Archives for May 2022

4 Steps To Take a Remote Workation

May 31, 2022 by Guest Post Leave a Comment

Working remotely is the future for many industries, from content marketing to telecommunications. If you feel like you can’t focus as a remote worker, it might be time to get out of your home office.

Whether you’re in charge of an entire team or report to a manager, a workation (work vacation) might be exactly what you need to get out of your home office and out into the world.

Since remote work is the future of the workplace, workations will become a household term. This guide will teach you four steps on how to take advantage of working from wherever you please.

Get it approved

The first step to taking a successful workation is similar to the first step of taking a normal vacation: Get it approved before you start packing any bags. Odds are your employer wants to show appreciation to their remote employees. Submit a request in your online platform and carefully lay out how you plan on getting work done while you’re in a different city or state. It also might be a good idea to take your travel days completely off so you don’t have to worry about working at 30,000 feet.

Keep your work secure

It doesn’t matter if you’re working from home or from a Kiahwah Island vacation rental in South Carolina, you need to ensure that your work is secure. You can do this by installing a VPN on your computer so prying eyes can’t get ahold of sensitive work information and email exchanges. Other ways to keep your password safe while traveling include using a password manager or two-factor authentication.

Set Boundaries

Ensuring that you set personal and professional boundaries is essential to having a successful telecommuter vacation. If you are taking a workation with your family, make sure that you set clear parameters for when it’s time for work and when you can relax. The same can be said for remote work boundaries: Manage your remote team to ensure your coworkers know when you will be online and when they are not allowed to contact you.

Enjoy Yourself

This step should go without saying, but it’s important that you enjoy yourself on your workation. Don’t overload yourself with work but don’t slack off, either. It’s important to find a balance so you can really enjoy the “-ation” part of your workation.

Now that you have all the steps to take a workation, it’s time to get on your HR platform and take some travel days off!

The Guide to Copywriting for Beginners

May 31, 2022 by Lori Wade Leave a Comment

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/faceless-lady-with-notebook-and-laptop-on-floor-at-home-4050302/

Copywriting is a general term for different types of writing. For instance, it can be for an advertisement, resume & LinkedIn profile, direct response, or B2C. That’s not all; copywriting can also be for B2B, products & services, or even search engine optimization (SEO). Copywriting is different from other types of writing because it aims to get the audience to perform a specific action.

Are you a stay-at-home mom but are confused about where to start? If yes, then you need to check out this post. It’ll introduce you to everything you need to know about copywriting, including how to become successful at it.

What exactly is copywriting?

Copywriting, as earlier mentioned, is a type of content writing that provides information about a certain brand, product, or service. In addition to delivering meaningful information, copywriting also needs to uniquely capture the target audience’s attention.

As a copywriter, you need to be able to influence your readers, persuading them to engage with certain actions. Copywriting is not specific to just one writing form. Instead, it can be for many different writing forms, including emails, newsletters, blogs, white paper, e-books, etc.

Characteristics of a great copywriting

As a beginner copywriter, you need to understand that copywriting is more than writing informative copies. Furthermore, it needs also to have specific characteristics; you can check below to see them:

Structured

To become successful at copywriting, you must always structure your copies the right way. Brilliant copywriters understand the importance of structuring their copies to entice their audience.

Just like a building, there are several ways to structure your copywriting. Here is an effective approach to do that:

First, you need to start by creating an enticing headline. This first step matters a lot, as it’s the part that hooks your audience. An enticing headline should attract the audience and make them want to read the rest of your post. However, you need to avoid giving away the whole story when creating the headline.

After the headline, the next part is a brief introduction and summary of the copy. You need to introduce your target audience to the products or services you’ll be discussing. In addition, you need to tell them what the copy will be about, including what they stand to gain by reading to the end. Here’s where the need to include a post summary comes into play.

The third important structure of good copywriting focuses on the body of the copy. For this part, you must be ready to separate your points using paragraphs. Too much text or large clumps can always turn off your audience.

Call to action matters a lot in copywriting. Keep them bold and avoid making them look obligatory for your target audience.

Purposeful

Before starting a copy, you need to ask yourself what you need to achieve with it. By understanding the purpose of the copy, you’ll be able to do good research and come up with the right information.

Use a conversational style.

As a beginner copywriter, you need to understand how to connect with your target audience when writing any copy. This explains why it’s essential you write in a conversational tone. You also need to understand the difference between formal and informal tones.

Be original

Being original is essential to becoming a successful copywriter. Interestingly, writing original copies is not as complex as you may have thought. What matters is your ability to carry out thorough research on a specific topic and write it out your way.

Use the right tools

Having the right tools also matters for you to become a successful copywriter. You need to avoid grammar errors, wrong spellings, and plagiarism in all your copies. By doing so, you’ll be able to earn your reader’s trust. Interestingly, there are several different tools that you can consider going for as a beginner copywriter.

For instance, using the right keywords is essential for every copy. In this case, you can always consider going for SEMrush, Ahrefs, and a few other tools.

As a beginner copywriter, you’ll sometimes need to compare Word documents online. In this case, Draftable is one of the services you can rely on. Alternatively, you can also consider Copyleaks or Diffchecker.

Grammarly is one of the best tools you can consider to address grammar and spelling errors. You can also consider using other tools are Hemingway, ProWritingAid, and LanguageTool.

Most copywriters work remotely online. How do you provide your clients with a record of copies you’ve created? Here’s where the importance of creating invoices online with Affinda comes into the scene.

Conclusion

Copywriting is one of the many jobs you can consider to improve your earning potential. Fortunately, getting started isn’t difficult like most other professions out there. Just follow the tips above, and you’ll be fine.

Author’s BIO: Lori Wade is a journalist and content writer from Louisville. Lori creates news and informative articles about copywriting, freelance, and creative writing. You can find her on LinkedIn.

4 Ideal Career Choices For Introverts

May 31, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

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A recent study showed that extroverts have an advantage over introverts in the workplace, so you might be wondering whether you can have a successful career despite being reserved, self-aware, and selectively social. However, all hope is not lost if you constitute the 25% to 40% of Americans who describe themselves as introverts. Being an introvert comes with several advantages that can help you advance in your career. Still, there are roles you might be more drawn to than others because they are a perfect fit for your personality type, making you more likely to succeed in your professional life. Below are four ideal careers worth considering as an introvert.

Social media manager

Social media managers work with people every day, but these interactions occur in the virtual world instead of face-to-face. Indeed, these professionals spend their time interacting with thousands of social media users without having their bubbles invaded. The lack of face-to-face interaction and the chance to express helpful ideas and thoughts anonymously makes this career path ideal for introverts.

Truck driver

Trucking is, without a doubt, a multi-million industry in America. This reality is hardly surprising, given that trucks deliver more than 70% of goods moved in America. Truck drivers, particularly long-haul drivers, spend a lot of time on the road alone instead of in an office. Consequently, introverts make for perfect truck drivers since the job requires almost no interaction with people. You get to drive for hours, explore the country, and listen to the radio, all alone with your thoughts and away from the external world. One of the best things about this job is that it doesn’t require much to get started. You need a high school diploma or GED and a commercial driver’s license. Also, you can make a lot of money as a truck driver, especially if you become an owner-operator through straight truck lease purchase programs.

Graphic designer

Artists have various personality types, with some preferring independent work in homes and studios while others like working in agencies surrounded by other creatives. However, all artists like spending long periods in solitude developing their craft. As such, graphic design is one of the best career paths for introverts, who are also mostly creative people. You will be responsible for crafting custom visuals that communicate ideas about products and services to captivate consumers. Nearly every marketing and communications team need graphic designers, and many will allow you to work remotely or on a freelance basis to guarantee well-being and job satisfaction.

Accountant

Accountants spend most of their workday engaging with numbers instead of people, so this is an excellent career path for introverts with strong organization and mathematical skills. You will work through several records, statements, and financial operations and prepare tax documents for individuals and corporations from time to time. There will be interactions with patrons or coworkers (if you work in an office setting,) but this is kept to the minimum. What’s more, your job is relatively secure since human accountants are still needed despite strides in artificial intelligence. Accountants earned a median salary of $73,560 in 2020, so this role is fairly lucrative.

Essential Money Management Tips For Older Adults

May 31, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

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It is common knowledge that America’s population is fast aging, and many are retiring. According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of recent official labor force data, 50.3% of American adults aged at least 55 said they were no longer working due to retirement as of 2021’s third quarter. Money management is a crucial aspect of enjoying your retirement since you will experience several changes in your financial situation. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to stay on top of your finances in your golden years. Below are some of the best money management tips for older adults.

Automate your finances

It isn’t uncommon for even the most organized individuals to miss a bill payment or two from time to time. Lack of money is the most popular reason for missed payments, but forgetting to pay the bill is more common than you think. Indeed, Nerdwallet surveyed 2,019 American adults for its 2018 Consumer Credit Card Report and discovered that 35% simply forgot to make the payments. Your ability to recollect multiple due dates will diminish with age, and the onset of vision loss and other challenges can also make staying on top of your bills even harder. Therefore, it is smarter to automate your finances as an older adult to avoid running into financial trouble due to forgetfulness. You can schedule deposits and withdrawals while escaping late fees and damaged credit. Also, you can schedule automatic and regular deposits into your savings account to sustain your savings habit.

Set up a power of attorney

A power of attorney is another excellent step worth taking to manage your money as an older adult. It is a written legal document authorizing a trusted individual, say a family member or close friend, to act on your behalf if you become indisposed. This trusted individual would be in charge of your finances when you temporarily cannot do so due to a short-term reason, like incapacitation after an injury, fall, or other accident. It can also be a long-term arrangement if you have severe cognitive decline. The help of an estate attorney is invaluable in drawing up this essential document and addressing any power of attorney abuse.

Reexamine your generosity

Many older adults are more than happy to assist family members with money. However, one of the harshest but practical tips for money management as an older adult is to set boundaries for your benevolence. You must prioritize your financial well-being before considering if and how you can assist others. This doesn’t mean that donations are off the table, but remember to do it with your interests in mind and healthy boundaries in place.

Secure your medical expenses

According to HealthView Services, a 65-year-old couple in good health will reportedly require $387,644 to pay for healthcare costs for the rest of their lives. Your medical costs are perhaps the most significant expenses you have to contend with in old age, and unexpected health issues can destroy your budgeting overnight. Therefore, invest in proper health insurance to remain protected during old age. Also, it is prudent to set aside an emergency fund for health expenses if possible.

Simple Ways To Improve Your Customer’s Experience

May 31, 2022 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Improving your customer’s experience is a great way to boost sales and increase your business cash flow. Although you might think that you are already giving your customer’s the best experience possible, there are likely areas that you can improve in.

From customer service to production and delivery, here are some simple ways to improve the experience that your customer attains when they use your business.

Ecommerce Selling Online – Free photo on Pixabay

Use an efficient delivery service

Should you run an online business of any kind, then you will likely use online orders so that your customer can request, pay for, and get what they want.

Hence, it is important to have an efficient delivery service. One that can deliver the goods in good time and in good condition is key. Using custom plastic containers you can ensure that your products will not get damaged in transport. Likewise, using a reliable courier service will ensure that your products are safe and delivered on time, which will satisfy your customers.

Offer great customer service

Another simple way to improve your customer’s experience is by improving your customer service. Every business will need to have customer service channels so that customers can ask questions and offer feedback. This can be in the form of physical communication or a phone line, email, or social media.

Whichever channels you use (it could be all of them) it is important to be friendly and always put the customer first. Doing so will make them feel respected and ensure that they think of your business in a positive way. Should you not help them or be rude, then they might never use your business again.

To further improve your customer service, you should also consider:

Using live chats. Live chats (on websites) will allow customers to attain instant feedback on their queries. It will avoid them from waiting around, which can sometimes put a customer from using your business again.
Social media engagement. Many customers turn to social media platforms nowadays to ask business questions and engage with them. Hence, ensuring that you have social media and are active on there each day will ensure that you engage with your customers in good time.
Display your business operating hours. Whether it be online, on your social media platform, or on your storefront, it is essential to display your business operating hours. Doing so will make sure that your customers know when they can expect a conversation/response from you. Hence, you will always ensure to meet their expectations.

Ask for customer feedback

Asking your customers for feedback is beneficial for two reasons. Firstly, it will make the customer feel respected. Having their opinion matter means that they can have a say in how your business works.

Likewise, asking for customer feedback will help you improve your business based on what your customer wants. Getting their honest opinion can help your business transform and align with customer expectations, which will help to improve business reputation and sales.