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Category: Business Tips

How to Attract the Right Talent for Your Company

The size of your budget isn’t the only factor that determines the quality, talent, and caliber of employees your company attracts. There are other ways to find employees who genuinely want to work for you, even if you’re not designing iPhones or promoting Ferraris. Here are a few quick tips on attracting and hiring the top talent in your industry:

Look for people who share your passion. Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, advises: “Stop looking to hire people just because they have extraordinary resumes or impressive academic records. Look for people who share your passion.” A great employee catches your vision and is eager to help you make it come to life.
Know your purpose. If you truly know your purpose and can express it in an understandable, engaging way, people will be more likely to react to it and identify with it. More and more people are seeking job opportunities that provide a purpose and make a difference, not just a high salary.
Boost the company culture. While a day on the job is not all fun and games for most, it doesn’t have to be torture either. Make your business an enjoyable place to work by treating your employees well. Be generous with compliments, flexible when necessary, patient, and kind. Be the boss you’d like to work for. Encourage healthy competition among employees by offering incentives and bonuses, and show your employees that you value health, education, and professional development.
Help potential hires envision their future with you. Most talented and driven individuals realize they have to start somewhere, even if it’s the low man on the totem pole, before they can end up where they want to be. Use the interview to shed light on what the future may look like at your company for the employee, even if the company as a whole isn’t quite there yet.
Offer a great work environment. You don’t have to have massage chairs and pedicures in the break room to offer an enjoyable place to work. A few plants, a clean color pallet, and lots of natural light goes along way in creating a pleasing work environment. Even a simple offering such as free sodas in the fridge or assigned parking spots can help employees feel valued and more engaged at work.
Don’t shy away from the awkward topics in a job posting. State exactly what the potential employee can expect on the job, even if it seems mundane. However, you can still liven up the add by highlighting the fun, interesting ways your company engages with employees and some of the perks they can expect from the job. You may or may not choose to put the compensation in the job listing, but keep in mind that it will obviously come up at some point and you’re probably better off to be upfront about it in order to attract the right talent to begin with.

If you get a few of the right employees on your team and treat them well, word is sure to spread. Become a great employer and you won’t need to offer a six figure salary to have talented individuals beating down the door to work for you.

Planning Your Summer Marketing Efforts Part 3: Cheap Advertising Tips

Now that summer is in full swing and your marketing events are already mapped out, it’s time to execute the plan. Here are a few quick, easy, and CHEAP advertising tips to make your marketing efforts and events amazingly successful this summer.

Gather referrals from happy clients and use them as advertisement on social media and your website. Here are a few ideas on soliciting referrals. Take it a step further by rewarding clients who spread the good news about your business by offering them a future discount or small prize.
Use social media to your advantage. It’s FREE! Of course, you’ll reach a larger audience with paid social media posts, but you can still reach a huge number of people with thoughtful, quality content. Hint: post a picture with your most important social media announcements. A great image increases people’s willingness to read a piece of content by 80%.
Be a comedian. In reference to the tip listed above, skip the stock photos for now and promote your summer business happenings with funny photos of your team. Wear Hawaiian shirts to the office and make a video of everyone sipping snow cones while they work. Be creative and funny and most of all real. (Which is also free, by the way.) Who knows, maybe you’ll even go viral!
Offer a freebie. Freebies don’t even have to cost you money. Have a member of your team design a patriotic printable or summer sign to drive traffic to your website. If you’ve got a little cash to spend on summer marketing, set up a lemonade station in your store or throw in a lei with every order you ship out.
Use a consistent template to announce events. Design a template that incorporates your logo, and then add the dates and locations of your summer events. This will keep clients in the know about what’s going on with your business this summer, and a consistent template will help them know what they’re looking for when they visit your page for information.
Send email blasts before big events. While your announcements on social media may not reach everyone you intend them to, you can be sure that emails will be delivered to who their rightful owner. Craft thoughtful, engaging emails and send them out before each big event with your business this summer.
Good ol’ fashioned flyers. Yep, they still work. Print out a massive amount of flyers with information about your event and send an employee out to hang them up all over town.
Advertise with your customers, not to your customers. Like this video here. It’s hilarious and original, and promotes Lyft without feeling sale-sy at all. Come up with creative ways to make your business fun and involve customers to help spread the word.

What cheap advertising ideas do you have to engage your customers? Share with us, we’d love to hear!

See part 1 and part 2 of our Summertime Marketing Tips Series.

Grow Your Business Through Referrals

The single most powerful selling tool for any small business can be summed up in one simple word: REFERRALS. People would rather do business with people they know (or know of) than strangers. That’s how it’s always been. Think about it from the other perspective. When you’re introduced to a new service or product by someone you know and trust, you’re more open to it than you would be if someone had cold called you and asked you to make a purchase. Referrals are an immensely powerful and underused tool for small business owners that can help their sales explode. Here are a few tips on soliciting referrals tactfully and using them to your advantage.

Just ask. Yep, it’s that easy. Except that you can’t just park your social media links on the sidebar of your website and expect that your clients are going to jump on and share your brilliance. Instead, make it personal. If you’re in an email exchange with a client, write a note of genuine gratitude for their support or purchase. At the end, a simple statement of “I’d really appreciate an honest review about your experience on xyx site” can make all the difference. Make sure the timing is right when you ask though. It should be in the midst of delivering excellent customer service or shortly thereafter. Don’t be shy to ask a second time in a later follow-up email if the client said they would and then didn’t follow through.
Make it easy. Most clients won’t jump through hoops to refer you, regardless of how much they love you. Your referral process should be incredibly painless, as in, the click of a button easy. Rather than saying “I’d appreciate if you would hop over to Facebook and leave me a review,” try hyperlinking the text within the email directly to your page.
Set up a reward system. Rather than putting all of your focus on potential newcomers, reward your loyal clients. Give them access to new products, free trials, coupon codes, discounts, cash, or an entry for a large prize for their efforts in referring your business. They’re more likely to continue referring you to people they know.
Give and Take. Don’t expect to receive hundreds of referrals if you aren’t doing your part, too. Put out a good word for the services and products you buy and recognize the hard work of the entrepreneurs behind those businesses as well.
Make it a Habit. Don’t just ask for referrals on clients who are already expressing their love for your product. Make it a habit to solicit a review from every client. Your pitch doesn’t have to sound sales-y either; just make it a quick “hey, if you have a second, let’s connect over on xyz site!”

At the end of the day, referrals are about relationships and people supporting people. Don’t try to buy referrals and don’t get discouraged if you didn’t get a referral where you’d really like one. Slow and steady wins the race–and gets you a lot of great referrals, too!

How to Choose the Best Social Media Platforms for Small Business

What do you do when consumers are becoming increasingly focused on social media, while your business is still focusing on the awesome product or service you sell? It’s time to get serious about an online marketing plan. In order to get the most bang for your buck online, you’ll need to utilize social media for your business–no matter what you are selling.

Here are a few things to consider before diving into social media:

The first and most important thing is to decide how you are currently communicating with your audience online and how you would like to communicate with them in the future. Think about these three channels of communication.

Text. The easiest and most informative way to communicate online is through text. Channels such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, blogs, and good ol’ emails are a great way to communicate messages–long or short–to your audience about the latest happenings with your business.
Images. Any business can and should be incorporating still images into their online marketing plan. Images should be carefully chosen to convey messages to an audience and should not overpower the main goal of the post. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest are image-focused and can be great for promoting a business. Still images should also be included in emails, and profile/cover photos should be present on every social media platform your business engages in.
Audio/Video. Periscope, Youtube, and Vimeo are great for sharing messages through audio or video. These can come in the form of tutorials on how to use your product, interviews with people who love your product, funny behind the scenes happenings around the office, or tips and tricks on how your service or product can improve your customer’s life. The possibilities of using videos for marketing are endless, but this method of reaching consumers through social media is a bit more time consuming. You don’t have to invest in fancy equipment to use videos in your marketing plan, but it does take a bit more commitment to create a video that engages your audience.

A business owner on top of their social media game (which sometimes means hiring an employee whose main job is to manage social media) will aim for doing a little of everything. However, you don’t have to do it all to be recognized and look professional on social media. Here are a few tips from Vyde’s marketing team to make it happen for your small business.

Choose a few social media channels and do them well. Don’t feel like you have to manage every single (and old) social media platform out there. Determine how much time you have to spend on social media for business and divide that by 3 or 4 — that’s about how many social media channels most small business owners can manage at first. In fact, many find that 3 or 4 is even too many to handle.
Snag your username on all social media platforms, even if you won’t use them right now. Plan to use your 2-4 platforms well, but be sure to claim your space on certain channels you think you might use in the future. There are many people out there who will sign up for a social media account or domain under a business name and then try to sell it back to the business owner for an outrageous amount of money. Avoid this mishap by grabbing your business name on the channels you’re interested in now and then focusing on them later. You don’t have to advertise every social media channel you’re signed up for–just bring the attention to the ones you’re actively using.
Sign up for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+. Here’s why:
- Facebook attracts the widest variety of users. All of your customers are on Facebook (with a few exceptions), young and old. With over one billion users, it has an audience too large to ignore. Facebook is easy to use and offers the flexibility of text images, and videos all in one place.
- LinkedIn is a professional network that is more serious in nature, but one that all small business owners should be on. There are over 230 million LinkedIn users and 2.7 million business pages already on LinkedIn. You don’t necessarily have to maintain a business page on LinkedIn, but as a business owner, you should absolutely have a personal account that is updated regularly.
- A Google+ page for your business will help Google generate search results for your business that includes: the name of your business, where it is located on a map, reviews, contact and location information, and even photos. Google is the tried and true search engine for anyone and everyone, and if you’re not showing up on Google, you’re missing out.
- Other social media channels that are great for business include: YouTube, Instagram, Yelp, Reddit, Pinterest, FourSquare, Tumblr, Twitter, Periscope, and Snapchat. Venture onto those social media platforms in the future, when you can create a marketing plan and use them skillfully.

Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter what you’re signed up for or how often you post about your business when it comes to social media. What really matters is that you’re generating thoughtful, meaningful, and original content that will engage your current and potential customers.

FAQs for Social Media Marketing Strategies:

Why should my small business prioritize social media marketing?

In today’s digital age, social media is a crucial avenue for engaging with customers and expanding brand visibility, regardless of your business type.

What are the key communication channels to consider for social media marketing?

Text, images, and audio/video content are essential channels for conveying messages online, with platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube offering diverse options.

How can I effectively manage social media platforms without feeling overwhelmed?

Focus on a select few platforms and prioritize quality over quantity. Allocate time based on your capacity, aiming to excel on 3 to 4 platforms rather than spreading too thin.

Why is it important to secure usernames on social media platforms, even if not actively using them?

Claiming your business name prevents others from exploiting it and ensures consistency across platforms, facilitating brand recognition and trust among customers.

Which social media platforms are essential for small businesses and why?

Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ offer diverse user bases and distinct advantages for brand visibility, customer engagement, and search engine optimization (SEO). Other platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter also hold potential for strategic marketing efforts.

Planning Your Summer Marketing Efforts Part 2: Celebrating Holidays & Events

itius. Altius. Fortius. Faster, higher, stronger – the Olympic motto will be heard often this summer and can be applied to small business marketing, as well as athletic endeavors. Share in the excitement surrounding this summer’s holidays and events to add some inexpensive pizazz to your marketing efforts. Here are few important dates and tips as you plan your summer marketing strategy:

Be Patriotic: Memorial Day 5/30 & Independence Day 7/4. Fly the red, white and blue to celebrate the patriotic days of summer. Did you know that the 4th of July is #4 on the list of holidays most celebrated in the U.S.A? (Right after Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.) Run promotions and sales of products and services that correspond to these holidays and wish customers a happy holiday on social media as these posts are well-liked and shared.
#Olympics2016. Get ready to cheer August 5-21 – the Summer Olympics are in Rio and it is going to be a party! Carry the red, white and blue theme all summer to support Team USA. Join the #Olympics conversation on social media, cheering for favorites and sharing your own personal stories of Olympic favs and experiences, as well as popular posts. Take your cheering from the couch to your business by supporting local athletes at all levels.
Celebrate Labor Day. This bookend summer holiday is a great place to host a promotion or giveaway. Wrap up your summer marketing with solid Labor Day sales, advertising them well in advance for best results.
Join in local events. There is bound to be lots going on in your area this summer. Whether it is the Warrior Dash fun run, Movies in the Park, Stadium of Fire, Shakespeare on the Beach, or Rooftop Cinema Club, add your small business to the list of supporters by donating goods or tweets, attending, or simply adding your advertising of the activity in your store or site. It is common practice to reach out to event organizers offering a reciprocal social media share – you share their event on social media or in store, they’ll share your site or store details on social media.
Use a variety of marketing strategies. Summer is filled with vacations, family reunions, and get-togethers, so increase the number of times you connect with customers so they don’t miss your special or sale. Email blasts, text message reminders, phone calls – however you connect with customers make sure it has a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the benefits you provide through your products and services. Social media heats up during the summer with everyone posting photos about travels and fun. Keep your brand and message top of mind by posting often – and reposting popular and informative posts. If foot traffic is key to your business, add visual reminders of promotions and deals near the door and register, where customers linger, to grab their attention and promote sales.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Win. Take advice from the athletes – it takes a lot of practice to be an Olympian. Make a plan for the summer, practice a bit every day to improve and expand your marketing efforts. If something is working, do it more often. If something isn’t working, tweak it. It is consistent effort day after day that leads to greatness.

Did you catch our first post on planning your summer marketing efforts. You can read tips on planning the who, what when, and where of summer business events here.

For cheap advertising tips in the summer, visit this post.

Planning Your Summer Marketing Efforts Part 1: Who, What, When, and Where

Even if there’s still blustery spring weather where you’re at, it’s not too early to start planning out the summer for your small business. Marketing can be difficult in the summer as many consumers tend to focus less on business and more on family fun. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t engage your clients in your business during those long hot months. Getting an early start on summer planning helps those promotions and events run smoothly and eases your stress. Use the month of April to quickly map out the who, what, when, and where of your summertime business plans.

Who: Make two lists here. Who #1 is which of your employees is in charge of what summer events and promotions. Let them know what aspects they’ll be managing and what the expectations are. Who #2 is the people you are reaching. Are you planning extra appreciation around your current customers and clients with a summer party? Or are you planning to launch marketing promotions solely to grow your current clientele? Knowing the people involved and the audience behind your summertime marketing efforts is key to success.
What: Don’t overdo it, but set ambitious goals for your company. Make a plan for reaching x amount of employees or $xyz in sales by the end of the summer and plan the “what” to make it happen. It could be digital marketing, like a series of blog posts or email campaigns; on your site, like coupons or summer sales and specials; or physical, like a party, an ice cream social, or a softball tournament. Of course, not all of these events would work for all businesses, so choose what works for you and your clients and roll with it.
When: Keep key summer holidays in mind when planning your events. Something like a digital coupon or email promotion will work better over Memorial Day, Labor Day, or the Fourth of July, but obviously physical parties and in-person events may not attract as much of a crowd during these family-centered holidays. Use the holidays to your advantage, but make sure you do so properly from a marketing perspective. Summertime is busy for everyone, so plan events around what works for your clients and employees who will help you reach your goals, not the other way around. Do some research and post the events on social media/send emails around the time of day that your targeted audience is most interactive.
Where: If you’re holding in-person parties and events this summer, be sure to book your locations early. April and May is a great time to book pavilion, parks, and events centers for events happening in July and August. You’d be surprised at how quickly they fill up.

By getting the larger details of your marketing promotions laid out early, you can save yourself a lot of time and stress down the road. The small details like specific email text, party decorations, and what food to serve can be delegated to employees and worked out in May or June. Maximize those warm fun summer months to grow your business and have some fun with clients and employees.

See part 2 and part 3 of our summertime marketing series for even more great tips.

4 Low-Cost and Low-Risk Ways to Grow Your Team

A few months ago, we polled our Vyde clients about one of their biggest challenges as a small business owner. The results were overwhelmingly similar, with “growing my team” coming in at the top spot. We’ve compiled a few low-cost and low-risk suggestions to help you grow your team.

Start an internship program. There’s nothing better than fresh minds and free labor, is there? It’s what makes interns a great way to grow your team. Contact universities and community colleges (they don’t even need to be local) about setting up an internship program. Most college students need an internship before they graduate, and taking advantage of this opportunity to bring on a potential new employee (but with no obligation) is a win for both parties. Pros are that you don’t have to pay them or hire them long-term, they may bring new ideas to your business and turn into an integral part of your team, and you have the opportunity to help them jump-start their career, even if it’s not with you. Cons are some legwork involved in starting up an internship program, your intern may not be a good fit for your team, and you might have to take extra time out of your day to teach them the ins and outs of daily work at your company.
Hire your family members to work for you. Yes, even your kids. Whether you’re bringing them on as a full-time employee, or simply paying your kids to clean the office building, family members can be an effective way to grow your team. After all, you already know them, you trust them, and you can count on them. Keep in mind that hiring family members can sometimes cause contention and strained relationships though, so be sure to treat it like a business from the very beginning. We outlined some tips for hiring family members in this post from a while back.
Outsource some of your work, rather than bringing on more employees. This sounds a little counter-intuitive in a post about growing your team, but hear me out. Outsourcing some of your work–tasks like graphic design, accounting, small business bookkeeping, copywriting, social media management, etc–can give you time to focus on building a solid team within the office. Freeing up your time allows you more time to train others, interview, and get the right fit. Also, when you outsource these tasks, it’s like a trial run for a potentially permanent job. You only have to pay them for the tasks they do, but if they knock your socks off with their work, you may consider bringing them on as a part-time, full-time, or remote employee. Sites like upwork.com, fiverr.com, and even your local classifieds are a great place to find talented freelancers who are ready to work.
Take the time to hire the right fit, not the quick fit. Going along with number three, hiring the right fit is the best way to grow your team effectively. And, probably, the least expensive. Hiring new employees can cost quite a bit between background checks, drug tests, trainings, certifications, and more. You don’t want to do it more than you have to, so taking your time during the interview process can really help to make sure you get it right. You might consider hiring on a temporary or trial basis and then transitioning the right employee into full-time.

What are your favorite tips on growing your team effectively?

Taking Stock Annually: Being Prepared for an Accident, Emergency, or Death

Tax season is not only a great time to get your finances in order, but it’s also an opportunity to update other important information about yourself in the event of an accident, emergency, or death. While of course you hope nothing of the sort happens to you, it is always a possibility. Being prepared for the worst can help your friends and loved ones cope if difficult times were to beset you.

Here are a few quick tips on taking stock annually and being prepared for the unexpected:

Review (or write) your will. Take the time to update your will if you’ve gained any new assets, if your executor or plans for guardianship for children or property have changed, or if you’d like to change your arrangements for money or property. If you haven’t written a will yet, it’s best to get that done as soon as possible.
Go over your estate planning and power of attorney. Setting up your estate to minimize costs and taxes helps you and your beneficiaries. Talk to your accountant or attorney about this step. Power of attorney can bring peace of mind knowing that someone you trust and who you have acquainted with your wishes will be handling your affairs in case of an impairment or death. Complete the forms, either with your attorney or off the internet, and include them with your documents. You may also want to give your POA a copy.
Make known any medical requests in the event of an accident or death. Give your specified DNR order, decide whether you’d like to be an organ donor, and make known any other medical requests you may have.
Update a file of usernames and passwords for all of your accounts. You may not want your social media accounts going on long after you die, let alone your subscription-based services. Leave login info for all online accounts and instructions on what you’d like done with them in the event of your death.
Include a balance sheet and income statement of your personal and business bank accounts. You’ll want your executor to know where these accounts are located and how to access them.
Create a contact information sheet that includes people you work with, friends, and other acquaintances that your close family may not know about but who should be contacted in the event of an emergency.
Store all of this information in a safe place. Some may feel comfortable with it in their homes, while others may choose to store it in a bank security box. Regardless of where it is stored, make sure it is safe, that someone you trust knows about it, and that it is accessible to the right person at the right time.
Update your family emergency plan. This should include how the family will communicate with each other in case of a disaster, where everyone will meet, along with a phone tree, updated contact information for everyone, plans as to who will check on whom, and the like. It’s also helpful to have a code word known amongst the family to let one another know there is trouble, without letting the bad guy know.
While you’re at it, go the extra mile for disaster planning. Refresh your 24 or 72-hour emergency kits in your home and car, and gather water storage or empty, clean, and refill existing water storage.

While this list may feel a bit overwhelming, it really doesn’t take very long to accomplish. Tackle it all at once, or take it one task at a time, but get it done. Having all of your important information updated and in once place will help you feel secure and ensure that you won’t leave a headache for anyone in the event of death or emergency.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should I update my will during tax season?

Tax season is an excellent time to review and update your will because you’re already organizing your financial documents. If you’ve gained new assets, changed your executor, or want to adjust your guardianship or financial plans, updating your will ensures your wishes are accurately reflected and will save your loved ones from confusion later.

2. What is the benefit of reviewing estate planning and power of attorney annually?

Reviewing your estate planning and power of attorney ensures that your assets are managed efficiently, minimizing taxes and costs. Assigning a trusted person as your power of attorney gives peace of mind that someone familiar with your wishes will handle your affairs if you become incapacitated. Regular updates ensure that your plans remain in line with your current situation.

3. Why is it important to keep a record of usernames and passwords for all my accounts?

Having a record of your usernames and passwords allows your loved ones or executor to manage or close your online accounts in the event of your death. Without this information, managing digital assets, like social media and subscription services, can be time-consuming and challenging for your family.

4. How can I make my medical requests known in the event of an emergency or death?

To ensure your medical requests are honored, clearly document any specific wishes, such as a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order or organ donor status. Inform your family and healthcare provider about these decisions, so they are aware of your preferences in case of an accident or emergency.

5. Where should I store my important documents and emergency information?

Store all vital documents, including your will, estate plans, and emergency contact lists, in a secure location like a home safe or a bank security box. Ensure that someone you trust knows where they are and can access them in an emergency. Keeping these documents safe but accessible is essential for ensuring they are used when needed

10 Easy Ways to Create a Healthier Workspace

If you work long hours in an office, you know how difficult it can be to stay healthy and fit. But, just because you spend the majority of your day sitting doesn’t mean you have to compromise your health. Here are ten quick and easy investments to make in your office to make it a healthier, happier place to work:

Buy a mini fridge and stock up. You can snag one on Amazon for less than $100 and hook it up in your office. Fill the fridge with healthy, low-cal snacks rather than venturing over to the vending machine when that afternoon hunger strikes.
Install an elliptical. If you’ve got the room and a tax return burning a hole in your pocket, purchase an elliptical or stair stepper for your office that you can hop on during your lunch hour to work up a quick sweat.
Sign up for a healthy snack box subscription. Graze.com and Naturebox.com offer unique, healthy snacks delivered to your office for under $12 a month.
Keep cool water bottles close at hand, or grab one of these top 10 cool reusable water bottles to keep you hydrated.
Hang a mirror in your office to show your posture. Glancing over at it occasionally will remind you to sit up straight, reducing the pressure on your lower back.
Start a chart for calendaring exercise. It may be as simple as a dry erase board or excel spreadsheet, but tracking your exercise is a good reminder to get out and get moving as often as possible.
Set a timer for every hour or every other hour. When the timer goes off, go for a quick walk around the office, do a set of lunges or squats, or just stand up and stretch.
Sit on an exercise ball. Ditch your comfortable office chair for a day or two and sit on an exercise ball to increase your activity and improve your health.
Invest in a FItbit. You might be pleasantly surprised at how many miles you walk around the office each day, or it might serve as a good reminder that you need to up your activity.
Use apps to track your food intake. Apps like Fitness Pal or Nike Running can keep you on track and get you moving. Challenge your coworkers to lose weight or run a race.

As with any other task in the work place, small changes can make a big difference in your health as well. What are your favorite fitness tips and tricks for the workplace?

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What can I do to stay hydrated during the workday?
Keep reusable water bottles readily available in your office, ensuring easy access to cool, refreshing water throughout the day.
2. What are some strategies to incorporate exercise into my office routine?
Set a timer to remind yourself to take short breaks for physical activity, such as walking around the office or doing simple exercises like lunges or squats. You can also replace your office chair with an exercise ball to engage your muscles while sitting.
3. How can I track my physical activity and health goals at work?
Invest in a Fitbit or use fitness apps like Fitness Pal or Nike Running to monitor your activity levels and track your food intake. Additionally, consider starting a calendar or chart to document your exercise routine and progress.
4. What are some cost-effective ways to improve my office environment for better health?
Consider purchasing a mini fridge for healthy snacks, hanging a mirror to monitor posture, and installing simple exercise equipment like an elliptical or stair stepper if space and budget allow. These investments can significantly contribute to a healthier workplace environment.

Improve Your Online Presence Part 3: Contact Information & Review Sites

If you’ve been following along on our Build Your Business in 2016 series, you’ve already reviewed your website, and performed a social media audit. Now it’s time to review your contact information and other websites your business may appear on. Keep in mind that all of these sites may not apply to your company (especially if you don’t have a physical address), so just use what works for you to improve your business’ online presence.

Start by searching your company name in a variety of ways. Use a few different search engines, be intuitive about what clients may type in when they’re searching for you, and see what comes up. Make sure you’re easy to reach by customers and that all listings that appear contain correct contact information for your business. Yext will take care of this for you for a fee, or you can do it yourself. If you come across listings that are incorrect, be sure to go into that site and make relevant changes.
Make sure the first 10 pages of a Google search of your company contains correct contact information. Do this for all social media sites and Yellowpages as well.
Next, update your Google+ page, or create one if you don’t already have one. Keep in mind that any photos you upload here will be at the top of Google results when someone searches for your company so they should be professional and well done.
Add your company to Google Maps and Google Local, if these apply to your type of company.
Create a Yelp listing, if you don’t already have one. Your listing should have professional photos and updated contact information, and you should also respond immediately when people post about your company. Give them a quick “thank you” for positive reviews or provide great customer service if they complain about their interaction with your business.
Go through other review sites and update your company information and respond to any reviews left there by customers. A few sites to check are Angie’s List, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Bing Places, Citysearch, Merchant Circle, Trip Advisor, Open Table, Yahoo Local, Yellow Pages, Amazon (customer reviews), and any other review sites where customers and clients may be talking about your company.

Keep your business image sharp by maintaining a professional presence online that is updated and refreshed as things change with your company.

Read the rest of the series here and here.

Resources

Category: Business Tips

How to Attract the Right Talent for Your Company

Other posts that might interest you

Planning Your Summer Marketing Efforts Part 3: Cheap Advertising Tips

Other posts that might interest you

Grow Your Business Through Referrals

How to Choose the Best Social Media Platforms for Small Business

FAQs for Social Media Marketing Strategies:

Why is it important to secure usernames on social media platforms, even if not actively using them?

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Planning Your Summer Marketing Efforts Part 2: Celebrating Holidays & Events

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