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5 Expert Financial Tips That Every Startup Needs

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Startup Financial Tips

Are you trying to fund your startup? Here are some of the best financial tips that experts have to offer so you can learn how to fund your business.

Are you trying to get money to fund a startup?

Every successful startup needs a strong and reliable cash flow. Money isn’t always easy to secure, which is probably why 90 percent of startups fail.

How can you join the ten percent that succeed? The key is listening to financial tips and developing good financial habits early in your startup’s life.

Even if you have the best idea in the world, if you don’t the money to keep things going, you’re not going very far with your business.

Keep reading for five of the best financial tips to help your startup succeed:

Five Financial Tips for Startups

If you don’t want your startup to fail you have to manage your money wisely. This might seem difficult, but there are some easy things you can do to set yourself up for success.

Here are five financial tips to help your startup stay on track:

1. Keep Costs Low

This one might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how quickly little things can add up. Cut costs wherever you can to save as much money as possible.

Don’t rent out a workspace if you have enough room in your home. Don’t hire too many people too soon and don’t waste money on coffee or lunches.

2. Create a Budget

Budgeting is everything when it comes to running a successful startup. Make sure you have every vital expense budgeted out and don’t overspend in any category.

Every startup’s budget will look different, but there are a lot of free tools out there that can help you manage your money and budget more effectively.

3. Stay Organized

In the early days of startup life, you’re likely doing most of the money management yourself. Make sure you keep your financial records organized and you’ll thank yourself on tax day.

Make sure you track where every dollar is going, so you know what you can write off as a business expense. Keep all of your receipts and other records handy so you can easily reference them.

4. Have an Emergency Fund

Just like your personal finances, every startup needs an emergency fund. This fund is money that’s tucked away for a rainy day.

Revenue often fluctuates in any business, but especially when it’s new. One month you might do well and the next nothing. Keep as much money in here as possible so you can still pay your bills.

5. Seek Outside Cash Resources

Even if you’ve done everything right, you still might find your startup strapped for cash. There may be times you need money quickly. If this happens, a small business loan might be for you.

This company, for example, gives out small business loans to all types of businesses. Some lenders will only give you money if you already have revenue.  You might not qualify if you haven’t been in business very long.

Be aware that you’ll still be responsible to pay back the loan, even if you go out of business.

Want More Business Advice?

Running a business is difficult work, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. The best way to keep your business running is to always keep asking questions and seeking business advice, especially when it comes to managing your cash flow.

Check out the rest of our blog for more financial tips. We can help every aspect of your business succeed, from money management to marketing your services.

Office Remodeling 101: Tips to Find a Stellar Remodeling Contractor

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Office Remodel

Looking to build or remodel your home office? You need a good contractor. Here’s our guide to office remodeling 101 and how to find a stellar contractor.

In 2017, Americans spent $29 billion on commercial property remodeling.

If you don’t fancy your office’s current look or it’s literally begging for an upgrade, don’t shy away from splurging on a remodel. And now that you’re ready to give it a renovation, there’s probably one thing in your mind: finding a contractor who understands the craft.

With more than 73,000 businesses in the commercial property remodeling space, you’re not going to have an easy time finding the best.

That’s why we are here!

In this article, we’re sharing top tips to find a stellar office remodeling contractor.

Understand Your Office Remodeling Needs

Obviously, by now your eyes are on set on a remodel. However, it’s never too late to take a back seat and re-evaluate your needs.

Is an office remodel really the best option? Have you considered the costs of relocating to a new office with the features you want versus updating your current space?

If a remodel is the way forward, have you identified all the features (both interior and exterior) you want? Are there any physical and financial barriers?

Involve all your employees, so that everyone is in on the project, and make a list of these features.

Once you have an intricate understanding of your office remodeling needs, you’re ready to step into the market and begin your contractor search.

Begin Your Search Next Door

Workplace design has a positive impact on employee performance. Many employers now know this and have already implemented creative workplace redesigns.

As such, it’s certain there are organizations near you that have had office remodels in the recent past. This is where you need to begin your search for the best contractor.

Feel free to walk into those organizations and explore their office designs. If you like what you see, ask the management whether they moved into the office as is, or had the place remodeled. If remodeled, ask for a reference.

Take Your Search Online

Sometimes an offline search might not yield any results. Or you need multiple options, and asking around gets you less than that.

Don’t fret. Do an online search.

A simple “office remodeling contractors near me” search will reveal a handful of contractors. The thing with search engines, though, is they don’t necessarily rank business in terms of professional competence and experience. It’s those with a good mastery of SEO that rank top.

Yes, business with lots of positive reviews usually have higher rankings, but don’t take anything at face value. You’ll need to dig deeper. This will involve reviewing customer testimonials and investigating their BBB ratings.

At the end of your search exercise, you should have a list of at least 3 potential contractors.

Get Those Questions Ready

A common mistake people make when choosing an office remodeling contractor is making a decision based on gut or instinct.

When it comes to finding a stellar contractor, there is no room for instinct. Interviewing the contractors on your list is the only way to identify the best.

Ask the following questions:

  • How long have you been in the trade?
  • How many office remodeling projects have your completed?
  • Are there projects you weren’t able to complete within the given timeframe? Why?
  • Are you properly licensed and adequately bonded?
  • Do your employees hold any industry certifications or designations?
  • How many projects are you currently working on?
  • Do you subcontract any work? If yes, does the client have a say in the choice of the subcontractor?
  • Will you get the permits required for this project? Note this is the contractor’s responsibility.

Depending on how the contractors answer your questions, you should have a better idea of the direction you’re heading.

Ideally, you need a contractor who has been in business for at least five years and has completed hundreds of projects. Cross check license information with the relevant department in your state or local authority.

It’s also important to consider whether a contractor specializes in certain areas. When you want a home office remodeled, for instance, you want a contractor who routinely remodels homes offices, not corporate offices.

Evaluate the Quotes

At this point, you already have a mental choice but don’t call off the search -yet. You still need to evaluate the quotes, lest you’re left with a pricey contractor.

If your preferred contractor readily offers a price that meets your budget, bingo! But what if the quote is beyond your reach? Do you go for the most affordable contractor, even if they aren’t your most preferred?

Negotiate.

It’s not uncommon for contractors to bring down their prices, often as long as you’re also willing to move up. Plus, stellar office remodeling contractors charge a premium for their services. Be ready to spend.

Get the Contract in Writing

Like most remodeling projects, office remodels are capital intensive. To ensure your money is well spent, enter into a contract with the contractor.

If possible, get some legal input before the contract is sealed. This should spell out the ground rules, address problems that might occur during the course of the project, and state who shoulders responsibility.

In the contract, agree on terms of payment.

Typically, a contractor shouldn’t ask you to pay up the entire cost upfront. In fact, you shouldn’t pay more than 30 percent upfront.

Your New Office Awaits!

The powers of an office remodel are well documented. From stimulating worker productivity to bosting company image, splurging on a remodel is well worth it.

But before you reap the benefits, you need a stellar office remodeling contractor to get the work done. We know remodeling excitement can get in the way of finding the best contractor, but this information will no doubt point you in the right direction.

While at it, have you thought of creating a green office/business?

Business Card Design Tips That’ll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet Business Card Design Tips That’ll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet

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Business Card Marketing
Did you know 88% of business cards get thrown in the trash within a week? Take a look at these business card design tips that’ll keep it out of the bin.

Did you know that 10 billion business cards are printed yearly? And out of those millions of cards printed, 8 billion will be thrown in the trash within a week!

Yes, people live in the moment. If they don’t need the service right now, they’ll throw your business card away without a second thought.

But, if you get the design right, these pocket-sized billboards can elevate your business above your competitors.

What can you do? How can you make this lasting impression?

Read on to find out the essential business card design tips that you’ve probably been getting wrong all these years.

Business Card Design Tips

With Microsoft Word, some clip art images, and a home printer, you can design business cards and a lot of cool stuff. However, a professional business card needs more than the basics.

Bright Beginnings

Before you begin planning your business card, there are two crucial design components you need to finalize first:

  1. Color scheme
  2. Completed logo

These two components are vital when it comes to your branding. From your website layout to your formal office stationary, the colors and designs will influence literally everything you design from now on. So choose wisely.

Once you’ve got your branding finalized, you will have a color scheme and theme to work from for your business card’s design.

A Way with Words

Although each business has different needs, there is some very specific information that should be printed onto your business card:

  • A catchy slogan
  • Business name
  • Logo
  • Your name
  • Contact info (email address, telephone number, website or mailing address depending on the business)
  • Links to social media pages (only relevant ones, as no one wants to see your selfies)

A catchy slogan is a great way to grab attention. Think about some of the most memorable catchphrases in advertising and get some inspiration.

The name of your business should feature quite prominently in the business cards design, even if the logo is there. This is because your branding may not be recognized yet. Only massive cooperations can get away with just using their logo (for instance, Nike or McDonald’s).

If the business card is for clients to contact YOU directly, make sure to have your name on the card. And don’t forget any contact information. Your business will determine what form of contact you should decide on.

Adding at least one social media profile is vital. Your social media accounts are indispensable tools for advertising purposes, so make sure your potential customers know about them. They are more likely to add you on Instagram than they are to email you directly.

However, don’t overload your business cards design. Simplicity is key, so keep it snappy. You can always use a double-sided card or folded business card if you really need more space.

Triple Check

Whether your business card has many words or not, always double, no, TRIPLE check your work!

Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are crucial to looking professional. If you make just a teeny tiny mistake, it’ll stick out like a sore thumb.

You also need to check that your contact details are 100% correct. There’s nothing worse than receiving your printed cards and realizing there is a typo in the contact phone number. Cue the forehead slap.

Size Matters

The size of the card will mostly depend on the basic standard of the country you’re working from. Even if you plan to do something out of the box, you’ve first got to see what everyone else is doing first. So do some research.

For instance:

  • European: 3.346 x 2.165 inches
  • North American: 3.5 x 2 inches
  • Oceania: 3.54 x 2.165 inches

When choosing your sizing, you should take into consideration the “bleed area,” which will be removed; the “trim line,” which is the target line for cutting; and the “safety line,” which is there for safety measures. Keeping your text and imagery at least 3-5mm from the trim edge is a good standard to keep.

Mix It Up

Instead of the traditional horizontal business card layout, try something different. For instance, go portrait instead. Or double the width of the card to make it feel thicker.

Another idea is instead of having square corners, to round them off. Or you could cut shapes in the center using a die-cutter. You could even use scented inks.

Just a few simple adjustments can make your business card stand out from the rest and modernize your companies look instantly.

Things to Avoid

Avoid using a straight border around the edges of the card. If there is even a slight misalignment in the trim, the edges of the border will show up and make your perfectly designed card look unprofessional.

Choose your typeface wisely. There’s nothing worse than a professional business card design being ruined by tacky fonts. Comic Sans, Curlz, and Papyrus should not even be considered.

Another essential thing to avoid is a lack of imagination!

Yes, boring old business cards that are designed without an ounce of vision are just asking to be thrown in the trash. Keep reading for some AMAZING business card tips and ideas that’ll blow your socks off.

Business Cards Design Ideas

How to design a business card that won’t be chucked away? The key is to get creative, make them laugh, get them intrigued, and make it functional!

Check out these clever ideas to make your card stand out from the crowd.

Special Finishes

A quick way to instantly add a touch of class to your card is by using special finishes. They may be more pricey, but they can create a visually impressive design that won’t be forgotten easily.

For instance, emboss your card or use Letterpressing to make areas and words pop out. Or use foil stamping to accent text or your logo in shiny reflective materials.

Spot UV coating is another sleek idea for your business cards design. The UV coating can be applied to specific areas, such as the text or logo. This looks really trendy when the card is in a matte material and the main text is glossy.

Unique to Your Purpose

Use what you’re selling to inspire your business card.

For instance, if you’re a dance or fitness instructor, use the skill to define your card. Have a photo of a person, cut out two leg holes, stick your fingers through, and instantly the card becomes a comical dancing puppet.

Another example is if you’re a gardening company, put your business details on a packet of seeds for growing. Or if you’re a Divorce Lawyer, design a business card that tears in half with your contact details on both sides.

For photography, try a transparent business card which doubles as a viewfinder. When your clients are looking for spots for their wedding photo session, they can use their viewfinder to visualize the final result.

Make It Useful

There are two different kinds of people in this world: the hoarders and the throwers.

Some hold onto every piece of paper they receive, whereas others ruthlessly recycle anything they can. To avoid your card becoming the next recyclable material, make it functional.

For instance, one cheese company designed a two-fold business card. It not only has all the info needed, but it also doubles as a cheese grater. Now that’s a “grate” idea!

Another cool concept is having a business card that converts into a holder for hair clips or can be folded into a miniature armchair for your smartphone.

A Variety of Materials

Most business cards are printed on regular cardstock, as it’s the most cost-effective option.

However, there are all kinds of different materials that you can print on, including transparent plastics, rubber, wood, slate, or even metal.

Metal designs give a really neat modern vibe and they can also come with a dual purpose. For instance, some metal business cards are also bottle openers — nobody in their right mind will throw that in the trash anytime soon.

Forget the Card

Maybe instead of an actual business card, you could use something completely different.

For example, a lego person with your all the needed details printed on the figurine. You could have them dressed in your companies uniform, or even make them look like you.

Whatever whimsical design you choose, keep in mind that although you want your business card to stand out from the crowd, it still needs to be portable. If it’s not easy to file away in a briefcase or pocket, it’ll be thrown away anyway.

There are several more essential reasons why your business cards should be portable and kept with you at all times. Read more now about a few of those reasons.

Business Card Tips and More

As you can see, designing a business card takes more than Microsoft Word, a generic clip art image, and a home printer. To be successful, you really need to put time, effort and a lot of IMAGINATION into it!

Of course, these business card design tips won’t work if you’re business is stuck in a rut. If you need a helping hand to get your business back on track or to start something new and exciting, you’ve come to the right place.

To find out the secret strategies behind a successful business, click here!

If You Do This, You’re Killing Online Conversions

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The goal of all digital marketers is to uncover the key to boost online conversions by 100%, 500%, or even 1,000%. Every digital expert dreams secretly of unlocking the mystery behind their conversion rate and return on investment. Unfortunately, unless you’re exceptionally lucky or introduced a brand new digital strategy where there was previously nothing, it’s fair to say that conversion rate improvements might not have gone through the roof yet. You probably report on seasonal changes, noticing peaks and drops throughout the year.

Most online businesses rarely claim over 10% conversion rates – the most successful online retailers in 2018 report an average of 3.3% according to Smart Insights. In other words, aiming to double conversions might be unrealistic. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t improve your conversion rates with new strategies. Content testing, landing page design and remarketing campaigns can go a long way towards reaching your goals. But your efforts might be counterproductive if you’re guilty of any of the following marketing sins:

Digital Marketing Conversion

Genuinely confusing website

Your website serves one core purpose: It’s designed to guide your visitors through the necessary steps for conversion. A website that fails to engage visitors in performing positive actions is a wasted opportunity. While it might sound obvious, too many small and midsize businesses focus too much on the aesthetic of their web layout and forget about the path to lead conversion, which can generate confusion and high bounce rates. That’s precisely because they understand that your visitors need guidance, that Third Angle web design team offers tailored design paths for your business. What’s the surest way to find out if web users are confused by your site? Check your analytics data: If users spend a lot of time on site but never move to the converting pages, it could be an indication that they don’t know where to go.

You’re making it hard to book or order

Even when customers already know what they want from your site, it can be tricky to perform online. The last mile of the customer journey is the most important, as it’s your chance as a company to provide the answer they need. However, as eCommerce site record over 20% drop off during the purchase process, it’s obvious that not everyone has mastered the subtleties of the last mile. Indeed, customers who already know why they’re visiting your site requires early CTA buttons to book or buy. A common error is to keep time-demanding steps during these processes – from long contact info forms to not displaying availability for appointments.

You interrupt the navigation

Most visitors dislike interruption. They came to your site with a purpose in mind. The last thing they need is a video set to autoplay or a popup that stops the visit. With 82% of visitors admitting to closing a web page to get rid of the video on it, it’s fair to say that interactive engagement can go too far to the liking of your visitors. Used as a smart guiding tool, popups can be judicious, but anything else is perceived as disturbing.

What do visitors think of your website? It’s the eternal question that digital marketers try to answer using Analytics data. Improving your website will improve your conversions, assuming you focus your efforts on guiding and facilitating online activities.

Reducing Your Chances of Experiencing Injury in the Workplace

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Workplace Injury

Picture Credit

The majority of the time, when we think about work, illness and injury really aren’t the first thing to pass through our mind. But if you experience either of these conditions in the workplace, or your workplace puts you at risk of them, you may have issues on your hands. But not to worry. Here are just a few steps that you can take in order to reduce your chances of having to deal with injury or illness in the workplace!

The Law

When you become an employee, your employee automatically assumes a position of authority and responsibility over you. It is their job to ensure that you are provided with a safe space to work within and that you have the correct knowledge and equipment to carry out the tasks expected of you in a safe and sensible manner. If your employer falls short in providing any of these things, you may experience a form of injury or you may develop an illness as a direct result of their negligence or malpractice. It is extremely important that you get in touch with an injury lawyer if you find yourself in this situation. This professional will be able to survey what has happened and can help to build a case that can be taken to court. This case could provide you with compensation, which can be put towards medical bills or which can replace lost earnings. It also helps to benefit you in the future, as your employer is likely to put wrongs to rights and meet their responsibilities from this point onwards.

Responsibility Over Yourself

While your employer does have responsibility over your health, safety, and wellbeing in the workplace, there are further steps that you can take to improve your chances of remaining safe and well at work.

Ergonomic Equipment

There are various different forms of ergonomic equipment available on the market that can help to improve your posture and positioning while carrying out routine tasks. Investing in these and using them can significantly reduce your chances of developing problems such as repetitive strain injury. So, browse what’s out there!

Speak to Your Employer About Mental Illness

Not all illnesses are visible. If you suffer from mental illness, your employer will be able to provide you with support and may be able to make your workplace and role more accommodating for you. However, they can’t do anything if they are unaware of your condition. So, feel free to speak to your employer about your individual situation and experiences or diagnoses and they will be able to prevent your condition from worsening as a direct result of work.

These are just a few different steps to take into consideration. But implementing them into your working routine can significantly improve your quality of life!

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