Archives for November 2020

8 Ways Data Analytics Benefits a Small Business

November 30, 2020 by

Of all the various global technological innovations and advancements that are unfolding today, one that has gained some of the most momentum is Big Data combined with predictive analysis. In the current era of the Internet of Things (IoT), there are more interconnected systems than ever before that are currently generating, gathering, and transferring massive amounts of data, bringing about huge changes to the ways that businesses around the world operate. Predictive analysis is the latest market trend designed to point directed traffic to your model.

Data analysis can be beneficial not only for large organizations with huge amounts of data but also for small businesses that could use insights that can help to boost growth. In fact, many small businesses experience a range of challenges when it comes to data analysis and can often benefit even more from gathering actionable insights on the market, their customer base, and future predictions in order to take their business in the right direction and facilitate growth for the future.

So, is data analytics a good investment for small businesses? Is it worth setting up and maintaining a data analysis strategy when you run a small business? Let’s take a look at some of the main ways that data analytics can support a small business to grow and succeed.

Unlock New Industry and Customer Insights

Actionable insights and intelligence are gathered as a result of data analysis, which involves sifting through information that your company has gathered through data. It involves examining this information to find various patterns and trends that you can use to come to a variety of conclusions. This is a significant step for businesses that have limited resources and cannot afford to go by guesswork alone when it comes to making important business decisions.

The right data analysis tools can help you unlock and identify insights that you may not have had access to otherwise. For example, historical data can allow you to see the best solution for a future campaign or promotion, while predictive analysis can make it easier for your business to determine future marketing campaigns, product lines, or other business changes that are likely to be successful based on past trends and consumer behavior. Click here to learn more about the importance of predictive analytics in marketing and how it can drive performance when done right.

Save Time When Running Your Business

Time is often a big problem for many small business owners who find themselves responsible for running almost everything. If you are wearing several different hats as a business owner and juggling your time between a wide range of responsibilities and tasks, you are not alone. However, when you don’t have the same access to resources compared to larger organizations and find it harder to delegate certain tasks and responsibilities, one of the most important things to do is find tools and solutions that allow you to save time and make the best decisions for your business quickly. And when it comes to data, it’s only as meaningful as how well you can interpret it. Outsourcing the job or using data analysis tools designed for small businesses can help you reduce the amount of menial work you are faced with and get the actionable insights from your data to put to use straight away.

Enable Reactive Interactions

Traditionally, businesses would take action and collect consumer insights and performance data that allow for action after the fact. For example, immediately after a product or service has been launched, the company may be able to use the data to see how receptive customers are to the idea and whether or not it is selling as well as expected. However, this can be a very risky situation to be in for small businesses who might not have the time or resources necessary to take this trial and error type of approach. On the other hand, data analysis tools enable the use of details in real-time which allows businesses to deal with events at the moment and more accurately predict outcomes without the need to take a huge risk.

Avoid Errors and Mistakes

One of the biggest benefits of data analysis for small businesses is that it can provide more context and much clearer answers. This can be extremely useful when it comes to helping small businesses solve problems or avoid making costly mistakes. And, data analysis can sometimes lead you to discover inconsistencies or past errors that you were not previously aware of. Data analysis is particularly good at noticing and highlighting errors in data input and management, or figuring out what is going wrong if the same problem keeps repeating itself.

Data-Driven Marketing Has Better Success Rates

Most small businesses will have to come to terms with the fact that when it comes to marketing, they do not have the large marketing budget that the larger organizations enjoy. As a result of this, many smaller businesses need to be much more careful when it comes to how they are spending their marketing budget, leading to a need for a far more targeted and precise approach. The use of data analysis can help small businesses put their marketing budget to much better use, unlocking a range of useful marketing insights that can drive future campaigns and ensure that they are more successful and reach the right audiences. For example, data analysis could help your business discover a demographic that might not have seemed relevant in the past thanks to tools that you can use to determine who your ideal customers actually are based on data.

Save Money

The good news is that the benefits of data analysis can stretch to anybody and are not reserved for those with a huge team of in-house data experts. Today, there are various tools available for small businesses, including inexpensive or even free data analysis software programs and open-source tools that you can put to use in order to start collecting actionable insights through data that you can use to improve the direction of your business.

Many small business owners also benefit from hiring a data scientist on a freelance basis to work on short-specific projects which can be much more cost-effective than hiring data scientists as full-time employees. In addition, working with a freelancer or outsourcing the work to a company offering data analysis can help you save money in other areas, or work on increasing revenue by providing you with more time to focus on the daily management and operational tasks in your business.

Improve Customer Experience

Today, surveys show that over thirty percent of customers would prefer a shopping experience that felt more personal to them, and only just over twenty percent of customers are currently satisfied with the level of personalization that they receive from the brands that they shop with. It’s clear to see that personalization is something that is becoming increasingly more important to customers, but it’s also quite difficult for small businesses to provide. Personalization levels such as those offered by Amazon, for example, might seem very out of reach for your small business for a long time.

However, real-time insights and structured extraction of data can help you further personalize the shopping experience for your customers. Data analysis systems can help you build interactions and engagements that are based on your previous interactions with a certain customer, and make it easier for you to ensure that customers are marketed to on a more personal level by taking into account their past behaviors and preferences.

Boost Customer Retention

One of the key advantages of providing a more personalized customer experience based on data analytics is that it leads to a higher level of customer satisfaction, boosting customer retention levels and increasing the chance of customers becoming advocates for your brands. Data analysis allows you to learn more about your customers on a deeper level, providing the information that you need in order to tailor the service that you offer them, keep them happy, and encourage them to return to your brand time and time again.

You can also use predictive analytics to improve customer retention by comparing the actions of loyal customers to one-time customers and examining the differences. Using this information, you can come up with a model to retain customers that you can use as an early warning system for when a customer may be losing interest or considering a competitor. Using the information that you already have on your customer, you can put together content, incentives, or an engagement strategy that is designed with them in mind in order to help keep them engaged.

Data analytics isn’t just for big businesses – it makes it possible for small businesses to benefit in many different ways. By gathering and analyzing data right from the start, small business owners can make better decisions for the future, analyze the market and their competition, figure out their ideal target customers, get to know and retain their existing customers better, and build their industry reputation.

 

Filed Under: Business & Growth

How to Market a Small Business: A Complete Guide

November 26, 2020 by

Marketing is important. It’s an integral aspect of business that no company can be without. There’s no getting around this fact. However, with an overwhelming number of available options, it can be challenging for a small business to choose which approach will improve its visibility and generate positive exposure for its offerings. The good news is that it’s much simpler than it appears. In this article, we’ll talk about a few steps that these types of companies must take to market their respective businesses successfully and reach their intended audience.

A website is essential for any business

These days, it’s rare for any business not to have a website. After all, in today’s internet-driven world, consumers rely on the World Wide Web for almost everything, including the procurement of goods and services. Without one, a company is likely to lose out to its competitors. However, having a homepage is only the beginning. It must be created and structured to be as friendly to search engine optimization or SEO as possible. Hiring the services of a capable digital marketing agency is important as well, and it can make all the difference in helping a company establish a strong online presence.

Apart from a digital marketing agency, it’s vital for a business to claim its online listing

Whether or not a company is on board, its business will likely be on the internet in one form or another. And because of this, it’s important to claim its online listing. Apart from finding a reliable Louisville digital marketing agency, the company’s reputation over the internet is critical to its success, after all. And by securing its listing, it’ll allow the company to determine proactively, control, and influence what people feel about its brand and ensure that its image remains positive.

Hiring a digital marketing agency can be beneficial for a business

It’s not uncommon for many businesses – both large and small – to make use of the services of a digital marketing agency. The strategies commonly used in this form of advertising can be more than a little complicated, after all. And by investing in the right specialists, a company can get much better results than it would have had it shouldered the responsibility instead.

A business must leverage the social media platform

Out of all the online channels, the social media platform is the most popular when it comes to marketing. Almost everyone these days has a social media account. And because of the staggering number of active users that are on popular websites, it’s a medium that businesses can ill-afford to overlook. And by taking advantage of the opportunities it presents to generate more awareness and exposure for their business, a company is more likely to reach its target market.

Networking is an excellent strategy for businesses to gain exposure

It’s never a bad idea for a business to create awareness through networking. Being involved with industry associations, community groups, chambers, and other organizations won’t just help a company capture essential leads that’ll help it reach its audience. But by meeting new contacts and referrals, it stands to improve its brand recognition while potentially getting better deals for any products or services that are essential for its daily operations.

Offering promotions and discounts is a good way to instill customer loyalty

Customer loyalty is critical to the growth and development of a business. And one of the best ways to instil loyalty is by offering promotions such as coupons, discounts, and even free products or services. It may appear like a considerable investment of financial resources. However, it’s an investment that is well worth taking when considering the buzz that it’ll make for a company.

It’s imperative always to prioritize customer support

The consumer experience is something that no company should ever take for granted. Excellent offerings may get customers through the door. However, it’s the way they’re treated that will make an impression on them and ultimately determine whether or not they’ll come back to give the company more business. As such, it’s imperative for all businesses to prioritize customer support and to never take it lightly.

Marketing a small business successfully, especially for those with limited finances, isn’t easy. But it’s not an impossibility either. All it takes is a little effort, time, and patience. And by pairing the services of a professional Louisville digital marketing agency to the strategies and techniques that are mentioned above, a small business can get very good results and compete even with larger companies too.

 

Filed Under: Business & Growth

5 Tips to Help You Get Your 5 a Day

November 26, 2020 by

A fibrous diet is extremely beneficial for our bodies. It helps to clean out buildup and bacteria from our intestines and reduces the risk of developing colon cancer. Fiber will help with regular toilet habits and will ensure stools and bowel movements are soft and consistent. This will help with constipation. Eating your 5 a day is one way to increase your daily fiber consumption. It can also minimize the risk of a number of serious health conditions. If you struggle to eat your 5 a day, or want to get creative with it, here are 5 tips to increase your intake.

Start in the Mornings

In order to get your 5 a day, you should start in the morning. Adding up to two portions of fruit to your first meal of the day can motivate you to stick to this healthy eating pattern. There are many ways you can get creative with fruit in the mornings. For example, you can consider adding a handful of berries onto your cereal or oatmeal, or eating half a grapefruit with your banana and peanut butter toast.

Choose Healthy Snacks

When you need an energy boost in the middle of the day, then you should choose healthy fruit or vegetable snacks, instead of fried or sugary alternatives. The carbohydrates that are found in fruit and veg are fantastic sources of energy. Combining this healthy, fibrous snack with a protein serving, such as cheese, yoghurt or peanut butter, will provide you with an extra serving of energy too.

Drink a DIY Smoothie

If you have a busy lifestyle and struggle to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals, then you should consider drinking some of your 5 a day. Making your own fruit and vegetable smoothies is the best route to take, as you can control what is in it and reduce your calorie and sugar intake, which can be high in shop bought versions. In order to make your juice drinks, you will need to research healthy recipes and look online for best blenders.

Try New Recipes

Trying new recipes or different varieties of fruits and vegetables in the week is a great way to keep your 5 a day interesting and to experiment with food. If you have the time to get creative, you can make your own root vegetable loaf of bread or zucchini pasta. By trying new things, you may come across a meal you love. You should select products that are in season, however, to reduce your carbon footprint.

Double Up Your Meals

Doubling up on your fruit and vegetable portions during meals is a great way to get 5 or more of your daily essentials. If you have 2 of your 5 a day during breakfast, lunch and dinner, then you can feel satisfied knowing that you have eaten more than the daily recommendation. People love variety and again, trying new recipes and getting creative is the perfect way to double up on your meals.

Eating your 5 a day can be delicious and fun. It is a great goal to set yourself and can benefit your health in a number of different ways. It can also make you feel more energized and functional.

 

Filed Under: Health

4 Tips For Dealing With Panic Attacks

November 16, 2020 by

Panic attacks are undoubtedly a scary experience for just about anyone. It’s not uncommon for people experiencing panic attacks to be convinced that they’re dying. However, despite how scared you may be, there are ways to manage your current state of mind and get yourself back to a calm state.

Take a look at some of the best tips for handling a panic attack.

Consider Natural Supplements

If you’re someone that frequently suffers from panic attacks, then you might want to consider natural products and supplements to decrease the frequency. Some people may find that different supplements work better than others for their particular situation.

Although there are prescription medications available for panic attacks, they can be extremely addictive and harmful when used regularly over time. If possible, resort to natural products first before considering a stronger alternative.

Remove Yourself From Triggering Situations

If you are aware that you tend to experience panic attacks in certain locations, then you should consider avoiding places that can trigger you. By steering clear of situations that could make you feel unsafe, you will limit your chances of experiencing a panic attack.

If you find yourself in a situation that could potentially be a trigger, consider stepping outside and slowly removing yourself. If you have no option of removing yourself, then try equipping yourself with ways to be calm in that setting.

For example, if you’re on a busy subway full of people, you may want to consider putting on a pair of noise-canceling headphones and practicing deep breathing techniques.

Count

It may sound silly; however, many people find that counting objects during a panic attack can calm you down. By focusing your mind on something else, like counting, you’ll concentrate on something else other than your fear and anxiety.

If possible, always carry a countable amount of objects in your purse, like marbles or coins. You can always pull them out and start counting if you start to feel the onset of a panic attack.

Call a Friend

Whenever you start to feel a panic attack coming on, you should try contacting a friend or family member. Talk to them ahead of time about being a resource for you when you start to feel one of your panic attacks coming on. Perhaps you can arrange a special code between the two of you so that they know that you need help.

Tell them what it is that works best for you to calm down during stressful moments, like distracting you, or perhaps just giving words of reassurance. The idea is to give you whatever you need during a difficult moment. In some cases, you may need to ask friends to come over. If your friends truly love you, they’ll have no problem helping you out when you’re going through a tough time.

Filed Under: Health

All-time Favorite Holiday Flavors for Desserts and Drinks

November 12, 2020 by

As soon as the pumpkin season comes and goes, it is time to start thinking about all of the winter flavors that will soon be filling your kitchen and home. Sure, not all of what winter holds can be pleasant, but the fact remains that the many holiday flavors continue to be the year’s best.

With that, we have listed the all-time favorite holiday flavors for desserts and drinks that you can easily add to make delicious holiday fare.

Monin Ginger

With Monin ginger, you get one of the best Monin flavours around. With Monin ginger, it is traditionally used in Asian cooking, although it can be utilized to fulfill many other recipes in other cultures as well.

Now, ginger can be used in syrup during the holidays, which can instill a full body of flavor combined with a spice that gives a subtle bite and a touch of sweet. With a spicy aroma, it conveys an exoticness that easily takes your holiday cocktails and chocolate desserts to a new level.

Creamy Eggnog

Holiday cupcakes can be created by using nutmeg and eggnog. With eggnog, your cupcakes will be significantly soft and mouthwatering. These treats are perfect for any holiday gathering and will become a perfect addition to your sweet tooth.

A great way to use eggnog is in rice pudding. With the eggnog, it replaces the milk and makes a nice breakfast alternative. You can also use eggnog to create French toast that has a nice punch to it.

If baking is a huge part of your holidays, then you can easily make frosting with it. This frosting can be applied to many different treats and keeping them festive.

Gingerbread

It would never be the holidays if there was no gingerbread in the mix. The good thing is that gingerbread is able to last a long time without going bad. A delicious treat to try is pumpkin gingerbread and is perfect for times when guests come over.

Similar to a pumpkin spice, a gingerbread flavor consists of a multitude of spices that are made up of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice. Besides the normal cookies and bread, you can mix the flavor into a cheesecake or even a recipe for waffles.

If indulging is your concern, then you can make a nice zucchini gingerbread by adding apple sauce or yogurt. These additions will also allow you to enjoy guilt-free snacking.

Cinnamon

With cinnamon, the sky is the limit when it comes to using this great holiday flavor. You can put a dash of it on all of your desserts and drinks. With cinnamon rolls being a well-known item to make with cinnamon, it can be a very good flavor enhancement for meals too.

Peppermint

Peppermint is another all-time holiday favorite that can be used in many treats such as a latte, ice cream, patties, and candy bark. You may think that peppermint may be the number one spice for the holiday season. It may also be thought of as a flavor that has multi-use. The makeup of peppermint consists of spearmint and water mint, which is why it has more of a sweeter consistency.

Chestnut

When “The Christmas Song” debuted, it put the chestnut on the map as a holiday flavor that is used to this day. Besides being used as a flavorful spice, it can be included in many varieties such as a marron glace or paste. Many chefs will agree that chestnut is a great flavor choice and a chestnut cake will be able to provide a lot of spice while making a nice contribution as a dessert choice.

The chestnut flavor also brings out the savory aromas that can be found in stuffings, soups, or Italian cooking. If you are thinking of adding chocolate to your holiday desserts, then a mix of chestnut in the ingredients will give an extra flavor that all will enjoy.

Cranberry

The cranberry can be easily overlooked during holiday cooking; however, with its tartness and sweet flavor, it can be a great choice to add a savory touch to your holiday meals. Cranberry can be easily coupled with tangerine oranges or as a succulent glaze. Sure, cranberry is able to work with just about everything. This is why other flavors can be used to simply intensify the overall flavor.

 

Filed Under: Home & Decor

How to Get the Best Deal on Your House Move

November 6, 2020 by

You may become excited to become a homebuyer. Who will not be? This can be everyone’s dream. One thing that you may not realize is that there are different things that you can do so that you can do the house move easily.

Moving is considered to be one of the most stressful things that you may encounter. There are different things that may go wrong such as the following:

  • You may not pack your items correctly so you may end up not knowing where the items are.
  • You may not pack your items properly so you would end up with broken stuff.
  • There is a possibility that you will not hire the right movers to help you out.

Some people think that they can do the move on their own. They can seek help from their family members and friends. This is not very advisable right now. Aside from the pandemic which may limit the number of people that you can become exposed to, there is also a chance that people will be too busy to help you.

Plan Ahead

This is one of the best ways to make sure that you will be able to get the best deals before you move houses. When you are rushing, you will have the tendency to spend more on items that you could have gotten for a much lower price. You need to plan your move a few weeks before the actual moving date. There are two good things that may happen because of this:

  • You will feel less stressed because you know that you are doing things ahead of time.
  • You can also spend less money that way.

It might not seem easy to plan ahead or you may think that it is pointless in the beginning. Yet, the more that you know, the better you can be in making decisions.

Always Do Enough Research

One of the things that you can do is to get quotes from at least three moving companies. You need to make sure that you are getting the best deals too from the same services that you are aiming to get. For example, one company may have lower rates simply because you did not include a specific type of service that you need to get from the company.

If you see a quote that is so much lower than the quotes of other companies, this might not mean that you are getting the best deal. Rather, this might mean that the company may have forgotten to include one of the services that you have required for the quotation. You do not want to end up paying for some add−ons.

There are also some moving companies that will be more than willing to provide deals. You can just ask for some of their packages and choose from those packages. Remember to ask for a discount too because some may be willing to provide that if your moving in dates are flexible. With the right moving service, moving in does not have to be very problematic.

 

Filed Under: Home & Decor

4 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays with your Team This Year

November 3, 2020 by

Every year when the holidays roll around, people look for ways to enjoy the season together. Since you typically end up spending so much time with your coworkers and employees around the holidays, it is always a good idea to try to get everyone involved in the season. Not only does this help promote office comradery, but you also get the opportunity to do something meaningful with your team.

If you are looking for a few ways to get your team more involved with the holidays this year, here are four ideas to help you enjoy the holidays with the people you work with.

1. Give Back

Around the holidays, volunteering opportunities abound. It is always a rewarding feeling to be able to give back and help make someone else’s holidays a bit brighter. Engaging in opportunities to give back with your team is a great way to make some lasting memories and to inspire those you work with to partake in the giving aspect of the holidays.

Depending on the type of work you do, you might have to get creative with the way in which you and your team give back. You might not have the kind of time that it takes to volunteer for a day with a charitable organization. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still give back. You can organize a round of holiday donations so that everyone can contribute.

2. Organize a Toy Drive

If you don’t feel like you can ask people to make monetary donations this year, you can consider organizing a small toy drive of sorts with your team. Some charitable organizations accept donations of clean and gently used toys while others ask for brand new toys still in original packaging. Make sure that you pick a local organization that everyone can be excited about helping out this year. Set a specific date by which everyone needs to have their toys in and designate someone to deliver the toys to the charitable organization.

3. Plan a Volunteering Day

If you are able to spare some time away from the demands of your work, you and your team can go and physically volunteer at a soup kitchen or other charitable organization. The ability to work together in such a way will bring your team together. Moreover, taking time away from the office to give back in this way is a fun way to make lasting memories with your team. There are so many places that are in need of a helping hand. Make sure that you call ahead and make concrete plans so that everyone is on the same page and able to participate.

4. Collect Donations

Toys aren’t the only thing that organizations collect during the holidays. You can organize a charitable event with your team where they bring in gently used items and clothing that can be cleaned and brought to a homeless shelter or other organization. Just make sure that you know precisely what the charity you choose is looking for.

 

Filed Under: Business & Growth