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Today, lots of entrepreneurs are interested in running sustainable businesses to protect our planet’s future. But even if you’d love to operate your company in an environmentally-friendly manner, you might not know where to begin. That’s why Cymru Marketing Journalhas assembled some tips and resources to help you identify sustainable opportunities, advertise your progress, and more!
Research Opportunities
Have you already launched your business? Do some research on sustainable operations and consider how you could reduce your utilities usage or waste, switch to eco-friendly packaging or paper supplies, or cut down on business travel. If you’re opening a new business, you could offer products or services like plant delivery, farm-to-table dining, energy-efficient appliances, composting, or items made from recycled materials.
Protect Against Risks
It’s important to prepare for potential risks and roadblocks when you’re focusing on sustainability in your business. You might face higher costs for materials, negative reactions from certain customer segments, or lose profits initially as you implement these changes.Leave extra wiggle room in your budget to account for possible issues so that you can ride out the adjustment period. That way, you won’t need to make decisions out of financial desperation.
Put Your Ideas Into Action
Now, you’re ready to createa brand new business plan for your idea or start adjusting your existing business plan to accommodate the sustainable changes you want to see. Launching a new business or even making sweeping changes within your existing business can be nerve-wracking, but courageous leadership can help us preserve our environment for future generations.
Remember that your efforts are contributing to a larger goal! Keeping this in mind can give you the courage to move forward with big ideas. If you need more encouragement, connect with other entrepreneurs who manage sustainable businesses. They can give you sound advice to help you along your journey.
Marketing Strategy
Highlighting your progress towards sustainability in your marketing materials can draw in eco-conscious customers. One Day Agency recommends being honest and specificwhen you advertise your brand’s efforts and promoting three distinct sustainable changes in your public marketing materials.
If you’re working with marketing contractors or an outside agency to execute your strategy, you’ll have to send lots of files and materials back and forth during the process. When you’re including images in your materials, you might assume that you should compress JPG files to simplify email transfers, but this can degrade the file quality. Instead, try this tool to preserve the image’s quality by converting several files into one PDF so that you only need to email one file.
Implement Operational Changes
Coming up with ideas for sustainable process improvements is easy, but implementing these changes can be tough! How can you introduce process improvements without disrupting your typical workflows? If you’re running your business as a solo entrepreneur, this is relatively easy – but if you’re overseeing a team, you need a strategy. Monday recommends creating a process mapand breaking down each task involved within a given process. Identify exactly where you’ll be making changes, and walk your team through the changes, providing additional training and resources where necessary. Then, make sure to track your team’s progress to ensure that everyone is adapting to the changes.
Running a sustainable business is more achievable than you might assume. Yes, it might come with some risks and increased expenses, but you can overcome these obstacles. By following these tips, you’ll be ready to take action, shrink your carbon footprint, and shine a light on these changes in your marketing strategy!
Cymru Marketing Journal offers a variety of marketing assistance. Reach out today to get started!
How to Save Money and Stay Smart About Business Expenses
As a new business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose track of your expenses. Whether you’re spending money on office supplies or hiring new employees, it’s important to be mindful of how much you’re spending. After all, your bottom line is what’s going to keep your business afloat.
Track Your Cash Flow
One of the most crucial things you can do as a business owner is to keep track of your cash flow. This means knowing how much money is coming in and going out on a daily basis.
There are many ways to track your cash flow, including apps, spreadsheets, and even pen and paper. Find whatever system works best for you and stick with it. Doing so will help you avoid overspending and getting into debt.
If your business is experiencing cash flow problems, finding new investors could turn your situation around as long as you proceed with caution. When you bring on new investors, you’re asking them to trust you and your ability to grow the business. You must provide a clear plan for how the money will be used and what the expected return on investment will be.
If you can present a convincing case, new investors can be an excellent way to get your business back on track. They can provide the capital you need to cover daily expenses and invest in new products or services. They can also help you build relationships with other key players in your industry, which can give your business a boost.
Choose Your Business Structure
Establishing a limited company in the United Kingdom enjoys a variety of advantages. Owners have limited liability, meaning they are only responsible for the debts owed by their business up to the value of the shares they hold. In addition, a limited company can pass profits onto shareholders or directors free from any additional tax, providing both financial relief and freedom.
Moreover, setting up as a limited company allows you to register at Companies House in England or Wales and reap the benefits of extensive UK-wide access to local legal and financial services. Ultimately, formulating a limited company is an excellent option for business owners seeking protection from liabilities with the added benefit of lower taxes.
Spend Wisely
In the early stages of running a business, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and make impulsive purchases. But you must remember that every pound counts. Before making any big purchases, ask yourself if it’s something that will benefit your business in the long run. If not, it’s probably not worth your money. And when possible, look for second-hand equipment. It can save you a lot of money and still allow you to get all of the furniture and equipment that you need.
Determine Which Tasks To Prioritise
When you’re first starting out, there are a million things that need to be done. But you can’t do everything at once. Determine which tasks are most important and prioritize accordingly. This will help you stay focused and avoid overwhelming yourself (and your employees).
Keep Up With Your Taxes
No one likes doing taxes, but they are a necessary evil of running a business. The sooner you get them done, the better. Procrastinating will only make the process more stressful (not to mention penalties and interest if you owe money). The best way to stay on top of your taxes is to set aside money each month, so you’re not scrambling come tax time.
Use an Invoice Generator
An invoice generator is a great tool for small businesses because it helps you get paid quickly and efficiently. You can customise a premade template with whatever designs and information you want. When customers receive their invoices via email, they can simply click a link to pay online.
This saves you time and hassle by eliminating the need to chase down payments manually. Plus, it’s more convenient for your customers, which will encourage them to do business with you again in the future.
Implement Strategies for Important Cost Savings
Working smart instead of spending blindly is one of the key aspects that separate successful businesses from those that fail. Tracking your cash flow, forming a limited company, knowing when to spend, keeping up with invoices, and following the other tips above will position your company for long-term success! Remember that all the time and energy you invest now will pay off in the long run!
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Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, thanks to their unique and personal ties to the neighborhoods they serve. However, that doesn’t mean that business practices used by larger companies should be ignored. In fact, many skills can help small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive! Here are some tips and resources worth checking out, courtesy of Cymru Marketing Journal.
Self-care Equals Business Maintenance
Business expenses typically include maintenance on a property, but aren’t you part of your business? You’re a small business owner and entrepreneur in London, and taking care of yourself is just as important as maintaining your office space. There are ways to practice self-care that won’t break the bank.
Create and enforce boundaries. It’s important not to overextend your energy, which is limited. Setting boundaries helps because they create more free time if you say no to doing too much.
Allow yourself “me time. Remember to do one thing that makes you happy as many times as you can fit into your schedule.
Mix up the routine. People are creatures of habit, but falling into a monotonous routine makes daily life feel too predictable. If you add fun to your life, it will revitalize you.
Business Sense. One of the largest tools for businesses and people is effective communication. Lack of communication causes misunderstandings and resentments because no one feels heard. People from employees to vendors become frustrated, and morale reaches an all-time low.
Use active listening. If you listen to understand and ask the right questions, you’re practicing active listening. Limiting distractions allow you to focus on the person speaking to you, and it will help them focus on you when you talk.
Utilize more than one communication method. Combining email with Zoom calls eliminates confusion because it gives the person you’re communicating with another outlet to clarify any concerns.
Emotional intelligence. Being in tune with another’s feelings and watching nonverbal cues shows others that you’re paying attention to their needs. Everyone feels better when they’ve been acknowledged if they’ve had a bad day.
Learning Is Life
If you question businesses about what they think is the most valuable skill, some would tell you innovation is the most desired. Innovative people are creative and never stop learning. You’d be pleasantly surprised at how much you’d learn from your vendors and employees if you listen to their ideas. Thinking outside the box is often key to finding a solution that fits your current problem. You never know when you need another person to look at a problematic situation from a different perspective.
Marketing Tips
Entrepreneurs can also use marketing strategies like social media and search engine optimization (SEO). Marketing via social media is a great way to reach a huge potential audience, as well. Beyond that, though, don’t neglect more traditional methods, like flyersand business cards. Those can be especially effective with neighborhood businesses!
Your Business, Your Choices
Being a business owner is a test of life and work management. You are challenged daily to get as much done as you can. Practicing self-care, using communication skills, and educating yourself about your business are keys to success.
Cymru Marketing Journaloffers Local, National & International Digital Marketing, including outbound marketing, blog posts, and social media advertising. We’d love to hear from you!
Start the Business You Dream About: Prevail Over Your Fears
Starting a business comes with its share of perks, such as being incharge of the company and your financial future. It comes with risks as well, which can be frightening. You, however, need to overcome those fears to reap the rewards. But how do you go about this? Here are some tips from UK Business Banking on how to get started.
Begin as a Side Hustle
If you currently don’t have the financial means to put all your eggs in one basket, work on your business as a side hustle. Continue working your current job, but use your free time to begin your company. This way, you still have stability with less risk and can see if entrepreneurship is a fit for you.
Take Advantage of Free Tools
When starting out, you will likely have limited resources and will need to stretch your funds as far as possible. This means you should use free software and apps whenever
possible. If you’re working with images and documents, for example, use a free online tool to turn your image into a PDF in lieu of purchasing dedicated software. This way, you can store your images in the cloud for free, as well as distribute them as you like.
Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Before you begin, take time to reflect on your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Hone in on your strengths as much as you can, and consider hiring help to handle the areas of business where you’re less proficient. For instance, if you’re not artistic, consider hiring a professional to develop your logo. If you’re not familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) and web design, hire a freelancer or company to assist.
Choose a Business Structure Early
When you start planning your business, select a business structure early. This affects how you operate your company. One option is a limited company. It limits your personal liability in case of a lawsuit, which can be a relief if you’re worried about losing your home if an issue arises. Use an online formation service to assist in this process. Doing this helps you comply with the law while spending less of your time handling the paperwork.
Implement Certain Marketing Tactics
How you market your business has a strong impact on your success. Part of the equation consists of digital marketing since the Internet is where most people go to find products or services. You can automate digital marketing efforts with a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution to integrate with all your existing tools and services to seamlessly help your marketing reach go further.
Nevertheless, you can’t neglect traditional marketing tactics. For example, you should have a business card to give to people you meet. It makes a lasting impression and acts as a gentle reminder of your products or services. You can create business cards online using a pre-fabricated template that allows you to choose your colors, images, text, and font.
Create a Strong Business Plan
Establish a strongbusiness plan that covers a variety of elements, such as your marketing, including your website. Part of your business plan should cover aspects that make your website convenient. For example, save yourself and clients or customers time and hassle by enabling your app or website to accept payments. This promotes long-term growth and makes it simple for your clients or customers.
Compare your payment options carefully. You want a system that doesn’t charge astronomical credit card processing fees and lets your customers or clients know they have the funds available for payment.
Have Realistic Expectations
While making £1 million in your first year of operations would be wonderful, this isn’t realistic. The average small business owner earns less than £30,000 per year. When you’re just getting started, it takes time to gain exposure and become successful.
Risk-Taking Can Equal Success
Although it might seem scary and overwhelming to take a chance, overcoming your fears and starting a business can lead to success.
Every organization needs a high-performing team. Ready to learn how to build a high-performing team the right way? We’ve got your back. Follow these six easy steps:
Get to Know Your Employees
Getting to know your staff is the first step in establishing a high-performing team. Before building a team, you should have a thorough understanding of all potential employees. What makes them tick, what motivates them, and what irritates them?
Instead of going with your gut, pre-planning is the best way to establish high-performing teams. Make an effort to communicate with coworkers both inside and outside the office. Spend some time with everyone to better understand their goals and where they want to go with their career.
Recruit the Best People for High-Performance Teams
Continuing from the first stage, the next thing you should do is make sure you hire the correct employees for the task. Choosing the right people for a team greatly boosts the likelihood of success. Think of it as if you’ve assembled the ideal components for your recipe, and now it’s up to you to make it!
Workers should possess the basic characteristics that will aid in the seamless operation of the entire team. Here are some things to consider when putting together a team:
Additionally, the people you recruit should have legit qualifications such as an online degree or online boot-camp certification to showcase they have learned the required skills for the task at hand.
Another important component in developing high-performing teams is the team’s size.
Assign a Common Goal to the Group
A unified purpose is one of the most distinguishing qualities of high-performing teams. Teams who lack this characteristic are doomed to fail. No team can do anything without guidance. This should not be addressed after the team has been formed; it should be handled as part of your pre-planning.
The common goal must be well-defined, well-organized, and well-communicated to the team members. It’s one of the characteristics that separates a good team from an outstanding one.
Define Your Roles
Unfortunately, this is a factor that many people miss. Each team member must be aware of the responsibilities and tasks assigned to them. Any ambiguity on an individual level may cause problems for the whole team.
Every role that is assigned must be compatible. In high-performing teams, roles are not based on intuition or haphazard approaches. Each decision must be based on clear reasoning.
You will be able to harness everyone’s true potential if you achieve clarity in responsibilities while developing high-performing teams. When team members are aware of their responsibilities, they perform better.
Effective Communication is Essential
In management seminars, schools, colleges, and business classes, we’ve heard it before. Communication is crucial in assisting high-performing teams in achieving their objectives. Communicating promptly saves a firm more than anyone wants to admit.
Consider playing a role in encouraging open communication within a group. Set a good example by taking frequent input from the staff and communicating with everyone daily.
Next, continually telling the team that it’s more important to speak up than to keep ideas and problems to themselves. Finally, urge the team to develop an effective communication strategy that will allow them to communicate with all stakeholders.
You should also use technology to your advantage. Inform the team about the latest collaborative technologies to make working more enjoyable and convenient.
Learn How to Be ‘SMART’
Specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and timely goals are referred to as SMART goals. It is one of the most commonly used acronyms in the business world.
Working smartly in teams is crucial for making the most of available resources. Everyone can follow a predetermined path and accomplish the desired outcome, but only a select few can think outside the box to achieve the same goal more efficiently.
We’ve discussed the importance of having a unified goal. Similarly, to be more productive, teams should set SMART goals. This means that we don’t set targets for teams such as “improve productivity.” Instead, tell your employees that you need to boost productivity by X percent in the coming quarter.
By being focused, persistent, and agile, SMART goals help teams perform better.
Conclusion
Building a high-performing team is essential in any workplace if you want to be productive and effective in everyday tasks. Companies that work well together and communicate effectively are almost five times more likely to retain high-performing employees.
Disclaimerof the Brands In this Article. Many Brands are Switching Sides so you need to do your research before making a campaign. Every day more brands are washing their hands of the Russian Dictator. Shell has announced today they will no longer be trading with Russia.
Boycott Companies Still Trading in Russia.
We as citizens need to take a stand and support Ukraine from companies that continue to trade with Russia. This means putting pressure on corporations and refusing to buy their products, so even if you may love your coffee, beefburgers, and your fizzy pop, it is a small sacrifice to make to help put an end to this atrocity that is happening in Ukraine.
You would not only be helping our own Governments but you will also be helping people in Ukraine and trying to end this senseless w##.
The more companies that turn their backs on Russia eventually their economy will collapse. They need money to buy artillery, pay their military, and provide for their people.
If we can hit Russia in its pockets, they will eventually run out of money, but this also applies to putting a point across to the companies that are in bed with the enemy.
Global News has already published the outcry to boycott McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Shell as these companies are still trading in Russia thus helping to fuel the fire.
It has been reported that three Ukrainian supermarket chains announced they are removing Coca-Cola products from their store shelves and the hashtags #BoycottCocaCola, #BoycottPepsi, and #BoycottMcDonalds were trending on Twitter over the weekend. However, people who support Ukrainians around the world should also take a stand against these companies until they join the rest of the world to help end this diabolical w##
Companies Still Trading With Russia:
Boycott Companies That Are Still Trading With Russia!
Citigroup Inc C -1.83%(Get Free Alerts for C): The Bank was trying to remove itself from Russia long before the Ukraine invasion, but it is trapped in a quagmire — efforts to sell its Russian consumer business is in limbo because the sole potential buyer, the Russian state bank VTB Bank, has been sanctioned by the U.S. government. In its defense, Citigroup CFO Mark Mason stated the bank might need to write off nearly approximately $9.8 billion.
Coca-Cola Co KO -2.37%(Get Free Alerts for KO): Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company AG, the Swiss-based firm distributing Coca-Cola products in Russia has not only shown no signs of suspending operations, but it also went so far as to tell the Russian news agency Tass: “All operational, production and logistics facilities of Coca-Cola in Russia are working. “We are fully responsible to partners, society, and thousands of our employees in Russia. Our top priority is the safety of our employees.” Coca-Cola announced it had halted production at its factory in Kyiv and evacuated its employees, yet is still doing business in Russia, which makes you wonder where their priorities lie?
Estée Lauder Companies IncEL -7.56%:Thie hair and skin care and cosmetics provider which has headquarters in New York generates 2.7% of its revenue, or approximately $500 million, from sales in Russia. The company issued a statement on March 4 insisting it was “committed to supporting those impacted by the invasion of Ukraine,” adding that its “priority is the safety and well-being of all ELC employees, and we are continuously monitoring the situation and evaluating all possible measures to support them.”
Herbalife Nutrition Ltd HLF -0.06%:This multi-level marketing corporation gets 3% of its revenue, or approximately $150 million, from sales in Russia. On Feb. 23, the day before Ukraine was invaded, Herbalife President John DeSimone answered an earnings call question about the region and stated while there was a risk in Russia, “the biggest risk is probably in Ukraine, and it’s not a material country to us.”
Hilton Hotels Corporation HLT -6.32%: Among the U.S. lodging companies, Hilton has 29 hotels in Russia; its sole Ukrainian operation is a hotel in the capital city of Kyiv. Hilton is still operating at the locations and the company has yet to make any public comment regarding the crisis in the region.
Kimberly-Clark CorpKMB -0.91%:The personal care product provider has been part of the Russian market since 1996 and generates 3% of its revenue, or $600 million, from sales in that country. In January 2019, it announced an $80 million to expand its Russian flagship factory in Stupino, a town 61.5 miles south of Moscow. Kimberly-Clark has not offered any public comment regarding Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
McDonald’s CorpMCD -4.88%: The fast-food giant gets 9% of its revenue from the Russia/Ukraine markets, or roughly 2.3% billion. The majority of its Russian locations are franchised by Russian Business Owners, yet the company has ignored growing demands from consumers and elected officials to shut down its Russian eateries.
Papa John’s International Inc. PZZA -7.76%: The Pizzaria chain has approximately 185 restaurants in Russia, headquartered in Atlanta USA. On the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Feb. 24, the day of the invasion, President and CEO Robert Lynch stated: “that any change to our restaurants in Russia will depend on how much disruption there is there and the impact of that business.” He continued to say he has no plans of closing any of the restaurants down and added the company had no restaurants in Ukraine.
PepsiCo Inc. PEP -1.99%: The Purchase, New York-based company is being pressured to rethink their business with Russia, with 4.4% of its revenue, or $3.4 billion, coming from that market, the firm is being pressured by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli who controls the state’s $280 billion pension funds, which includes PepsiCo shares, and he bluntly stated it would be in the company’s best interests to “address various investment risks associated with the Russian market.”
Starbucks Corporation SBUX -6.19%: The famous coffee house headquartered in Seattle has 130 licensed coffee shops in Russia; with no presence in Ukraine. The CEO Kevin Johnson is not forcing its Russian partners to close, he informed his workforce via an internal memo that the company “will donate any royalties we receive from our business operations in Russia to humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine.”
(At the time of this article going to press, it has been announced today Shell is now pulling out of Russia which is excellent news 🙂 I would have hoped that contacting the family office in the UAE had something to do with it).
The complete list of companies that remain can be seen below:
“This does not say much about these companies if they are in cahoots with a Dictator that is threatening everyone that interferes with his actions”.
Companies that have turned their backs on Russia are:
Over 200 corporations including Apple and Netflix have halted operations in the country since President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale att### on Ukraine.
Amongst the Companies Are:
Accounting and financial services companies:
British-Dutch multinational professional services network KPMG; professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC); and payment card services giant American Express have stopped their respective operations in Russia.
* Entertainment and messaging companies:
Global streaming entertainment serviceNetflix; and instant messaging app Snapchat have also ceased their operations in Russia.
The Walt Disney Company, Sony, and Warner Bros have said they are pausing their release of films in Russia
* Technology companies:
Apple has paused selling its products (both offline and online) in Russia.
Microsoft has also stopped “other aspects of business in Russia.
Alphabet Inc’s Google has blocked the Russian news outlets RT and Sputnik.
Meta (formerly Facebook) also blocked the Russian state media houses.
Samsung Electronics also suspended its shipments to Russia.
* Automobile companies:
Mercedes-Benz has stopped manufacturing and passenger car export in Russia.
Ford and General Motors have discontinued their operations in the country.
* Retail companies:
American company PVH, which operates Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, has suspended ops in Russia.
Nike, H&M and Ikea also suspended operations in Russia.
Home rental company Airbnb and payment firm PayPal have also suspended their operation in Russia.
Ikea has temporarily closed all 17 stores and factories across Russia in a move affecting 15,000 workers
M&S the British Retailer said has suspended shipments to its Turkish franchisee’s business in Russia, which has 48 stores and 1,200 employees stating “we are building on our existing support for Unicef’s UK’s Ukraine appeal with £1.5m packages to support the UN Refugee Agency and Unicef to help children and families in need.” They also said it was sending £0.5m of coats and thermals to Ukraine, where it ceased operations at 10 stores a week ago.
Volkswagen Group announced it had stopped production of vehicles in Russia until further notice, a decision affecting the Russian production sites in Kaluga and Nizhny Novgorod. Vehicle exports to Russia have also been stopped with immediate effect, it said. Carmaker Ford said it had suspended its commercial van joint venture in Russia “until further notice”. And in the past few days, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover and Renault have all halted sales and operations in Russia.
Diageo, which makes Smirnoff vodka and Guinness, said it had paused exports to Russia and Ukraine.
Online travel booking firm Expedia said it had stopped selling travel in and out of Russia, making it one of the first travel companies to announce such a move.
British online retailers Boohoo and Asos announced they had suspended sales in the country, as did the Swedish clothing giant H&M.
The Spanish fashion retailer Mango announced a temporary closure of its 120 shops in Russia and its online sales site there.
The British Luxury Fashion House Burberry said it had ceased shipments to the country, effectively shutting down its online operation they also have three stores in Russia, one of which is run by a franchisee and one in Moscow’s Red Square, and these currently remain open but they are not receiving new deliveries.
Nike has said it is preventing Russian customers from buying online and Adidas has suspended its partnership with the Russian Football Union.
The Full List Of Companies No Longer Trading With Russia
Despite presumingly getting cheap crude oil, petrol retailers have urged the chancellor to help motorists absorb record bills by cutting VAT on fuel.
The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) spoke up as the cost of filling up hits new heights on a daily basis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
I have redacted some words as I have noticed that online censorship is causing certain articles to get flagged or banned so I have replaced certain letters with hashtags. I wrote about online censorship and words can get you struck off https://marketingagency.cymrumarketing.com/2022/03/05/online-censorship/
I first noticed a problem when I used certain keywords like the Russian Dictators name in an article I wrote about how all Energy and Fuel Price Rises are going to increase poverty to unprecedented levels and how it will affect people’s mental health. This article kept coming back as a 500 sever error and my IT team could not understand what the issue was until I did a bit of digging and finally edited the article into three parts omitting certain words and phrases and not publishing the video that was controversial. You can read the edited article about Financial Difficulty here.
If you are finding your utility bills in the UK going to be unmanageable do consider changing utility providers.
Mental health can affect all people in all walks of life and poverty can cause poor mental health through social stresses, stigma, and trauma. When individuals find themselves in financial difficulty and perhaps do not have the necessities to survive, mental disorders such as depression or anxiety can develop and intensify. Mental health is also caused by grief. Griefcan be caused by a number of situations such as the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or separation. Grief can also be because of the loss of your home and worldly possessions as in the case of many millions of people in Ukraine right now.
If you have been affected by grief or are in financial difficulty I highly recommend you read the following articles I have written on this site and on another that I own:
Going Ahead With the Plan: Starting Your Business After the Pandemic
Have you had dreams of becoming a business owner?
Did the COVID-19 pandemic stop you short in your tracks?
As life slowly moves back to normal, you might still feel hesitant to move forward with your plans to open a new company.
Why You Should Start Now
MIT Sloan Management Review explains that many entrepreneurs are finding the business world has changed. According to experts, the labor market became disrupted in 2020, and there were not enough workers to manage certain industries like retail and health care. Fed up with restrictive jobs, many employees decided to forge their own path.
As bigger chains face hardship with workers leaving them, this is a good time to pursue something you have always dreamed of. Depending on your industry, you might face less competition and find it easier to make your first sale. As businesses close, many sell equipment, giving you a chance to purchase at a low price and start your own company. When things return to normal, you might not find the same savings to benefit from.
Make the Most With What You Have
Before you rush out to take a loan, start small and allow your company to grow as needed. Perhaps this means running your business out of your home or garage to keep costs down. Maybe you’ll only buy a few pieces of equipment or limit how many supplies you purchase to estimate how much demand is currently there. Or maybe you’ll renovate a dedicated space in your home and create a fully functional office, which includes your tech set up (computer, keyboard, printer, monitor, etc.) as well as furniture like a desk and comfortable chair. Keep in mind that any updates you make may even boost your home’s value.
The Business Journals recommends doing some research about the competitionin your area. Maybe they recently went out of business themselves, or perhaps there is a service people need that they are not offering. Try to step in and fill these gaps for your potential customers.
Also make sure you are allowed to operate your business in your location, especially if you work from home. HOAs, local governments, and landlords usually limit what can be done and what sort of business can be conducted on properties within their limits. If it’s determined that your business can’t be run out of your current place, consider moving into one of the nearly 4,200 houses for rent in Phoenix, to a property that does allow you to run your operation without restrictions.
Know Where to Turn for Help
It is crucial that you know when to seek help. While you do not want to needlessly throw money around, it is important to outsource certain tasks you are not knowledgeable about or if it would take away time that you could use to grow your company. Sometimes, it is worth the extra cost to spend on a freelancer or another type of remote worker, such as blog writing services, a graphic designer, or a bookkeeper.
If you’re worried about hiring a contractor, consider one or two areas that you think would benefit from outsourcing. Track the results and judge for yourself how much time you get back when you use a freelancer instead of doing it on your own.
Get the Word Out About Your Business
Marketing will play a critical role in the success of your business. Make sure you have a solid marketing planthat can appeal to the demographic you want to attract, all while keeping costs low.
Consider using free or low-cost marketing methods for social media or a website. Later on, you can spend money on marketing that is more likely to stick with people, such as creating promotional items like t-shirts or keychains.
Starting your new business in an unexplored economy might sound challenging, but this might be the best time to put your dreams into action and move forward with your goals.
Cymru Marketing is your information hub, providing your business with connections to marketing consultants, branding, SEO, graphic design, public relations, and so much more! Contact us for more info using the form below!
It was brought to my attention today that adding an URL within a comment to a post can be interpreted as spammy and unprofessional (and I quote “needy“). This was a eureka moment for me because now I was given an opportunity to write about it.
I will link other articles I have found on other marketing websites that all basically say the same.
It has to take a top marketer to stop all the rumors and false information flying about.
Posting URLs in Comments Debunked.
If you post a picture or text-only post on LinkedIn and state “link in the comments,” would your post be penalized (i.e., receive lower impressions/views and lower engagement)? This may have been the case some time ago but it is not so any longer. (The instigator of the post this morning, automatically went on the defense and called the person I have got information from a “Moron”). I did not respond to the insinuation.
Here is What I have found out and is backed by credible sources.
Research conducted by https://growthrocks.com showed a study on the reach and click-through rate of LinkedIn posts with the link in comments and found reach to be almost three times higher on posts with the link in comments:
Linkedin Reach
According to Guy Kawasaki who conducted the research reported in mid-2017 amazing findings on his LinkedIn account when he added the link in the comments:
Linkedin Post Types
Guy Noted his LinkedIn post with the link in the comments section received three times the views over traditional link posts. (Views on personal profiles are equivalent to impressions on business pages.)
These two claims inspired the Social Media Lab to run a small experiment to see if they could verify this technique.
In conclusion, it was found that Hypothesis: LinkedIn is not punishing posts with the phrase “link in the comments.”
Data Testing LinkedIn “Link in Comments” Strategy
Data collected found impressions 169.29% higher on posts with the link in the comments, thus there is no punishment by LinkedIn using this technique.
But we need to delve deeper and what can happen if someone comments on a post and leaves an external link of their own. what would happen to your post?
In 2017, Facebook announced a change to its algorithm designed to reduce the reach of posts with click-bait and low-quality links. At the time this followed Google’s lead of penalizing lower quality content and intrusive ads and pop-ups that affected the user experience. However, in 2016, an update to the Facebook algorithm aimed to rank posts with engaging links higher in people’s feeds.
The topic of external links on social platforms is a hotly debated one.
If your link is ‘good’ (i.e. not click-baiting spammy rubbish) then will it affect your post’s reach or not?
External links act like backlinks although like any link you will find on the internet the link basically acts as an exit for users who are then directed elsewhere on the web.
Will the link damage your credibility, well let just say if the link posted does not match your niche and looks spammy then you have every right and are in control to remove the comment.
Going back to this morning I have been following a Super Yacht Hospitality Event Organiser for a few years and his content sometimes, very funny and sometimes crap has always caught my attention. I was planning on booking a VIP weekend for my 60th Birthday but it looks he has now lost a customer. He metaphorically speaking bit his nose to spite his face.
It turned out he had a bee in his bonnet because he went on a rant stating my link posted by me was and I quote”needy” in which I hit back stating his posts “Buy from me now as I have to feed the kids” were needier than my link, obviously this hit a nerve because he called it tongue in cheek humor and he could write what he wanted.
I tried handing an olive branch to keep the peace and even asked him to send me a banner so that I could advertise his business for free. I told him the link I sent him was not selling anything and that if he put a link in my comments I would not be so upset. I even tried to be the bigger person and apologized several times.
When I told my daughter who is studying marketing management at Cardiff University that he had blocked me, her words were his loss. She knew my plans for my birthday where I was planning on having a weekend on a Super Yacht. I guess I will have to look for another organizer and promote them instead.
What people fail to realize especially if they do not know me that well is if you cross me you do not get a second chance. I will not mention this person’s name or the company he represents but all I will say is he will see my posts including this one as he and I have mutual connections and he will know this post was about him.
What you should also do is act professionally and not draw attention to yourself. If the commentator shared a link that was found to be beneficial to you and your network, you should not bite the hand that feeds you and you should be civil.I was offering free advertising and trying to help him.
What you should not do is block the person, accuse them of hijacking your post, because “a happy customer will tell their friends and family whilst an unhappy customer will tell the world”.
By criticizing the commentator you stand to lose business especially if they happen to work in the marketing industry and maybe contemplating buying your product or service further down the line.
LinkedIn has stopped penalising posts with external links in 2020
It appears that LinkedIn has now stopped penalizing posts for containing external links.
In Summary
No one really knows for certain how social media algorithms work at any given time, and we also don’t know if or when LinkedIn might return to penalizing external links. There’s a lot of guesswork and bet-hedging that goes on in the social media community, all of which muddies the waters for therapy business owners who just wish social media could be simpler!
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