Business Tech

If you’re curious about learning a few smart business strategies that brands have implemented in order to thrive during the Coronavirus pandemic, simply continue reading. As you’ll get to learn about how BooHoo, Cote Brasserie and SkyBet experienced growth, despite the recent pandemic.

The story of brands that have survived pandemics:

SkyBet:

You may be surprised to learn that SkyBet has grown from strength to strength, even during the recent international Coronavirus pandemic. Although, SkyBet is a sports betting business and most sports where temporarily put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SkyBet has flourished due to its wise business decisions during the pandemic.

How did SkyBet plan for a resurgence? Firstly, SkyBet started to work on smart campaigns to promote their under forming markets. Secondly, SkyBet captured their target audience’s attention by offering live polling and new content. As a result as some sports have started up again, SkyBet’s profits have skyrocketed. As an example, SkyBet has broken their record for bets on the German professional soccer league the Bundesliga.

Businesses who want to flourish during pandemics, should follow SkyBet’s lead and should use pandemics in order to prepare for the future and to come up with new marketing strategies and products, to engage their target audience. As pandemics actually offer businesses an opportunity to rethink their business strategies.

BooHoo:

BooHoo which is an online fashion retailer, which is based in the UK but ships worldwide managed to successfully drive traffic to their website, by changing their marketing campaigns. While BooHoo typically features ad campaigns which focus on selling party wear, during the recent coronavirus pandemic, BooHoo started marketing home wear options. Such as comfortable track pants, hoodies, leggings and oversized t-shirts.

As BooHoo’s marketing team realized that their target audience would be more likely to spend money on lounge wear and active wear, during their lockdowns, then party gear. BooHoo also wisely chose to create ads which featured their pyjama range as individuals also brought more pyjama sets during the Coronavirus lockdown, then ever.

Businesses who want to increase their sales during pandemics, should consider following BooHoo’s lead and should look at new products to market to their target audience. As audiences preferences and wants, change drastically during pandemics.

Cote Brasserie:

Cote Brasserie is a French cuisine chain. While some of Cote Brasserie’s main competitors were placed under receivership during the Coronavirus lockdown, Cote Brasserie was quick to adapt to the changing economic climate and thrived throughout the lockdown.

Cote Brasserie launched an online menu and used geo location based ads to target individuals who lived in their delivery range. Cote Brasserie’s new online menu Cote at Home offers a wide range of chilled meats, bistro meals, and desserts. As well as a large wine selection. As Cote Brasserie knew that individuals would be keen to order in, during the lockdown. Especially as individuals would no longer be able to enjoy meals out.

So if you’re interested in picking up handy business techniques that will help any business thrive during a future pandemic, hopefully you learned from the stories of the 3 international companies which are listed above!

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech category

There is a common saying in business that if you do not innovate you will die, that is what has happened to many huge leaders in the retail sector and it continues to happen through the business world. This is certainly not the case with Jeff Bezos and Amazon who continuously push forward to provide solutions for business such as Amazon EDI, solutions for consumers and solutions for young businesses with the Amazon FBA service.

Amazon have, and continue to keep on pushing the envelope as to what is possible in business and they, much like many of the modern tech companies, have become leading lights as to what is possible in a revolutionary new world, where almost everything is based on tech.

Beginnings

There are a great many people around the world who absolutely recognize what Amazon are and have done, but there are even more who may not remember that this was a company which began as a book store. Amazon eventually began to branch out into e-readers like the Kindle, which it continuously upgraded, they jumped into the tablet market with the Fire, the streaming market with the Fire stick and then Amazon Prime, and they of course turned that book store into the world’s biggest online marketplace, To now see the company branching out into the likes of electronic data interchange and the Fulfillment By Amazon branch, we can see that there is really no end to the company’s talents, or ambitions.

Future

When some companies or individuals talk about future plans, more often than not you take it with a pinch of salt, when the likes of Google, Amazon or SpaceX however discuss future plans, it is highly likely that they are going to happen. Amazon are set to completely renovate the world in which we know it and they have already begun to discuss ideas such as staffless stores, drone drop deliveries, food delivery service, home robots and possibly their wildest dream will be to enter the healthcare market and use AI for solutions in the medical world. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Bezos and the Amazon team will not be able to come good on what they are planning.

Big Year

Many of the plans which Amazon will have had on the burner may be set back as a result of the events of 2020, but whilst that may have created some delay, their online marketplace has seen more sales than ever before and there is absolutely no doubting the fact that Amazon are the year’s winners in terms of how much money they have made, and will continue to make. As more businesses face troubles, the likes of Amazon may be ready to swoop in and continue to grow their kingdom.

This is the perfect example of how to take a business and make it multi-channel, and highly successful, this is what innovation looks like.

 

If you are in the need of some corporate housing then the smartest way would be to identify the best corporate housing companies in the area and then contacting them to see what properties they have on hand. There is a certain level of expectation which you should have when you are seeking out these businesses and the properties which they have available and today we are going to take a look into exactly what those expectations should be. No matter if you are planning to stay for 3 months or 6, you need to ensure that the place where you stay is comfortable, safe, and which meets your requirements.

Management

When you are renting somewhere like this long term you don’t need someone there all the time to make sure that you are doing alright but it is necessary to have some level of support for anything that you need. This is why you need to ensure that whoever you stay, there is a point of contact who you can speak to should anything go wrong or should you need some support.

Location

The idea of the cooperate housing is that it is somewhere that you can both work from and enjoy a comfortable life away from work. This is why it makes sense to find a corporate housing company which has a range of locations for you to look at, which will be able to offer you the chance to get to work easily, but also enjoy some fun in the new location in which you are staying. There are some corporate housing which is just too close to business parks or airports, and far away from the vibrancy of that destination.

Flexibility

It is not unfair to expect a little bit of flexibility from the place where you are staying around your own requirements. For example you may wish to bring your pet along with you, you may need to stay longer or for less time and you may also need additional requirements such as bring friends and family. All of these requirements are easy to offer which is why a corporate housing company should be flexible when you request things like it.

Reviews

Before you decide to use any corporate housing company you must ensure that they have a great reputation. You can easily find out what others have said about the company which you are looking into through online reviews and testimonials, and you will be able to use this to spot any signs that the company may not be as great as they say. Remember that reviews are not just abut finding the negatives, it is also about finding companies which are amazing and when you see what others have written about them, it will be a great tool to help you decide whether or not you should use them.

Investigate well now in order to ensure that your long term stay is every bit as comfortable as it should be.

 

Gone are the days when digital marketing could work without involving social media. Today, authenticity and organic engagement can drive more engagement with your business than big ad campaigns. Enter the influencer.

Influencers are people who hold a certain amount of authority within their niche. For example, a fashion influencer has a reputation within the fashion world while a food influencer has built their foundation in the world of food or restaurants.

Depending on what kind of business you own, approaching an influencer to help you promote your business can be an effective way to increase your consumer base and audience quickly.

Who is an influencer and how do you get in touch with them?

An influencer is anyone who has a substantial following and influence on the internet. As long as a person has a strong presence on social media – like a large number of followers, people who listen to them and buy the products they endorse, and quality content that brings in more followers – they can be considered an influencer.

Not everyone who has a following on social media is an influencer. While a person can have a certain number of followers on social media, an influencer’s account is designed to reach new audiences while a standard account may not be. So while a person can have 2000 people they know who follow them on Instagram, an emerging influencer could have that same number but be capable of getting those people to buy the products you want to sell.

Influencers hold authority and can sometimes be considered brands in and of themselves. These are also people with whom audiences interact and are more likely to listen to, should they choose to promote you.

You can get in touch with an influencer by :

• Contacting them on social media if they have a smaller number of followers (typically fewer than 5000).
• Bigger influencers will usually provide a link on their social media which businesses can use to approach them for endorsements.

Influencer marketing is not free. Most businesses provide the influencers they hire either with money or with products from their line. Some influencers may also tell you how much they will charge to market your product to their followers.

How do you incorporate influencer marketing into your business plan?

An influencer marketing plan is important if you choose to go this route. While influencer marketing can be lucrative, you need to measure your return on investment and how likely an influencer is to bring you traction before you approach them.

Before you decide on who you want to approach, you need to go through certain steps that will help you in the long run:

1. Know your audience: If you do not know and understand the people you are trying to market your products to, they will not likely resonate with you. Marketing today is about developing loyalty by building authentic conversations and engagements. The more you know about your customers, the better you will be at engaging them.
2. Build a business plan: Your influencer marketing plan should be a core part of your company’s overall business plan. The reason behind this is that influencer marketing is one of the biggest ways to increase engagements and sell products today. For instance, in creating a gym business plan, think about local and national celebrities or fitness gurus that could help market your business.
3. Approach the right influencer: Not only should the influencer you select fall within your budget, they should also fall within your niche. For a small business looking to expand locally, a local influencer would help you gain better traction than a national one. The better you understand your audience, the better you will understand who and what influences them.
4. Create good content: Content marketing is key to influencers. Sometimes you will have to deliver the content to the influencer yourself, while at other times the influencer might make the content themselves. Someone who posts a review video on YouTube is an example of an influencer who creates their own content, while someone who shares your YouTube video brings you traction on the basis of the quality of your content. If you are going to approach an influencer who makes their own content, you should check out their previous content to make sure their quality standards match what your brand needs.
5. Keep an eye on trends: The influencer you choose will also depend on who is more popular at the time you are choosing to begin your influencer marketing campaign. Someone who has less relevance in recent years will not give you a great return on investment. By keeping up to date with trends, you will know what people are being influenced by and can approach the right person to market your business.

After you have initiated your influencer marketing campaign, remember to keep checking on how much traction your marketing strategy has brought you. An easy way to do this is to make a hashtag specifically for the campaign in tandem with your influencer and track that hashtag to see how well your influencer marketing strategy is developing.

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

The ability to reach customers is important for businesses regardless of whether they are online or not. This is why selecting the right email marketing software is so important. There are a lot of email marketing software and websites out there, all of them offering different sets of features. But how do you select the right one? Below, we will look at what to look out for so that you end up with the right email marketing tool.

Price and Pricing Options

Price is probably the first thing you look at when deciding whether or not to buy something. Price should be on your mind when selecting an email marketing software too. There are a lot of different pricing models out there, with some companies pricing their solutions depending on the features the different pricing tiers have.

Try to go with a company that offers a free option up to a certain number of subscribers. This is hugely important for new companies that are just getting into the market. It is also important if you need somewhere to fall back on if your subscriber count does not rise as fast as you would like it to.

Features

Features are the next thing you should look at. Constant contact competitors offer features like drag and drop email builders so that you can create beautiful emails easily. Other features to look out for include social media integration, the ability to add graphics to your emails, plus the ability to create responsive emails. These are emails that adapt to the size of your users’ gadgets and look great regardless of whether they open your email on a phone, a computer or a tablet.

Another important feature is the ability to export all your contacts and move them to another email marketing solution. A lot of companies realize that you work very hard for your subscribers and thus you should be able to do more with them if you ever decided to opt for another option.

Automation is another very important feature that comes with a lot of different marketing software. Automations like adding users to different lists and email scheduling are very important if you would like your marketing efforts to succeed. Again, different providers have varying levels of automation, so be sure to also check this out when choosing a company to go with.

Other Bundled Software

A lot of email marketing providers provide bundled software with their main email marketing software. Some of the software they add include landing page software. These usually drag and drop software that customers can use to create landing pages to help with lead acquisition.

Different companies offer different features for these landing page builders, so be sure to look around when you are looking for such software to ensure that it comes with all the features you need.

Email marketing is a big deal, especially for businesses that would like to stay in constant contact with their customers. Just be sure to shop around and consider the price and all the different features that different companies and offer.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech Category.

A company finds money like water for a plant. A business constantly needs an influx of money to grow. You cannot take the money out of business. Like if a business made a profit of $100/-, you will, or you must invest at least $70/- back, only then you can grow your business.

You see, money is very important for a business. For this many business people tries to manage it for optimal use, but this is a tricky part. Sometimes you need to spend money on the repair of equipment, or you have to buy some extra inventory. Or some sudden incident happens and you have to spend money there. Many things happen and impact the cash flow of a business. This is the reason that most business owners try not to spend all the money which they have in hand.

Sometimes companies face a negative balance. It can be due to many reasons like they had to purchase equipment. And suddenly there is a demand in the market, and they cannot fulfill the demand as the company does not have the capital to invest and purchase the inventory for production. Now, what to do? The company needs an influx of capital so that they can handle the demand.

Now, these are some of the incidents which happen with you when you are running a business, but the question is, what you can do now? Well, the first thing which might be coming into your mind would be loans. You can go for a small business loan. But how to get unsecured business loans? Well, there are many options but before you go for a small business loan, as a business owner understand the reasons why you should go for a small business loan?

REASON FOR A SMALL BUSINESS LOAN

Here are the top reasons why a business should go for a small business loan? So read it carefully as this will help you go for a loan in the future.

Reason # 1: Advertisement & Promotions.

If a customer can see it, he may buy it. This is a slogan that represents marketing for any business. If a customer can see your product or it is visible to him, he might be persuaded to purchase it. This is what advertising and promotion do for a business. Hence some businesses spend their money on marketing so much that in the end, they do not have enough money for operations. Consequently, you can opt for a small business loan for your irregular marketing expenditure so that you can generate money from the campaign and also have the capital for smooth operational expenses.

Reason # 2: Equipment purchase.

Purchasing equipment is capital intensive. Here equipment means machinery for a factory mostly. So purchasing a machine is a very high involvement task and companies only buy them if they see that they can achieve the breakeven quickly. However, they are also concerned with the cash outflow due to this. So if you are a business who is looking for equipment purchase, then you can go for an unsecured small business loan which will help you cover the equipment expense while keeping the cash flow under control.

Reason # 3: Hiring.

Hiring might seems an expense but look it this way. Having a new employee will or might increase productivity hence sales and in the end, an increase in revenue. This means that although you might have to take a small business loan for hiring a new employee to pay salaries etc. But that employee can generate revenue for you so that you can pay back the loan.

Reason # 4: Inventory Sourcing.

When we talk about regular expenses, inventory comes into our minds because it is one of the things where a business owner can have his money stuck. This may result in a cashless account to pay for the regular operating expenses. Hence, if you are looking to stock up your inventory just before a high season is coming. You might be interested in getting a small business loan so that you can spend that money on regular operating expenses to run your business efficiently.

Reason # 5: Expansion.

A business owner is always looking for expanding his business, but the only problem he faces is the lack of money. No business has an infinite source of money to expand. Hence they look at it very preciously. This might be a good option to take a loan if you want to expand your business which in return, increase your profits to pay back the taken loan. Hence you do not have to worry about your operations while expanding as you have borrowed the money rather taken the money from your business.

Reason # 6: Rent Payment.

When you are operating a business, you cannot be certain that you will make money all the time. However, if we talk about rent, it is fixed, and you have to pay it every month. So what to do when you do not have made enough profit or the season is low? Well, you can go for a loan to cover the rent payment for the time being and pay back the loan till the boom comes again.

Reason # 7: Bill payments or supplier payments.

When you are running a business, it is always expected that you have to make some expenses to start making money. But what if you do not have money right now or you have to spend the existing money on something else? A small business loan can be a great option for you to cover up your business bills and supplier payments for the time being so that you can focus on your plan.

Reason # 8: New business opportunity.

How many times does it happen that you are not able to sustain the business because there is no demand in the market for your product? But suddenly a demand occurs then you cannot fulfill because you were in losses before that? When this happens, you think that only if I had some more money, I could have gained this opportunity and made a profit. So how about going to a small business loan? You can have an instant influx of money to support your business demand and make a profit to pay back the loan.

Reason # 9: Renovation.

When we talk about investing in a business, we mean investing in something which will make you earn money. However, spending your money on a renovation can increase your revenue but not the way a business wants. So spending money on it would not be a great option. What you can do is, just go for a small business loan and pay back the loan slowly. So that it does not impact your cash flow instantly but gradually gets waved away.

THE BOTTOM LINE

By all the discussion above, one thing is evident that money is the lifeline of any business. There is no point in running a business if it is not making money. But no one has an unlimited amount of money. And the market dynamics can change dramatically. This can change your decisions and have a huge impact on your business cash flow. So if you have made or are going to make the above things, then small business loans can be a great option.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech Category.

There are usually many different things to consider when planning a meeting. These things vary from meeting to meeting and also depending on the clients, attendees or purpose to the meeting. Planning involves considering many things including setting an agenda, notifying the prospective attendees, ensuring that there are good enough facilities around, providing refreshments and even trying to make sure it doesn’t last longer than normal, so your attendees don’t lose concentration.

However, away from all that, there might be other things necessary for you to consider while making arrangements for your next meeting. These things revolve around aesthetic appeal, decoration and design. Apart from striving to make your client as comfortable as possible, it might also be necessary to make sure that the room’s general ambience is comfortable enough to calm everyone in the room. So how do you properly design your meeting room? Here are a few ideas.

Proper Lighting

This seems like the easiest part and while that might not be entirely incorrect, there are things it would be necessary for you to consider. Just installing enough lights to make the room bright enough might not be all, as you should think of other specifics. For example, you don’t want to make it too bright. If you do, the lights become a bit distracting, and your attendees find it extra difficult to concentrate properly. You should also make sure that the bulbs used do not produce heat.

Appropriate Venue

This is probably the most important part of your planning process. You want to pick a venue that is first of all, easy to reach. Try not to stress your guests out, making them spend too much time trying to find the meeting place. Visit VenueFinder to locate the closest rooms to you in your preferred area so if you’re in Coventry. The VenueFinder platform can help you find the best meeting rooms Coventry has. Furthermore, your meeting room should not be in a noisy area. Do not plan a meeting in a busy neighbourhood where there are loud markets or parties. You don’t want too many distractions. Also, the meeting room shouldn’t be too large or too small. Just the right size makes the attendees feel like an essential part of the larger group.

Put The Attendees In Mind

If you have details on the people who would be attending, you will do a much better job putting their needs in mind. Consider how many people you’re expecting but also give a little leeway for a few extra people, just in case. Also, if one or more persons are taller or bigger than average, you should consider this and get appropriate chairs and tables to make them very comfortable.

Proper Arrangement

The way you arrange the table(s) and chairs in the room might go a long way to influence things. Again, consider the number of people that will be in attendance and then select the most appropriate seating style that will not only make them comfortable but also allow everyone to get very involved in your agenda. Take out some time to do some research on this and find the best one for your meeting.

If you put all of these things into consideration in addition to providing other amenities as well as refreshments, there’s a very good chance that your meeting would go the way you want it to. A productive meeting is influenced not just by the agenda but also by other arrangements as listed above.

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

If you love finding innovative new ways to have fun with your Alexa device, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading in order to discover a few fun games that you’ll be able to play using your Alexa device.

Fun things to play with Alexa:

Magic Door Alexa:

Magic Door is a fun Alexa compatible game which encourages you to live out a fantasy style quest. As the story of Magic Door plays out, you’ll be faced with having to make crucial decisions, which will change the course of your adventure and your quest. To get given your very first quest, you’ll have to choose whether you’d prefer to explore the sea, the forests or the nearby mountains.

Depending on the option you’ll choose, you’ll cross paths with different characters, who may be able to help you on your quest or who may choose to hinder your progress. As an example, if you choose to explore the sea, you may come across a stunning mermaid with mysterious magical powers. Who may end up being a friend or a foe. If you enjoy choose your own adventure style books or RPG games, you’ll be sure to fall in love with Alexa Magic Door.

The Wayne Investigation:

Do you love superheroes or comic book characters? If so it’s well worth spending a couple of hours playing The Wayne Investigation. Which is based in the city of Gotham, which happens to be Batman’s hometown. In The Wayne Investigation you’ll get to play a detective who is charge of solving the mysterious murder of the Thomas and Martha Wayne. Who happen to be Bruce Wayne’s parents. As you progress through your case, Alexa will prompt you to make critical decisions, which will affect your investigation. So make sure to think twice before you make a crucial decision.

Bosch: A Detective’s Case:

If you enjoy solving mysteries and have a blast playing The Wayne Investigation it’s also well worth playing Bosch: A Detective’s Case. Another game which focuses around solving violent crimes. In Bosch: A Detective’s Case you’ll play a member of the LAPD whose mission it is to find and locate a missing woman.

If you’re looking for a relatively short game that you should be able to complete within 20 minutes, it’s a great idea to solve the mystery of Bosh: A Detective’s Case. Keep in mind that even if you make a mistake and the woman who you’re trying to locate gets murdered, you’ll be able to rewind and reverse your decision. In order to continue playing, without having to start at the very beginning of your case.

Yes Sire:

Yes Sire is a medieval game in which you’ll be tasked with trying to appease a hot headed king, in order to avoid getting your head chopped off. In Yes Sire you’ll get to play as a medieval lord who is trying to gain the king’s admiration.

Hopefully you’ve found a few fun games that you can play with Alexa in your free time, that will provide you with hours of entertainment. If you don’t know which game to start off with, you can’t go wrong giving Magic Door a go.

If you love keeping up to date with the latest technological advances in business, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading to discover a few ways that technology can help your business grow.

How technology can help your business:

You can use productivity tracking software to oversee your employee’s productivity stats:

It’s becoming increasingly more common for businesses to use productivity tracking software on their employees computers, to track how long their employees spend on each task. Which will allow businesses to be able to offer employees support, such as additional resources, if they are struggling to complete some of their tasks in a reasonable amount of time. Productivity software will also allow management to be able to reward individuals who have met their productivity targets. Which will encourage hard workers to continue giving their jobs their all.

Managers can use product management software to better manage their teams and assigned projects:

In a similar fashion your managers will also be able to use product management software in order to keep up to date with the live progress of each member in the team.

You can use an online invoicing service to send out all of your business’ invoices:

Instead of sending out physical invoices to your clients and customers, you’ll be able to use a highly rated online invoicing service, in order to ensure that your clients receive your invoices in a timely and efficient manner. As a bonus, the quicker that your clients receive your business’ invoices the quicker that your business is likely to be paid for its professional products and services.

You can share important digital files with your accountant:

Instead of having to hand over physical files to your accountant, which can be an incredibly time consuming process, you’ll be able to share files with your accountant in a digital format. Which should save you a lot of time and energy.

You’ll be able to harness the power of social media to your business’ advantage:

Gone are the days when you had to spend thousands of dollars on expensive, ineffective marketing campaigns. As in today’s technology obsessed society, it’s much more effective to market your business on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat and Instagram. You can even reach out to popular social media influencers in order to effectively promote your business’ goods and services to targeted members or your business’ target audience.

It’s far easier to sell your business products and services to international clients and customers:

One simple way to quickly increase your business’ profits and revenue is to start selling your products and services online, to international clients and customers as well as to domestic customers. As by doing so you’ll more than double your business’ market and customer base.

You can now conduct virtual meetings with individuals in different parts of the globes:

Thanks to high speed internet it’s never been easier to conduct virtual meetings which individuals who are located in different parts of the world. As video chatting services are a lot more reliable than they used to be and are now unlikely to freeze or to encounter issues.

Hopefully you’re now inspired to start finding new ways to implement technology into the day to day operation of your growing business. Especially if you’d like to increase your business’ yearly profits.