This week's parody is an 80's throwback shout out to Swing Out Sister - one of the most inspiring songs of my youth. We tweaked it for a business audience, obviously, but it's still a toe-tapping good time.
If you're ready for your breakout year, be sure to check out Episode 4, where we talk about business planning and ways to make the rest of this year even better for you.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Your Breakout Year" is a parody of "Breakout", originally recorded by Swing Out Sister. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
If your business is running you ragged and your clients are a PITA, this video is for you!
This is the full version of the musical parody for episode 3 of Creative Freedom Season 6.
Inside this episode, we're taking a closer look at how each creative entrepreneur type can take advantage of different business models. Sure, you can have any business model you want, but each creative type needs to focus on doing business in a way that's in alignment with their strengths.
Check out the episode to learn more.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Do What Comes Natural" is a parody of "Natural", originally recorded by Imagine Dragons. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
While there are plenty of ways in which you can turn your creative talents into a business, you need to ensure that you are always looking towards the future as opposed to being caught up in the moment. In short, you always need to be on the lookout for ways to develop or upgrade your business to keep up to date with industry trends or changes in consumer behaviors and habits. This level of forward planning will provide you with stability - meaning that your business will still be around in 20 years, as opposed to falling at the first hurdle.
With that in mind, here are four simple ways to upgrade your business TODAY.
Whether you have a talent for photography, are an artisan jewelry maker, or create spectacular pieces of art, you may have found yourself daydreaming about turning your creativity into a business. Making money from doing what you love certainly has its benefits. Being your own boss and getting up each day, and being able to let your creativity flow is a great feeling. But, taking your dreams and transforming them into a profitable business can feel like a significant step. Having faith in your abilities and channeling your passion into your new venture should help make it a success. If you are ready to make your creative dreams a reality, these ideas should help you start making them happen:
Write a Business Plan
Thinking of your creative outlet in a business-like way can be challenging. However, putting together a business plan is vital to help achieve your dream. The process of writing a business plan is an excellent way to formalize your idea and provides a framework to guide your business from an idea into a fully-formed company.
If you need to seek investment to buy equipment or cover other startup costs, you will need your business plan to show potential investors your idea is viable and profitable.
Create a Website
Creating a website is essential for businesses of all sizes, so getting started on yours early is vital. Having a website provides the perfect platform to showcase your products and for potential customers to learn more about your brand. You may also want to incorporate a shop within your site to allow customers to buy from you directly.
Don’t forget to keep your website up to date so that it is relevant and reflects your latest work.
Use Social Media
Social media is an invaluable tool for creative business owners. If the work you produce is visual, then sharing your products on social media is an excellent way to get them noticed and help you to increase your sales. Creating social media pages specifically for your business is a perfect way to start marketing your products even if you have zero marketing budget. While social media is incredibly effective for promoting products and increasing brand awareness, there can be some negatives. Sometimes your posts may receive unfavorable comments, and in some cases, you could even get blocked by other social media users. Knowing how to tell if someone blocked you on instagram can be helpful, but it is crucial to remember it is usually nothing personal.
Focusing your attention on interacting with your followers and posting engaging content is key to building your brand and nurturing customer relationships.
Final Thoughts
Taking your creativity and transforming this talent into a business is not always easy, but being free to create and in charge of your own company is a liberating experience and makes all the hard work worth the effort.
Launching a local business or a startup is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges and exciting projects of your life. Nonetheless, the competition has never been as fierce as it is today - for brick-and-mortar businesses and online companies alike. Naturally, there are several unique selling points that you could incorporate in your business model or offer to secure a slice of the market.
But, no matter how your product is different from your competitors' offers, branding is still a vital aspect to consider. In fact, studies have shown that over 72% of consumers will pick brands that align with their values - and what other way is there to touch your audience's heart if not with branding and marketing?
Here are a few simple tips to win over the market share you deserve and secure your customers' loyalty.
As we have seen, an increasing number of consumers prefer to use the services and products offered by businesses that align with their personal values. And, as the competition becomes fiercer and issues related to climate and social justice become more prominent, it does not come as a surprise that buyers have adopted these criteria.
Whether you are creating a brand that is sustainable, committed to fighting inequality in the workplace or only using local resources, make sure you communicate what your business is all about!
During your business's first steps, it is easy to get lost in the myriad of tasks and projects that are part of this adventure. You will need to be clear on your marketing strategy, refine your product offer, and keep up with finances, HR, and accounts. However, in all this, it is vital not to lose sight of the reason why your business has come to life! Be clear on your vision and mission statements, and make sure they are visible to everyone around the clock!
Crafting a buyer persona can go a long way - especially if you don't know how to market your product or what your audience is expecting from you. A buyer persona should reflect the ideal customer you wish to welcome into your business - but don't let your bias or desires blind you! A customer persona should come with all the characteristics, traits, and flows that a real customer will have. And don't forget, the more details you include, the clearer the final picture will be!
Businesses have started swapping physical stores for eCommerce sites and online portals - and understandably! Completing transactions online allow business owners to reduce overhead costs, outsource, and create a business that is easily scalable. However, consumers are always looking to find the human touch behind the brand. Sharing your story and the motivations behind your efforts can help you stand out and create long-lasting, genuine relationships.
Having a solid and established online presence has never been so important for all businesses, from local stores to eCommerce ventures. However, everyone has at least a website - how will your business stand out? Ensure to invest in important tools that can increase the visibility of your business online, including SEO, digital marketing, and networking.
When crafting your business's brand, the color and combinations you pick for the logo and marketing can make a difference. You are likely to be using these patterns for years to come - make sure you pick tones and combinations wisely! And, while your personal preferences are important, it is also worth looking into what a specific color might mean for your audience.
Most businesses today rely on digital tools - or they are undergoing their digital transformation. However, it is important not to underestimate the power of offline, physical marketing. Of course, this might not be the best solution for all businesses - but it can certainly work if you wish your business to become a beacon in your community.
However, since offline marketing has been used for centuries, it is vital that you employ the latest strategies. Starting from high-quality prints and designs is vital - click here to know more about how to make your offline marketing stand out.
As we have seen, offline marketing is important - but it can be much more effective when it is coupled with digital marketing. After all, it is much easier for your audience to follow up on something they have seen using their smartphones or laptops - make sure your online presence is as established as it needs to be. And, even more importantly, make sure to show continuity between your online and offline marketing efforts.
From your SEO strategy, which utilizes tools for SEO reporting, to ads campaigns, social media marketing, and influencer marketing, make sure that your brand voice and values are in line with the rest of your efforts.
When launching your new business, it can be tempting to cut corners or use a "do-it-yourself" approach. And, if you are an entrepreneur, the chances are that you wear many hats during the day - and you wear them well!
Nonetheless, there are some aspects of your business that require professional attention. Your logo, being the one aspect that your audience will see and remember, needs to be crafted by experienced designers. This will not only help your logo stand out from the rest, but it can also ensure that your brand will remain relevant, recognizable, and current for years to come.
Establishing and maintaining communication channels with your audience is vital to create long-lasting, valuable relationships. Thus, your communication strategy should be an important part of your marketing campaign and encompass multiple channels.
When communicating with your audience through these channels, make sure to keep the brand voice and message consistent. Whether you have opted for a more serious, humorous, or funny voice tone, stick with it!
No business can thrive - or just survive! - on its own. You can start crafting your network even before the launch, but make sure you continue to grow it throughout your business's life. Important parts of your network should include customers, local businesses, charities, organizations, and governmental bodies.
You can partner with them to improve the life of the local community or donate to important causes. Alternatively, you can encourage corporations or bring to life events by partnering with each other - so both of your customers and their audience can benefit from the initiatives!
There is a lot that your business can do to reduce its impact on the environment and improve the local natural area. Whether that means sourcing only local produce, relying on nearby resources, or reducing waste, there are ways to improve your business's sustainability that can also benefit your operations.
Once you have decided on your sustainability strategy, make sure to keep your audience informed on your efforts. You can do so by publishing regular reports that show the results achieved or investing in cause marketing to make public your cooperation with charitable or non-profit organizations.
As we have seen, the competition for businesses is only getting fiercer - and not only to secure a share of the market. In fact, businesses are also competing to secure the best talents. And, if you have been able to secure the right employees for the project, you should ensure to keep them within your company.
However, this has become increasingly challenging, especially as today's businesses are not only offering high salaries but they are also designing packages that include perks and benefits. After all, it is all about helping your talents create and maintain the right life balance so that they can be happy outside of the office and motivated when at work!
It is easy for employees to feel like they are not part of the company's mission. However, it is vital for a business that every stakeholder is aligned with their values. At the same time, a business's communication efforts always tend to be directed externally towards the audience. While external communication is undeniably vital, it is also important for the business to communicate with its employees and ensure everyone is on board with the mission and vision. Communicating with your employees, introducing a reward program, and ensuring that there are always more chances for further training and self-improvement are essential.
Don't forget to ask them directly what they would like to improve and whether there is a particular role they would like to cover within the business.
For new businesses, it can be challenging to create a brand that is recognizable, trustworthy, and authoritative. One of the best ways to create the right character for your brand is to become a thought leader. Thought leaders are experts in their particular field, and they become a mentor for the audience and other businesses in the sector. Your business can become a thought leader by publishing guides and how-to articles, hosting webinars, and making available training courses. Naturally, internal training is vital to be always up to date with the latest technologies.
Getting seen as a small business can be challenging. There are new businesses entering the market every day. It is important to be kind to competition, stay on top of your game, and understand how to maximize your traffic. If you are a small business owner looking to increase your brand awareness and traffic, here are the best tips.
Outsource your marketing
As a small business owner, you may not be savvy in the marketing department. Thus, it may benefit you if you outsource your marketing. Marketing experts will ensure to help your small business achieve the best results.
There are companies like RSM Marketing will manage your marketing so that you don’t have to. These types of companies take control of your accounts, research how to maximize your customer sales, engage with customers, and more. They will ensure that their service will maximize your business, increase its brand awareness, and attract more customers. More readers and followers will turn into customers for your small business, which will help you achieve greater profit and success.
Have a niche
Having a niche in the business world will help attract more loyal customers. However, it can also attract new customers too. A niche will make your business unique and different to the rest. A niche is a tool to help your start-up stand out and to increase brand awareness.
Being a niche business will also show that you are an expert in your field. Customers will trust someone who is passionate about a specific product or service. It will show that you have a clear and meaningful purpose too, which will make you stand out.
Never copy competition
On a similar note, it will also help to never copy your competition. If you copy others, then you will never stand out. Instead, you will blend in.
Let’s say that you are a card making company. When special occasions occur such as Christmas, most companies increase their prices. Instead, you could drop your prices. It will help you stand out and get seen and appreciated by more people.
Create a customer challenge
Everyone loves a challenge. Most people love to win. Thus, if you offer customers a challenge and offer a prize in return, they will likely want to be a part of it.
A challenge could be as simple as finishing the biggest meal you offer at your cafe twice. If a person manages it then they could win a voucher or anything else you can offer. A challenge will spread around the town and among friends, which will increase the number of people that know your small business.
Share advice for free
If you offer something for free to a customer, then they will likely want it. You could offer free advice through videos, social media posts, or a blog. These are all free to create, so they won’t put you out of pocket.
Free advice will show your customer that you are not all about money and appreciate their time.
The advice could be a secret that you have learned, which people will want to know about. You may be a cleaning business and found a new hack that will change people’s lives. This will pique a customer’s interest and lure customers in.
Ask for customer feedback
Asking customers for feedback is a simple marketing tool. You can share these reviews on your website and social media. When new customers see good reviews, it will likely increase their interest in using your business over others.
In return for customer feedback, you could offer a freebie or a small discount. This will encourage them to leave a more extensive and personal review, which will look great for your small business. If they also have any quick queries, it's best to have a virtual receptionist who knows how to handle and answer them professionally.
Host an event
No matter if you have an office space or not, it will benefit your business by hosting an event. You could ask locals residents as well as businesses, which will help increase your customer base and business network.
An event is a great excuse to get to know people and promote your business.
If you don’t have a business space, then you could always rent somewhere. An online event could work too. However, an in-person event will help you build stronger connections.
Team up
Teaming up with other businesses will help put your name out there to new customers. You could partner with another local small business that will allow you both to benefit. For instance, you may be a baker and parenting with a local coffee shop will put your name out there to their customers. You might attract new customers for occasion cakes and bakes, which will maximize profit and increase the customer base.
Alternatively, you could team up with bloggers and online content creators. Asking them to promote your business in return for a gifted product will promote your business to their followers. If you do decide to team up with an online figure, it will benefit you more if they align with your brand.
Increase your SEO
Your website search engine optimization (SEO) will boost your traffic. Increasing your website’s SEO will mean that your website is listed higher up in the search engine, which will promote your site to more people.
Increasing your SEO is simple with these steps:
To get your small business seen by more people, use these top tips. It could be as simple as teaming up with businesses, hosting an event, or being niche and unique. When you stand out and offer customer’s something different, it will make your brand attractive.
Here's the full-length parody from Season 6 Episode 2 - How to find a profitable niche.
How can you use the Creative Freedom Business Model equation to help you find your niche - even if you don't have a lot of data to determine if your niche is profitable yet? Find out when you tune in to Season 6 Episode 2 of the Creative freedom Show!
The podcast takes a deep-dive look at Katy and Shania Twain to show you how to carve out your own profitable niche in your industry. BOTH of them came from a musical world that was different than the one they ended up in. It required a little patience and courage to make the jump... and it made all the difference.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"There are worse things I could do than niching" is a parody of "There are worse things I could do", originally recorded by Stockard Channing for the movie Grease. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
As an entrepreneur, your business' profitability is your primary goal. Staying ahead of the competition is ideal for promoting your businesses' longevity.
Increasing your businesses' efficiency is essential in outsmarting the competition. More so, improved efficiency makes it easier to meet your clients' demands and preferences.
In addition, your workforce represents one of the highest expenditures for your company. Investing in your staff, therefore, is ideal for increasing productivity.
Running a business is coupled with many challenges; it is crucial that your business is able to handle the drawback and instantly jump back to viability. In addition, advancements in technology have made it easier for companies to respond to the growing demand for supply.
For your business to be successful, you need to set clear goals and strategies that will streamline your processes to maximum profitability. For most small businesses, saving costs is an ideal strategy to operate under. You get to orient your operations around a cost-saving measure without affecting your output capacity.
Aside from cutting costs, there are other measures you can take up to elevate your business to the level it needs to be. Below are a few tips to get you started:
As an entrepreneur, you must have done your homework and identified the right machinery and processes for your operation. You might have also learned that highly efficient machinery also translates to a high cost of investment.
You must pick on the right machinery that will adequately address your company's needs. If you are running a small business, leasing your equipment may prove to be significantly cheaper compared to buying.
It would be best if you also considered whether buying the machinery is a long-term investment or not. Depending on your business, the type of machinery you select will significantly impact your business.
It would be vital to identify machinery that addresses your needs and includes cost-saving measures such as green technology.
The future is tech. A significant way to increase the efficiency of your business is through automation. In addition, the use of tech in your business is inexpensive compared to human labor.
Use of Business Process Automation replicates human labor with tech in managing repetitive, high-volume, and time-consuming tasks. For instance, a packaging machine can pack 16 bags a second compared to human work, which lies at a lower rate.
Investing in technology can increase the cost of the investment; however, the rewards are remarkable. With improved efficiency, you can return the cost of your investment sooner.
Your workforce is your greatest asset. Without them, there is no production, and neither is there profit. Therefore, investing in your employees is ideal in building their skills and knowledge relevant to running your business operations.
Including training programs can significantly boost your employee's productivity and growth as well.
With the ongoing pandemic, some businesses have adopted remote working strategies to protect their employees. However, it would be best to also invest in your employees' health and well-being as they work from home. In fact, if they feel sickly, you can recommend them to avail their medicines online on pharmacies like the Canadian Pharmacy.
The presence of digital apps can help your employees monitor their health. You can use this as a way of incentivizing your staff to stay healthy, as Dee Agarwal explains.
Remember, a healthy workforce translates to more productivity.
The world is dynamic, and every day you are faced with changes. Therefore, your business should adopt a flexible approach to how it runs.
You must review your processes on an annual basis to determine what works and what doesn't. A review of your operation can also help identify gaps that could be the leading cause of losses in your business.
You can view your business from the perspective of a potential investor and map out areas you need to improve. Using an external party for the review is essential to get a non-bias view.
One of the leading car manufacturing companies, Toyota, embraces the use of Kaizen to ensure maximum productivity for their worksites. Kaizen is a lean management strategy that focuses on reduced waste, high efficiency, and maximum productivity.
With lean management strategies, you can align your business goals with your operation. It then becomes easier to communicate your goals and expectations to all your employees.
Such strategies will also help improve safety for your business, which translates to cost savings.
Finally, running a business means you get to experience a myriad of challenges. You can make use of these challenges as learning points to further improve your business. Rome was not built in one day; neither will your business. Therefore, it is essential to stay positive and maintain a glass-half-full perspective.
As a result of the COVID pandemic, the shift towards working remotely was greatly accelerated. More employees are working from home and this has further increased the demand for VPNs. The market is flooded with many VPNs that come with different features, making it difficult to decide the best VPN to use.
However, when you develop a good IT strategy for your home-based business, you need to ensure that using a VPN is part of this, and so you need to take the time and make the effort to find the right one for you but first, you need to know what is a vpn? Of course, a VPN is not going to be enough on its own, but it is certainly one of the first things you can do to make sure that you have a good line of defense when you are using the Internet from home.
With that being said, below, we are going to take a look at VPNs in further detail. We will provide you with some great information on what VPNs are and the advantages that are associated with them so that you can get a better understanding.
How do VPNs work?
Despite having numerous VPN providers in the market today, all virtual private networks work in a similar fashion.
A VPN can be defined as a software-based tool that delivers an end-to-end tunnel that is encrypted and runs between your connected devices and a VPN server. In simple terms, the VPN redirects your internet traffic away from the servers of your local internet service provider (ISP) and through its own.
Incoming and outgoing web traffic within the VPN channel is encrypted at all times. Encryption ensures that your activity online is hidden and it’s therefore impossible to track your footprint. In addition, a VPN hides your internet protocol (IP) address. To that end, government agencies, companies, cybercriminals, internet service providers like EATEL Business, and other third parties are not susceptible to hackers. For businesses, it's also good to add another layer of protection such as a dedicated server (view Venyu to know more) to avoid losing important data.
VPNs act as useful security and privacy tools. Using a VPN, your local location is automatically changed and as a result, you bypass local restrictions to certain websites and unblock content that typically isn’t available in your country. This is possible since VPN services are connected to worldwide servers. VPNs are great for streaming due to their ability to bypass local restrictions.
How do you get blocked from accessing some websites? Websites determine your location based on your local IP address and block access accordingly. Changing your IP address to that of another region makes it possible for you to access websites that could be blocked at your present location.
Advantages of using a virtual private network (VPN)
In addition to the obvious advantages mentioned above; online anonymity and access to blocked content, VPNs have other numerous advantages.
VPN allows you to use Public Wi-Fi Safely
Public Wi-Fi networks often lack stringent security features and are often used by cybercriminals to intercept data and information of innocent users. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic allowing you to access public Wi-Fi networks safely. If you use public Wi-Fi often whether it’s in coffee shops, public parks, or public transit, you should consider getting yourself a VPN.
Compatibility on Multiple Devices
Most VPNs allow you to connect various devices at a time with a single account. Since VPNs work on most desktop and mobile platforms, you can secure your devices including your laptop, game consoles, smart TV, and mobile phone. This is quite convenient considering the prevalence of data theft.
Averts Bandwidth Throttling by your ISP
When using large amounts of data at a time, your internet service provider (ISP) deliberately throttles or slows down your bandwidth to keep track of your online activities. Using a VPN prevents bandwidth throttling and invasive monitoring from your internet service provider.
Bypass Restrictive Firewalls
You may have noticed by now that there are some websites, you’re not able to access either at school or work. It is common for the IT departments of these institutions to set up a firewall in compliance with the rules and policies of the institution. These include blocking users from various websites including social media and other activities such as streaming and torrenting. Connecting to a VPN allows you to bypass the firewall restrictions and access these sites.
Gaming
Are you a fan of online gaming? Using VPNs while gaming online has plenty of advantages. Since VPNs hide your IP address and encrypt your data, you can play from any geographical location of your choosing. Even better, you can download games that are yet to be released in your country. If you're currently playing at a comfortable spot but is far from the router, utilizing the best wifi extender for gamers ensures that you won't suffer from lag or crash issues in-game.
Using a VPN while gaming online also protects you against DDoS attacks from deceitful players. It is also common to get unfair bans on your IP address while gaming online and VPNs come in handy. Make sure also that you are equipped with gaming accessories like Playstation 4 controller for a good gaming experience.
Accessing Great Deals Online
One significant yet understated advantage of working with VPNs is the ability to access better deals online whether it’s from online stores or companies. Price discrimination based on your geographical location and internet activity is a reality. For example, airline companies use your location and online activity based on cookies to determine prices.
A VPN allows you to switch between different servers and browse from different locations making it possible for you to find better deals. Before going to any website, we recommend that you clear website cookies; otherwise, you’ll still be exposed to price discrimination since companies can still recognize your device.
So there you have it: everything you need to know about using a VPN and the different benefits that are associated with this. We hope that this has helped you to get a better understanding of why a VPN is important and what sort of benefits you can gain from having one installed. There is no denying that we all need to do everything in our power to make sure that we protect ourselves from hackers and that we browse the Internet securely when working from home. Call for computer repair services in Cambridge to set it up for you.
As part of Season 6 of Creative Freedom, we decided to take our parodies to a new level. Here's the full-length parody from Episode 1.
How do you build a business that lets you stay true to yourself - you know, without selling out? That's what Season 6 Episode 1 of the Creative freedom Show is all about!
T.A.D.A. is an acronym we developed to help you listen to what's really on your heart and bring yourself and your business into alignment (or back into alignment) with what's true for you. Check out the show episode to learn more.
Special thanks to our Patrons for your continued support.
"Be True to Yourself" is a parody of "Be Good to Yourself", originally recorded by Journey. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
Finances are an important part of your life. Business, too. It's one of our 5 Key Areas of Success. Understanding and navigating finances is one of the core business management skills. It is a struggle, if not impossible, to keep up with the growth and operations of your business when you do not have accurate financial data to run with.
You will find that most businesses with significant growth and expansion plans have their finances sorted. It would help if you also took a keen interest in how money changes hands to increase your profitability.
Investigate various expenses and income in your firm to ensure that every penny is accounted for in your books. If you choose to outsource your accounting department, ensure you periodically request a report to ascertain and understand your company’s financial position. Understand the ins and outs of the finances to guide you in making wise financial decisions for your company. It is not easy to decide without sufficient information on your firm’s financial position.
Here are some of the key areas to look into before making critical business decisions:
Your product’s success will depend on the marketing techniques you employ. You may have a smart and economical strategy of engaging your expected customer base, but you go easy on the implementation. In turn, the campaign will have little or no impact on your financial status.
Investigate the impact that your decision will have on the product’s marketing. Will it have a positive or negative impact on the campaign and eventual sales? The answer to this question will adequately guide you in your decision by weighing the risks and opportunities at hand.
It is expected that your firm will always have up to date financial records that will give an instant overview of the company's performance against the expected standards and also the competitors. To make financial recording and analysis simpler, numerous applications, both mobile and PC, help companies keep track of sales and expenditure.
Companies have embraced mobile payment apps like expenditure trackers, which is quite beneficial for the business owner. Though mobile credit card processing was quite cumbersome initially, the continual and perfected use of the systems has proven its importance in the financial sector. The seamless transactions resulting from these applications and software have only raised the standards in financial management.
Therefore, when making financial decisions consider the type of technology you use in your company. With such sturdy systems in place, it will be such a shame to have them go down the drain.
Every business will have its interpretation of financial security. For some it's growth, for others, it's stability.
Either way, working towards financial security should be your goal. Hence, any decision that will jeopardize your company’s future cannot be considered in any business conversation. However much the deal may seem quite convincing, anchor your thoughts and decision on your financial security goal. But you can decide to take meaningful risks that can pay off. Always remember, do not put your eggs in one basket lest you lose everything.
But you can decide to take meaningful risks that can pay off. Always remember, do not put your eggs in one basket lest you lose everything. As a business owner, analyzing and staying up to date with the trends of the Brent Crude Chart can be beneficial in helping you manage new investments and increase your company's financial growth. By utilizing the valuations of both global and regional oil markets, you can accurately inform decisions on whether to buy or sell. Depending on the current supply, demand, and market liquidity, Brent Crude prices can vary drastically. Although it’s important to understand this chart before making investment decisions, consulting with a financial advisor or regularly researching data is paramount in successfully utilizing this resource to its fullest potential and ensuring that your company is growing financial instability and with the minimum risk.
Financial decisions are quite delicate and involving. Take a good hard look at your company's journey, and you bet you will make a wise move for your company. These three sectors will help you in narrowing down your options.
Crowdfunding is a popular route for businesses that need to raise money these days. Relying on a large pool of small investors that are passionate about your idea is often more attractive than pitching to single investors, especially if you are a creative business with a clear vision. However, there are two sides to this conversation that you should consider before you decide to go down this route. Let's look at them now.
If you are looking to get hold of some funding quickly because your business is growing and you need to invest in it, crowdfunding is an excellent choice. Most crowdfunding sites allow you to collect pledges for a certain amount of time (from a few weeks to a few months). You get to set the time limit on the campaign, so you can raise capital relatively quickly. Plus, while there are transaction fees at the close of the campaign, you don’t have any upfront fees to pay. You'll know well before the fund are distributed exactly how much money you'll be getting from your campaign.
What if you don't raise enough funds? On many platforms you can decide to select an "all or nothing" campaign where the funds are only collected if and when you hit a funding goal. If you fall short, it doesn't cost you (or your pledges) a thing. That way, you're not stuck having to deliver something when you didn't raise enough money in the first place. It's a valuable safety net when you're taking a big risk and trying something new.
When you are starting a business, it’s important that you don’t compromise your values. Unfortunately, investors with a large stake in the business may want to exercise more influence or control over the direction of your projects. Many business incubators have an end goal of selling your company, and that may not be what you want (that's not how we do things in the Creative Freedom Incubator, by the way!). It’s never good when partners clash, especially in a creative business. And don't be fooled, that's exactly what investors are - partners in your company. With crowdfunding, however, people are pledging money for future delivery of a product or to otherwise show support for your project idea. They have zero ownership interest and you maintain full control of your project from start to finish... whatever "finish" looks like for you.
Rocketbook, a well-established business, often launches new products to their existing audience through a crowdfunding campaign. By generating a lot of early orders from their existing support base, their campaigns get a lot more visibility on the crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding campaigns that catch people's attention often go viral. That means exposure to a huge number of potential new customers. Using a Wefunder marketing company to help you promote the campaign increases the chances of success and also helps you capitalize on that marketing opportunity. These kinds of companies can run ads on social media to help draw even more attention and potential investors to your crowdfunding campaign. You don’t get that kind of publicity when you take out a loan!
Although crowdfunding is a good way to get funding quickly, it’s all dependent on your success. The problem is, there are a lot of people out there with their own crowdfunding campaigns and it can be difficult to cut through the noise. Some sites even vet their submissions and may reject your campaign if they don't think it's a good fit for their platform.
Then there's the fact that the campaigns that do the best are generally launched by folks who already have an audience of their own. This is a particular problem for newer creative businesses because there are so many exciting projects out there that already have some traction. It can be challenging to break through the noise or compete with campaigns whose founders already have thousands of followers (and backers). However, it also depends on your budget. If you're not trying to garner millions, or if you work with a crowdfunding marketing agency and create promotional materials that really communicate your vision, it is still possible to get the money you need.
According to Crowdfund Insider, Kickstarter campaigns in 2013 had an overall success rate of only 44 percent, while Indiegogo success rates were roughly a quarter of that. The numbers have likely improved since then, but that's still a lot of failed campaigns!
If you opt for an all-or-nothing campaign (which is all you can do on Kickstarter) and your crowdfunding campaign fails, the money that was pledged is returned to your backers. That kind of disappointment can sometimes do damage your brand. Managing expectations during the campaign can help avoid this, but disappointed buyers often don't return to buy again.
Many people find themselves in a difficult situation because they put their ideas up on crowdfunding sites without first filing for patent or copyright protection. Intellectual property theft is a possibility anytime you share an idea, though not all ideas are worth stealing. And copyright law is complex. So even if you've filed the proper protections in your home country, there may be less scrupulous folks on the other side of the world eagerly gobbling up your great ideas. Don't let that dissuade you, though. It doesn't happen a lot, and a good attorney is worth the investment.
The answer is that it depends. If you've got an idea that's great for the masses and you can break through the noise on one of the major crowdfunding platforms, then yeah. Go for it. If you're a smaller operation, just getting started, and you can launch your project no matter how many backers you get, then it makes sense to use the platform to attract some new backers, but don't expect miracles. In my own experience, however, the campaigns that get the best results are usually from folks who already have a massive audience to support it or the budget to attract enough new backers to make it worth their while. If you're not in that camp, you're better off continuing to do things a more organic way and save the crowdfunding for your next project.
Need support getting your business profitable and sustainable? Pick up a copy of my book - Creative Freedom: How to own your dreams without selling your soul - and learn what it really takes!
If you run a creative business, your venture is likely built on a passion for what you do. Many creative entrepreneurs launch their companies to escape the constraints of being managed by a boss or to enable themselves to enjoy the freedom of not answering to anyone but themselves. Becoming your own boss and being in charge of a company of your own is a liberating experience. Being able to call all the shots and decide on the direction your work should take does bring a lot of freedom into your work life. But, one thing you may find challenging is finding a balance between your company's creative side and the business side. Here we will examine how you can run a successful business without it stifling your creativity; here are some tips to inspire you:
Getting caught up in the corporate nature of running a business can take its toll on your creativity. When you feel that the work involved in running a business is getting too much, you may find it helpful to reconnect with the values that inspired you to go it alone in the first place. Reminding yourself why you love to be creative, and the inspiration behind launching your business is an excellent way to regain your focus and ensure you are staying true to your business' values.
Even Fusion Creatives - who are good at a lot of things - aren't great at everything. If you want to do your best work, you need to stay focused on your best work. That means letting go of the stuff that's outside your zone of competence and even your zone of excellence, so that you can focus on your zone of genius. You may not be able to delegate everything right off the bat, but you can start somewhere. Which brings me to the next point...
Whether you are struggling to stay up to date with admin, or you feel overwhelmed every time you think about your tax return, there are many aspects of running a business many entrepreneurs dread. If you are starting to feel like more time is spent on answering the phone or chasing invoices, you may think too much of your time is spent on these areas and not enough on completing work.
If you find yourself facing a situation where all the extra tasks that go into running a business are taking so long you have very little time left to work; you may want to bring in some external help. Whether you get help from a virtual assistant to handle your phone calls or use the services of a sage accounting expert or a tax pro to help with your finances, having professional support can take a vast weight off your shoulders. With these pressures removed, you will be free to get back to doing what you do best and focus on producing work that your customers love.
Being in charge of a thriving business is a significant achievement, but there is no doubt that it can be incredibly tiring. When you feel tired and stressed and still have more work to complete, you may feel stifled, and your creativity may stop flowing. To ensure you stay creative and don't burn out, it is vital to take regular breaks. Time away from your desk is an excellent way to increase your productivity and ensure your creativity is free to flow without stress getting in the way.
Breaks aren't just for lunch time. Vacations are an important tool to step away from your work and get reinvigorated, re-inspired, and even find new sources of creative inspiration. That way, when you come back to your work, you're refreshed and ready to see things with a new perspective.
Building a business the first time around can be challenging, but turning a struggling one around could even be more daunting if you don’t do it right. According to Investopedia, although 45% of businesses fail in the first five years, less than half of that percentage actually make a comeback or turn things around.
2% feels like awful odds, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you've managed to ride out the pandemic, but are still struggling to keep everything together, here's where I suggest you start.
As a certified Fix This Next advisor, I work with my clients to help them "find their fix" - which is a fun way of saying we look at what the REAL problem is in the business. We use the Business Hierarchy of Needs as a way to pinpoint what the exact problem of the business is, but it's usually inadequate lead generation, poor profitability, or inadequate organizational support.
Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. That's when you need an outside set of eyes to take a look at your business and help you see what you may not be able to because you're just too close to it. The only way you can develop an appropriate strategy is by having a clear picture of what’s wrong and what you need to do to check the problem.
Your website is the digital or online face of your business and plays a vital role in how others perceive your establishment. Unfortunately, though, when companies begin to struggle, it impacts negatively on online platforms as well. By refreshing or redesigning your business' website, you create an opportunity to rebrand and attract your target market to the new outlook. There are easy to used and reliable web builders, such as JAMstack, and others that help your team build sites that are well-structured and enhance performance.
Keep in mind that customers are often attracted to new businesses to see their products and services. Even though yours may not be necessarily new, a revamped website creates a fresh impression and gives you the lifeline to garner trust from your old and new customer base. Additionally, giving your online platforms a facelift can progress into implementing new marketing activities, especially when you're dealing with a business downturn.
Regarding your social media platforms, it’s best to find creative ways to re-engage your followers. Post new and interactive content that suits your demographics perfectly. It can be a unique and well-edited video that speaks to the positive change happening within the business. Be as candid as possible without resorting to gimmicks that your followers can discern. It’s essential to remain authentic and inspiring without exaggerating your brand story.
This strategy is primarily aimed at your customers. There's nothing worse than tone-deaf marketing and PR. Find ways you can add value to your customers without necessarily affecting revenue.
Additionally, you might consider hiring (sponsoring) an up-and-coming influencer who is gaining traction on social media. That will cost you less than an already established influencer who may charge an arm and a leg. Referral systems are also a great way to boost your business activities.
More importantly, increase your business' publicity on websites with massive traffic but charge less. For example, The LaughingSquid and Startup Curated have an expansive reach yet don’t charge much for ad slots.
I've said it many times before: you train people how to treat you. That includes your employees. They can make or break your business, so it pays to treat them well! It helps to see your staff as your internal customers who drive the business with you.
As you turn your struggling business around, you’ll likely experiment with several strategies to arrive at the desired outcome. Do what you can as you are able, and if it ain't working, don't be afraid to let it go. Your business can't survive if it's more important to you to keep doing things in the old ways that simply don't work.
Operating a business of your own, paying overhead, salaries (including paying yourself!), taxes, etc. can be stressful. When you're new in business, you've got to make every penny count. The number one goal of any business in startup is to get out of Early Struggle before you run out of resources.
That means finding enough buyers for your offers at a price that keeps you profitable and sustainable. Sound easy, but it rarely is. Here are 4 tools that give your fledgling business the ability to stay afloat. Some may be more obvious than others, but they're all a solid investment in your start-up creative venture.
When you consider starting up your business, you should know who your best buyers are. This means you should start with some research, find customer trends and overall marketing strategies. When you understand what your audience responds to best, you can focus on the marketing techniques that work instead of throwing spaghetti on the wall. Your market research is vital, as it’s the cornerstone of your business. A tool like Google Trends can give you an idea of what your potential buyers are searching for online. Here in the states, you may even be able to deduct your market research expenses as part of your start-up costs before you even launch the business. Check with your tax professional for specifics.
Well, it will if you're diligent about your spending. Gone are the days when you can plow your start-up investment in fancy Aeron chairs or expensive office decor. Money is like a runway. The more you have, the longer you can go before lift off. Every penny (as much as feasible) needs to be focused on getting out of Early Struggle before you run out of cash. You may not have a lot of cash starting out, if you're like most creatives I've met, and it may not make sense for you to seek out things like consumer products venture capital or angel investors. Still, securing sufficient funding for your business - even if it's a small business loan - can give your business better odds to be successful.
Unless you're running some super-secret, clandestine operation that you don't want anyone to know about, you pretty much need some kind of online presence. As younger generations gain more buying power, online transacting will keep rising. There are several great website builders that don't cost a thing. My first website was DIY all the way. It wasn't until I'd been online for over a decade before I hired someone to design a site for me. You don't need anything flashy when you're starting out. Plus, there are thousands of website plugins to give the best user experience on this platform. You can also create social media pages to get the word out that your company is open for business.
While a website may be free, you'll need to invest in marketing in order to reach new markets. Whether that's posting on social media or investing in advertising, there is a hard cost and a time cost that you need to budget into your marketing plan. Here are two examples:
SEO is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic using organic search results from Google. It's a "long game" marketing tactic, so don't expect instant results. You're setting up the text on your website to include specific keywords and phrases that your target audience might be looking for when they search online. Over time, Google and other search engines will start finding your content and, because you've used the targeted key words, you'll be seen as "relevant", which helps your website to rank higher in the search listings. There was a time when I ranked number one for the term "coolest girl on the planet", but that was long before the 2017 pop song that now ranks in the top spot.
That said, ranking highly in the search engines isn't just about SEO. Other aspects of your website, like responsiveness and whether it’s mobile-friendly or not can also play a role in how Google ranks your site.
Advertising is a more "instant" way to drive traffic to your online presence. Much like Facebook ads, Google ads, or other online pay-per-action advertising, you bid against competitors for the top ad placements. You can start for relatively little money and only pay when someone clicks (or whatever action it is you want them to take). This can be a quicker way to attract a new audience than waiting for SEO to kick in. However, you still need a budget that includes time to test your ads because very few ads are winners right out of the gate.
Whether you're bootstrapping everything with more time than money, or you've got a budget to help speed things along, you're going to need every advantage you can possibly get to give your business as much "runway" as possible. Stay focused, keep doing the work to get out of Early Struggle, and you'll be one of the start-up success stories!
This week we’re going to focus on brand visibility, but not until I tell you a story about Marvin the rooster. That’s right, a neighbor’s stray rooster is going to teach the importance of brand visibility for your company.
After the recent storms in Mississippi, Marvin has been seen strolling up and down our quiet neighborhood street, stopping traffic, blocking our driveway, and waking me up with his obnoxious crowing at 3am every day this week.
I always know where he is because he’s got an unmistakable sound. There’s another rooster somewhere else in the neighborhood who doesn’t crow nearly as often, and I can tell them apart.
Yes, Marvin has branded himself, and it feels like he is EVERYWHERE in my life right now. I can’t get away from him. Even when I chase him off, he’s right back a few hours later.
So... how do we grow brand awareness as a creative entrepreneur? It’s all about showing up consistently to your target audience and having a great logo that draws people in and creates an impact.
As I mentioned in my last episode, consistency and frequency are not always the same thing. No, you can’t just post one youtube video and call it a day - but you don’t have to post multiple times a day either.
It really boils down to finding a rhythm you can commit to for a while, mapping out your visibility strategy - and yes, we’ve got a downloadable in the Rising Tide Learning Library to help you with that.
This episode walks you through finding a rhythm you can commit to for a while and mapping out your visibility strategy.
Check out the show to get started.
Inside this episode, we're talking about:
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"How I'll Remind You" is a parody of "How You Remind Me", originally recorded by Nickelback. Parody lyrics by Lisa Robbin Young.
Theme music: “Welcome to the Show” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Music licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Regardless of what sort of business you run, what sort of ethic you want to embody, or the relative quality of the product or service you are providing, you need ways to stand out and be seen in the marketplace. Marketing is a must for every business, in one form or another.
Over the last decade, we've seen a huge shift for every industry into online marketing – whether through guest posts, social media, podcasts, videos, email, or any number of other means. While there's a hard cost to creating your marketing content, online marketing (except for paid advertising), is essentially free marketing.
That's great for folks with no budget, but it also means competition is fierce. Any time a barrier to entry is low, more people can enter the arena. On the plus side, that helps level the playing field, create more accessibility for marketers, and also created more choices for your potential clients.
The problem, though, is that there's a LOT more noise to cut through in order to be seen.
So how do you cut through the noise? You zig when they zag. If you've got the budget, it's time to explore offline (non-digital) marketing. I'm not just talking things like pens, cups, and t-shirts (though they are still incredibly effective). I'm talking about any way to market to your Raving Fans using offline methods.
Every year for my client retreat, we use non-digital marketing in the form of "swag" to remind our attendees about who we are, what we're about, and how happy we are to have them in our world. Last year, it was an "easy" button pre-loaded with some of my most common sayings. Like "If it's not scheduled, it's stressful" and "It can be easy." The year before that it was a "magic paintbrush" to remind them of what I say all the time - that they have the power to create their business in the way that works for them.
We're also exploring ways to reach more of our audience through non-digital means, including a live event in New Orleans in 2022, a merchandise line, and a new book. There are unique benefits to going non-digital. Here are a few:
Consistently, research finds that when people interact face-to-face with another human being, they are far more engaged with the experience – and remember far more about it, as a rule – than when they are simply absorbing content via the web.
Online marketing can be extremely sophisticated - like segmented emails and targeted ads. Digital marketing also allows you to achieve all sorts of great things remotely. Online events and digital classrooms have been a very important part of navigating the pandemic. Still, human beings inevitably relate most strongly to other people in a more direct context.
Direct offline marketing like networking groups, live events, and trade fairs allow you to get in-person and memorable with visuals and props that don't translate to the online world. There's an entire industry devoted to custom trade show booth manufacturers that build creative and innovative ways to engage with event attendees. There are also companies that specialize in corporate and client gifts to help you make a deeper connection with the people who make the biggest difference in your business.
While email isn't dead, it's getting harder to attract subscribers and keep them for the long haul. That's both good and bad. It's good because it ensures that your subscribers actually WANT to be in your world. It's bad because it means you have to put in more effort to attract those subscribers in the first place. The online world is getting savvier every year. People see through those "just pay for shipping" funnels that try to upsell you to a $500 offer. They opt in and then immediately unsubscribe. Unless there is something particularly sharp and attention grabbing, people just don't have the mental and emotional bandwidth to filter more marketing.
But offline marketing – like direct mail – is still memorable because of the relative scarcity and novelty. "Lumpy mail" has never gone out of style. People still respond to it. It's not free, though, so you've got to have a budget in order for it to be effective. But even a hand-written post card or birthday card can be a powerful touchpoint with your best clients and an affordable way to market.
You will definitely stand out! For last year's retreat I had to mail their swag boxes ahead of the event, so I put a "do not open until" message on the box. The anticipation and excitement was something that I couldn't begin to create in a virtual-only kind of event. A colleague of mine got a birthday card from one of her business partners that featured a picture of her horse on the cover. She STILL has that card on her bookshelf and thinks of that partner every time she looks at that picture.
The more you go for non-conventional marketing approaches (online or off), the more creative you can be. One side effect of this is that you may well have more fun with the marketing process. The more you actually enjoy your marketing campaigns, the more likely you are to be compelling, charismatic, fun, and give off a positive energy to those you interact with. That's attractive, effective marketing.
You can even hire a design pro to help you create custom "swag" for your audience. My friend and client Tracy Lay over at Digivisual Design is a brilliant creative strategist, and my own husband, Jim, is a Grammy-nominated music packaging designer.
Is it free? Nope. But is it worth the investment? When your creativity is aligned with your audience, the answer is yes... every single time.
As we roll into the content marketing episodes of this season of Creative Freedom, you're going to see that there are many different elements that help you create a strong online presence for your business. From your website’s design to your use of social media, your marketing strategy includes a variety of tactics and elements that work in harmony to increase your visibility and build your credibility. As we hone in on your content marketing strategy, you'll hear me talk about a couple of important considerations.
Consistency matters when it comes to your online presence. If you add three blog posts to your website one week and then you go AWOL for a month, your readers will lose interest and forget about you.
That said, consistency and frequency are not the same thing. Rather than post three articles in a single week, it's better to stock pile them and schedule them to go out once a week, or even every other week, in order to have a more consistent presence. Same amount of work, but MUCH better consistency from your reader's perspective.
Consistency is about helping your audience know what to expect. As I've said MANY times before: You train people how to treat you, based on what they've come to expect from you and what you've come to accept from them. If you train them to expect you to post every day and then you disappear for a couple of months, they're not going to know what hit them.
To be clear: taking a creative hiatus is cool, so long as you set the expectation with your audience. Don't leave them hanging.
There's a time and a place for curating the voices and work of others, but if all you never create anything original, that makes it hard for your audience to build that all important Know, Like, and Trust Factor with you.
I know: it's not always easy to create original content. Sometimes it feels like it's all been done before! However, you are the only YOU in the world, and that means you can always cover a topic and give it your own fresh angle. That's actually how I got started building my credibility online. I'd critique or provide my own commentary on someone else's work to give more depth, a different viewpoint, or add something they may have missed.
That's a fair approach if you're a writer, but what about musicians, artists, and other creative types? Remix! Take something that's been done before and put your own unique spin on it! That's what I do every time I record a cover tune for one of my albums. No one had popularized a jazz/blues version of Aerosmith's Dream On, so I did. Same song, and yet, completely different.
Creating fresh, unique, and engaging content is imperative if you want to make sure that your business stands out from the competition for all of the right reasons. You don't have to create EPIC content all the time, but you do need to be unique.
Don't underestimate the power of SEO on any content you share. Here's a checklist of SEO best practices to help guide you. Some of these only apply to writing, but hash tags, captions, and content descriptions also have SEO value that helps get your content found.
You don't need to go overboard, spending hours obsessing over your keywords. If you're writing about a particular topic, make sure you're using those topic words more than once in your posts. As an example, this post is about content and content marketing, and those words appear several times in this post!
Finding the right keywords and adding links correctly can be tricky. We recommend that you look at using a professional SEO agency to help you here and guarantee that you don’t accidentally end up slipping into some blackhat tactics.
Also, if you're blogging - or any place where you can include hyperlinks, remember that the use of both internal links (links to other pages within your site) and external links (links to OTHER credible websites) can also help boost your site authority, which helps your content get found.
Sure, there are a lot of different elements that need to be considered when it comes to putting together the perfect content strategy for your business. It takes effort to ensure that you are using content effectively, but when you're benefitting from all that visibility, it somehow makes it worth it.
Enroll in the Creative Freedom Incubator and get the hands-on support your business needs! Enrollment is now open!
Websites are both easy and hard to create these days. Sure, it’s simple to sign up for a web building service and "have a website" in just a few clicks, but that doesn’t always make for a good website. Even if you hire a web designer like my brilliant friend, Tracy, you'll only end up with a Stepford Website if you don't include the elements that make your site truly effective for your business.
So in this post, we’re going to explore what’s really important for a website and how you can start pulling in more visitors.
Source: Unsplash (CC0)
One of the biggest reasons why people won’t visit your website is because they don't recognize the value you offer them. A store has value because it sells products. A blog has value because the opinions within it attract readers. There are loads of reasons why people might visit a website, but if you don’t have a reason or if there’s nothing on your website that people would want to see, then it’s not going to get views. It’s really that simple.
So how can you add value to your website? For starters, fixing your content can be a good way to get more people to visit your website. Your content might not be relevant to current trends, or maybe your content isn’t very well organized which means it’s hard for people to find anything of value in your web pages. Alternatively, it could just be that nobody is hearing your opinion because your voice isn't being heard in the marketplace. Anyone can start a blog, but getting people to actually care about what you have to write takes patience, persistence, and a willingness to show up consistently to share your voice.
You could try different types of media. We have a podcast, blog, and YouTube videos. You could invest more of your dedicated social media time in engaging with people and having discussions - you know, being "SOCIAL". You can even partner with other creatives and cross-promote each other. There are lots of ways to grow your reach and there are many platforms to make it easier.
You may also want to consider how you structure your content. The right keywords help you get found for the topics that matter most to your audience. Good search engine optimization can help you get noticed on Google and by other search engines. Your use of keywords and the way you structure your sentences can have a huge impact on how easy or difficult it is for people to find your website.
This has been a problem for me, on and off, over the years. When I launch a new site, everything feels perfect inthe navigation, but then I create new things, launch new offers, and now I want to put EVERYTHING in my navigation.
Whoa there! That won't work because a confused mind always says 'NO!'
Even if you have a lot of great content on your website, navigation can become an issue if you’re not thinking smartly about how people browse your website. Website navigation practices are important to learn because they’re essential for building fast and accessible websites (Riley can help diagnose your website accessibility issues!). The general rule of thumb is that you don’t want to click more than three times to access something from the main page. If you need to click a dozen links just to reach what you want, then it’s going to be a bad experience and people are going to hate it. But you also don't want seventy-jillion links from your home page to everything on your site!
So what can you do to improve your website’s navigation?
For starters, you need to prioritize. What are the MOST important actions you want a new visitor to take from your home page? More often than not, your home page is being seen by people who've never visited your site before, so what's the "first impression" you want them to have? Returning visitors are usually coming to some internal page of your site via some link they've found (or that you've shared with them), so you might want to consider a different navigation for your home page than from the rest of your site.
Having some kind of search function is also important. For instance, if your audience knows what they want to search for, then they should be able to just enter a few words into a search bar at the top of the page, hit enter, and then be given a bunch of results. On a wordpress site there are several ways to "hide" pages that you don't want to be found via search, so there's no reason to not have some kind of search functionality on your website.
It’s also a good idea to split your content into meaningful categories. For example, if you have a blog, then you’ll want to organize your content by subjects. If there are further categories, then you can organize them underneath the main subject. There are loads of small techniques like this that can make your website a much more pleasant experience to browse. Organizing your website content can seem time-consuming at first, but it’s honestly quite easy to manage if you’re willing to put in a bit of effort to categorize everything.
There are several tech issues that could make your website a pain to visit. Here are the big ones:
Building a functional website is one thing. Building a website that makes an impact, increases your reach, and grows your income is another. It takes more than a few clicks on a site builder. It takes a strategic approach to design that both engages new visitors and invites them to become customers.
Starting your own business can be extremely daunting, particularly when you are trying to do #allTheThings and stay on top of a million different tasks for your company. Don't let the long list of things to do overwhelm you. Instead, step back, and try these four tips (one at a time!) to better organize your business.
Whether you're adding a virtual assistant or hiring a live remote virtual receptionist to join your team, virtual support will make your work so much easier! They can do everything that an in-house assistant could do - answering your phone calls, scheduling appointments, and generally helping to organize your business, so that you do not have to. Because they're remote, you don't have the overhead costs of office space, and because they are contract (and typically part time), you don't have the payroll costs for holidays, sick days, etc. You know I'm a big fan of delegation when it makes sense in your business, and hiring some extra hands to make light work of organizing your business always makes sense! However, make sure you stick to the correct hiring process and also perform a background check from companies such as Sterling Check of the person you intend to hire.
Team meetings are essential to a successful business. Regular meetings with all of your team members helps keep everyone on the same page and up to date. This will also allow you to share team values and create a good flow of communication between all team members.
"Regular" doesn't mean every day, or even every week in most cases. Depending on how well your team communicates between meetings, you may be able to do monthly or quarterly project meetings just to keep everyone up to speed. That said, it may take time to find the right balance of meetings in your company. Do what makes sense and don't feel compelled to call a meeting just because it's Monday. Instead, find the flow that works for your organization and check in with your team often enough to know what's going on without them feeling micro-managed.
In our current situation, holding in-person meetings can be difficult, so apps such as Zoom (which was relatively unknown before the pandmemic that shall not be named!) and Microsoft Teams are a lifesaver for businesses at the moment. These apps allow your team to continue meeting up and holding effective and worthwhile conversations during this difficult time.
Credit: Pixabay
As the old saying goes, a place for everything and everything in its place! It might take a bit of effort to get things stabilized, but a clean, organized environment can actually be beneficial to both you and your staff members. It makes your office space easier to work in and makes finding any relevant paperwork much more manageable. Even in the online world, you have the ability to create a standardized way to organize your files. We have a set of file folders we set up for each of our clients in Google drive so that everyone on staff can access files with ease and little to no searching. For software and application integration visit Jitterbit.
It can be very easy to forget important dates and appointments when you are running a business. I use Google's built-in calendar to keep me on track. It syncs with my scheduler and it lives on my android phone, so it's all integrated. Those can easily be forgotten about, but if you get into the habit of writing everything down in your diary, anything you need to do is less likely to be forgotten about.
For Chaotic creatives, you don't have to document every second of your day; that wouldn't be feasible and would actually create MORE stress for you. Ideally, though, you should have all the big rocks and plenty of spaciousness built into your daily calendar.
Need help? The Creative Freedom Incubator is designed to help you with nearly every aspect of your growing business. Our next cohort begins in June!