Author: Scott Asai

Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career

This Is How To Have A Successful Product

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To create and sell products successfully is far more complicated than most people think. In fact, there are many factors to consider, from the product itself to broader issues such as your marketing and customer service. Happily, you can get the scoop on the most crucial ones in our post below.

Product development, lots of it.

No idea for a product leaves the inventor’s mind fully formed. In fact, there is a great deal of value in doing detailed and focused product development that allows you to refine and better shape your offerings to the market that you want to buy them.

Research and development is crucial for a successful product

Therefore, do not shy away from formal product development before you even consider launching your business or brand. Also be sure to do thorough market research to gauge how your iterations fair on the market. Something that should help you to decide whether this version is good enough to go out there and represent your company’s brand on a permanent business.

Use the best components and processes.

Once you have a financial product agree on, it’s vital that you take the same time and care in replicating this item for your customers as you did in developing it in the first place.

Of course, this means sourcing the best quality components like the electret microphones, that are made by reputable companies and come in many different specifications. It is also crucial that you ensure the manufacturing process for your product is top notch as well, not only because if it isn’t it could cost your business additional money, but also because poor manufacture will result in a substandard product. Something that certainly won’t please customers, have them coming back for more, or enhance your brand!

Brilliant customer service.

Now, once you product units are ready to ship, you may think its almost all over, but really the whole process has only just begun. In fact, once customers start to buy your items, you will need to offer them stellar customer service both regarding the buying process, and the with the follow-up help and support you provide as well.

What this means is that not only does your website have to be easy to use and easy on the eye, but you also need to be as available for customer questions, support, and the resolution of issues as much as possible.

One way to do this is to invest in a more substantial social media presence, where you have people on hand at all time to search for comments and complaints online. They can then answer and resolve them to the customer’s satisfaction as quickly as possible.

Of course, this will provide you with a double win, because not only will that individual customer be happier, but other potential buyers will see that any faulty product is the exception and not the rule and is also promptly dealt with, you are a fantastic company to deal with as well. Something that should help you to sell even more units moving forward.

Making Sure Your Employees Feel Appreciated

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One of the biggest problems facing small business owners today is employee retention. This is problematic, as taking on and training new staff is a costly process, so if employees leave just a matter of weeks or months into their employment, you’re going to have to find yourself forking out all the initial costs again in replacing them. You will also waste a whole lot of time in recruiting and training new staff. What’s more? They may take the skills you’ve endowed them with elsewhere, benefiting a competitor in the field. So, how can you ensure that your employees stick with you and your company? Well, the first step is to ensure that your employees feel appreciated. It is generally said that staff lead bad employers rather than companies. They may enjoy their role and the tasks that they are expected to carry out. They may get on well with their colleagues. But if you’re not making them feel valued and respected, they may still quit. So, here are a few steps to ensure that every staff member working towards helping your company thrive feels valued!

Recognize Individuals

Small business owners are notoriously busy. It’s likely that you have all sorts of things to focus on, from product development to advertising and marketing campaigns. However, it’s extremely important that regardless of how much you have on your plate, you still take the time to recognize your employees as individuals. Make sure to remember every employee’s name. Ask a little about their lives on a regular basis. An employee who is greeted by name and asked how particular aspects of their lives are progressing when they get into work in the morning are much more likely to feel warmly towards you than an individual who turns up and feels as if they are just another cog in the machine.

Award Achievements

You can’t reward standard and expected behavior, otherwise you’d constantly be rewarding your staff for what is expected of them and what they are being paid for. However, if a particular staff member strives for excellent and constantly steps beyond what is required of them, you should definitely recognize this. Make a statement by awarding them with crystal gifts or another form of corporate award. Not only will this make them feel that their efforts have been worth the outcome, but it will inspire other staff members to strive for greatness too.

Host Workplace Events

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to hold a workplace event to show your appreciation to your staff base’s dedication to the company. This needn’t be extravagant and could purely be an annual event. But a meal or activity really will make your employees know that their hard work is valued.

These are just a few different ways that you can really make your employees feel appreciated. Not only will this benefit them, but it will benefit you too! So, put these plans of action into practice sooner rather than later.

Cutting Costs When You Work from Home

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When we make the decision to work from home, one thing that we often forget to consider is the how this will affect our household bills. Sure, we’ll save money on a uniform and the commute to work. But, you’ll be at home, all of the time. You’ll spend more on food and drinks as you eat at home more. You’ll be using your own electricity to power computers and other tech. In the winter, you’ll need to heat your home for longer periods, so that you are able to work in comfort. If you hold meetings at home, or invite clients, customers and suppliers into your house you may even have to spend more on cleaning supplies or staff to keep it looking its best. While you may be able to claim some of these costs back as tax-deductible expenses, it’s probably fair to say your costs will still be higher than you are used to.

But, just like there are ways to save money on traveling to and eating at work, there are ways to save money on running your household when you are working from it. Let’s take a look at some of the best.

Heating

Over winter time, heating our home is essential. Especially if you work in it during the day. You shouldn’t have to try and type with freezing fingers or go out to meet clients as your house is too cold. But, you won’t want to spend too much either.

Firstly, look at how you work. Can you stick to one room during the day to reduce heating needs? Make sure you are wrapped up warm and have plenty of hot drinks. You can also use a hot water bottle and add a draught excluder to keep cooler air out of your workspace.

Then, look at how you heat your home. Gas Oil is often much cheaper to use as the tax is lower, just make sure your boiler is able to use it to heat your home. Generally, over the winter time, you might find it cheaper to keep your heating on all of the time, with the thermostat at a steady temperature, than turning it on and off all of the time. Consider adding a smart meter to monitor your usage.

Food

In theory, eating at home should be much cheaper than buying lunches at work every day. But, this isn’t always the case. When you are at home, with no set break times, it can be tempting to graze all day. Many home workers find this leads to greater food bills and weight gain. Try preparing lunches and snacks in advance and sticking to a food plan, to help you avoid overeating and cut your food bills.

Electricity

Electricity is probably the one thing that you can’t work without. But, try to when you can. Switch off when you aren’t working or working on paper. Use energy saving bulbs and try to get the most out of your laptop batteries. If you’ve got solar panels, and free electricity during daylight hours, make sure you use that time to charge and get more done.

Steps To Take If You Lose Your Job

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There is no denying that being fired or made redundant is one of the worst feelings. However, rather than letting this get you down, you should view this situation as an opportunity. It is time for you to start a new chapter in your life and look for a better job, whether this is one that pays well or is more fulfilling. With that being said, read on to discover the steps that you should take if you have lost your job.

Assess your finances – The first thing you need to do is assess your financial position. The bills are not going to pay for themselves. For some of you reading this, you may have put together a emergency fund for situations like this. However, if you are short on cash, you need to look for different ways you can keep the money coming in while you are without work. Have you considered looking for freelancing opportunities online? Other options include selling some of your belongings and renting out your driveway.

Assess your personal brand – You now need to think about what you really want from your career before you start looking for your next job opportunity. There are a number of key questions you should ask yourself in this regard. What do you want to achieve? What three adjectives best describe you as an employee? What are your key career accomplishments? What abilities, skills, knowledge and other attributes do you have? These questions will help you to establish what you want and what you can offer.

Update your social media accounts – The next step in the process is to update your social media accounts. Determine which accounts you need for your career and which you don’t. You should then make sure your accounts do not contain anything you don’t want a potential employer to see. Of course, you could make your profiles private, but it is better to have a public, professional and impressive social media profile.

Seek expert assistance – it is definitely advisable to use the services of a professional outplacement company. You should take a look at GetFive to get a good understanding of these sorts of businesses and what they can do for you. After all, it is not merely important for you to get back into work, but it is pivotal that you end up in a job that you enjoy and that is suitable for your skill set.

Hopefully, you now feel more prepared for the chapter that is ahead of you. Here is no denying that losing your job can be disheartening and upsetting. However, the best entrepreneurs in the world have all experienced setbacks, so you are in good company. Don’t dwell on what has passed and what you cannot change. Instead, focus on your future and what lies ahead of you.

3 Reasons Your Website Isn’t Converting

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Building a great website is the first step toward success in the world of online retail. You need a slick website that is going to attract plenty of customers, but even if you manage that, you aren’t guaranteed success just yet. Getting people to come to the website is the first challenge but that’s only half the story. You also need to convince them to buy something while they’re there. This is the most common problem that new online businesses have. They’re getting plenty of visitors but they aren’t converting them into customers. In some cases, it might just be that your product isn’t good enough or you haven’t priced it properly. A bit of market research will tell you if that’s the case. If you’ve had a good response to the product and people think that it’s priced fairly, but you still aren’t making any sales, you could be making one of these other mistakes on your website.

Slow Loading Times

How long are you willing to wait for a website to load before you give up and look elsewhere? I bet it’s no more than a couple of seconds and most people would agree with you. That’s why a slow loading website is going to kill any potential sales immediately. There are quite a few different reasons for a slow loading website but usually, it’s to do with the hosting service that you’re using. Different websites have different needs which is why you should be using a hosting service that’s specifically aimed at businesses. Look at these business hosting packages and see which one works best for you. As well as loading times, you also need to find a service that offers good support, preferably with a live chat option. That way, if there is a problem with the site, you can get it sorted and get things up and running again quickly before you lose too many potential sales.

Not Using An Email List

Most people don’t buy the first time they go to your site. They’ll have a browse through your products and then go away and think about it for a while before coming back. The problem is, people often forget all about it and never come back to make a purchase, so you just need to give them a little reminder. Getting people to sign up to an email list and then sending them good marketing emails to encourage them to come back is one of the best ways to increase your online sales.

Annoying Checkout Process

A bad checkout page on a website is like the online equivalent of a huge queue in a store. A lot of people are going to change their minds and not bother. If they have to fill out loads of information and go through multiple pages, you’re just giving them more time to decide that they don’t want to make a purchase after all. That’s why you’ve got to make it as easy as possible for them.

Make these 3 simple changes to your site and you should see a big increase in sales in no time.

Daysleeper Or Night Owl…Can You Run A 24/7 Business From Home?

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When you are running a business from the comfort of your home office, the temptation can be to put 110% into your business 110% of the time. And while the demand for 24/7 services is very much part and parcel of the world we live in, is it realistic for you to take on this mammoth task when it’s just you?

How Can You Cope?

The fact is if you are running a business where you have contact with customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and you fully intend to embody this approach, it’s impossible for you to keep up this pretense. While at the very beginning, you can feel stretched to your limits, once the business gains traction, you can begin to outsource certain tasks to freelancers. This is a very precarious path, especially if you are looking to make the most of talent across the world to communicate your multicultural approach to customer service. Because you may be lacking in finances, you have to make the most of the talent you can afford, such as via freelancer websites. While this approach can be effective, you need to be aware, especially when communicating yourself, that the language barrier doesn’t cause issues not just in relation to the people who hire, but the customers also. To make things a bit smoother, you may want to utilize a translation service. Many organizations, such as Lighthouse Translations, can work with you to communicate your tone of voice that doesn’t make it seem like your work has been fed into google translate! Although this can be a very tempting option in which to cut corners, you are going to, very likely, come across as amateurish.

Why Organization Is The Key

It is a very difficult thing to get right, because you are, in essence, spreading yourself over so many different time zones. If you are at the point where it’s just you, you have to have your processes as tightly wound as possible. Make the most of calendar programs, but also, when it comes to the marketing, there are so many social media tools that could help to keep your business advertising ticking over. Hootsuite is one of the most common examples. Rest assured, if you don’t have everything nailed down with spikes, you won’t keep on top of everything.

You Have To Set A Limit

And if you are making the most of freelancers, and outsourcing certain processes to make life easier for you, but you still find you are struggling with the weight of the work, it’s time to set a limit, for the benefit of your frame of mind. It’s unhealthy to answer emails at 3 in the morning, no matter how much time you think you’ll save yourself in the day. By setting yourself a strict working regime you can get that work-life balance down.

Make no bones about it, a 24/7 business requires a 24/7 mindset. And it’s impossible for you to think that you can do it all by yourself. No matter how little you have in the way of finances, you still need to make the most of the right talent, so your business can spread itself across different time zones.

Could You Achieve More At Work?

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If you want to get ahead, or if you are just keen to enjoy your work day more, then you will probably find that you are keen to try and achieve more at work during the working day. The truth is that everyone wants to do this, and yet it can seem so difficult to actually be able to get it right so many people struggle to achieve as much as they would like at work, for whatever reason, and when this happens it only leads to further disappointment and dismay. In this post, we are going to discuss some of the best ways in which you need to try and achieve more in your work, no matter what you might currently be doing or doing wrong. As long as you take care of the following, you’ll get more done and find yourself in a much better position on the whole.

Set Goals

Something that is always going to help anyone is the process of actively setting goals and then meeting them. When you have goals aligned, it means that you are much more likely to know where you are headed, and it is that sense of direction which often drives people on most of all. Therefore, if you don’t currently have any goals in order, you will want to make sure that you think of some. They should be time-based, clearly defined when you know they are going to be completed, and you should be able to ensure that they are something you can achieve while still being challenging. Make sure of this, and you will find it really helps you to get much more done every day without fail.

Improve Operations

It’s not just about you, however – it’s also about the culture around you, and if the working culture around you is not set up as best as possible then this is going to affect your own productivity levels. If you are in a position to try and change things within your company, then you should absolutely consider doing something to try and improve the general operational stance that the business takes. It might be that you feel it is time for that six sigma green belt to come into play. Or maybe you are hoping for processes to be streamlined so that everyone can get more done. In either case, make sure to make your voice heard and think about getting it changed as soon as you can.

Avoid Distractions

It can often be hard to make sure that you are completely avoiding distractions, but you will need to try and focus on it as best as you can if you are to get more done, so it’s worth looking into. There are a huge number of types of distractions which can crop up in any workplace. And the beast high is to note them and when they arise so that you can more easily do away with them. If you approach it in this way, you will find that you create more time in which you can get much more done – and it won’t take that long to do this at all.

Making Your Business Into Something More

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Growth is the continuous objective for any business. You can’t stand still in such a competitive industry. If you want to succeed then constant reinvention is necessary. That doesn’t mean you need to let go of everything, of course; customers expect some sort of consistency in terms of your branding and the products you release. However, you do still need to find new ways to stay ahead of the competition. You need to find new gaps in the market so that you can continue to climb the ranks in your industry. If you want to make your business into something more then here are a few ideas.

Be more efficient.

Take a look at your workplace. You might have hired some professional people, but it’s not enough for them to be highly skilled at what they do. Every competing business in your industry can most likely say the same thing about their workforce. How are you going to stand out? Well, you have to push your employees to be more productive and efficient than the competition. You need to incentivize your workers to achieve more. Show them that you’ll recognize their efforts if they go the extra mile.

For example, an early finish to the work day or a bonus at the end of the week could really give your members of staff a reason to improve their work ethic. They’ll be much more productive and efficient if they know that they’ll be praised and rewarded for doing so. You could also help their productivity levels by looking into a virtual assistant to free up some of their time. You should check out the cheapest 1300 numbers provider for help in that regard. If your employees don’t have to worry about administrative work then it’ll really help your business’ overall efficiency and productivity levels.

Invest.

A capital investment strategy might be a scary thing, but your business’ failure to grow would be scarier. You might be hesitant to eat into your profit margins and start spending that money, but the cliché is true: you have to spend money to make money. You need to invest in bigger premises, more workers, and better resources if you want your business to grow into something more. As mentioned in the introduction, you can’t stand still if you want to make it in the business world. Start making a plan for a portion of your profits on a monthly basis. Take a look at areas of the business that could use improvement. You could even look at ways to save money (e.g. reducing paper usage and energy consumption) so as to have more available money to invest. You just have to make sure that you manage margin erosion; if you’re spending money in the wrong places then you need to fix that. In turn, you’ll have more available money for investments that will expand your company.

Impress clients.

Finally, the best way to make your business into something more is to leave a lasting impression on clients. You’re trying to build your brand reputation, at the end of the day, so you need to make an impact on people. Rather than simply delivering a high-quality of product or service to a customer, think of ways to really surprise them. An email thanking them for choosing your business is a good place to start. You could go one step further by giving them a discount code so that they return to your business again. Show clients that you value them, and they’ll value your business, in return.

How To Increase Your Manufacturing Profit Margins

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If you’re in the manufacturing game, then you’ll already be aware that it’s an expensive business to be in. The profit margins aren’t quite as high as you’d like them to be, and it can feel like you’re putting in a lot of effort for not that much reward. But maybe it doesn’t have to be this way. Like in every other business, it’s possible to increase your profit margins in a number of ways, and once these have all been combined, you might find that they’ve made a noticeable difference to your bottom line. Below, we take a look at a few handy changes you can make to boost your operations and ultimately earn more money.

Work Out an Efficient Routine

You can get caught into a way of doing things, which sticks just because you’re used to it. However, it’s good practice to ask yourself whether you’re working this way because it’s the best, most effective way of working…or you’re doing it because this is how its always been done. Take a look at your operations, or, if you don’t feel too informed about what you should be looking for, gave an outside expert do it. You might be making a simple mistake and not even know it!

And Update Your Equipment

Your equipment is key to your success. If you’re using old machines which take twice as long to do things as the newer machines, then it doesn’t take a rocket science to see that this isn’t good for business! Keep your equipment well-serviced, and then, when it’s obvious they’re beginning to break down, replace them altogether. Also, have a think about the useful equipment that you don’t currently possess. Things like cost-effective roller conveyor systems can make the whole factory process much smoother and save a lot of time, for example. If you have the best equipment, you’ll find it easier to work efficiently. Simple!

Work With Your Employees

You’re just pulling the strings. It’s the workers on the shop floor who are doing the work. So work with them, first by making sure that they have all the training and support they need to do their job well. Second, by asking for feedback. What do they think slows down their work? What do they need to work at their best? Ultimately, if your employees can work well, then your company will benefit.

Negotiate With Suppliers

You’re not going to be working alone at your factory. You’ll have supplies and partners that you work with. But are you getting the best deal possible from them? It’s not always wise to stay loyal to companies you work with! Don’t be afraid to walk away if you’re not getting the best deal from them!

Crunch Them Numbers

And finally, go over those numbers, again and again. It’s nearly always possible to save money without compromising the quality of your work or the happiness of your workers. Have an eagle eye, and make small savings wherever you can.

The Real Reasons Why Your Social Media Marketing Isn’t Working

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In the early days of social media, it was supposed to be a new dawn for online marketers. You could attract an audience of people interested in your industry and business – and could do so without spending a dime.

However, as we all know, the social media of today is not the same as the one we were introduced yesterday. And if you are struggling to make any headway, there are probably a few common mistakes you are making.

In this guide, we’re going to go through a few of the things you might be doing that are causing you problems, and offer simple tips that you need to start employing with social media to get yourself back on track. Read on to find out more…

No strategy

It’s amazing how many businesses think that posting randomly about irrelevant things will work in any way, shape or form. It’s vital that you have a strategy in place if you want any success. Establish what you want – is it to attract more sales, or to build a community? Then, create goals for how you might achieve that, and keep those goals in mind when you plan out a strategy. Use analytics to track your success and improve your failures – there is a science to this, so don’t expect to achieve your goals if you are firing off posts at will.

Expecting a free audience

The beauty of social media in the early days was that you could build an audience for free. Now, however, it is just like any other advertising platform in that you need actually to pay money to achieve any kind of success. Research suggests that fewer than 1 percent of your audience will see your unpaid posts, so learning how to use Facebook and Twitter ads is essential.

Failing to take advantage

What matters most to your business? Likes, shares, or cold hard cash? So many companies get sucked into the social media popularity contests, even though it delivers very much at all in the way of returns. Your best bet is to learn all about Clickfunnels and other funnel programs to set up your ads correctly, attract the right kind of people, and turn those likes and shares into visitors to your website, where you can make actual sales. It’s a lot of money to leave on the table, so ensure you have your priorities straight.

The ego trip

Are you boring your customers to death with constant posts about you and your business? We hate to break it to you but other than your mom and a few close friends, nobody cares. Instead, use Pareto’s 80:20 rule with posting. Only a fifth of your posts should be promotional in any way. The rest? Make them entertaining, educational, and helpful. Feel free to highlight the accomplishments of people in your business and industry, too.

OK, so there you have it. These common issues are visible everywhere on social media, and it shouldn’t take too much to start making a difference, stand out from the crowd, and start getting better results.