Business

Some business owners aren’t aware of just how important the right marketing campaign is to their bottom line. They might leave it to chance or think they can learn all they need to know by reading a couple of articles. The truth is, though, that a poorly planned strategy can cost you thousands of dollars and make little impact if you don’t know what you’re doing. Not only that, but you could be spending valuable time on this project that you could be spending on the tasks you excel at. However, as important as it is to hire a marketing agency, hiring one that does low-quality work can be a useless endeavor. This article is your go-to guide for finding a Fresno marketing agency to best fit your needs.

Do your research

You wouldn’t believe how many people without the qualifications call themselves digital marketers. Freelancers and entrepreneurs know it’s a lucrative and growing field, so they often jump into the business without much training. And while marketing is something that can be self-taught, not everyone has the knack or expertise to do it right. Make sure that when you hire an agency, the employees have the experience and numbers to back up their claims. Take the time to read the company’s online reviews. Contact some of the businesses they claimed to have helped. But don’t just settle for positive comments; ask to see their numbers. In other words, if you talk to their customers, ask them how much money the agency helped them make and how many new customers they got as a result of those campaigns.

Interview them

Treat the hiring process just like a job interview. In other words, the agency you hire should mesh well with you, understand your goals, and have the right experience. You also want to hire an agency aligned with similar values. Some people out there use shady practices, and you need to know exactly what they do to attract customers. For example, some marketers use black hat SEO (search engine optimization). This just refers to a number of digital marketing tactics that are less than honest. It might include misleading links or falsified analytics data, to name a couple.

If the agencies you’re talking to are local Fresno companies, it’s best to set up meetings right in their offices. That way, you can get a feel for how they operate and how big the agency is. But if you’re dealing with an online company, schedule a phone meeting, asking them to set aside 30 to 45 minutes to discuss your exact needs and expectations. If they refuse to meet with you over the phone or in person, it could be a red flag that they’re either not fully vested in this part of the business or they’re not who they say they are.

Consider their prices

The marketing firm you hire should be willing to negotiate on pricing. This is because every business has different needs in this area. However, be careful about agencies that offer the lowest prices. If that’s their only way to compete, they might not be as good at what they do as the others.

If you do happen to find the best marketing agency for your business and feel they’re out of your price range, don’t be afraid to speak up. Many times, they can take out a service or two in the beginning and reduce the price. Then, after you’ve made a little money from their marketing dollars, you can add those services back in. Do realize you will have to allocate part of your budget for marketing. It’s possibly the most important part of launching your new business.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

When it comes to deciding on marketing and promotional products, today’s businesses are faced with a number of options. And while many companies are choosing to go digital with their promotional efforts, paper is certainly not dead. In fact, handing out physical marketing materials can be immensely beneficial. One promotional product that is still popular is promotional calendars. But why are promotional calendars so great?

They’re practical

While a lot of promotional products are available, not all of them are truly useful. Fortunately, calendars are useful and practical — most people have at least one calendar at home or at their place of work. People look at calendars every day, which can help promote a brand each time the calendar is looked at.

It’s always a good idea to give consumers promotional products they’ll see regularly. Brochures, flyers, and other paper items work fine, but they often get thrown out or shoved into a drawer. But most people will actually hang up a calendar they receive, especially if it’s free. And every month, they’ll see the logo or brand information, furthering the connection they have with the company. And giving people something they can actually use will tell consumers the company cares and is invested in building a relationship.

They’re cost-effective

Staying under budget is often a big concern with marketing materials, particularly when a company is trying to reach a large audience. This is especially true for companies that are smaller or are just getting started. Calendars are reasonably priced. Compared to traditional advertisements, or even digital advertisement placements, calendars are an affordable promotional product.

And if a business is interested in digital marketing, they can pair their digital efforts with a great calendar — having a physical reminder of a brand is always a good idea. For example, a calendar can include important company events and businesses can send an email reminder. This can help expand marketing efforts without going way over budget. And calendars also have a lower cost per advertisement viewing, with calendars being looked at numerous times a day. Overall, calendars are certainly worth the cost.

They’re engaging

One of the best things about using calendars as promotional products is that they keep the audience engaged and connected. Businesses have the opportunity to convey their message however they’d like — which allows them to fully connect with their audience. A company can put whatever it wants on a promotional calendar, whether it’s funny quotes, facts about the business, or cute animals.

Every day, and every new month, consumers will be reminded of the brand that’s represented on the calendar, which is immense exposure. Companies can even take an extra step and include relevant events or dates for their audience, like local events or company events. This way, consumers will be reminded of these things, and the brand, without having to get an email blast or a flyer.

Compared to other types of marketing materials, calendars can also be a lot more personal. Personalized calendars for businesses can be custom-made for the audience. Including images and messages that are related to an audience’s interests will show that the company truly knows its audience will help build a bond between consumers and the brand.

Marketing materials are meant to build a relationship between consumers and a brand, and calendars can help achieve that goal. Choosing calendars as a promotional product can give companies control over the message they’re giving to consumers, stay connected and engaged with their audience, and get a lot of exposure for a low cost. All in all, using promotional calendars can be beneficial for all businesses, big and small.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) is the system that adjusts the temperature and maintains air quality in your home. There are multiple elements involved in an HVAC system, including air systems, gravity systems, and radiant systems. Essentially, the air system works by blowing hot or cold air through two separate ducts. Gravity systems are generally used in basements and operate based on the knowledge that hot air rises and cold air sinks. Radiant systems operate by heating the walls, floor, and ceiling of a room.

If you’re particularly knowledgeable about these systems, you might consider starting your own HVAC business. Like any business venture, this is likely to be one of the most challenging things you do in your life, but also one of the most rewarding. It’s important to remember that running a successful business will differ greatly from the work you’re used to. The following are some essentials you’ll need to understand before setting off.

Take a small business perspective

Instead of always thinking specifically about an HVAC business, it’s important to realize that you’ll be starting with many of the things all small businesses do. You need to think about fundamental business practices, including advertising and networking. Once you think you know how to start a small business, you can begin focusing more specifically on ducts, air systems, and the other particulars.

Keep success in mind

It won’t be good enough to just think about an HVAC business. Instead, you’ll need to constantly consider how to start and run a successful HVAC business. It may seem obvious, but this will wire your brain to think more positively and keep you more determined when things get challenging. It will also make you constantly think about what you’re going to do to beat the competition. A winner’s attitude is exactly what you need on any venture.

Products and services

Your business is going to have to stand out from the crowd. Will you offer a wider selection of products and services? Will you have lower prices? Will you offer improved service in exchange for higher prices? These are just a few of the most basic questions you’ll need to answer.

You may even work with other entities for additional business or to attract customers. For example, vehicles generally all have HVAC systems, so you might work with a car dealership to pursue HVAC leads. You might even start an automotive HVAC business to corner this market if there are none in the area. Pursuing “outside the box” options can be extremely profitable.

Staffing

No one can run a business on their own, so you’ll have to carefully consider your staff and how you’ll compensate them. It’s possible that you’re starting your business with a partner you can trust, which always makes things a bit easier. Still, you’ll need some additional staff. While you can certainly hire from the local area, it’s worth looking into some staffing agencies.

Such recruiting agencies specialize in finding the right engineers and workers for specific projects. If you want some of the best candidates for your business, this may be the solution for you. Potential candidates range from mechanical engineers to managerial roles if you need help running the business itself. For example, what is the role of a CFO? A CFO can handle things on the financial side of your business while you focus more on your products and services, as well as making any needed improvements to the business.

This may seem basic, but for any of this to succeed, you’ll need to discuss the business plan with family and be prepared for anything. You’ll be spending most of your time running the business, it’s likely money will be tight in the beginning, and it’s always possible the business could fail altogether. Being realistic about the amount of work you’ll have to put in and properly understanding the risks is vital for any real chance at success.

If you’re stuck in a rut working your day job, or you’re looking to start a side gig to make a little extra money each month, it may be worth looking into starting your own business.

Besides a variety of tax write-offs for small business owners, starting your own business can be a way to increase your income and do some more personally fulfilling work. One simple industry to get into is the vitamins and supplements market. This market is booming and is showing no signs of slowing down; it’s projected to be worth almost $200 billion dollars in the next six years.

If you want to work for yourself and make a decent profit, here’s what you need to know about starting an at-home business selling supplements and vitamins.

Find your focus

When starting your own business, it’s crucial that you pick a focus. While starting an online vitamins/supplements store is a niche within the broader market of health and wellness products, it’s best to make sure that you can diversify yourself from the competition.

Focusing on supplements for building muscle or women’s vitamins (as examples) can be a simple way to specify your business a bit more and help attract a more specific audience. This will help when it comes to marketing, as online social media channels and Google AdWords all allow you to target specific demographics and interests.

Distribution tactics

Once you’ve determined what area of the supplements industry you want to serve, you’ll need to find a distributor to fulfill your orders. There are plenty of dietary supplement manufacturers who can provide you with a wide range of vitamins and supplements, so it’s good to know what to look for when choosing a distributor.

In an ideal world, you’ll find a business that can handle multiple aspects of the supply chain, such as manufacturing, design, and fulfillment. Having one business handle each of those aspects will enable you to move much more agilely as a business owner.

For example, if you need an order drop shipped overnight due to the success of your latest ad campaign, it can be helpful if you don’t have to field requests from multiple companies. This way, you spend less time worrying and more time delivering great service.

Tracking your business

After you’ve set up your online storefront, you’ll need to be able to track your sales and inventory. This is particularly important as you begin to scale your business up; you don’t want to be running out to the palette of supplements in your garage every time a large order comes in. While you could use a spreadsheet to track this information, using asset management software is a far more powerful solution to consider.

Using cloud-based asset tracking software allows you to access your sales and inventory from a host of devices, and also lets you attach photos, images, and even voice memos to specific customers, products, and orders. An asset tracking solution is also far more flexible than typical spreadsheets, offering you the ability to sort and search in a variety of ways while keeping important data linked.

As you can see, starting an at-home business requires a lot of legwork at the onset. That being said, if you put in the right amount of effort at the beginning and think strategically about how to position yourself in the market, you can begin to start turning a profit. Customers are excited about becoming fitter and healthier, and by selling vitamins and supplements, you can play a meaningful role in their lives.

Finding a roofing contractor to do an excellent job without having to be a burden or hassle to your roofing project itself can sometimes be a challenge. However, this isn’t impossible, and more than anything, you need to have a contractor that not only can you trust with your home, but also to repair or build your roof properly. There’s a lot of details that your roofer needs to know, and a lot you do too in order to have a successful contract in place, let alone high quality work. Shall we discuss this? Keep reading if you’re interested!

Building Trust with a Contractor and Client

When it comes to building trust with a roofer, you need to be able to have a lot of proof and have the freedom to ask for it. If they can’t provide you with things like a solid portfolio, a realistic date that they’re going to get done, and especially whether they’re qualified, licensed, and fully insured (many good contractors are), then you may want to consider hiring someone else for the task as hand.

Don’t Just Trust Reviews On their Website

Look elsewhere for reviews of the company that you’re wanting to hire before you actually do. This is a key thing that you need to consider, because a contractor is going to make their website a resume, and you only put good references on resumes. See if the contractor is willing to give you another previous or the most previous 3-4 job’s contact information before you ever decide to sign anything. This can save you your home, your health, and even the contractor in the long run.

Don’t Trust “Low-Balled” Options

If you have someone who’s willing to bid on a project and keep going down well below what the budget is, then you may want to watch out for a shark. Many times, these “low-ballers” that provide too good to be true offers, are either scammers, or they have the tendency to just be a contractor who’s only in it for the money, and doesn’t have your best interest in mind.

Don’t hesitate to ask people in the area if they’ve heard of your contractor either. If they do quality work, they’ll gladly tell you about it, especially if they don’t know the contractor you’re talking to.

Make Sure they Have a Service Guarantee

When hiring a quality roofer in the Gold Coast, you also want to make sure that they have a service guarantee, as well as plenty of knowledge in being able to work on your roof when it comes to not only experience, but also with quality products, and knowing what codes and regulations they need to follow.

Conclusion

SkyHighRoofing.com.au is just one of the many companies in the entire Gold Coast areas, but they are by far the best when it comes to taking care of your your commercial, industrial, and residential needs. By hiring them, you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve got the right contractor for the job required to help you with whatever your roofing problems or needs are.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Customers drive businesses and keep them alive. In order to retain customers, it is vital for a business to maintain a high and consistent level of customer service. There are several key features to a quality service experience that customers look for, and with this ultimate customer service guide, businesses can understand what best practices are on trend to adapt to. 

Customer-facing employees, such as customer service agents and representatives, must possess a specific set of skills tailored toward customer care in order to retain customer loyalty and, consequently, revenue. 

Communication skills

Communication skills are imperative to being an effective and successful service agent. Agents need to listen to the customer to fully understand and assess the issue, and know how to adjust their communication style based on the customer’s chosen communication channel. Customer service agents must also be organized and keep track of all relevant information in order to arrive at a detail-oriented approach to finding resolutions. Being organized saves time for both the agent and customer, as the agent will be able to efficiently and effectively tackle any issue. 

Collaboration skills 

Collaboration skills are also important to success. Agents will need to work with each other, various departments, and customers. Like any strong team, it is necessary to maintain positive relationships with colleagues in order to promote a healthy work environment and focus on the tasks at hand. Agents need to work with customers to arrive at solutions that have a positive outcome for both the customer and the business. 

Tech tools and resources 

Streamlining an omnichannel customer service setup into one unified space with a help desk allows the service team to provide effective customer support while being fully aware of the context of the issue at hand. With all customer communications in one place and accessible at any time by an agent, they can keep track of ongoing conversations and reduce the need for customers to repeat themselves whenever they make contact. 

With the Helpdesk, canned responses related to Frequently Asked Questions can be created and used by agents to respond to customers. Not every customer issue is as simple as a copy-paste response, but agents can build on a response by adding in case-specific details to the existing stock response, saving time for both themselves and the customer. 

When agents have access to tools to enable them to deliver an exceptional customer experience, they become more confident, give better performance, and are more satisfied. Bright Pattern’s advanced omnichannel call center software will result in lower operational costs, higher agent productivity, lower turnover rates, and less time and resources spent on recruitment and training. 

Bright Pattern understands these needs and offers a solution to provide a premier agent and customer service experience. Their Zendesk call center integration unites industry-leading CRM solutions with the most advanced contact center software on the market. Bright Pattern understands the need to deliver on customer expectations for a personalized experience by hosting a powerful omnichannel contact center platform that can access the rich data kept in Zendesk. This call center solution greatly increases agent productivity because it allows agents to discover more about the customers they engage with and use the collected data in new ways. 

Zendesk call center integration supports search, identification, screen pop functionality, and even creates items based on interaction data. The unified omnichannel Agent Desktop makes it convenient for agents to manage all communication channels, and integrates with Zendesk to create flexibility in toggling between communication channels. Also noteworthy, Zendesk features artificial intelligence and bot solutions, giving both agents and customers strengthened automation to increase resolution speed and improve the customer experience. 

Customers and customer service agents are vital to the success of any business. Use this guide to ensure your agents are equipped with the proper skills and tools to help them succeed in providing your customers an optimal customer service experience.

Americans are optimistic about the job market. A May 2019 poll found that 71 percent of respondents believed it was a good time to go looking for a job; that’s the highest confidence level since 2000. As of springtime, the unemployment rate was also 3.6 percent, the lowest rate in 50 years. That means that many job searchers have more options than ever.

That’s good for workers, but it can complicate things a bit from the employer’s perspective. There are a few different strategies for finding employees, and one of those is hiring a staffing agency. Here are some situations where it makes sense for your business to use a staffing agency.

You’re hiring for a specialized field

Many job markets are tighter than others. There are some cases where the demand is high but the supply is not as good, for instance.

Fields like engineering, finance, and information technology are struggling with a “skills gap”. While there are openings, not enough people are applying for those openings. And the ones who are applying may not quite have the right mix of qualifications to really succeed.

That’s where specialized staffing agencies can make a big difference in how your business fills open positions. A specialized staffing agency is not the same as a general staffing agency. Specialized staffing agencies work only in a specific type of industry.

For example, let’s say your business is looking to hire a mechanical engineer. Engineering staffing agencies can cut through the fog of applications and connect you with the best candidates on the market.

While demand is high, that doesn’t mean you can afford to lower your standards. Specialized staffing agencies get that: they know the business well, and they also know how to recruit candidates the right way. They’ll vet people before introducing them to the decision-makers at your company.

You won’t have to worry nearly as much about falling for a candidate and then discovering some critical gap in their resume. If a specialized staffing agency brings someone to you, then there’s a very good chance they have the resume you need. At that point, it’s a matter of finding the person who best fits into your company.

You’re spending too much time finding candidates

Hiring for an open position almost always takes longer than you think it will. While a departing employee who gives you the standard two weeks notice isn’t doing anything wrong, it often takes much longer than that to find a qualified pool of applicants, start the interview process, name finalists, do a second or even third round of interviews, and then make a job offer.

And if the job offer is not accepted, you have to backtrack one or two steps at best. At worst, you have to start the whole process over.

The vast majority of businesses lose productivity whenever a job opening pops up. That’s not just because there’s one less worker to perform the same amount of work. It’s also because of how other employees get sucked into the work of finding a replacement. A staffing agency removes some of that burden.

You’ll still get plenty of input into the process, of course. But you won’t have to spend quite so much time stressing about everything. You can put more of your attention into the employees you already have rather than ignoring them in favor of potential hires.

Think of working with a staffing agency as like working with a matchmaker. Sure, you could spend a lot of free time browsing through profiles on your own, or you could work with someone who knows what you’re looking for.

Luckily, good staffing agencies are easier to find than good matchmakers. They’ll give you what you’re looking for in an employee without all the extra stuff that stresses you out.