Contributed Post | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

4 Tips for Improving Your Marketing Agency Right Now

August 29, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

As a marketing agency in 2019, you know that the industry is a tough nut to crack. Consumers know all the tricks of the trade and they’re more demanding than ever, and when you turn your clients, they are even more so demanding, and what is expected of a modern-day marketing company is too complex to put into words.

However, running a successful marketing agency is still a highly profitable business, especially if you’re good at what you do. If you know the ways and areas you can improve, you can also boost your chances of success. While on this page, today we’re going to explore the top four ways you can start improving your marketing agency right now.

1) Get the Right Tools and Software

While a bad workman will always blame their tools, when it comes to marketing you’ll need to make sure you have the toolkit that’s right for you and the services you offer. Whether you offer research services, SEO services, package and campaign services, and anything else, you need to make sure you have the software and access to resources to do it well.

Sure, this might be a bit of an investment, but not only will you be able to improve what you can offer, but you’ll also be able to attract new clients and offer your existing ones more; ultimately boosting your levels of success.

2) Hire the Right Talent

You need to make sure you’re hiring the right people for the job in your marketing agency to ensure you’re giving yourself the best chance to succeed. This means going through the staff you have now and making sure they have the right skills and training to do their job properly.

You’ll also want to make sure when you’re hiring staff that you’re being selective with who you choose and you’re not just jumping into hiring someone because you need someone, but rather taking the time to see who’s the best fit you can get.

3) Work on Your Proposals

The way you approach your clients is one of the most important aspects of being a marketing agency. Don’t give across the right first impression or present your ideas in the right way and the clients are going to go with another agency.

Work on your proposal process, whether that’s seeing how you could do things more effectively, or even using a marketing proposal template that wins more clients. Just look at what you do and see how you can do it better.

4) Implement Video

Video content is one of the most important forms of media right now when it comes to marketing, and if you don’t offer it already, you need to look into it to start up-ing your game. Video production is very expensive, but with the right mindset and a can-do attitude, it can be a huge benefit to your business.

Summary As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do right now to start enhancing the success of the marketing agency. Of course, every agency is different, so make sure you’re still remaining yourselves to have the spark that keeps you as being you!

Three Tips That Will Help To Streamline Your Business

August 20, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

When it comes to business, we are all constantly looking for ways to streamline what we do. How can processes run more quickly? How can our offices be more efficient? Luckily there are some things that we can do to make sure that the service we provide is easy, quick and streamlined.

Cut Down Your Meetings

In the office, it’s time to consider the meetings that seem to take up half of every day, and whether you actually need all of them. Sometimes, decisions can be come to via group chats on Slack, for example, or you may find that you don’t need quite so many colleagues and co-workers in that decision-making meeting with you. Take a look around and consider if each and every one of those people really needs to be there. If the answer is no, then why not call in each head of department instead, and have them feed back information to their team? This is quicker and more efficient, as the team members can keep working during the meeting time. Make sure that you keep to the meeting agenda and that the time you’ve allotted for the meeting doesn’t overrun. You could also consider standing meetings – the idea might not seem pleasant but they tend to take a lot less time.

Start To Outsource

Outsourcing is key when it comes to freeing up your time so that you can focus on what you really need to do. When you start a company, most people tend to do almost everything themselves, but as time goes on, and as you expand, that is no longer necessary. Think back to when you started your company – why did you do that? Was it because you were inspired by a great idea, or because you wanted to spend hours each week working on payroll or in IT services? These are things that you can leave to other people – outsourced IT support, for example, will not only save you a job, but they will also have more expertise so they’ll be able to do that job more quickly and more cheaply – and to a higher standard.

What About Working From Home?

In many places, flexibility has become absolutely key. A lot of people won’t consider accepting a new job unless there is some flexibility there: people are no longer willing to spend a certain amount of hours each day chained to their desk in the office, which means in turn that you need to open your own mind about what working for you actually means. Much of the time, having people work from home is actually better than having them in the office. They will be saving the expense, energy and time of their commute, and will also be able to work in a calm and quiet space, which is not the case in all offices. If you choose to hot desk at work, you may also be able to cut down on the amount of office space that you need.

Streamlining your business doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated – these tips will help you work easily and more efficiently in no time.

Is The Fear Of Starting A Business Legitimate?

August 16, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Just take a second to step back and realize what exactly, starting a business really means. Practically, you’re beginning infrastructures that will either belong to you, or paid for by you. Real physical things like a commercial office, a building, a car park for employees, the brick and mortar store, everything you work with day in and day out is yours. You’ll also be working with or hiring other businesses, such as distributors, transport logistics, trucks, cargo planes etc. Your financial future is therefore tied to what you have created. It’s not like you can just do 8 hours a day and then go home. Business owners have to make their business their lifestyle. Hiring people, taking on the responsibility of following workers rights and also paying your staff on time and in full. You’re also going to be ruthlessly competing with other businesses. There is no hugging and kissing here, you’re trying to take the other business out everyday. So is the fear of starting your own business legitimate?

Do you want control?

Perhaps the number one reason people start their own business is because they want to work for themselves not somebody else. In the beginning they very naively think that the boss is just lounging around, reaping the benefits of their hard work. So they say they’ll work for themselves so they can keep the rewards. However soon you’ll realize that being the boss is the hardest job to do in a business. You’re responsible for everything. The leader doesn’t get to have normal 8 hour shifts, they have to be constantly by their phone ready to handle any problem. But if you do want more control over your financial and professional life, then starting a business really is a responsibility you must be ready to take on. Don’t think of the money you’ll make, ask yourself whether or not you’re ready to be held accountable for other people?

A lack of knowledge

The lack of knowledge to begin a business is also right up there in the top reasons why people don’t start their own business. Well, listening to people who were just like you but did make that first leap is incredibly helpful. Learning from their mistakes so you don’t have to, increases your knowledge without any risk at all. For example on this business podcast, they speak to regular people who have become entrepreneurs and small business owners. Unlike other podcasts that just care about the big names, this is a type of podcast where up and coming business owners talk about their personal experiences. Everything from people management, industry cultures, legal pitfalls and budget building blocks is discussed.

Being a name

Sometimes people just don’t want their name hitched to a business because they are in fear their public reputation might be diminished should they fail. However, you don’t need to make it public knowledge of who owns the business, you can create a name and identity that is nothing like your own.

People do have legitimate fears of starting a business, but the modern day tools at your disposal make taking on the responsibility much easier than ever before.

Getting Things Off to a Smooth Start to Your Manufacturing

August 7, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

The early days of setting up and starting a business can often be spent doing research, assessing the market, looking into your competition, and then looking for ways to fund the business and get things started. One step of the process, especially if you have a product to develop, is starting talks with manufacturers. At that point, things can all start to feel real. But this isn’t always a smooth process, as you need to find one that will be right for you. So here are some tips to do and some pitfalls to look out for when it comes to creating a product for sale.

Set-up a beneficial partnership

Because your business is a start-up, you will have to take steps to make sure that you can be taken seriously by manufacturers, especially those that are well established. The volume of business that you will be able to bring to them is not significant either. So as a result, it is really important to look to create something like an incentive for the manufacturer to want to work with you.

Research

No matter if you are looking to set up a relationship with a manufacturer, or you want to set up a manufacturing unit of your own, then you need to do some extensive research before you make the ultimate decision of what to do. The best places to look are spots like trade journals, as well as fairs, and they can be good avenues to help you to do some research and connect with other manufacturers. You should look into all different things like their processes, what furnace monitoring they have in place, and their costing breakdown. So make sure that you research the people that you want to do business with, but don’t just settle for the first one that you look at.

Sort Out the Legal Details

Once you have made a decision on what route to go down, then ironing out the finer details and keeping this legal is the next step. It can be a good idea to visit government websites in your area, as well as talking to people that are already in the industry, that can help you and give you some advice. Then you can start to get the business licences and things in place, so that you can get your business up and running. When that is all done, you can start to go into business feeling much more confident, and start making decisions like hiring employees and getting the equipment that you need.

Have Several Open Partnerships

If you want to do well in business, then having several reliable options, rather than just honing in on one vendor over another, can be just what you need. Having a choice of good vendors to choose from, and then being able to alternate between the vendors that you choose, can really help to reduce the risk and can help you to have some really competitive pricing, which can be really great for your business.

12 Crucial Steps To Keeping Employees Safe At Work

August 2, 2019 by Contributed Post 2 Comments

As an employer, it is one of your responsibilities to keep employees safe in the workplace. If you put them at risk by being careless, you can get in a lot of trouble. It could mean lawsuits both big and small, damage to your reputation, and more. Knowing how to keep them safe no matter what is essential – below you’ll find 12 crucial steps to help you to do this.

Perform Risk Assessments

First of all you need to perform a few risk assessments to see what hazards could be lurking in your workplace. It’s a good idea to designate a competent person or do them yourself – don’t just give this job to anybody, as it’s very important. Note any hazards down, such as lots of wires that could cause a trip, or even files not stored properly that could cause a fire hazard.

Communicate with staff about the things that could be a risk. All employees need to know what the risks are and how it could be linked to their work. It’s no good carrying out risk assessments if you’re not going to effectively communicate the results.

2. Put Together A Health And Safety Policy/Plan

Putting together a health and safety policy or plan that everybody can understand and access will ensure you and your team are on the same page. It can also stop you from getting into trouble if something does go awry. If you own a transportation company, coming up with a fleet safety policy will help – your policy needs to be tailored to your specific business.

Also, make sure every employee understands what needs to happen should there be a crisis, whether by a violent person or a natural disaster. Having your plan looked at by a legal team may also be a good idea.

3. Get Expert Advice

If you’re struggling to do this alone, get expert advice. Law enforcement officials will usually be happy to offer suggestions and courses. Experts will know what works best, so don’t struggle alone.

4. Perform Drills

Performing drills will give you peace of mind, as it’ll ensure everybody on your team knows what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency. Carrying these out about once every 6 months is a good idea.

5. Provide First Aid/Basic Self Defense/Health and Safety Courses In the Workplace

Providing courses for your employees will not only help everybody to stay safe, it’ll give them important skills that they may be able to use outside of the workplace, too. They’ll appreciate that you’re investing in their development like this.

6. Secure Your Business Premises

Securing your physical premises is also an essential step – you need to keep criminals at bay, as well as consider anything else that could go awry. For example:

Install CCTV cameras
Consider hiring security
Back up your data and keep important data on the cloud
Use difficult passwords
Use a different password for each platform
Don’t give passwords/keys out to every employee

7. Designate Leaders Within Your Team

You’re going to want to ensure that there are leaders in your group who can coordinate and take additional responsibility if something were to happen. There can be a lot of miscommunication and stress when something goes awry, so choosing somebody who is great at making decisions and staying calm in tough situations is key. Just make sure they want the responsibility, as not everybody will like it.

8. Create a Welcoming Environment

Having a welcoming environment will mean having a team of employees who feel comfortable coming to you for help without any anxiety. An open door policy is key. It’s all well and good saying you have one, but make sure you have an approachable demeanor and that you take an interest in the wellbeing of your team the rest of the time. Listening to your employees before situations escalate is a must.

9. Put Prevention Strategies In Place

Putting prevention strategies in place when you have carried out a risk assessment will ensure everything is as safe as possible. Let your team know how to spot suspicious activity, and consider things like ID tags and sign in sheets. Before hiring a new employee, you’ll also want to look into their background and references. Don’t take their word for it. You need to be sure they are trustworthy and that they are who they say they are.

10. Reward Employees For Safe Behavior

Rewarding your employees for safe behaviour could be an effective way to ensure workplace safety is taken seriously. Small rewards can keep people engaged, so not only will you reduce workplace injuries, you may find your team become more productive, too.

11. Use Labels And Signs

Putting up labels and signs is effective and cheap. You can quickly communicate important information this way, and detail hazards quickly. These tools are good reminders and warnings for even the most experienced worker. Make sure they are placed everywhere there may be a hazard as a quick reminder.

12. Encourage Breaks and Rest

Employees that don’t take proper breaks or get away from their desks may appear to be working harder, but they could actually be hurtling towards exhaustion. Burning out is a real issue, and taking regular breaks can ensure that this doesn’t happen. Getting away from a desk or their workstation will allow them to eat a proper lunch or get some fresh air and then get back to work ready for whatever their day throws at them. Even encouraging naps could be the way forward, as many studies have proven this to be beneficial, so a number of businesses are rolling this out. You might think your team will get less done, but they could actually become happier, more productive, and less prone to injury as a result. You just have to trust them!

Keeping employees safe at work is incredibly important if you plan on running a successful business for the long term!