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Clarity Over Content: Why Less Is More for Your Website

When you launch or relaunch your business’ website, there’s an understandable temptation to make it all-singing and all-dancing. There’s so much that you want to tell your customers, and you want to do it in as stylish and attractive a way as possible.

That might mean sophisticated animations, introductory videos, customer testimonials and all the exciting product information that you have to hand.

What we’ve seen happen as a result of that far too often is that new websites become cluttered and confusing to negotiate. You’re shouting about so many things at once that no individual message resonates with your visitors; they’re simply overwhelmed with noise.

The last thing you want for your business is to have your website end up on a ‘worst designed’ list, so in this modern and loud era of web design, it’s time to take a step back and focus on clarity instead. Here are the reasons why.

Busy websites take longer to load

The more content you have on your page, the longer it will take to load. Having an attractive banner or a high-resolution image occupying your homepage is great for the aesthetic, but bad for the loading time.

That isn’t good news for you when it comes to your potential visitors, who now expect things to happen almost immediately.

In the 1990s, with dial-up connections, it wasn’t uncommon for even the most basic page to take 30 seconds or more to load completely. That would be totally unacceptable now. Research has indicated that up to 40% of casual browsers will leave your page if it hasn’t loaded within three seconds.

That rules out almost all video content, as well as bandwidth-heavy animations. Even banner adverts could add to the problem. Take them all away, and instead, make the most of the things that will load quickly.

Unclear purposes lead to unclear customers

What is it that your business does, and how is that represented on the first page of your website? There’s an increasing trend to use ‘marketing speak,’ and artistic visual styles. Looking great is one thing, but having an ultra-stylish logo and branding on your homepage isn’t particularly important if you’re a plumber.

An effective homepage should immediately answer three questions for its visitors; where are they, what are they able to do on your website, and why should they do it?

They won’t be able to do that if they can’t pick out the important details. As an example, UK mobile slots websites are invariably good at this. They operate within a very crowded market and are in direct competition with hundreds of other sites offering the same service.

Their visitors want to find their way to playing slot games as quickly as possible, and if they can’t, they’ll go somewhere else. You won’t find a slot games website wasting time on sloganeering or distractions; the slots will be on the first page visitors arrive on, along with a clearly visible route to playing them.

Think about what your visitors are actually looking for when they arrive on your site. Forget about what you want to tell them, what do they want to know? Is it right in front of their eyes? Is there a clear way for them to obtain it? If not, it’s time to think again about your design.

We can’t read images

Images are great at illustrating a purpose, but not providing it. The written content of your website is almost certainly the most important aspect of the site, but too often we hide it all away on pages other than the landing page.

Because we’re looking to ‘wow’ our audience, we sometimes opt for a design that’s heavy on images, with single-word clickable links to take our visitors through to find the information that they came looking for. Some of them may not bother.

What’s the first thing you do when you’re considering making a major purchase, book a hotel, or do just about anything significant involving money?

You read about it. You read reviews, product information, competitor information, technical specifications and whatever else might be relevant.

When a potential customer arrives on your website, they want to read all about you, and what you do. It’s in your interests to make it as easy as possible for them to do that. That means being concise and clear on your homepage, and keeping your links for further information.

Too many pages create confusion

How many times have you arrived at a website only to be confronted by multiple category links across the top of the page, with further categories appearing on a drop-down menu when you hover over them?

It’s frustrating, and it means you have to spend time sifting through the links to find the information you want. For some people, if they don’t immediately see what they want they’ll just log off and go and find it somewhere else.

Think about the information that you either already have or want to have on your website.

How much of it could be grouped together as opposed to having multiple pages? Does your ‘About Us’ and ‘Meet The Team’ information really have to be on separate pages? Does ‘Contact Us’ merit a page in its own right?

A good website should contain no more than four or five pages at most. It doesn’t matter if the pages are long, so long as all the information is in the right place, and easy for your visitors to find.

People know what stock photos look like

Stock photos are the curse of the digital media age. People can identify them easily, and they’re put off by them because they know they’re not a representation of reality.

Even the people who appear in them don’t like them! They represent an idealized version of what you’re selling, come across as sales aids, and take away from your uniqueness as a company. There are no good reasons to use them.

Consider whether multiple stock photos of people with suits round a table or a mother with a child in the sunshine are actually telling people anything about your company or your product, or if they’re just taking up space and adding to the loading time of your website.

If you want to use images, keep it down to one or two, and have them be photos of your real office or your real self. People are attracted to reality, and they’re smart enough to know when they see it.

These are small changes you can make, which could have a big impact on the effectiveness of your website as a communication tool. Make the time to both speed-check and sense-check your website. Spring is in the air now, so it’s the perfect time for a little cyber spring-cleaning!

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/content-creation/clarity-over-content-why-less-is-more-for-your-website/

6 Metrics You Should Be Tracking on Instagram

Instagram can be a gold mine for businesses trying to grow their accounts. There are more than a billion active users, many of which are your target customers. If you want to have the largest impact on those potential customers, you need a good handle on your Instagram metrics.

Keeping a close eye on certain metrics can help you measure your success and track areas of improvement. Here are the top six metrics worth tracking on Instagram.

1. Traffic

If you want to know the return on investment you’re getting for a certain piece of content or an advertisement, you need to know what kind of traffic Instagram brings to your website.

Unfortunately, you can’t see this information on Google Analytics where you get other information about your website performance because Instagram is solely a mobile application. You’ll need to download your Instagram analytics tool directly to your phone to see how much direct traffic comes from Instagram.

It will identify which posts are generating stagnant traffic as well. You can then analyze the different elements of each post to determine what is generating or preventing referral traffic. Since most businesses use Instagram as a tool to increase traffic on their websites, this is essential to a successful strategy.

2. Followers

Although it’s not the only metric to measure that can measure the success of a certain Instagram account, your follower growth rate is the simplest metric to watch. If you have a lot of followers and are adding more all the time, you’re obviously doing well.

Most importantly, you need to monitor the growth rate, meaning the number of followers you’re adding or losing over a certain time period. Monitoring this percentage is more effective than your actual follower count because it indicates the success or stagnation of your current Instagram strategy.

Most Instagrammers struggle to increase their following and tracking this metric can show these businesses exactly what’s going wrong. The analytics dashboards can show you how many new followers you’re adding or losing over a given time period. If you’re adding them at a rapid rate, you know that your current marketing efforts are working.

If you’re losing them rapidly, you know that you’ve either posted something offensive or you’re simply not doing enough to keep them engaged. Keep a close eye on your growth percentage rate so that you can measure it against your current Instagram campaigns.

3. Engagement Per Follower

Instagram’s algorithm is a fickle mistress, particularly where businesses are concerned. If you don’t do everything just right, your posts run the risk of never being seen by your target audience. In fact, did you know that as many as 70 percent of Instagram posts go unseen on a given day?

To make sure that your posts are being seen and doing the work that you intended, watch how much engagement each post receives. You’ll get up-close insights into your audience’s interest—if they’re not interested, Instagram won’t even show the post to them.

Again, don’t look at the raw numbers of your engagement rates. You want to measure the amount of engagement your posts see on a monthly or weekly basis to identify a pattern. This will help you work with the algorithm and meet your followers’ interests more accurately.

4. Hashtag Engagement

Hashtags are an essential part of any Instagram strategy because they make your posts discoverable by your dedicated followers. Posts with hashtags tend to see more engagement than posts without, and tracking that engagement can help you determine how effective each hashtag is alongside your posts.

Hashtags with more engagement are likely to bring more traffic to your page, so keep an eye on rates of traffic, comments, and likes for each post containing a hashtag. Remember that you can use multiple hashtags (up to 30) in any post, so put together a list of the most relevant hashtags.

Use a combination of branded hashtags and popular tags that are relevant to your industry. Go through the list to see which bring in the most attention. This will help you further your reach, make your brand easy to discover, and increase your follower growth rate.

5. Peak Post Times

Did you know that the typical Instagram post receives the most engagement it will ever get within a few hours of you posting it? After that, the Instagram algorithm shows it to fewer people, and engagement drops off significantly.

To ensure that your targeted audience will see your posts, monitor the peak times that followers engage with your content. By looking at your analytics, you’ll see the times of day that your followers are online and engaging with your content. This is the best way to identify peak posting times because it analyzes your actual followers.

However, if you need a launching point to help you reach more people, you can look at general analyses of when people tend to be on Instagram. There are a variety of charts and graphs that show when a certain demographic is more likely to be online and ready to engage. Use this to help you get started posting at the right times, but then listen to your followers to curate more accurate posting times. Instagram analytics 3^rd party tools also show you what times your posts perform best.

6. Reach

You need to know who sees your posts—is it just your engaged followers or do your posts extend to others who could be interested in your content? You’ll never grow your following if you’re unable to extend your reach beyond your current followers.

Reach analytics show information about views for unique posts, Instagram Stories, ads, and videos. Most analytics will also show you the number of people who saw your post who weren’t already following you. This is the number you want to keep in mind to help you potentially grow your following.

Don’t confuse your reach numbers with your impression metrics. Reach measures the number of times a person views your post once, and impressions tell you how many times a post has been seen total, even if each person watched it 10 times. Both numbers are useful in their own right, but your reach rate will help you grow your following beyond what you already have.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/social-media-marketing/6-metrics-you-should-be-tracking-on-instagram/

Top Tips on Deductive Essay Writing for Students

If you have been assigned an essay project where you have to use deductive reasoning, you might be intimidated by such an assignment if you’ve never written a deductive essay before.  

What’s more, you will encounter deductive essays several times over the course of scholastic career, so your familiarity with the writing style is vital to your academic writing success.  

The deductive essay requires that you use reasoning to examine a set of premises (clues) or conditions and to draw reasonable conclusions based on the topic under examination. Here we will examine the reason for writing a deductive essay and the various elements that go into the structure of such a paper.

What is deductive reasoning?

Deductive reasoning is a lot like puzzle solving. If you’ve ever read about Sherlock Holmes then you can begin to understand how deductive reasoning works.

A deductive essay requires specific inclusions and must adhere to an expected structure. Below we will examine the features of such an essay and how you can ensure the production of an essay featuring brilliant writing and analysis.

The aim of your paper is to come up with a valid conclusion: one achieved through the process of deductive reasoning.

What is the tone of the work?

A deductive essay is written an objective, not subjective tone.  The writing must be factual. You should refrain from the use of the first person perspective, especially since the work is an academic form of writing.  You will use expert opinions to back your conclusions. You will want to maintain a third person perspective throughout your essay.

What kinds of topics are acceptable?

A topic for your deductive essay must be chosen with care. You will want to stay away from topics capable of invoking any type of response that is emotional.  Emotions are subjective and therefore have no place in a deductive essay.

When choosing a topic, choose one of interest but also one that you have no solid position about when you choose it. You can take ideas from pages like University homework help, finance homework help and professional paper writers when choosing a topic.

How is the paper started?

The deductive essay is the same as many academic projects like economics assignment help, term papers for sale and essay writing service  requiring that you begin with an introductory paragraph.  The first paragraph needs to express the topic under analysis and it should supply a brief background on the subject matter/problem.

Your thesis will assert the objective facts that the body of the paper will have to support. You get the supporting evidence through research and use of reliable sources.  

What do the body paragraphs in a deductive essay contain?

Start out each paragraph in the body with a strong, concise topic sentence. The first sentence leads the reader into what the paragraph will discuss.

In a clear paper, the reader should be able to scan the first sentence of each paragraph in the body of your paper and should be able to come away with a solid understanding of your supporting evidence.

What does the conclusion of the essay contain?

In a deductive essay, you are wrapping up the entire paper with your conclusion.  Readers remember the first and last thing they read the most, so your conclusion needs to have a powerful and memorable impact on the reader.

Summarize your paper, restate your thesis, and draw your conclusions based on the evidence you supply. You can also add some information about how the future may or may not influence the topic under analysis.

If you are having trouble designing your conclusions, try reworking the introductory paragraph into a concise closing summary.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/writing/top-tips-on-deductive-essay-writing-for-students/

The key to creating a top-quality first impression at a business meeting

Why should you visit Caribbean Resorts?

Visiting the Caribbean is the dream of a lifetime for a lot of people. Ever since the New World was discovered, people gravitated towards the Caribbeanregion as this is a place of beauty with lots of amazing locations to check out and explore as you see fit. It really shines and it delivers resounding results and benefits in ways you would not imagine. But why should you visit the Caribbean resorts?

Great beaches

The fact that you have Caribbean resorts right near the beach is very exciting. You have a unique opportunity to enjoy your time and just have fun the way you always wanted. It’s unique and fun as it is exciting, and it does deliver some astounding results and experiences thanks to that.

Snorkeling and diving

Being able to see the beautiful Caribbean locations really makes this type of experience shine. You get to see a lot of cool and fun stuff, and the sheer idea of exploring such locations will be a lot of fun. You do need to check it out and give it a shot, as you will enjoy it quite a bit.

Festivals

There are a plethora of festivals on the Caribbean islands. You have the Trinidad and Tobago festivals, not to mention the Cayman Islands and Suriname also have festivals as well. Just about any location in the Caribbean has festivals, and you should totally check them out due to that. It’s safe to say that it will be a fun and exciting experience you do not want to miss at all.

Amazing views

Obviously the primary focus when you visit the Caribbeanis to enjoy the beaches and the amazing views. There are lots of historical locations from centuries ago, not to mention the views on their own and the sunsets are spectacular. It’s well worth visiting the Caribbean for that reason alone.

Great seafood

Since the Caribbean islands have lots of seafood, you will have tons of amazing recipes to try out and enjoy here. All of them are very exciting, and you do have quite a lot of great things to enjoy here. The delicacies here are second to none, so if you are very passionate about seafood in general you can find some of the coolest recipes out there fast and easy.

Extraordinary architecture

The architecture here is distinct and quite amazing to be honest. It brings in front some rewarding results and it will totally deliver astounding benefits every time. And the great thing is that every location has new things to check out, so you just have to make the right pick and you will be extremely happy in the end.

Rest assured that visiting the Caribbean resorts will help you enjoy all these cool sights and activities as you see fit. It’s a very exciting and fun opportunity and one that has the potential to pay off big time and without a problem. As long as you handle this adequately you will be very happy with the results, so try to keep that in mind and you will be fine!

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/travel/why-should-you-visit-caribbean-resorts/

Why is the product price very important?

When you have a business you always want to make sure that you create the best products out there. Customers are always picky and that’s why you always have to find the right set of features that they need. But at the same time you also have to think about pricing.

Whenever you create a new product you have to focus on what price works for the customer base. Using the right price optimization software will help you a lot, because you get to see trends and then you can adapt and adjust the price as you see fit.

The challenge with all of this is finding that middle spot most of the time. The idea is that you don’t want the prices to be too low, but at the same time you don’t want them to be very high either. Adaptability is key and once you adapt yourself to what the customers want and need, you will be more than ok.

When you use price optimization software you will find it easier to figure out what price range works for a particular product. Then you can adapt and optimize the price point so you can get the best possible results. Sometimes underpricing the products or services you want to sell can hurt your business instead of helping it. That’s why you need to be open to all kinds of options and benefits, and once you do that the results can be really good in the end.

In addition, you want to be respectful to your customers. Making your prices too high can be a problem and that’s why you have to know exactly what you can expect or what experiences work for you in a situation like this. Overpricing is not a respectful way to treat customers if you know that the overall price is already very high. It’s important to understand all these things and then you can update your pricing to reflect the value and quality that you provide right now.

That being said, you do need to try and update your services too, as that will show customers they are indeed getting a lot of value for money. It’s a very professional approach and one that will help bring in all the necessary support and assistance in no time.

The use of high qualityprice optimization software will help you tackle this type of challenge fast and with great results. It might take a little bit of time to achieve those results you expect, and that’s why it makes sense to adjust the product pricing adequately.

If you have fair prices and you use price optimization software the right way, your company will grow and everything will be great. The best approach is to start off with a low price and then increase it gradually as you add in new features. It will help immensely and the outcome will shine for your business. But you have to be committed to finding the sweet spot when it comes to prices, otherwise it will not be ok for you in the end!

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/why-is-the-product-price-very-important/

Best TPA To Buy Health Insurance Plan In India

Insurance companies are getting new heights day by day and it is estimated that by the end of 2020 the Insurance sector will ace the finance market of India. The idea of TPA formulation has been taken from the US with few changes made apropos to India’s needs.

What Is TPA?

People always misunderstood TPAs as an insurance company, but no they are different organizations working with insurance companies for hassle-free insurance procedure.

Third party administrator is a link between the insurance company and insured, it has been developed in 2001 to assist insurance company and insured with the claim process. It is an IRDA (Insurance Regulatory Development Authority) licensed organization.

TPA performs cost effective claim settlement with various health insurance companies like star health insurance, Religare health insurance & many more delivers cost-effective insurance facilities to the customer. TPA acts as an intermediary between the insurer and insured to bring ease to the insurance process.

Functions of TPA

TPA plays an inherent part of the insurance system. It ensures an uncomplicated insurance procedure and claim process for the insurance company and insured as well. TPA always has its in-house doctors, the legal team of experts and finance experts to assist policyholders.

Following are the major responsibilities managed by TPA organizations:-

1. Hospital Networking – TPA keeps track of best quality service hospitals and collaborates with them for cashless, cost-effective and foremost medical services. TPA makes due diligence for ensuring hospital reputation, authorized medical staff and doctors, proper medical facilities and advanced technology medical equipment. For any filed claim cover against the health insurance policy, TPA contacts networked hospitals and endeavor to start immediate treatment in case of exigency.
2. Ease To Access Customer Services – TPA provides 24/7 available customer services to process all queries related to claim settlement, the status of the claim cover, status for reimbursement process just in case if policyholder did not get the treatment from the networked hospital, and strive to quick fix the issues when customers grumble. Informs policyholders via auto-generated emails or SMS regarding any changes in claim status and queries.
3. Customer Assistance – Its TPA’s responsibility to process any claim issue within 2 days and collect all the claim related documents. TPA provides complete information about insurance policy within max 7 working days and beneficiate policyholder with guide book and insurance policy information. TPA does not charge anything from the customers for any services. TPA ensures cashless treatment for the policyholder from the networked hospital and if the policyholder is getting medical services from the non-networked hospital then TPA pays the bills and gets reimbursement from the insurance company or provide reimbursement to insured.
4. Authorising Policyholders – When providing insurance policy to the customer TPA gathers all the information about the policyholder and the members covered under the policy. TPA maintains the database of customers records and issues an identity card to every policyholder.

ID card issued by the policyholder comprises of following details:-

• Date of policy issued
• Age and name of the insured
• Relationship with policyholder
• Name of the insurance company and TPA
• Contact details
• Unique identification code
• Photograph of insured
• Proceeding claim Settlement – After issuing the insurance policy all the future services and responsibilities comes under TPA authority. TPA coordinates with the hospital management for claim settlement and pays the bill of insured. Proceed claim request of reimbursement of insured, authenticate if the claim request is valid or not, reject and process claim requests in accordance with company policies.

Why an insurer needs TPA?

TPA is well-organized authorities with a legal and professional team.

• TPA assists the insured in case of exigency
• TPA builds hospital networks and expands the insurance system
• TPA authenticate claim request and ensures authenticity

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/lifestyle/best-tpa-to-buy-health-insurance-plan-in-india/

Starting Your Own Fintech-Based Company

How Relevant Are Thesis Services Startups and Business In 2019

Thesis services are very important for every student in college. The lecturers expect students to come up with persuasive concepts and be original with it. The thesis takes time to make strong arguments by first organizing the concepts and doing adequate research on the thesis.

The thesis is also marked on the basis of unique vocabulary used which is difficult for inexperienced students to come up with. This makes the thesis writing services relevant in 2019 but students need to seek reliable platforms for the services.

Thesis writing is mandatory for students in colleges and universities, meaning they will need help. Thesis services are offered by writers who compose the thesis making it easy for students. However, it is important that students search for thesis services that are reliable so that they can have good quality papers.

A thesis is a major academic assignment which contributes to the overall grade and you cannot afford to joke with it. Look for a good writer whom you are sure of their expertise in thesis writing.

Thesis writing services investigate and research on a particular topic at the same time compose compelling thesis papers.

Specialists in thesis services come up with compelling thesis arguments that are persuasive and they are up to the task for thesis writing. When you identify experts in this, you can trust them on this.

Establishing the right thesis startup and business in 2019

Students don’t just allow anybody to work on their thesis. Establish your business reliably to the clients or students before they trust you. Trust and reliability are very important in business because private writers can sometimes be disappointing. There are thesis writing service providers that can be trusted.

Some of the qualification students look for in thesis services include

• Native speakers

When startups hire native speakers for writing services it is good because they are smart in the use of language. Language is important in writing because there is a need for correct sentence structures and grammar use. Expert writers using their native language to write do it with ease.

• Educational qualifications

Reliable writing companies hire writers with PhDs and MBAs. Meaning they have the ability to come up with professional arguments in the thesis. Thesis businesses need to portray professionalism to their clients, especially in a field where professionalism and uniqueness are demanded.

• Passion

Most startups need to have passionate writers who can come up with a high-quality thesis. It is important for businesses to seek passionate writers to be able to deliver to their clients and avoid mediocre students.

• Adhere to thesis instructions

It is very important that thesis instructions are followed to the latter. This increases the chances of attaining high grades in thesis papers.

• Time conscious

Thesis service providers offer relief of stress related to time. It is important deadlines are met and skilled and reliable writing services are available for such. So it is important businesses are reliable and can maintain time deadlines as agreed by the different parties.

Why thesis services are the right remedies for thesis services for writing problems

Do you have enough time to conduct the right research? Do you possess the right skills to come up with a unique persuasive thesis? This means you have time to resolve your anxiety by contacting thesis service providers.

As a student, it should be encouraged to admit your inabilities and abilities to come up with a persuasive thesis paper. The best solution to this is by finding great writing service providers who understand more about thesis writing.

For most college students the papers involve complicated stages which cause challenges to their thesis writing. With thesis writing, it is easy for service providers to produce a top-quality thesis for you because they have the best writers.

As a student save yourself time and trouble by using writing services and score high in your academic performance. On the other hand, students do have financial needs and sometimes have to rely on pocket money to meet their needs. Now it is important for writing services businesses to be fair in their pricing.

Thesis writing services that surpass your expectations

A quality thesis is judged on originality; plagiarism can cause a poor grade or lack of grades. Every professor expects an exceptionally unique thesis written.

Students working on their own and doing research from the internet end up with plagiarizing content which is unfortunate for their content. To avoid plagiarism, students seek top-ranked writing services to take care of their thesis.

It is important that students keep in touch with thesis writing services available. The startups are very significant to students and they would be happy investing in them. The writing services should be able to collaborate with students to ensure their desires and needs have been met.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/resources/how-relevant-are-thesis-services-startups-and-business-in-2019/

5 Ways You Can Make Your Senior Therapy Dog More Comfortable

With the use of therapy animals in schools and hospitals increasing, keeping them fit and healthy as they age is both needed for their wellbeing as well as the happiness of the many people they help on a daily basis.

When it comes to dogs, seeing them age gracefully is very rewarding. As a dog ages, they slow down, are generally more tired and they may suffer from a range of health issues.

However, deep down they are still a puppy and providing them with what’s necessary for a comfortable aging process is essential for their health and wellbeing.

Short Regular Walks

Making sure a dog has plenty of exercise is important for their happiness and health. Keeping the weight off a senior dog helps to reduce the risk and/or can ease the pain of many health issues such as obesity, arthritis and heart disease.

Long walks should be avoided as they can cause a lot of strain on the joints and can exhaust an older dog. As a therapy dog, a lot of the time they may be sitting around listening to children read and getting love.

This is brilliant and relaxing for the dog, but can cause stiffness in a senior. So, to keep the joints loose and the weight off, keep the walks short and regular.

Comfy Beds

Due to therapy dogs spending a lot of time sitting with their students or patients, or travelling around, having somewhere comfortable to rest during this time is important. Orthopedic dog beds are the best way to go. They are warm, thick and provide a lot of support to joints and comfort any aches.

Supplements

There are a range of supplements you can feed a senior dog to help with the aging process. The best ones are those that contain glucosamine and fish oils. An example of a new product that can aid with senior mobility is elk antler velvet supplements.

These supplements don’t only support joint mobility and flexibility, but they also support the kidneys, liver and immune system of the dog while providing him/her with more energy.

Healthy Diet

As a dog ages, they can suffer from weight related issues. They either gain weight due to moving less or they lose weight from losing their appetite.

So, making sure your dog is getting all the nutrients they need and adjusting their diet when necessary is very important. Speak to your vet or a qualified pet nutritionist for professional advice.

Accessibility

Therapy dogs will spend a lot of time in places that aren’t home. If the dog has limited mobility due to age, you need to make sure you cater for his/her needs.

Ways you can do this include having a ramp for him/her to get in or out of the transport vehicle. Also, making sure you use the elevator or ramps instead of stairs will really help make the dogs work more comfortable.

Making sure he/she has support when walking on slippery surfaces is also important. It isn’t hard to make a senior therapy dog more comfortable. With all the love and support they provide to so many people, it is important that we do everything we can to give back to them.

After all, it is the least they deserve

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/uncategorized/5-ways-you-can-make-your-senior-therapy-dog-more-comfortable/

The Forex Millennium Review

Is It Worth Giving Up Your Privacy For Cheap Car Insurance?

Have you ever pulled up to a Target and found that your email and social media accounts are suddenly inundated with advertisements for Target? I have, and although I appreciate the coupons at times, I’ll admit that the thought of a major company tracking my whereabouts makes me a tad uneasy.

However, not many of us have the luxury of being comfortably able to turn down savings of over $1,000 per year, which is about what you get when you agree to track your driving to save money on your car insurance. In fact, Root Insurance says that drivers who switched from other insurers to their own monitoring insurance system saved an average of $1,187 per year. This article will discuss some of the most important issues to consider before agreeing to be monitored to save money on your car insurance.

What exactly will be monitored?

Typical car insurance rates consider your driving record, as well as demographic data, such as age, location and marital status. Usage-based insurance policies will also consider these factors for a baseline rate, but will also base a portion of your rate on your driving behavior by utilizing telematics technology. These companies monitor your data by gathering it through a plug-in device for your car’s diagnostic port or simply a smartphone app.

Not all usage-based insurance policies will monitor the same things. Some focus on mileage, while others track braking, idling and acceleration. Certain policies might monitor your driving for a specified period of time, while others continuously track your driving. When shopping around for policies,  make sure to ask each agent exactly what will be monitored and for how long. Consider whether or not the information is actually a strong indicator of good driving. Some additional questions you will want to ask include the following:

• If the company will share or sell your data.
• How each category of data they collect will affect your insurance rate.
• If you can decline to share the information without incurring a penalty.

Keep in mind that if you do opt to be monitored to save money, this data will only partially affect your insurance rate, according to Janet Ruiz, director of strategic communication for the Insurance Information Institute. Ruiz adds that, “The most important thing consumers can do about their auto insurance is have a good, safe driving record.”

How much have auto insurance rates declined?

Even though insurers are using telematics more and more, insurance rates have actually increased overall, by two to five percent each year between 2012 and 2016. For the best drivers, these rates can and should be lower. Dan Manges, co-founder and CTO of Root Insurance, explains how his company uses higher quality data to ensure the most appropriate rates for drivers. Before offering a quote, Root requires drivers to take an app-based driving test and only accepts those who prove themselves to be good drivers. This test covers a two-week span and tracks the time of day you use your car, whether you use your phone while driving and how abruptly you start or stop your car. This is how some car insurance brokers have saved insurers an average of $1,187 per year.

Other companies have used similar techniques to lower driving rates for their customers.

• Progressive: Progressive has a Snapshot program that gives safe drivers up to 30 percent off their normal rate after a 30-day testing period.
• MetroMile: Although it’s less common, MetroMile offers usage-based insurance (UBI), which allows drivers to pay a combination of a monthly and per-mile rate. Essentially, this means that drivers who drive less get to pay less for their insurance. However, these systems are usually only cost-effective if you are driving far less than the national average of 12,000 miles per year.
• Nationwide: Nationwide’s SmartRide program tracks the amount of miles you drive, hard braking and acceleration, idle time, and night driving. Discounts for this program can reach as high as 40 percent.

Some telematics tools can also provide additional benefits to drivers, including an alert system when your car is experiencing mechanical problems.

What are the privacy concerns revolving monitoring systems?

The savings opportunities might seem very enticing, but consider some of the consequences before pulling the trigger. Jen King, director of consumer privacy for the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, warns that, “Where you go every day can tell people a lot about what you’re interested in, where you live, who you’re associating with.”

Even in cases where the insurance company vows not to share or sell your data, a data breach could significantly compromise your privacy and security. Ting Zhu, an associate professor of Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management who studies UBI, refers to the 2013 Target data breach, in which a cyber attacker stole the personal data of millions of customers. After this breach, Zhu’s research found that drivers were more likely to drop their usage-based auto insurance. If you have been targeted in the past for identity theft or have concerns surrounding stalking, you will want to carefully weigh this risk against the amount of savings you could receive.

This article has outlined some of the savings opportunities, types of monitoring systems, and privacy concerns regarding auto insurance telematics. Drivers can save over $1,000 per year for being a safe driver, but the question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you think the sacrifice of your privacy is worth it. I hope you will take this advice, carefully consider all insurance options available and make an informed decision about whether or not to pursue these savings opportunities. The decision will ultimately be up to you. However, if you ask the right questions and collect all the information, you can be more confident in your choice.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/auto-insurance/is-it-worth-giving-up-your-privacy-for-cheap-car-insurance/

Lucrative Industries You Never Thought to Invest In

As an investor, it is essential to research industry trends when buying stocks. Investors should look for opportunities to expand into new markets.

Particularly, you should look for industries with consistent upward sales trends and products that many people want. Several innovative industries worth investing in are outlined below.

Online Gaming

More people than ever are now playing online games. As a result, there has never been a better time to invest in gaming stocks. Because an estimated 40% of gamers are millennials, this age group in particular should consider buying stock in the growing industry.

Even more notable, the gaming market is estimated to be worth over $138 billion and expected to increase to $143 billion by 2020.

Gaming companies are finding ways to attract new players through spectator gaming, such as esports and game streaming sites like Twitch.

Additionally, new technologies are increasing revenue in the industry. Better graphics, an increase in mobile platforms and the possibility of virtual reality creates even more growth opportunities.

By owning stock in one of the larger gaming companies (Activision, EA, or Take-Two) investors gain exposure to the range of trends impacting the growth of the industry. Overall, predicted trends favor profitable performance for gaming stockholders.

Micro-mobility

Scooter- and bike-sharing, also known as micro-mobility companies, seem to have popped up in all major cities in 2018. However, 68% of the world population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050.

Because micro-mobility offers an alternative to traditional ground transportation and mass transit, the industry is not expected to slow down anytime soon. In fact, the industry is primed for expansion in 2019.

Global investments in micro-mobility increased by $1 billion in 2018 and are expected to grow to $24.3 billion by 2025. Currently, micro-mobility giants Bird and Lime both have e-scooter fleets in more than 100 cities.

While the companies have plans to move into new cities, there will likely be new companies that develop.  Additionally, Lime has partnered with Google Maps to increase efficiency for users. Overall, the micro-mobility market is quickly growing as new players and growth possibilities emerge.

Personal Nutrition

The personalization of consumer goods has been on the rise for a while now. In more recent years, genetic testing has become increasingly popular.

Genetic testing analyzes how a consumer’s genes play a role in their overall health. Obtaining this information can create opportunities for a customized and data-driven nutrition plan.

The personal nutrition industry is a relatively new market. However, the genetic testing market is expected to grow to $19.1 billion by 2024. Further, the generic health industry is expected to reach $600 billion by 2020.

With the predicted growths of these two markets, it is expected that personalized nutrition will see gains as well.

Cybersecurity

Online protection is a large industry with investments expected to nearly double by 2022.

As hacking tactics become more complex, cybersecurity must continuously evolve to protect users’ information. As a result, this industry has no fear of stagnation.

Global spending on cybersecurity is expected to reach $124 billion in 2019, with the U.S. government alone increasing its budget to a whopping $15 billion.

While the increased incidence of cyber-attacks isn’t beneficial to most organizations, it does offer lucrative opportunities to investors. Many investors wait for a publicized attack to jump on cybersecurity stocks.

However, the best stocks are the ones that show strength after the hacking headlines fade, so don’t wait for a surge in the market to take action.

Think Outside the Box with Your Next Investment

Often times, smart and innovative investments can have big payoffs. While the outlined suggestions are only predictions, market trends indicate that these industries are set-up for success in the coming years.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/investing/lucrative-industries-you-never-thought-to-invest-in/

Popular Dog Breeds and Their Health Issues

Today, there are numerous breeds to choose from, ranging from big to small, and color to another. While you expect to add a dog to your family, the excitement should not blind you to the fact that a dog is susceptible to a couple of health issues that can make your management difficult.

Among the many breeds you would prefer, here are some of the popular dog breeds available today, alongside the health issues to anticipate for each kind:

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador tops the list as America’s favorite breed of dog, loved for high affection and intelligence. So, if you are thinking of starting a veterinary business, you may need to understand the health issues likely to come with a popular dog breed like the Lab and create a marketing strategy that will convince prospective clients to come to your office.

This dog is very playful, gentle, and loyal, and in many other ways, makes for a perfect family dog.

In the ideal conditions of maintenance, including proper grooming, plenty of exercise and proper diet, the Lab has very few health issues, which adds to the reasons why it is a favorite for many.

However, should this breed of dog be under-exercised by an owner, the Lab dog may become obese, exposing it to increased risks of joint diseases. Further, they are also prone to hip and elbow dysplasia from their genetics, and obesity can only make the health issue worse.

German Shepherd

One of the most easily trainable dogs are the German Shepherds that are exceptionally intelligent. Most people love this breed of dog for guard duty, which they excel in, not to mention, their wolf-like appearance for people that fancy the wild.

However, you must know that the German Shepherd is also very prone to hip socket deformation, a hereditary disease that often results in arthritis or worse, lameness. The dog requires a lot of stimulation and exercise for maximum productivity and optimal health.

Golden Retriever

If you are looking for a friendly dog, then this is the breed choice for you. The golden Retriever are very friendly dogs, and better yet, are very intelligent. Additionally, the Golden Retrievers are very loyal, and because of their intelligence, they are very easy to train.

Therefore, this breed of dog works great for guard duty, as search dogs and service dogs.

Sadly, the Golden Retriever breed of dogs is susceptible to a couple of health risks, among them, skin problems, heart problems, hip and elbow dysplasia, among others. This breed requires utmost care as regards dieting and exercise.

Chihuahua

Breeds of small dogs that stay small have attracted a lot of liking across the board, particularly for the reason that they are small, with a weight of around 6lbs, and some less. The dog is ideally easy to maintain, requiring a gentle owner to handle the gentle canine animal.

Like other dogs, the Chihuahua has a couple of health concerns to watch for, including cardiac and eye diseases. Still, the most common is the patellar luxation disease that can result in arthritis.

A dog is not only a pet, but a friend, and a family member. Transitioning from not owning a pet to owning a dog requires total commitment, and with pointers on health issues that can affect your breed of choice, maintenance and care will be effortless.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/pets/popular-dog-breeds-and-their-health-issues/

7 Steps to Starting a Successful Trucking Company

The trucking business can be very profitable. This is the reason why many truckers have taken their chance with starting their own trucking company, in order to make a profit and, well, to have their own business that revolves around what they like doing.

However, a few of them know how competitive this type of business can be. As a result, many of those that try their luck end up with a failing business and with more issues on their head than when they thought about starting the company.

That’s why, today, we thought of sharing with you the seven steps that you need to follow in order to start a successful trucking company. Pay close attention to each of them, as every step is required if you want to acquire success!

1. Find the Right Market Niche

Naturally, the most important step refers to finding the right market niche for you as well as for your business. No matter the size of your trucking company, you’ll want to choose a niche that you can handle, so to say.

This is because the market that you are going to activate in will determine the rates you charge, the equipment you’ll have to buy, as well as the freight lanes you can service.

You might want to choose the most profitable one, but you also have to approach a niche that you feel safe operating in.

• Charging the Right Rate per Mile

When determining the rate that you’ll have to charge your clients per load, you’ll want to go for the ones that are high enough to turn in profit and pay your operating costs as well.

Before you start making sales and calling shippers, you need to know exactly how much you can charge, keeping in mind that you must be competitive with the rates that brokers charge shippers.

In order to round up a proper rate per mile, you start by selecting a freight lane and go to a load board. Then, you’ll find ten loads that are going in the same direction and call the brokers to find out how much they pay.

Take all the rates and get the average, to which you add around 10% to 15% to find out the price that brokers charge shippers. The process is repeated in the opposite direction.

• Determining Your Operating Costs

If you want to know whether you make a profit or not, you’ll have to know exactly what your operating costs are.

First of all, find out your fixed costs, such as permits, insurances, truck payments, and so on. Then, move on to variable costs, such as fuel. These two types of costs will be used to determine an all-in-cost per mile. You find out how much profit you make by subtracting the all-in-cost per mile from your rates.

• Proper Fuel-Buying Strategy

Many truckers and trucking company owners believe that the cheapest pump price means that they’ll get the cheapest fuel. However, that’s completely wrong and, if you buy fuel following this rule, you may end up losing more than just a couple hundreds of dollars.

Because truckers pay fuel taxes based on how much fuel they use as they drive through different states, it is recommended that you buy fuel at the cheapest base price. The base price equals to fuel price minus tax.

It doesn’t matter where you buy the fuel from – you’ll pay taxes on how much fuel your truckers spend.

• Working Directly with Shippers

Even though using load boards and brokers can prove very useful when you find yourself with an empty truck, it is better to not fully rely on them. Keep in mind that brokers keep around 10% to 20% of the total load price.

This is why it is recommended that you build up a list of direct shippers. Naturally, you’ll charge them prices that compete with those of the brokers’ and, in the end, manage to keep your trucking company busy all-year long, via both load boards/brokers and direct shippers.

• Have an Efficient Back Office

Naturally, every business needs a good, efficient back office. When it comes to trucking companies, you can handle this task yourself, as you need only a laptop, Internet connection, and printer.

Obviously, you’ll also need accounting software, as well as some knowledge on a variety of things/procedures.

You could also outsource this task to a dispatcher, but you need to be careful when choosing one. It is well known that a wrong dispatcher can literally kill your entire business.

• Avoiding Cash Flow Problems

As you may know, trucking is cash flow-intensive. You are always doing something with your cash flow – buying fuel, truck payments, insurance payments, and so on.

Moreover, your brokers and shippers can take up to 45 days to pay their invoices. Obviously, this can create a serious cash flow problem to your business. One easy way to avoid this issue is by relying on freight bill factoring.

In short, factoring advances up to 95% of the invoice while the rest is rebated at the time your shipper pays. Factoring companies also come with several other advantages, such as cards and fuel advances that can really help your business move on.

Final Thoughts

Starting a trucking company may not be that hard – but starting a successful one sure is rather tedious. There are a lot of things you have to keep your eyes on if you want your business to evolve and turn a profit. Moreover, depending on the size of your business and its routes, we also recommend you take a look into truck accident lawyers, as one can prove very useful when it

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/brick-and-mortar-business/7-steps-to-starting-a-successful-trucking-company/

Can Blockchain Assure Data Privacy

Blockchain’s explosive debut into the modern marketplace has made it one of the most important technologies powering our economy today, and it hasn’t even reached its full potential yet. With everything from cryptocurrencies to startup companies relying on blockchain services to survive and thrive in the 21^st century, it’s only natural that this impressive technology also be leveraged to assure data privacy in an age of ever-increasing surveillance.

Critics of blockchain continue to dispute the technology’s impressive promise, but there are plenty of reasons to believe it can be used to assure data privacy like nothing before. Here’s how blockchain is reinventing data security as we know it.

Decentralizing security in the 21^st century

The word “decentralization” better defines blockchain than perhaps any other, which is incredibly important when it comes to the security applications of the budding technology. The modern world is deeply interconnected, with our data pools mingling with one another at an ever-growing rate. To keep all of this information safe and sound, IT security specialists need access to technology that can help decentralize security rather than lumping everything together in the vain hope that a network breach will never occur.

There’s still progress to be made, however; the dreaded blockchain trilemma is a good example of how blockchain technology is secure but immensely difficult to scale right now. Many startups working to deliver affordable, blockchain-based applications to businesses of all stripes are realizing that they can offer secure software or scalable software, but not both at the same time. As time goes on and more money is poured into blockchain’s continued development, however, the trilemma will prove to be less and less frustrating to companies trying to make a fortune off blockchain’s potential. Given the diversity of existing blockchain startups, it’s easy to believe that these companies will make a scalability breakthrough sooner rather than later.

Startups are making blockchain more secure

There are too many examples of blockchain startups to count, but a few key companies have been pioneering the industry at an impressive pace and deserve the attention of investors. Startups like Oasis Labs, for instance, have been garnering impressive press coverage for themselves on the basis of their ability to leverage blockchain to push new, better privacy safeguards. Major companies like Uber are already relying on these services to bolster their IT security, meaning there’s plenty of evidence that blockchain ventures will enjoy corporate support and partnerships in the near-future.

More than just being a useful tool for major corporations, however, blockchain is a liberating technology that promises to help everyday people reclaim control over their data, which is why it’s going to be so important for the future of data privacy. As major businesses accrue more capital and develop more intricate technologies, it will be imperative that everyday consumers have services that help keep their information safe from prying eyes. Enter blockchain startups, which will continue to provide everyday shoppers with data security services as the commercial habits of the average person become more and more digitized.

Few companies demonstrate as sincere a commitment to data privacy as the numerous blockchain startups that have sprung up in the market over the past few years. While other tech companies can make or break themselves on the basis of how well they spy on their consumers, blockchain service providers will continuously find that they succeed on the basis of how well they convince ordinary people they’re protecting their precious personal information.

More consumers are worried about digital security

Despite the promises of blockchain, critics still contend that the technology will eventually fade as investor interest dwindles and the money stops pouring in. There are few reasons to believe that blockchain will lose its momentum anytime soon, however; recent scandalous data breaches and corporate security meltdowns could bolster blockchain, according to some analysts, and at the very least will keep IT security and data privacy at the forefront of public debate for some time. As more people grow concerned about their data privacy, they’ll turn to blockchain-based services in the pursuit of a little peace and quiet in the tumultuous digital marketplace of the 21^st century.

While predictions that blockchain will be used to craft a private, decentralized internet are largely overblown, there are plenty of reasons to believe this technology will assure data privacy to a much greater extent than anything we’ve seen before. By inspiring a large number of innovative startup companies selling new condos in Toronto, and by igniting a public conversation about data privacy and the role of decentralized technology in securing our information, blockchain has made itself one of the most important developments in the last few decades.

As the cryptocurrency market continues to grow and snatch public headlines, expect interest in blockchain to grow – after all, this exciting technology has applications far beyond data privacy, and consumers and investors alike are going crazy for it.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/technology/can-blockchain-assure-data-privacy/

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Why It’s a Good Idea To Learn How To Build Your Own Website In 2019

A massive part of running your business is about making sales, a profit and continue growing it to make it a huge success. A key component to making this success happen is having your own website.

A business that doesn’t have a website is missing out on vital sales and potential clients because there is a lack of trust that surrounds your company if you can’t be found online.

Many people like to know who you are as a company and the easiest way to find this out is to look online in their free time, which can quite often be late in the evening or late at night.

By having a website, you are available 24/7 and can compete with other businesses and prove that people should be using your business over someone else’s.

So how do you go about doing this?

The simple answer is; build it yourself. Don’t panic; making a website in 2019 has never been easier! Even someone who has never done anything like this before can do it successfully.

If you’re worried about this being an enormous cost for your business, you’d be wrong. Building your own website can be stress-free, cost-effective, as well as easy to do if you know what you’re doing. This guide should help you with just that, and soon you’ll be looking at your new website and raking in sales. 

Why Do It Yourself?

Compared to hiring a professional such as a freelancer or web design company, choosing to make a website yourself will see lots of benefits for both you and the business. As the owner of your business, no one knows more about it than you.

After all, you founded it and can see the kind of impact you want to make in the industry compared to someone from outside the business. While it may just be more comfortable and more time efficient to pass the buck to someone else to make your website, you shouldn’t dismiss the idea.

Taking the time to learn how to make a website yourself will enable you to control every little thing about it and continue to make your business the one you want it to be.

You Have The Power

As mentioned previously there is no one else that knows the business as you do. You are the creator, and so when it comes to deciding the style, color and vibe you want, you can make it exactly the way you want it to be.

You haven’t got somebody trying to influence your decision about making it a particular way which doesn’t reflect your business. The whole point of you becoming a business owner was that you wanted to be in charge, why should your website be any different?

You Can Dictate Your Time

While making a website might seem like a massive amount of work, remember to look at this strategically. As when you came up with your business plan, think about what you want to achieve from having this website and how you can do this effectively.

It will involve some excellent time management, which you already should be good at if you are running your business. Some things to consider are:

• Website content: Make sure you take the time to write the content for the website focusing on getting across your brand, who you are and what you are about. Your content is just as important as the website functionality itself.
• Use photographs effectively: Having great pictures on your website will immediately boost how good it looks so invest a reasonable amount of time to taking your own images from around the office or workplace or recruiting someone from inside the business to help you out.
• Something like this will be vital in securing those extra customers. If you could take some photos of your team at work, this will show exactly the kind of business you are. It shows you are real and could be potentially lost if you hire someone to build the website for you.

• Brand: You should take into consideration your brand when you are making your website, but given that you will have created the brand the first time around, turning it into a website should be easy if you have a solid plan in place and the knowledge of your business.

Save Money

Although you will need to dedicate a lot of time to make this website yourself, one of the positives to doing so is the fact that you will be saving money because you are not outsourcing the job to someone else who could charge a lot.

This is the best solution for someone, especially if you are tight for money at the moment. If this is the case, building a website yourself is a positive step to making more money because you can reach more customers on a much wider field, not just in your local area. 

Acquire A New Skill

If you are someone who is continuously looking to expand their knowledge and skill set, building a website is the perfect opportunity to do just that. If you are feeling brave enough, you could take the time to learn how to make a website using code.

Doing so should open a whole new world for you, and you never know, you might discover a hidden talent you have in making websites. Something you wouldn’t have found if you haven’t taken the time to do it yourself, this benefit will see yourself growing as a person individually as well as your business.

If you’re not a particularly creative person, building a website is your chance to change this, for example, you could take the time to understand how color schemes work.

Learning how and why SEO is so crucial for your website is another valuable insight that you will be thankful you took the time to learn about.

It’s Easy To Do

Thanks to the technology that exists nowadays, your life is made a whole lot easier when it comes to running your business. The same can be said for building a website.

You no longer need to learn and understand code to make a functional working website; instead, there are now website builders, such as Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress that will provide you with a template that you can easily drag and drop photographs and text into.

Most of them will offer different benefits such as free domain and hosting to unlimited pages and free plugins that will come in handy when you come to make your website.

There are plenty of templates for you to choose from that will make your business look professional, but these can be slightly altered to ensure that you stand amongst other companies that use this.

Most importantly, the best thing about making a website yourself is the self-accomplishment from doing so, and what you have learned about yourself during the entire process.

Nowadays it is all too easy to pass the problem to someone else, but by giving yourself this challenge, you should come out a changed person and business owner for the better.

Even if you decide that you haven’t got the time or skills to build it yourself, by learning the steps and what is involved in making a website, when you give the responsibility to someone else, you are still aware of precisely what they are doing and why they are doing what they are doing.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/website/why-its-a-good-idea-to-learn-how-to-build-your-own-website-in-2019/

4 Ways to Improve Office Efficiency

There’s never a bad time to figure out new ways to ensure that your office is running as efficiently and as smoothly as possible. Many employees spend a lot of time doing work that could be done in much shorter periods.

This ultimately reduces efficiency because it can get so bad that the time used to complete one task could actually be used to complete two or three. Some people also seem to work late into the night or spend unending hours at the office just to catch up with work done when this doesn’t have to be the case.

The bad thing about improper efficiency is that it could come from one department but potentially spread out to others, eventually reducing the overall office productivity. So, to make things run even smother, here are a few tips to try.

Employee Trainings

No matter how learned and experienced your employees already are, there should be regular training so that they can get even better. Training could range from general efficiency and effectiveness guidelines to actual professional training in their respective fields.

Training always shows employees new methods of carrying out tasks, especially those that revolve around new technology. For example, your accountants could benefit from professional accounting software gotten from e-careers which could potentially increase efficiency by giving them a new way to run things faster.

Removal of Bottlenecks

Bottlenecks affecting one particular person, unit or department could potentially slow down general office productivity. If there are things slowing people down, you need to find out what these things are and do everything possible to remove these bottlenecks so work is smoother and faster.

Sometimes, it could even be office policy or the normal process for things to be carried out. Don’t be afraid to change your style and find something that will work more efficiently.

Delegate Work

Division of labour is one of the best ways to ensure employee productivity. The reason you have employees in the first place is to make sure different things are being carried out simultaneously so work is faster and better.

Team work should always be encouraged and everyone should be given a task to do no matter how small. A good way to do this is to identify everyone’s strengths and let them focus on parts of the job they can handle with little or no supervision.

Always Allow for Feedback

Let employees always have the opportunity to suggest ways through which work could be more productive. Everyone in the office, no matter how seemingly insignificant, would sure have something to say that would help work move a lot smoother.

Also, every employer needs to keep an open mind and pay complete attention to encourage employees to speak up more about challenges and ways workflow can be improved.

Furthermore, employers must try as much as possible to use the information gotten properly. When this is done, employees feel a sense of belonging and would want to speak up more.

Office productivity can always be increased with these steps. However, even when they are carried out, employers must always set regular periods where these processes could be carried out again and again. Significant progress with efficiency helps offices stay as competitive as possible.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/4-ways-to-improve-office-efficiency/

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Apply These Three Critical Aspects of Sales Management to Grow Your Business

Sales management is a strategy to increase the profitability of your business. It consists of programs such as implementation and planning as well as training, recruiting, and evaluating members of the sales team. In growing a business, these important factors must be implemented by the sales manager or the business owner.

It will help every sales manager to focus on maximizing the profit for the team and maintaining rapport with customers. Sales management also stems from the principle that when the customers are happy and satisfied, your business will earn and it will lead to more opportunities.

When it happens, you can be sure that your business will grow and develop in the future. As such, here are the three aspects of sales management that every busines owner and manager should know about.

Three Aspects of Sales Management

In sales management, there are three “umbrellas” that manage the process of sales, namely;

• Sales Strategy
• Sales Operation
• Sales Analysis

Sales Strategy

Sales strategy is a process that sells and allows an organization’s sales to position the company and its products to target customers in a differentiated or meaningful way. Inbound and outbound are the two types of sales strategies.

• Inbound sales. Companies base their sales process on customer or buyer actions. They automatically gather buyer and seller data to monitor in a more accessible way for managing sales pipeline.

• Outbound sales. Companies will base their sales technique or strategies on seller actions.  They do it manually by using data to monitor the sales pipeline.

Every company has a sales cycle which help their product reach the target consumers. Further, having a sales pipeline or funnel will make your business deal with completion much easier. The sales pipeline is a sequence of actions to achieve from each prospect, from initial lead until closing the deal.

Sales Operation: Building a Sales Team

The backbone of a successful company is its sales team. They have direct contact between the customer and the product. Your sales team are the money-making machine in your business, and they must be equipped with the resources to progress. And, your sales team should feel that they are a part of your company.

You may set high but realistic targets for your sales team, to make you be able to monitor the future success, which you will learn about this in the “Sales Analysis” section. To do this, you need to:

• Provide goals and quotas
• Set high but realistic targets

But your job as a sales manager isn’t done there. You also have to counsel your team throughout the process, to make sure that they are on track. And, as much as possible you must motivate them. Share to them your career experiences and use to inspire them to motivate your sales team.

Sales Analysis: Summary and Reports

A sales report is drawn and has other various functions in it such as convincing the investors and legal purposes. It allows you to understand the current trends of your team and how it will affect the company’s progression. Successful reporting includes quantifiable indicators or sales metrics.

Following the standard sale funnel, you will be able to measure four metrics.

1. Numbers of a deal in the sales funnel
2. The average size of deals in your sales funnel
3. The average percentage of a deal that gets win
4. An average deal lifetime before winning

Gathering and collecting the data will allow your team to find the ideal consumer market which will enable you to better prepare and accommodate that market for future sales.

Who Benefits from the Three Aspects of Sales Management?

Sales management positively affects who are involved in the sales cycle. The more successful your sales process is, the more likely your team produces top performers in your company which will soon become a pool for choosing good leaders.

If there are three aspects of sales management, there are also three stakeholders involved in the sales management process:

• Customer – the one who benefits from a company’s service or product. Customers purchase your services or product based on their needs and wants. An effective sales management process should always take advantage of those facts.
• Salesperson – people who are in direct connection with customers whether online, over the phone or in person. Proper training and product/service knowledge is a must to keep that connection with customers healthy which will ultimately lead to a purchase.
• Sales manager – is a person who directs a sales team and oversees the process and in-charge for the development and leadership of the company. A sales manager must have a clear vision of where he/she stand against their competitor.

CRM (Customer-relationship management)

CRM or Customer Relationship Management is an approach for managing relationships or interactions with customers. A CRM helps businesses or companies to maintain and manage a rapport with your customers and service users. CRM records customer data such as website preferences, social media profile, email, and telephone numbers.

An excellent sales management team should organize any available information to give a complete record, so they can better understand how customers behave.

Takeaway

Knowing the three aspects and who benefits in the cycle is a critical fact for growing a business. Sales managers have a vital role in managing the production of sales, as well as overseeing the sales team who have direct contact with customers.

A well thought out plan will inevitably lead to a healthy relationship with customers which eventually lead to a purchase. The more number of purchases made, the more profit a company makes.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/uncategorized/apply-these-three-critical-aspects-of-sales-management-to-grow-your-business/

How to Spot a Bad POS at Your Restaurant

Reliable restaurant technology enables task automation so that time and effort are directed towards the more profitable aspects of your business.

In fact, 88% of restaurants say that technology has improved the efficiency of their business.

If you’re not noticing the same trend, you might be stuck with outdated restaurant technology, especially your POS system.

Whether you are a QSR, fine dining or a cloud kitchen – your POS system should unify your front of the house, back office, and kitchen operations. Having bad POS can have serious negative implications for your business.

So it’s time to leave the “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it” thought. If you identify with most of the below-mentioned signs, say goodbye to your old POS system.

1. Technologically incompatible

New features have come up to power the restaurant businesses. Technologies such as tablet billing, online ordering, table reservation, and online payment have improved restaurant operations. A technologically compatible system will come with all these features in-built or offer third-party integrations.

If your POS is not offering these updates, it’s time to look for more options like a POS that acts as a central unit of your business.

2. Weak or expensive integrations

Integrations connect your restaurant billing software with the rest of the operations and marketing functions. These are a few important restaurant integrations:

• Third-party platforms
• Delivery partners
• Payment gateways
• Customer relationship management (CRM)

They should work in sync with your POS system. Discuss these features with your software provider.

3. Your POS requires extensive training

With new staff members or even POS features being added every now and then, spending too much time in training can hamper your restaurant’s work. A clean, easy to operate and quick to learn interface should be provided to save your staff’s time.

In addition to that, quick video modules can be given by your software provider to refer to whenever needed.

4. Your POS system’s functionality doesn’t align with your requirements

There’s much more to POS today than just the basic billing functions. Businesses are continually changing. This means your POS system should be flexible to accommodate these changes. Be it cloud features or loyalty and feedback integrations – a modern-day POS should be able to offer all these functions.

If your business vision and needs don’t align with the features your POS offers, you need to pause and think.

5. Peak hours breakdown

Orders tend to spike up during weekends and on special occasions like cricket matches, festivals, etc. Your POS should be stress-tested to handle this spike. If you’ve been noticing a constant loss of business due to any POS problems, have a chat with your provider.

6. Lack of real-time mobile reporting

Data gives a clear picture of your business and increases efficiency. If your POS system cannot provide real-time reporting features, it’s an indication that you deserve better.

Look for a POS system that will give you access to valuable data. From sales and marketing to HR and reservations, you should be able to access all these reports through your system. Many systems now offer access to your data remotely, giving an anytime-anywhere look at your business.

7. Someone misses their order

As a restaurant owner, you need to spare your customers this bad experience. Besides the human error, if your POS is not showing customer orders at the right time for delivery, you could be using a bad system. Find a POS that relays orders within seconds and with no space for errors.

8.  Recurring thefts

If you cannot explain low profits then pilferage and thefts are frequently occurring at your restaurant. While a theft-free business might seem a distant dream, a functional POS system can help you check this. Real-time reports, tight control on the inventory and permissions to perform tasks can help you control thefts in a restaurant.

9. Your POS is keeping your servers away from guests

This means if your workers spend a lot of time clicking many dialogue boxes or guessing which button to press then it’s probably time you consider investing in a good restaurant billing software and POS system. This will result in keeping your customers as the first priority and also make your staff time cost-effective.

10. Your POS decides how your restaurant works

Your POS system should be quick to adapt to your requirements and not the other way round. Whether it’s a menu update or a feature request if you feel too stuck to work on your restaurant expansion plans due to lack of technology, consider shifting to a complete restaurant management system.

The right POS system, that works as one team with you can provide lots of positive results like:  

• Improved experience for your customers both – online and offline.
• Better management of your restaurant’s resources.
• Complete tracking of all activities and staff of your restaurant.
• Insights for the planning of your restaurant’s business goals.

Get a feature-rich restaurant POS

There is no denying that a functional POS system is an important factor for your success.

Imagine your restaurant like this:

The servers are efficient, tables are turned over faster, there is no lag between order and order submission, and fewer errors.

This is how your POS system should help your restaurant. If the case is different at your restaurant currently, don’t hesitate from making the switch. Research about different POS software and read about modern restaurant billing systems in the market, take demos as well as think about your needs. Then take a final call for a feature-rich POS. We wish your restaurant business all the luck.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/how-to-spot-a-bad-pos-at-your-restaurant/

Top adventurous travels in East Africa

How to Transform Your Business Floor

Take a good look at the floor of your business. What do you see? In many cases, age, weather, and mud have taken their toll. This becomes especially true in Toronto, where rain and snow often come from outside into your business space on people’s shoes and boots. If you want to improve the look of your business, it’s time to consider renting or buying floor polishers and commercial vacuum cleaners Toronto. These pieces of equipment can make your floor look brand new, reversing years of wear and tear.

Cleaning the Floor in Three Steps

Creating a great-looking business floor comes in three essential steps. You need to use a commercial vacuum to remove heavy debris, then do a basic cleaning with a mop. When you are ready to really make your floor shine, choose from the array of different Comfort Vacuum Service floor polishers to make sure that you remove any deeply-ingrained stains and dirt that wouldn’t normally come out with conventional cleaning. It helps if you can find one brand that you are comfortable with for both your commercial vacuum cleaner and your floor polisher.

Vacuuming and Cleaning

While you could theoretically use the same floor vacuums and cleaning solutions to clean your business floor that you would use on a residential floor, it’s best to make sure that you have access to a commercial vacuum cleaner for this job. Commercial vacuums provide stronger suction and pick up more debris from carpets and floors than their residential counterparts. While noise is usually a major factor that causes people to avoid using a commercial vacuum, modern commercial vacuum cleaners in Toronto provide suction that is just as good with a noticeable decrease in noise. Once you have vacuumed, clean the floor with a mop and cleaning solution so it is ready for the floor polisher.

Floor Polishing

The value of using excellent commercial vacuum cleaners to remove debris is that floor polishers work best on a clear floor. These polishers go over the floor and buff them to a healthy shine, improving the overall look of the business floor to a quality that you may not have seen for years. Failure to use commercial vacuum cleaners in preparation for floor polishing can lead to unnecessary scratches or dents that might mar the final result. If you see a stray object or a dirty area while using a floor polisher, it’s a good idea to stop and reach for the commercial vacuum before proceeding. The use of that commercial vacuum cleaner might save you a lot of trouble after the polishing is over.

The two key components in any floor maintenance job are commercial vacuums and floor polishers. If you don’t have these items, look for a business that sells high-quality commercial vacuum cleaners and other cleaning supplies. There are numerous places that offer commercial vacuum cleaners in Toronto, but only a few offer high-quality floor polishers that go well with commercial vacuums. Choose the option that can give you the whole package for less.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/how-to-transform-your-business-floor/

14 Bike Trails Worth Visiting Across America

Avid bikers understand the appeal of a great bike trail. It should be challenging, yet enjoyable with excellent views and adventure. Throughout the United States, some bike trails are better than others. The 14 on this list will have you ready to hook up your bike rack and hit the road this weekend!

1. Jalama Beach Ride, California

Jalama Beach Ride shows off the gorgeous Pacific coastline in California. You’ll travel from Santa Ynez Valley to Santa Rosa across ranches, rolling hills, and vineyards, all with the sweet scent of the ocean hanging in the air.

2. Shark Valley Trail, Florida

You don’t need much experience to take on this 15-miler in Miami, Florida. You’ll bike on an entirely paved path that shows off some of the more beautiful aspects of Florida’s inland geography in Everglades National Park. You’ll spot a lot of wildlife along the way, including birds, turtles, jumping fish, and alligators—so watch out!

3. Cedar Rock Trail, North Carolina

Even though the Cedar Rock Trail near Bravard, North Carolina is only 1.4 miles long, it’s one of the toughest bike trails on this list. The terrain is rugged, steep, and daring as you fight your way to the top where you can see the entire valley of trees and mountains below. Go in the fall to see breathtaking color.

4. Marvin Braude Bike Trail, California

One of the most famous bike trails in the U.S., the Marvin Braude Bike Trail is 20-miles of coastal views and relaxing paved trails in the Los Angeles area. The main challenges of this flat, coastal trail will be avoiding tourists crossing the path, so it’s beginner-friendly.

5. Little Pan Loop, Arizona

Little Pan Loop (often called the Lollipop Loop) is part of the 78-mile Black Canyon National Recreation Trail near the town of New River, AZ. This 24-mile section is the most famous because of its gorgeous views of the Agua Fria River, rugged terrain, cactus backdrop, and refreshing grades.

6. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Alaska

This 11-mile trail glides along the arctic tundra with views of glaciers, Cook Inlet’s salt marshes, and Mount Denali. You’ll also be privy to wildlife sightings including bald eagles, moose, and elusive beluga whales.

7. Captain Ahab, Utah

The red rocks of Moab, UT make a beautiful backdrop for biking. The infamous Captain Ahab trail is for advanced bikers only as you’ll be navigating steep, rocky climbs and jagged cliffs. Your views of the Colorado River, Cane Creek, and red-rock valleys will make it all worthwhile.

8. Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, Alabama

If you love history and aren’t afraid of a long ride, do the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, which begins in Mobile, Alabama and ends in Owen Sound, Ontario for a total of 2,006 miles. You’ll see historic monuments, including safe houses, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, and informational markers detailing thousands of former slaves’ journeys to freedom.

9. Bald Mountain, Idaho

Sun Valley is arguably one of the most talked about destinations for outdoor recreation, so it’s no surprise that a top bike trail in Idaho is located here. Bald Mountain is home to the famous Sun Valley Ski Resort in the winter, but in the summer, it boasts a 30-mile trail that shows off all the glory of the mountainous valley.

10. Continental Divide Biking Trail, Wyoming

The biking trail at Wyoming’s Continental Divide is actually part of a 3,000-mile trail system that goes from Canada to New Mexico. The portion that runs through the alpine ridges in Wyoming is said to be the most beautiful. There will be challenging turns and steep mountain climbs, but the view from the top is amazing.

11. High Trestle Trail, Iowa

Iowa’s famous 27-mile bike trail, near the state capital, follows an old railroad route. It’s known for the High Trestle Bridge, a 130-foot structure with one of the most famous rail-trail art installations in the nation. It’s lit by diamond-shaped steel bars touting LED lights, so you can even bike at night.

12. Twin Bridges Loop, Oregon

Bend, Oregon is a popular tourist town thanks to the beauty of the Cascade Mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and the Deschutes National Forest. It’s biker-friendly with a 36-mile round-trip bike trail that takes you through the town, forest, and mountains. It’s for intermediate bikers, as it takes you on a steep 1,000-foot climb at one point.

13. Erie Canalway Trail, New York

The Erie Canalway Trail runs from Buffalo to Albany, for a total of 360 miles. The trail is not particularly difficult, as it was once a railroad track, but it does have a 600-foot change in elevation. You’ll see the Hudson, Niagara, and Mohawk Rivers and the Adirondack Mountains.

14. San Juan Islands Loop, Washington

Located in the Pacific Northwest archipelago, San Juan Islands Loop is a challenging journey. It starts on Orcas Island with narrow, winding roads that lead you to the top of Mount Constitution. It’s exhausting, but the feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top makes it worth it.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/travel/14-bike-trails-worth-visiting-across-america/