These are just a few of the top innovation trends you might want to look out for in 2020 and beyond. From fully self-driving cars to advanced automation, the future is all about the tech and you get to go along for the ride.

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When Shorter Makes Sense: When to Use the 6-Second Video Format and Why

Remember when the 30-second Super Bowl spot was the king of video advertisements? Then, YouTube hit. The coveted Super Bowl placement still goes for more than $5 million, but pricing may be plateauing. These days, we’re in the middle of a digital video content explosion, and advertisers seem to be rethinking the value of traditional television’s captive audience.

After YouTube came Snapchat and a general shift to video by all social platforms. Surely and not so slowly, 30- and even 15-second video ads became far too long to the average consumer. Today, videos less than 10 seconds — and the six-second format in particular — are often preferred by advertisers.

Benefits of Short-Form Video

Put simply, short videos appeal to short attention spans. They get to the point and let your audience member get on with their content. Plus, when your key message is boiled down to six seconds, it tends to be more memorable than a message that took 30 seconds to communicate.

Short video is also the most efficient use of resources. For demonstrable bottom-line results, use an agile strategy focused on performance video. Instead of investing a lot in one big, linear video project, you can create several short videos that are hyper-personalized to your target segments. Then, analyze the performance of each video. Which format had the best click-through rate? Which call to action led to the most sales? This approach allows you to tweak your video assets in real time as you learn, generating powerful ROI.

4 Best Times to Use the 6-Second Format

Ready to incorporate short video into the mix, but not sure where to start? Here are four proven tactics to try:

1. Unskippable pre-roll

Using pre-roll video in your advertising program can be a risk. AdWeek reported that more than half of marketers are concerned about annoying consumers with their digital video ads, and an unskippable ad before a main video can be the epitome of annoying. However, pre-roll can be done well. If you’re going to serve your audience an unskippable video ad, make it short and relevant to them. Marketers overwhelming opt for the six-second format for unskippable pre-roll. They also consider them more effective than 15-second pre-roll or any skippable format.

2. Any auto-play video placement

Your design strategy for a 30-second video ad already rests heavily on the first few seconds. If your video is going to auto-play, there’s a good chance that the viewer will scroll by or navigate away long before the video is complete. Therefore, you must make sure it grabs the viewer’s attention and communicates the key message right away. Why not take this approach a step further by cutting the last 20 seconds of the piece, telling the full story in just a few seconds — the amount of time that most viewers will likely see?

3. Your audience’s Twitter feed

Six-second videos are a perfect fit for the fast-paced nature of Twitter. The platform announced that advertisers would be able to bid on six-second spots. Delivering your brand’s video in your audience’s organic Twitter feed can create a more meaningful connection. The content isn’t forced-view, so there’s not as much risk of frustration. Even better, this video placement is also a good bang for your buck: You’ll only pay if a user views the full six seconds.

4. Instagram stories

Did you know that one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories come from businesses? A short and sweet appearance in your consumers’ Instagram story feeds can be a great way to keep your brand top of mind without being intrusive. Here’s an added perk: In a world of auto-muted video ads, about 70% of Instagram stories are viewed with the sound on. Because users are mainly watching content from friends and influencers they care about, you’ll have the chance for your video to be heard, not just seen.

6-Second is the New 30-Second

According to many marketers, six-second video content is the next big thing. Short videos allow you to keep your viewer’s attention for the whole piece without leaving her annoyed — or, worse, making her reconsider choosing your brand at all. By implementing a performance-focused video strategy with multiple short videos, you can continuously improve your advertising efficiency and ROI.

Read to give the six-second format a shot? Try implementing short videos in digital advertising placements that are pre-roll or auto-play. For paid social media placements, start with Twitter and Instagram stories. You know your audience best. Maybe a Facebook story makes more sense for your consumers than Instagram. The bottom line: Six-second videos are an efficient and effective addition to your advertising strategy.

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Ideas On Separating Your Business From The Norm

Anyone in charge of running a business is required to have a constant drive to innovate and improve the business. If you are not a thought leader in your space, you must find ways to surpass the services and products offered by your competitors, while giving customers a reason to remain loyal as you grow.

Typically, your growth will level off at some point. One of the best ways to get back on an upward path is to improve from within. Working on new business development is important, but if you improve your process, it will support new business and help with profitability at the same time.

Vamping Up Security 

Entrepreneurship opportunities are plentiful this day in age with the help of so many money-making niches offered online. You have so many channels that can reach an abundance of potential clients with a single advertisement. However, with this convenience also comes threats, such as cyberattacks. It is easy to assume that online programs you use to conduct business have all the security you need.

However, if you use and store information from clients, like credit card information, you must adhere to strict guidelines to protect it. Companies that specialize in PCI QSA will give you and your customers peace of mind. Don’t make the mistake of finding out how to protect valuable information after it has already been compromised.

Strong Customer Service Skills 

Your customers can make or break you. This is why you must have a strong commitment to providing excellent customer service. Most companies have started taking more time monitoring their online reviews and customer feedback. With the ability to reach so many people, bad reviews and even digital press can really tarnish a brand’s name or website.

The simplest way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to treat every customer like they are your first. Putting in the effort to keep each customer happy will result in a better reputation and ideally personal referrals for more business.

Stellar Marketing 

Speaking of brands, the overall branding of a company is really important. To have staying power customers need to recognize the name of the business and the brand. The practice of branding is applicable to all companies from a plumbing company to an online fashion website.

Once you create something recognizable your marketing can become much more targeted to those looking for you. Often creative thoughts will launch ad campaigns that can define a brand for ages, such as Geico’s Caveman ads which ran for years. A business doesn’t need to have Super Bowl commercial ad money to make an impact through branding and targeted marketing.

Know Your Target Audience 

You can put together the best marketing campaign ever but if it falls on deaf ears your efforts go to waste. Figure out your niche, your target audience, and then reach out to as many of the right people as you can. You will have to research people beyond their age, gender, and location.

Once you have those broad categories defined look closer at details within each group. For example: which social media platform is most popular with your audience? or, at what hours do people this age do most of their shopping? Once you start narrowing down an audience, a marketer can find ways to increase your conversion percentages without spending more money, just by spending smarter.

Happy Employees 

If your employees are happy where they work, they are more apt to produce more. Catering to them through incentives such as monthly bonuses can be well worth the cost for the boost in productivity.

When there’s something extra at stake, especially monetary, your employees will go the extra mile almost every time. HR can be a valuable asset inside of an office when they are given the chance to constantly make improvements to the workplace.

Customer Loyalty 

Similar to pleasing your staff, customers want to know that you recognize their continued loyalty. If you gain their trust, it is more likely they will refer your company to just about anyone they meet in need. Referral business is no new tactic but will always be a valuable one.

The best way to utilize your customer’s network is to offer a little something in return. For instance, each customer they refer that signs on will yield compensation or a discount on their next service or product order.

A Member of the Community 

All of the aforementioned points lead to being part of your community no matter where it is. That may be in your neighborhood where you sell your products or perhaps on a website your customers read all the time.

Having good intentions can help you relate more closely to your network of past and present customers. This helps your brand become more familiar with people on a regular basis and not specifically when they are shopping for a product or service.

Staying ahead of the competition is a must if you want to become successful. Thankfully, there are many ways to make it happen. These are just a few of them. What are your favorite tips and tricks to ensure success?

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How to Train Your Employees Without Breaking the Bank

No company can survive without recruiting, retaining, and training top talent. But building a team of rock stars gets expensive quickly. Instead of blowing your budget on expensive training, take advantage of affordable options to keep your crew on the cutting edge.

Employees today expect employers to invest in their development. According to LinkedIn and Lynda, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if the company invested in their careers. Fortunately, you don’t need to break the bank or sacrifice quality in other areas to meet these expectations.

Here are ways to give your employees the resources they need without going over budget:

1. Take advantage of certification and managed training services.

Some people learn well on their own, but many need guidance. Companies like IBEX offer client-site training to make it possible for employees to train in groups. Group training saves companies more money than individual offsite trainings. IBEX mostly covers IT and project management topics; if your company has different needs, do a little digging to find opportunities in your industry. Richardson, for example, offers in-depth instructor-led courses for sales.  

2. Check out nearby conferences.

Can’t afford to send everyone to the big dance every year? Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you have plenty of options when it comes to relevant conferences. Many smaller conferences offer more intimate environments. This enables your developers, salespeople, marketers, HR professionals, and managers to rub shoulders and take in valuable lessons. Of course, local gatherings tend to be much cheaper as well.

3. Establish a mentorship program.

Your in-house experts are full of knowledge. Without a formalized mentorship program, though, your new recruits may not get the chance to absorb that information. Create a mentorship program to pair tenured employees with greener ones for hands-on education. Reward mentors who step up to pass on their knowledge and engage the next wave of workers. Don’t, however, force people into the role. Some of your best workers may not be natural-born teachers, and that’s fine. Keep it simple and risk-free to ensure maximum participation.

4. Bring in local experts.

Your company has plenty of experts, but your employees know most of them already. Speeches from bosses often feel more like obligations than privileges. Instead of preaching to the choir, invite other area leaders to speak to your teams. You’ll have to offer the same in exchange, naturally. Exposing teammates to new ideas from people who’ve been successful in other industries broadens their horizons. It also showcases the value of cooperation.

5. Take advantage of free classes and lectures.

Many universities post classes from world-class professors and leaders for free. The edX program, founded by Harvard University and MIT, offer access to lectures and course materials on a variety of topics. Your employees may not want to learn the fundamentals of neuroscience or contract law. But even the most basic courses can contribute to your company’s success. Courses on entrepreneurship, for instance, can help employees think about their work in a different light. 

6. Start an office book club.

The team that reads together leads together. Invite team members to participate in a book club. This will expose the group to new ideas and encourage productive conversations. Try not to steer these gatherings too far toward your own preferences. Instead, let others suggest books, and give the floor to employees who take initiative. You may not want to follow every book’s lessons, but exposure to more philosophies will help your team make better decisions with greater context.

Bonus: Give your teammates the time they need.

Your employees can’t make the most of the resources you provide if you ask them to train off the clock. Work to establish training priorities and schedules, then let them use work time to meet them. This ensures employees don’t have to worry about distractions, making the most of your investment.

Affordable training solutions tend to be more group-focused and intimate than expensive trainers. This often makes them excellent team-building tools, as well as educational opportunities. When your employees work side by side with you and other company leaders as they grow, they’ll see your investment in their future firsthand. 

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Get Ahead in 2020 by Investing in These 5 Tools

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, small business leaders are solidifying their goals for 2020.

Whether you want to roll out a new marketing strategy, slay your sales quota, deepen your customer relationships, or expand your reach with new audiences, new technology can help you get there. 

But no tool, task, or team exists in a vacuum. Integrative software makes collaboration and reporting easier, giving not just one team, but your whole company, an edge. Before the calendar turns, add these five complementary tools to your collection:

1. Vast Conference

Today’s business world is powered by remote work. A 2019 study found that over half of the global workforce works remotely at least two and a half days a week. With so many employees collaborating from afar, companies need a reliable way to keep everyone connected.

Video conferencing tool Vast Conference provides high-definition audio and video meetings that integrate with Outlook, Google, or Microsoft 365 calendars to increase convenience and minimize compatibility concerns. And because Vast Conference is a web-based application, users can join online meetings with just one click, with nothing to download or install.

2. Trello

Scaling a small business can be complicated. As you add projects to your team’s plate, be sure your teammates have an easy way to keep tabs on the progress of each. A workflow tool like Trello is a great way to get at-a-glance status updates on everything your company is working on. 

The Trello platform allows you to create “boards” for anything from marketing campaigns to recruitment drives. Each board can then be broken into “cards” that describe individual tasks. Add notes, equipment lists, and due dates to cards so anyone on the team can see how the pieces of each project fit together.

3. Shopify

As e-commerce platforms proliferate, small businesses need an easy way to access them. Shopify helps retailers sell through online marketplaces, social media, and traditional point-of-sale systems. It includes marketing and analysis tools to show which channels are retailers’ top performers.

If you prefer to sell directly from your own site, Shopify makes that simple as well. Users can find a domain, design their site with drag-and-drop tools, and create a company blog. And because Shopify is an online platform, there’s no need to hire IT to keep everything up and running. 

4. Animoto

Video is having its moment in the sun. Research shows that more than half of consumers engage with a brand after watching a related video on social media, a number no other type of content can match. 

If you want to enter the video marketing game but don’t know where to start, Animoto is an excellent tool for amateurs. The web-based platform includes drag-and-drop templates and editing tools that, despite their simplicity, produce professional-level videos. Use them to boost your brand on social media or develop digital ads. 

5. Hootsuite

Social media is one of the easiest, least expensive marketing tools that small businesses have at their disposal. But as new apps like TikTok and Twitch join the lineup, maintaining a presence on all the sites your audience uses is becoming more difficult.

To manage all your social media platforms from a single dashboard, give Hootsuite a try. Scheduling a whole week’s worth of social posts is not only more efficient, but it also makes creating a consistent experience for multi-platform users easier. Hootsuite also offers social media monitoring services so small business leaders can see how their company is being talked about online. 

Ultimately, selecting the right software is about understanding your business model and goals. Invest in affordable tools that provide real value, and your business will be that much stronger in 2020. 

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Certifications to Consider for Your Business

No matter what type of business you’re running, there are probably certifications you can get, and some you need to get. These are determined by local regulatory agencies, professional associations, and federal mandates. 

If you’re unsure of the certifications and licenses required for your business, do some research on your own to learn which ones might be necessary.

Generally speaking, let’s take a look at a few commonly required certifications to consider for most business operations:

1. Trade specific licenses and certifications.

From trades like plumbing, auto repair, and electrical work, to computer programmers and accountants, customs brokers and clinical therapists, there are a wide variety of certifications and licenses that are required for specific professions. Ongoing education, experience, and safety requirements, as well as hours of practice, are all factors that go into obtaining these types of licenses and certifications.

These ensure professionalism and a deep understanding of a specific field to practice on a day to day basis. Ongoing educational requirements ensure professionals that are already certified are kept apprised on changing laws and shifts in the market and best practices. Let’s face reality: in some areas of life, a given amount of comfort is felt when the person providing the service is well-credentialed and experienced.

2. Medical licenses and certifications.

With the introduction of HIPAA in the mid-1990s, the needs and complexities of owning and operating a medical practice have exponentially expanded. Information is kept not just in paper files, but in digital formats that can be shared between professionals and practices for a fully comprehensive view of a person’s health record.

This comes with new certifications like the one associated with the Health Information Trust Alliance, or HITRUST. What is a HITRUST certification you ask? It’s an industry-standard meant to ensure your business is fully compliant with HIPAA requirements.

What’s more, HITRUST certification ensures your business is up to speed with the latest changes affecting how businesses in the healthcare sector can store, share, and transfer medical data.

3. Other certifications and licenses.

Life coaching, writing, real estate, project management, IT certifications, health coaching, construction certifications, safety, and first responder certifications…the list goes on and on. Most likely, your career field, or desired career field, has certifications that can set you apart, or put you in the right category of qualified professionals.

Some professions and businesses can proceed without certification or licensure, while others are required before performing work. It’s always best to do your own research and determine what is required in your business and local market to prevent any unnecessary issues that may arise if practicing without a license.

Lack of proper certification is ethically problematic and can even be punishable by a fine or other penalties. 

What business are you in, and what licenses are required to practice in your profession? What avenues do you have to explore and verify what is required to begin or proceed?

Many networking events double as continuing education opportunities, so maintaining your credentials after the initial completion is generally as easy as showing up for a bit of learning and meeting new people in your field! Networking and collaborating with new people is always an added bonus.

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Tips for Starting a Property Management Business

Those unfamiliar with the real estate business are often surprised to learn the entities who own the property are typically not the ones managing it day-to-day. This is where property management enters the picture. Property management businesses work on behalf of owners to look after their investment. Whether it’s taking care of landscaping, screening tenants, collecting rent, hiring cleaning services, or arranging for repairs, property managers are the boots on the ground for protecting real estate investment.

If you’re interested in getting into the property management business, there are a few things you need to know.

The following are essential tips for the next great property management business. 

Research the Market

Like with any business, market research is critical before getting into property management. As expressed by the real estate adage “Location location location”, the ins and outs of successful property management vary from one place to another. Climate, infrastructure, economy, and demographics are just some of the factors that play a significant role in how the business of property management will play out in a certain location. It’s important to assess the local real estate market to uncover these nuances. A four-plex in Denver may need a plowing contract during the winter whereas an office building in Tucson is going to need an air conditioning company on call at any time. The point is, know your terrain and market because the day-to-day of each market and type of property will vary drastically. 

Take Time Management Seriously

Effective property management means recognizing ways to streamline the responsibilities and processes that come with the job. The most important property management skills tend to involve time management in some way or another. Whether it’s making the most of meetings, communicating better with tenants and vendors, or properly delegating tasks to others, knowing how to make the best use of time is critical for success. Once more than a few contracts are under your care you will need to hire and scale, how do you manage your time that is used to manage those people? That’s a common problem which is why documentation and process creation are so important. 

Zero In on Property Type

Do you want to manage residential properties, office space, or industrial facilities? While it’s not unheard of for property management services to oversee different types of property, newcomers are probably not prepared to take on a diverse spread of real estate. Instead, pick one and start there. As your business grows and you gain more experience, branching out to multiple types of properties becomes easier and more practical. Often, someone gets into this industry because they buy something themselves and learn to manage their own assets before taking on others. Would you rather own an apartment building or an office building? 

Build Strong Relationships with Great Contractors

Property management means overseeing the maintenance of buildings and the land they sit on. While it’s possible you’re able to handle a few problems yourself, chances are the majority of the tasks required are outside your wheelhouse. These will need to be delegated to outside experts. Landscapers, plumbers, painters, and general contractors will need to be hired when necessary. It’s important for property managers to build strong relationships with these and other contractors they choose to hire. This is especially true when they’ve found ones who do the job right at a fair price. Pay them on time, pay them what they’re owed, and don’t lose their contact information. In return, the reliable work they get through your property management business will keep them coming back and most importantly, knocking out projects quickly. 

Be Ready for Odd Hours

As previously mentioned, time management skills are crucial for successful property management. With that said, it’s important to know property management might not always be a nine-to-five Monday through Friday type of job. Emergency issues with plumbing or other problems can pop up at any point and require immediate attention. It’s imperative for property managers to be prepared to work at odd hours. While it might not mean much more than showing up to let the repairman into the basement, you don’t want to be inaccessible when your presence is needed in an emergency.

Given the volume of real estate out there, property management is a potentially lucrative business opportunity. But it’s important to understand the business before diving in headfirst. Those who appreciate the primary responsibilities and skills of property management will prove to be the most successful.

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Must-Haves for Your Brick and Mortar Small Business

In order for a small business to be successful, it needs to get a lot of things right, including the basics like having the right staff and equipment. In terms of equipment, this covers everything from software to shelving for inventory. You may specialize in product creation or a trade, but also lack the necessary business experience beyond that skill. This can make it challenging to move your side gig into a functional brick and mortar business. 

When you open a location where customers and employees all intersect, there’s a lot you need to consider. Things like specialized tools, payroll software, office security are just a few of the countless things a small business will need to take into account, after all, preparation is key for long-term success. 

During your prep work, consider some of these must-haves your small business will most likely need. 

A Point of Sale System

If you will be selling any sort of merchandise or service, then you need to have a point of sale system. This system will allow you to ring up your customer’s purchases and you can keep track of how much money you are bringing in. There are numerous types of POS systems available. These include mobile, terminal, or tablet systems. In 2020, or 2021, your business will be doomed from the start if you try and keep track of everything through paper receipts and written invoices, don’t start two steps behind everyone else. The right POS system can track more than you think and make your life a lot easier. Readily available financials and reports can help you manage accounts and even make tax season a lot less stressful.  

Security

It is imperative that you are able to ensure that your property, inventory, and equipment are safe and secure at all times. Thankfully, due to technology, there are many different levels of business security systems that won’t break the bank. When looking for a security system, make sure to assess your property and any vulnerabilities. Gadgets like a Wi-Fi camera are a great choice. These remote monitoring devices allow you to stay on top of your property and connect multiple cameras so you can expand your security system as your business grows. If your business happens to be seasonal or, let’s say, just on weekends, there are a lot of hours when your location will be completely unmonitored which leaves it more susceptible to a burglary which unfortunately is quite common. 

A Team Messaging App

You will probably need to communicate with your employees quite a bit. Depending on the size of your operation you may want a team messaging app for businesses, such as Slack. This app will allow you to input messages for others to see and talk to one another. You can add announcements and other pertinent information that you want your employees to know. This type of app can conveniently be downloaded to a phone or tablet, and you can add or remove employees from it at any time.

A Marketing Software

In order to spread the word about your business, you need to have a marketing strategy. Your marketing strategy should include things like promotions to entice customers to make purchases, social media campaigns to engage customers, and in-store events to draw people into your business. Larger businesses will often hire someone to be their full-time marketer. However, many small businesses can’t afford to have a dedicated marketing employee. This is why you may want to utilize marketing software. It will allow you to easily execute marketing campaigns and determine who your target market is. Exponea, HubSpot and Wishpond are several of the different types of marketing software that are available for small businesses, no matter what industry or niche you operate in. 

An Inventory Manager Software

Whether your inventory is small, large, physical or digital, you still have to keep track of it all. As a small business owner, you don’t always have a lot of time to keep track of what you have, and you really need an easy way to do so. Inventory management software will prove to be very beneficial. Software like MyStock Inventory Manager, Inventory Scanner, and Inventory Now will allow you to streamline the process of taking inventory and reviewing what you are in need of. Some service-based businesses consider both people and tools their inventory, staying on top of all those moving pieces can make a serious difference on your bottom line. 

In conclusion, there’s a lot that goes into having a brick and mortar small business. The items mentioned above are essential to your business’ success. By having the right must-have items, you can ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible with your day to day operations.

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