IT Tips for Boosting Your Remote Team’s Productivity

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing on, many businesses have taken to remote working and will likely continue to work from home for the foreseeable future. To make matters even more stressful, it has never been more important to keep your business afloat, which can be tricky when all your staff are working from different locations.

If working remotely is something you’re new to, it can be a learning process to say the least. Even if it’s a circumstance you’re equipped for, this unique situation has undoubtedly forced you to find new tools to streamline processes, make systems more secure, and protect your data.

If you’re looking for better ways to optimize your remote network, we’re offering some tips. These 5 tips can help you boost your remote team’s productivity and ensure your systems are secured, as well:

1. Keep On Top of Cybersecurity 

Cybersecurity has been a priority for most businesses in recent years, but there has never been a more important time than now to invest in advanced security. With so many businesses having had to switch abruptly to remote networks, threat actors know that these businesses’ systems are likely to have several security weaknesses left unpatched in the transition. Hacking attempts have been on the rise as cybercriminals seek to take advantage of these vulnerabilities and steal remote workforces’ data.

While your cybersecurity controls might be configured properly in your office, ensuring your remote work is secured requires the help of a professional. Many small and medium-sized businesses have been turning to Managed Service Providers to offer remote cybersecurity services to your staff so that everyone is covered and secure. These services may include file encryption, 24/7 remote network monitoring, and more.

For example, one IT company in Birmingham, Integrated Solutions, stands out from other providers by offering customized cybersecurity solutions to their clients. By tailoring security services to each client’s specific needs, they improve productivity across all departments by ensuring all system vulnerabilities are accounted for and resolved. Rather than invest in generic (and usually inadequate) cybersecurity, it’s important that businesses working remotely seek out customized security services. 

2. Set Up a VPN 

Many businesses rely on in-house servers when in the office. If this is the case for your business, and you still need to access onsite data, it’s critical that you set up a VPN for your employees to safely access data.

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a secured connection to your in-house servers that does not require you to use an open or public Internet connection to access. When you’re connected through a VPN, all of your data will be encrypted regardless of the network settings, and outsiders will not be able to read it.

3. Ensure Your Employees Have Secure, Stable Internet Connections

While you can’t always control what Internet connections your employees have or who else is using them, it’s worthwhile to develop stipulations for what upload and download speeds they have to ensure maximum reliability.

Having a reliable Internet connection makes programs like Zoom and other remote collaboration tools less spotty and your connection less likely to be infiltrated while transferring data. Advise your employees to test their Internet speed to make sure their connection is fast enough for their needs. 

4. Invest in Telecommunication Solutions Such as VoIP

Telecommunication is a major aspect of effective remote working. If your team can’t communicate with each other and with clients easily and securely from different locations, your productivity levels will undoubtedly decrease. With so much sensitive information being shared over the phone now, you also can’t afford to let employees use their own devices for calls, which could be intercepted by threat actors.

VoIP can keep calls secure while also giving you access to more features that ease conference calling, voicemail, and more. With VoIP phones, you can access your service from a variety of different devices without the need for onsite wiring, making it ideal for remote working. Not to mention, VoIP services are typically far more cost-effective than traditional PBX phone systems.

5. Take Advantage of Project Management Tools

One of the biggest challenges of remote working is managing projects effectively and keeping track of each team’s tasks and deadlines. It is essential to use software to handle tasks and track progress, and in doing this, it also makes it much easier to outline clear processes for each role and project.

Using project management tools helps to ensure that deadlines are set in advance and agreed upon, and many businesses find that using a project management approach empowers your team to get more done. Tools such as Trello or Yalla can be great for teams to communicate, discuss the tasks, follow up, and share feedback.

As you work to make your remote team as productive and efficient as possible, making the most of new technological tools and services can be a great asset.

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How a Managed Service Provider Can Help Your Company Thrive During the Pandemic

The current pandemic is affecting businesses on a global level. In this time of uncertainty, however, there’s still a lot your company can do to weather this storm and come out the other side. 

Among downtime and lacking business continuity plans, one of the biggest threats facing businesses right now is cyber attacks. Data breaches cost an average of $8.19 million, so suffering from a cyber attack right now could put a company out of business given the fragile state of the economy. For many businesses, managed services are a great resource to help them protect against these threats. 

Here’s how a Managed Service Provider can help your company survive the coronavirus outbreak: 

MSPs Can Develop Comprehensive Cybersecurity for Remote Networks

A Clark School study at the University of Maryland has quantified that “a hacker attack is occurring every 39 seconds, affecting one in three Americans.” That statistic is certainly alarming, and one not to take likely when it comes to protecting a business. 

Cyberattacks are becoming even more frequent right now, as threat actors are taking advantage of the fact that many companies are being forced to switch to remote networks that may expose new vulnerabilities in their systems. 

A Managed Service Provider can be an invaluable partner in helping ensure your business’s remote network is set up properly and that weaknesses exposed in the transition to remote working are patched. As far as technology investments go, investing in secure remote network services should be at the top of the list. Keeping your data safe is crucial, and you could be at serious risk by not having the right support in place.

MSPs Can Set Up Secure VPNs to Access Workplace Servers from Home

Even though some businesses have gone remote, others may have had to put several operations on hold because they rely on in-house servers to access data. In fact, the inability to continue working has led to unemployment claims to surpass the sixteen million mark. 

However, there are solutions for businesses who may think they cannot work offsite. A Managed Service Provider can set up a VPN, or virtual private network, which allows your staff to remotely access data from in-house servers without compromising security. Rather than shut down operations, lay off workers, and potentially go under, a VPN can allow your company to continue work almost like normal. 

MSPs Can Offer Continual Remote IT Support

Many Managed Service Providers also offer round-the-clock IT support to clients through their  online ticketing systems and on-site emergency support when it’s needed. This can be effective when your workforce are in different locations and IT problems can’t be as easily resolved. 

Many MSPs even offer 24/7 remote system monitoring to protect your systems at all times from new threats or weakness that may appear in your systems. This helps make sure that your business is secure from cyber attacks and that any downtime in monitoring such a fragile time is kept to a minimum. 

MSPs Can Perform Regular Data Backups and File Encryption

Data shows that 6% of all PCs will suffer an episode of data loss in any given year. While many may feel that data backups and file encryptions are not a high priority item at the moment, data loss can be highly expensive, and in a time when the economy is fragile, most businesses can’t afford to lose data. 

Managed Service Providers protect you against data loss by performing regular data backups, file encryption, and more to limit access to certain files and protect sensitive information. Data backups also allow you to continue to access files even if network connections go down or a crisis occurs, ensuring you always have secure copies of your files.

MSPs Can Be Highly Cost-Effective

With Managed Service Providers, you get a team of experts that are dedicated to providing your company with the support and security that your infrastructure needs at the cost of just one salaried employee. This can end up saving you thousands of dollars at a time when you need it the most.

Further, Managed Service Providers are dedicated to understanding your unique technology needs, meaning they won’t suggest hardware or software that will only cost you money instead of truly benefitting your business. Instead, they’ll look for ways to improve your bottom line by seeking out cost-effective software and equipment and increasing uptime levels. By paying a monthly fee for these services instead of being billed each time as with a break/fix provider, you end up saving thousands in the long run.

As you assess the current needs of your company, it can be wise to turn to managed IT services to protect your business against growing cyber threats and save you money. If you’re struggling in today’s current pandemic crisis or need greater business continuity services, an MSP may be the solution for your business to see this thing through to the very end. 

 

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How Telecom Industry Can Benefit From Field Software

The use of automation in businesses and company processes are getting better every day. The need for automated solutions is highly impactful in the mobile workforce management sector of the telecom industry. This automation is required for creating a link between mobile workers and the end clients.

Scheduling software for telecom companies is a cost-effective solution. It can act as an empowered solution to increase the efficiency of the field workforces. This of course aids to improving the overall business efficiency. In addition to introducing automation and improving efficiency, telecom software does many more things for increasing the overall profit. Let’s have a look at all those benefits.

With the use of scheduling software, the mobile workforce can be managed efficiently.

Here Are the Benefits of Mobile Workforce Management

Improved Productivity

With a number of features customized for better service delivery, the telecom software can be utilized exceptionally well. The features include, automated work allocation, which saves a lot of time and effort, automated updates/reminders/alerts for real-time information dissemination, getting real-time updates from the field, real-time worksheet filling of the technicians working on the field and better coordination and communication.

Better Business Insights

With telecom expense management software the business-related information can be collected to build a centralized cloud-based database. This database can be accessed by everyone who is a part of the team. Important business-related data including sales reports, inventory details, employees’ timesheets, invoices, etc. can be stored in one common database.

Ease of Communication

The software is highly effective in streamlining communication. Not only field technicians but managers can equally make use of the software in order to improve business transparency, increasing productivity and customer engagement in the process, keeping and sharing automated updates with the rest of the team, and more.

Increased Revenue

Telecom management software helps in revenue building in a number of ways. The automated software is able to manage several operations simultaneously. Management related services such as task scheduling & management, data analytics, reporting, customer communication and performance monitoring can be maintained with a single software and thus the cost of installation of other software programs can be saved. This is sure to add to the revenue and decrease the additional expenses.

In Conclusion

Technology is empowering business like never before, telecom asset management software is a fine example of it. With the right utilization of software a number of business benefits can be introduced effortlessly. The cost and managing the software is affordable also which makes the installation cost-friendly. The impact of having the software program can be felt in increased business efficiency and better offering of services. More to this, the processes can easily be streamlined and customized to suit the particular needs of the clients. It is a complete package for telecom business operations looking to increase process-efficiency and introducing transparency in the processes.

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Stanislav Kondrashov Gives Advice on Choosing a Location for Business

The correct choice of the place where you will develop your business is half the success of the entire business. A successful businessman and financial expert, Stanislav Kondrashov spoke about several criteria and methods of choosing a place for business.

Make a Geolocation Assessment

The place to run your business should be a tool to increase profits. It should be in your head constantly, and you should always rely on factors that will increase the income from your business. If conditionally, you are engaged in the sale of certain goods or provide services, then you should choose a location with maximum traffic. People may occasionally drop by your coffeehouse for the smell of freshly brewed coffee and buns, but they won’t take three buses for your cheesecakes. If, on the contrary, you do not need a crowd of visitors, then you should look for a point with a minimum cost of transportation and accessibility for your suppliers or partners.

According to Stanislav Kondrashov, you are faced with a serious question: to build a new facility or occupy an area in a shopping center or coworking. Each of the options is endowed with both disadvantages and advantages. In the shopping center, you do not need to make large-scale repairs, as an example, because the premises are most often rented out in the finished condition. However, the operating time of your point is limited by the shopping center schedule. A separate room makes it possible to freely set a work schedule – at least around the clock.

Find out Who Was the Owner Before You

Stanislav Kondrashov strongly recommends learning the history of the room. After all, your further actions and the associated costs depend on the quality in which all rooms were used. For example, if there was a cafe inside, then in the former kitchen the ventilation is most likely greasy, which you will not learn from the documents. And this directly affects the operation of the entire ventilation system. You will have to repair it soon. And if there was a bank branch in the building, then the re-equipment of the former depositories and the breakdown of the old wall cladding will be your task. 

Another reason that Stanislav Kondrashov points to is his reputation. Former customers of the previous owner will long associate your business with his name. “A sports shop was opened in an old cafe.” You need to try to find a place from which there is no negative “tail”, and especially a criminal one. The influence of the notoriety of the former owners can greatly shake your profits down.

Stanislav Kondrashov: Do Mapping

The movement of passers-by at your point is certainly a plus, but focusing on the target audience is more productive. Make an assessment of the location of your business from the perspective of others: what segments of the population live near your place and what can attract them to your services or goods. In the language of entrepreneurs, this is called mapping. For example, you have opened a dance studio. Your first clients are residents of the surrounding houses, office workers, students of universities located nearby, customers of a nearby gym. For your business, it will be better if there will be many more such places.

Visualize the standard route for people living in your area and evaluate the points between which they move consciously. As a rule, these points will be home, work, place of study. See if your business meets on their way. Otherwise, you should find another place. The best place will be the one that best suits the tastes of the people you expect to make a profit from. Then the right audience is attracted.

Get to Know Your Competitors

Kondrashov advises being aware of the number of similar enterprises located nearby with the chosen place before starting to settle down. Your coffee shop may be the 10th in a row in this location. In such a case, it would be a smart decision to settle on the street where your espresso will be the only one within walking distance for local residents. But competition is not always the same for all cases. If you are doing better and tastier than your neighbors, then it can be a reason for success. And there is market synergy when a competitor is not an enemy, but a friend. That is, it is worth trying mutually beneficial common projects, creating joint promotions so that customers do not get bored.

In addition, Stanislav Kondrashov advises, if you find an expensive and large room, it makes sense to cooperate with the efforts and opportunities of other players in the chosen business sphere. If you started selling flowers, cooperation with jewelry sellers will be organic. If you open a sausage shop, you can invite to open a department in the selected premises of the sellers of cheese products. Many are happy to share an expensive rental in a good location.

Better Presentation – More Clients

When you have already visited the tenth office building, it is possible to miss a discussion with the owner of important details. And already lose the ability to properly demonstrate that you are a first-class tenant. Stanislav Kondrashov draws attention to the importance of a good presentation. It will communicate with the owners much easier and will contribute to loyalty in determining the conditions. You need to provide informative slides illustrating your business so that the site owner knows for sure how his premises will be used. You need to create a checklist of the right questions regarding the premises and rental rules. Each place has its own list of questions so as not to be confused.

finding location concept -DepositPhotos

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6 Ways to Incorporate Technology For Your Business

Nowadays, business owners take advantage of technology to benefit their businesses to keep up with their competitors. 

There are many ways you can take advantage of the technology to help you streamline your business. However, you should know where to focus for it to be more efficient. Not all aspects of your business should be intervened by technology, that’s why it is essential to know your limits. You don’t want to waste your time, effort, and resources on investing your focus on the wrong aspects.

Below should be your main focus when starting to upgrade your business to be more advanced in terms of technology.

Marketing

Using social media platforms to market your business is a trend these days. It is an economical and very effective way to promote your goods or services. Choosing this platform will help you reach millions of viewers all around the globe. 

Blogging is another way of promoting your business. You can start your blog that revolves around your business or about your target market. You can also hire bloggers to test your products and write an article about it in their blog sites. 

Aside from blogs, vlogging is a beneficial tool in promoting a business. Many businesses invited vloggers to visit their store and try their goods or services that the vlogger will cover and post online for the whole world to see. 

There are unlimited options for you to market your business online. You will have to know your target audience and choose a platform that will likely reach the majority of them. 

Finances

Paying for purchases via in-app or online payment methods are the new trend. More people choose to pay via money-less transactions for its safety and convenience. Adding an electronic merchant system to your business will encourage young customers to choose your business over other competitors. 

Software is also available where you can track your budget and stay at the top of your finances. It will help you reduce unnecessary expenses, which will hurt your savings in the long run. 

Technology also gives you the capacity to share all your financial files with your accountant and bookkeeper. This way, your finances will be transparent to both parties. You can also use accounting software for a more organized financial flow. 

Customer Service

Providing your customer with an easy way to communicate with you is a huge help to understand the needs of your customer better. You can make this possible with the help of all social media platforms as they have a messaging service where your customer can directly communicate with you.

You can also use the Jook text messaging service to respond to your customer’s concerns. Aside from customer service, you can also use this for marketing or sending updates to your employees or customers to have a more personal touch.

Security

The latest technology for security cameras is the wireless CCTV that allows you to connect it directly to your smartphone with the help of a wi-fi. You can have real-time surveillance of your store wherever you are. 

Inventory

Managing your product inventory with the help of technology will give you an excellent glance at your existing inventory. By this, you would know what products need restocking or products that are not saleable.

Customers get easily frustrated when they place an order but end up being out of stock. This customer will tend to transfer to another merchant and end up not returning to purchase at your store. 

Updating your inventory stocks is a vital key to a more successful business. You must always have all the products in stock for your customers. Having a complete inventory is also considered excellent customer service. 

Productivity

Increase productivity by using specific apps or software such as time-tracking software that can help you know how much time your staff caters to a customer. By identifying this information, you can improve how your employees cater to your customers to have better productivity. You can also develop a new work strategy for your employees that will benefit them and your company.

Management software can also be of help in managing projects and tasks. It can help you sort out what is highly prioritized to fewer priority tasks for you to manage your time better. It also helps your employees know what tasks they are assigned to do with the complete information and priority level. 

Documents can also be stored through a digital filing system. It is secure and organized compared to hard copies of documents piling up around your office. Storing them on your device will help you save time and space in sorting out all your essential documents. 

Takeaway

It is a must for business owners to consider upgrading the way they handle their business. We must evolve along with the technology as it will dominate the way we live our lives in the future. It is just right to give in and be open-minded with this kind of change for the benefit of your business. 

business team -DepositPhotos

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6 Essential Tips for Trading Gold

There was a time when trading gold was considered to be really difficult as one had to physically buy and sell gold. This buying and selling of the metal physically was a daunting task and was not much appreciated by many as it involved a lot of logistics risk. With time things changed and there came the futures and options which allowed traders to take positions without going anywhere and dealing with gold bars, coins, or jewelry.  Now gold exchange traded funds (ETF) have made it easier and trading gold was just like trading a stock. Today gold trading is easy and not much different than trading stocks or foreign exchange.  Now one needs to simply choose a better platform and preferably a spread betting platform and then it is simply a matter of buying and selling gold irrespective of what you think whether the gold price is likely to rise or fall it doesn’t matter. 

Trading gold is preferred by many and is attractive since the underlying asset is physical as compared to others as a number in a bank account. When it comes to trading gold there are different strategies to adopt which can range from studying the fundamental factors affecting supply and demand, studying current positioning of gold traders, technical analysis, and many more. Different retailers and investors incorporate different strategies ranging from studying fundamentals, sentiment and technical analysis. These details can help you to spot trends and study the gold price chart and patterns which can help you enter and exit gold trades. Let us understand and study few tips and tricks which can help you understand gold trading better and book some profits.

1. Always keep the size of your investments which is your gold, silver and mining stock trading positions small. Look for the strategy that higher the changes of being correct than bigger the positions can be and this is the reason that the size of long term investments are bigger than the sizes of short term trades. 

2. Consider whether the markets are in “risk on” or “risk off” mode as this will help you in analysing the stock perfectly. Your stock trading totally depends upon whether the current situation is in favour or against your trade. You need to be practical while dealing in gold stock and thus risk on market may signify to defer you buying while the risk off period can be a good time to buy or otherwise when you need to understand the signals.

3. Pay attention to volume and it is an important factor while making investment in gold or while trading gold. It is something which is often overlooked and is not paid much attention. However, it is an important piece of information and see if a rally is accompanied by a rising volume than it can result into a bigger rally. In a similar way if a rally is accompanied with a declining volume than it is likely to be an ending. One needs to understand these patterns better to make a strong decision whether to invest at the right time or not.

4. Pay attention to different cycles and turning points while trading. Different markets behave in different manner which you need to pay attention to and this is important for a trader. Many markets have cyclical nature which means USD index and Silver options and these cycles can be of great help in your short term and long term trades.

5. Trade with New York close in mind is always a good strategy when dealing in gold trading. Since gold is a 24 hour market however the peak liquidity is found during the New York trading hours. Thus, depending upon your trading goals, you need to decide whether you should trade during or after New York trading hours. It is totally dependent on the trader whether he/she would like to trade during the peak activity or the off hours of trading.

6. Consider paying importance to trend lines and trend channels. This is important while dealing in gold trading as these trend lines and channels can prove useful as support and resistance levels in gold, silver and mining stocks. The lows or highs are used for creating a given trend line or channel depending which one can invest and see how lucrative it is to invest as per these patterns. One needs to understand them better and look for the right investment and withdrawal signals.

gold bullion -DepositPhotos

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How Lincolnshire Management Plans to Fight COVID Fallout

In the space of just a few weeks, the ripple effect of COVID-19 was already felt in the world of finance. With so many companies scrambling to find new solutions for the long-term, financial certainty has never felt further off for most Americans. Thankfully, Lincolnshire Management is doing everything they can to help. With a solid track record of commitment to middle-market businesses and a few COVID-proof strategies for growth, Lincolnshire Management plans to see its clients through the crisis while creating a new, tighter infrastructure to protect against any future stock market calamities. 

What Does the Middle-Marketplace Look Like Now?

There’s no question that the market continues to suffer due to COVID-19, especially due to the many overnight closures it created for non-essential businesses. With the annual middle-market event InterGrowth canceled for 2020 and the Dow taking a steep, 1000-point drop in March, things are looking uncertain for the future of middle-market companies. With so many corporate entities struggling to adapt to this sudden change in the marketplace, investing might feel like a risky move right now. However, thanks to the firm’s decades-long track record of protecting and insuring investors against a volatile marketplace, the new challenges presented by COVID aren’t anything it can’t handle.

Here’s the thing: although middle-market businesses are suffering more than ever due to buyers changing their patterns, behaviors, and basic needs during this time, there’s no reason investors shouldn’t be able to rise to the occasion. Even though everything feels unpredictable right now, the truth is that it’s just as possible to create a solid investment plan for the future. Lincolnshire Management has an over thirty-year track record of responsible, informed investing.

It might feel like recent world events have changed everything. However, gracefully adapting to change is something the firm has had a great deal of experience with. By figuring out which industries are most likely to weather the COVID storm, the company plans to help clients continue to build a safe, sustainable plan for wealth growth and management. 

ESG Investing Matters More Than Ever

In an industry that’s used to moving quickly, it can be a challenge to start thinking in terms of long-term solutions for current market problems. While it might feel difficult to get a real handle on what the marketplace is going to look like in the next few months, there are a few certainties to hold onto. The market hasn’t stopped cold in its tracks, and people are still buying goods and adhering to trends. Lincolnshire’s job as a responsible investment firm is to help investors choose the safest bets in the long term. As always, they continue to meticulously research each and every portfolio item.

Planning Responsibly in a Crisis

Many middle-market businesses are finding it hard to adapt to the current crisis. Without the federal protections afforded larger businesses or the funding or relief offered to startups and smaller enterprises, middle-market companies find themselves in a difficult spot. There’s a bright side, however: Lincolnshire Management has specialized in researching and hand-picking sustainable, socially responsible middle market companies that weren’t made to buckle under pressure. With marketplace norms rapidly changing, it’s important to invest in companies that are vital to the continued growth of the marketplace during COVID-19. This isn’t just about investing in hygiene companies and the booming self-care industry. 

Adapting to the “New Normal” of Investing

Just as buyers are learning to adapt to a new world of waiting, rationing, and scarcity, businesses are now refining their go-to-market strategy based on the “new normal” of COVID life. Middle-market companies are adapting their entire strategy to make sure that they continue to be a worthy, safe investment in the long run. Lincolnshire has worked tirelessly for the past few decades to create a diverse portfolio of trustworthy, recession-proof stock options for canny investors. The company plans on continuing this work during the pandemic, seeking out safe, reliable middle-market companies for our clients to grow with over time. 

Investing with Lincolnshire Management: Security, Safety, and Expertise

If there’s one thing this pandemic is teaching us, it’s that nothing is certain, and nothing can be truly counted on. Fortunately, the right amount of planning and foresight can help investors from making costly mistakes in the heat of the moment. Investing is all about thinking in the long term. Even though COVID-19 has derailed many five-year plans, the mark of a truly innovative company is to rise to the challenge presented by this kind of earth-shaking change. For thirty years, Lincolnshire has worked hard to predict market trends and to invest in solid companies with an upward growth trajectory. They have cherry-picked companies that comply with all ESG criteria and helped pair cautious, informed investors with opportunities for stunning financial growth. Though the world might feel different, they are just as committed to keeping clients informed, safe, and financially protected as always, no matter what’s around the corner.

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How To Grow Your Plastic Surgery Practice

Especially if you’re starting out with a plastic surgery practice, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the multiple ideas that can help you establish and grow your business. Instead of working through that on your own and possibly picking the wrong ideas, we want to help you find out the best path to your plastic surgery success. 

In this article, we’re going to go through a few strategic tips to help you grow your plastic surgery practice. 

Attract New Clients and Grow Your Business

Whether you’re starting from scratch or you’re looking to give your business a boost, then attracting new clients can help boost revenue.

From ads to online reputation and referrals from past clients to doing everything in your power to help increase the rankings in search engines, there are so many different types of ways to do it—and each business is different!

You have to first figure out what your target audience is and learn how to attract those customers to your business.

Like the Calgary Plastic Surgery Center, there are so many ways to attract new patients to your practice—even from your own computer.  

Especially with online being a great, user-friendly, and inexpensive platform, you can easily utilize it to promote and grow your plastic surgery practice. 

Marketing Ideas

Here are a few ideas of proven ways for you to help grow your plastic surgery practice:

You Need to Focus on Your Website

If you’ve heard of terms like SEO, you’re well on your way to knowing everything you need to know about designing or optimizing your website for search results. 

Not only is it great to give your website a makeover, but you should also focus on inputting SEO words into your website in clever ways.

Searching online for medical services is quite common these days, which means that people will be looking for plastic surgery practices online. 

Make Sure Your Online Reputation Is up to Scratch

Since so many patients are scouring online forums to find the best practice, you should get a move on with asking past patients to leave positive testimonials to give your practice a good online reputation.

Invest in Blog Posts and Informational Articles

Now that you’re building an audience, you can easily reach them through blog writing. Before you begin, consider investing in a professional writer so that you can create blogs that are reader-friendly yet informational. 

Marketing also includes content marketing which can help give your target audience something to read that connects them directly to you, your information, and your advice.

Developing a blog post can also help give you more opportunities to put in SEO keywords and boost your search-engine ratings. 

You can also consider creating a form on your webpage where potential clients can input their e-mail, which will lead to e-mail campaigns and other ways to engage with customers.

Use Social Media to Boost Your Following

With the spike and easy-to-use nature of social media platforms, there are so many different ways to directly engage with your customers or patients or prospective clients. 

Using social media can be a game-changer in this industry. Especially with platforms like Instagram, which are quite image-centered, it is a great opportunity to show the visual nature of the results of your practice and let the testimonials speak for themselves. 

Although all social media platforms work great, you can definitely rely on Instagram to be extremely visually appealing. 

Invest in Plastic Surgery Ads

Even though social media can be a free platform to help boost your following, investing in a few ads can also help. If you’re willing to go the extra mile and invest in plastic surgery ads, this can help increase your exposure—especially for those who live in the area. 

Growing Your Plastic Surgery Practice

Although there are so men different ways to increase your exposure and following, you may have to put these strategies through trial and error to find the best way to boost your practice. 

We hope that this article has given you a few ideas of different strategic methods that can help boost your following so you can get a successful practice.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/growth/plastic-surgery-practices

Dos and Donts for Building Links

If you have been in business for some time — and you haven’t just recently discovered the importance of the internet for building and maintaining an audience — you might be able to remember a time when SEO was easy. Building links used to be as simple as posting a URL in a comments section or nicely asking a blogger to include a link to your site. These days, because Google isn’t terribly keen on businesses manipulating its algorithm, building backlinks without incurring harsh penalties has become a serious chore.

If you need a refresher on how to build links successfully in this day and age, read on for some easy-to-follow dos and don’ts for SEO in 2020.

Don’t Link (Exclusively) to Your Homepage

Consider Wikipedia: It is the sixth most popular website in the world and ranks for almost any keyword phrase out there — but of its 606 million backlinks, only 1 percent point to its homepage. Admittedly, your website isn’t Wikipedia, but nonetheless you should consider building links to internal pages, especially those with content your audience might enjoy engaging with. Then, you can strengthen your site’s SEO and give the web users who click your links a way to develop a relationship with your business.

Do Use a Variety of Anchor Texts

Google uses anchor texts, or the clickable text that contains your link, to better understand the context of the link. Most often, anchor texts should contain or be closely associated with the keyword phrases for which you want to boost your site’s rank — but that doesn’t mean you should use the same anchor texts over and over again. It is far too easy to over-optimize if you are focusing on a single keyword phrase and neglecting to vary your anchor texts, and over-optimization will thwart all other efforts to improve your ranking.

Don’t Aim for Infinite Backlinks

More links generally equates to a better rank, but you should have a definite number in mind when you begin to build your backlink profile. Instead of trying to get “as many as possible,” you should research your competitors and try to garner between 2 and 5 percent more links than they have. This will help guide your SEO activities, helping you find a balance between link building and other SEO techniques, like on-site optimization and social media.

Don’t Judge a Site by PageRank Alone

The number of links isn’t Google’s only consideration; it also pays close attention to the quality of site hosting the backlink. You want your links to be on sites that are related to your business and have a good level of authority — but you shouldn’t make the mistake by judging a site solely on its PageRank. There are so many other factors that indicate a site is high-quality, such as a dedicated and engaged following, a trustworthy look and feel and more.

Do Focus on Producing Quality Content

SEO and content marketing are closely linked, so having quality content available on your website is a must. If your content is unique in some way — comprehensive, expertly researched, creative, etc. — you won’t have to work as hard to get other sites to publish your links, and many publishers will begin linking to you organically, without your request. Plus, more content is always better for SEO in general, so you should have a strong content generation strategy regardless of your SEO goals.

Don’t Automatically Analyze Your Competition

If I asked you to list your business’s competition, you might name a few regional competitors in your field — but those businesses aren’t necessarily your competition when it comes to search rankings. In fact, the top five organizations within your industry might not come close to earning the top five positions on the results page. It is imperative that you conduct the right kind of SEO research to guide your goal setting, so you know exactly whom you are competing against and what you need to do to win.

Do Take Advantage of Knowledgeable SEOs

You can’t manage your business’s SEO on your own because you are not an SEO expert. Just as you wouldn’t trust just anyone to manage your business’s books or manufacture its products, you need a professional SEO team, like Digital Current, to research, strategize, track and analyze your links — and all other elements of your SEO campaign.

SEO mistakes aren’t always easy to recover from, so you want to start on the right foot when it comes to building links. By knowing about some major linking mistakes, you should be able to develop a linking strategy that improves your rank for years to come.

backlinks concept -DepositPhotos

The post Dos and Donts for Building Links appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

source https://tweakyourbiz.com/marketing/seo/link-building-guidelines

Top 10 Features of a Profitable Rental Property

Investing in residential real estate and buying some rental properties that can boost your portfolio of investments, is something everyone serious about finances considers. Here are the most critical features to consider when investing in a property for the very first time and tips and tricks on ensuring that you will choose smart and eventually be satisfied with the choice you made.

Although extremely rewarding, real estate can be a minefield when it comes to extra expenses. You have to be careful with every step if you want to succeed and have a return on the investment you made. Real estate requires comprehensive research before you make the first steps, as it is essential to be aware of all the advantages and disadvantages that might arise from the investments in real estate.

The Beginning of Your Search

Before you decide to look for a professional service, do personal research first so you would be clear on what are the things that matter to you and what are your requirements in terms of size, type, location, amenities, or related. Real estate marketplaces like Roofstock make this process really simple.

Do not let real estate agents pressure you into purchasing a property without finding the characteristics that suit you the best first. When you are clear with what you are looking for, then ask for the professional help of a real estate agent.

One additional thing that you might consider is whether you will be managing the property by yourself or someone else will do this for you. If you are the one to manage the property, it will be better if you look for an estate that is nearby your current residence as the proximity means a lot. However, the same does not matter much if you hire a company to manage the property.

What Are the Best Ten Features That You Should Take Into Account?

Tip#1 Make Sure You Have Seen the Neighbourhood

The neighborhood is on the top of our list because it defines the type of tenants you are after as well as the rate of vacancy. An example of this is an area that is close to university centres which will mean that you are looking for tenants who are students. This, on the other hand, will mean that the property might be empty during the vacation periods or that you might even change tenants often. Make sure you also check if there are exorbitant permit fees as this is the case with some towns. This scenario might be discouraging for rental conversions.

Tip#2 Find out the Amount of Property Taxes

Taxes can be a considerable deal-breaker when it comes to the property market. If you have chosen a target area, make sure you have a look at the property taxes that are to be paid. If the neighborhood is appealing and there are big chances for long-term tenants, the taxes even if higher, can be worth it.  However, often high taxes may occur with some locations that are not that attractive for long-term tenants. To find all about taxes, you might discuss this issue with the municipality tax departments or even the homeowners who reside in that community. Inform yourself if possible about plans regarding the tax issue. It is essential to be aware of how much you might lose with the taxes and whether you can charge this realistically in the rent.

Tip#3 Ask About the Schools in the Area

Educational institutions like kindergartens and schools can be a good selling point for the property that you are renting or eventually selling. The investment value overall increases if there are some good schools in the nearby environment, especially this can be vital if you are working with family homes.

Tip#4 Inform Yourself About the Crime Rate

Another thing that is worth checking regarding the neighborhood is the crime rate, including theft, burglary, vandalism, or other crimes. The local library and most definitely the local police office is an excellent place to do your research about the ongoing statistics for that particular area and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Of course, the internet will also usually provide all the information you need

Additionally, you can inform yourself about the police presence and whether the rate of crime is declining or rising or maybe keeping steady, so you can have a clearer picture of the location and the safety and security around.

Tip#5 Check out the Job Market in the Target Area

Areas where businesses are located as well as commercial buildings might be attractive for the job seekers and young people and families. Major companies attract workers who flock around in the nearby areas as no one wants to travel hours to the workplace so the areas that high rating for job availability might be a good location for investment. Sometimes the prices can increase and sometimes decrease because of this factor, which mostly depends on the kind of involved business. Always consider these elements just like you are purchasing or renting this property for yourself

Tip#6 Walk Around the Area to See the Amenities

Walk around the neighbourhood area. Check the public connection and public transport means. Explore the dining options as well as entertainment options such as parks, cinemas, or the fitness and health facilities as swimming pools or gyms. All these facilities can be attractive to the possible tenants. Look for promotional literature as this might give you a glimpse of how things function around the area in a short time.

Tip#7 Make Sure You Find out About the Future Development

When purchasing real property, one vital thing that is a must-do is to check the plans or future project development of the area. The municipal sector that works with planning should have info on the current and plans for construction and building of surrounding properties. If there is a construction of similar building properties, this might influence the price.

Tip#8 Check the Number of Available Vacancies

If the location that you are looking like a possible target for purchase has a high number of vacancies or listings, check the reasons for this and find out the prices of rentals at the time being. When there are lots of properties for rent, usually the prices go down due to the competition, while when there are low rates of vacancies, the owners of the apartments can raise the rents.

Tip#9 Consider the Average Rents

Consider the average rents in the residential area that you are planning to purchase an apartment. When considering a property, ensure that the lease might cover the expenses such as taxes and mortgage payment. Do a detailed research of the area and forecast where it is going in the years to come and choose smart as if there is an expected rise of the taxes, and you are purchasing something that you can barely afford now this in the future may lead to bankruptcy.

Tip#10 Natural Disasters

Insurance is always a good thing to consider when purchasing a property. Consider this in the expenses and subtract this sum from the returns. Check if the neighborhood has been known for natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes as this might be costs that undermine the income from renting the property.

Get the Information From First-Hand

​All the sources are valuable to get information from, but getting the info from first-hand or people who live in that area is much appreciated. We strongly advise you to talk to people who rent the apartments as they will be honest about living in the neighborhood and all the pros and cons. Walk around the neighborhood during night and day times or on different days so you can feel the real vibe.

How to Choose a Property

If you are a beginner and this is the first property investment that you are making, the best thing that you could do is to purchase a condo or free-standing residential building. Each of the options has its pros and cons when it comes to renting opportunities. Condominiums are suitable for investment because the association is the one that manages the external repairs so you would not have many expenses for such matters. Still, on the other hand, they collect lower rents compared to the other properties, such as single-family houses. These houses are rented by couples or families who are usually long-term tenants and have the financial stability that guarantees regular paying of the rent.

When you decide about the neighborhood, try to find properties within the set limit but also one above your budget as frequently, you can negotiate about the price. It is crucial that they might have good potential for appreciation and good cash-flow.

To get a clear picture of the property value on the market, check other similar properties and their listed price as well as the final prices under which these properties were sold. If you want to check the appreciation potential think about all the renovations and some interior design changes or cosmetic amendments that can be performed. This will add value to the property, and it would be easier to find renters who will agree to pay higher rent.

One of the critical steps to guarantee that your investment will turn out profitable is to purchase a property at a reasonable price. You should not pay more than twelve times the expected rent per annum.

Determining the Rent

If you are not certain about the amount of the rent take into consideration the average rent for the properties of the kind you purchased in that neighborhood and start from there. If you believe that your place worths more or less than this average price set the price accordingly. Avoid setting too high rent as you might end up with unleased property for months.

To check which amount will work for you as rent, calculate the total costs for the place you are to purchase. From the total amount you should subtract the mortgage, you are expected to pay per month and divide the property taxes and insurance costs by twelve months and subtract all these together with the expected maintenance and repairs allowance.

When calculating the costs for maintenance of the property take into account its age and the work you can do it on your own. The older the property is the costs are higher and vice versa. It also depends on the type of building. If the building is for senior residence, the damage amount will not be the same as college building housing.

Additionally, you have to decide if you are going to hire a company that will manage the property or you are going to be a handy-man. Maintaining the property by yourself cut the costs, but on the other hand, it can be tiring to be on call all the time. The company can cost you up to 10% of the rental fee, but some companies take care of all the details, maintenance, breakage, and failures up to collecting rental payments every month.

If you are satisfied with the estimate and calculation, you can ask the estate agent to help you out with creating and submitting an offer.

Making the Purchase

If you are thinking of getting a loan for the property, make sure you ask about the bank requirements and check all the documentation, you will need for an application. Overall, regardless of the bank, you choose you will have to pay a down payment of 20 to 30% and the costs for closing the deal. Before you start signing the documents, call a professional to inspect the property in detail, and consult a real estate lawyer about the contract.

One thing that you have to take into account when calculating the costs is insurance. There are different types of insurance, renters’ insurance which covers the belongings of the tenants and one that includes the building costs, and this is part of the responsibility that belongs to the landlord. The latter could cost more for the landlords compared to the same property if it was owner-occupied. However, the insurance, together with the deprecation and mortgage of the property is subject to a tax deduction.

The Bottom Line

Between the moment you decide to make your first investment in real estate property and the actual purchase of one, there should be a lot of field research on the city, neighborhoods, and good or bad properties. Do not expect quick cash-flow but rather set your goals realistically. Take into consideration the criteria presented in the article when looking for a property and make sure they are in compliance with each other and with your budget which is stable at the moment of buying and can cover the expenses until the real property generates cash.

new townhomes -DepositPhotos

The post Top 10 Features of a Profitable Rental Property appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

source https://tweakyourbiz.com/management/landlord-management/choosing-rental-properties

5 Ways To Use Social Media Marketing To Outrank Competitors

These days, almost everybody uses social media, whether it is for business, or blogging or just to be aware of the latest trends.

Social media has overtaken the traditional platforms of marketing as well. However, many businesses opt for social media marketing only as per their requirements.

Most of the time, it is an impromptu decision. Businesses are aware that they should be on the social media platform, however, many of them do not know what is to be done.

A few firms hand over the access to the social accounts of the firm to junior staff members, just because they feel they are more aware of social media. 

But, what is essential for a business is to create a good strategy for social media marketing and ensure the social accounts of the business are operated in a very thoughtful way.

If this is not taken care of, your competitors will have an edge over you in terms of exposure and market traction. One thing is certain, businesses cannot simply ignore social media.

Though might be adaptive to the concept of influencer marketing, some social accounts have to be operated on your own. Influencer marketing should just be an extension of the social marketing strategy of your business.

When it comes to social media, a very significant problem that is faced by a lot of businesses who are involved in it is that the businesses have barely spent the time to fix realistic goals in social media marketing.

Businesses know that they must be on these platforms, however, there is no awareness as to why is it needed.

When you set up goals for your strategy related to social media marketing, you must ensure that it complements your business goals. There are a few simple tips to follow when you design your strategy for social media marketing. They are:

Your Goals Have to Be SMART

Most of the time, goals are set for a business without any meaning and they are not even scrutinized. You must bear in mind that goals should not be created for the heck of it.

They are created to help you come up with a social media strategy that is best suited for your business. Hence, you must create SMART goals, which means your goals have to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 

If your goals are SMART, then the chances of achieving them are higher. Even though you wish to challenge yourself, remember that the goals have to be realistic and attainable. For instance, it would be great to have about a million followers on Facebook, however, this will not be possible in a year for most of the businesses, even the top performers. So, it is important to fix a few limitations.

Also, do not try jumping into all the social media platforms at one go. You have to ensure your performance is high on the social networks where the target market spends most of its time. 

Some SMART goals which can be set by your business are:

(i) Increasing brand awareness

(ii) Attain higher sales

(iii) Improving the ROI

(iv) Growth in the fan base

(v) Drive people to hike up the in-store sales

Determine the Relevant Metrics

A lot of businesses create their online presence and end up spending a lot of time and resources on the managing of social media accounts, without understanding if it is successful or not.

However, social analytics differ from different businesses. The relevant social metrics of business will be related to the goals set for the business. Remember not to get diverted by easily measured metrics like the follower count of a person or business. 

There also exist fake followers which are a really bad idea. You have to consider the marketing goals that you set and decide on the metrics that will help you understand if you are achieving the goals.

For instance, if the goal is related to increasing brand awareness, a relevant statistic would be Post Reach as it will let you know the spread of your content across the various social channels. In case you have sales-based goals,  you could opt for a number of Clicks. 

Decide on the Target Social Media Audience

A very common mistake made by businesses on their social media is they assume that every follower is good for the business.  Follower numbers are just vanity metrics. Having somebody as your follower makes no sense if they do not have any interest in your content.

This is a major issue when you buy fake followers, as they do not engage with the account. Sometimes, they are just bots and will not be your future customers for sure.

These fake followers will not buy your products and are not valuable. If you sell beauty related products, then you must not target football players or their fans. In case you are selling products in any geographically distinct market, you need not have followers from those regions or countries where the people will not be able to purchase your products.

You Must Understand the Social Media Audience

Every social media audience is different. Social media is used in different ways by different people. If you wish to achieve your goals, then you have to make use of those social media networks which are being used by the target audience.

If you wish to get involved in influencer marketing, then you have to engage those influencers whose audience is a match with your target market.

If you understand the demographics as well as the psychographics of the target audience better, you can reach them in a better way through the social channels of your business.

Get the Correct Social Media Network for the Audience

A few of us might worry regarding how they have to go about this whole process and how they will be able to dedicate time and resources to every social network.

At times, all you have to do is understand which is the correct social media platform for your business. You must understand where your target audience spends a maximum of their time. 

For this, research is crucial. In case you are not aware of your customers, you could conduct a survey and enquire about the social accounts preferred by them.

Once this is done, you could begin with targeting the most preferred network of your audience, and then you could include a few more accounts on other platforms where there are a large number of customers active. Usually, you will not require more than 3-5 social networks.

Conclusion

Every business must make use of social media platforms to be successful these days and to ensure they reach their target audience more effectively.

These tips will help you track success. If the tips are able to show you that the content you create is quite popular and well-shared content, you can create similar content.

However, in case the content isn’t performing that well, you can note what works well and focus on the material or content preferred by the followers. You must never be afraid to accept and make changes in case it improves the success of your business. If you have any opinions or suggestions, please let us know in the comment section below.

SMM concept -DepositPhotos

The post 5 Ways To Use Social Media Marketing To Outrank Competitors appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

source https://tweakyourbiz.com/marketing/social-media-marketing/outrank-competition

Why Content Marketing Is the Key to Taking Your Sales and Marketing to the Next Level

Your prospects are spending more time online these days. Our shift in lifestyle since the implementation of stay-at-home orders has led people to spend more time on their mobile devices and interact more with digital media and content.

Despite this, many companies are reducing their digital ad spend. Budgets are certainly tight right now, but not putting in the work to reach your audience members where they are is a big missed opportunity. Even if they aren’t ready to buy right now, positioning yourself as a trusted source of knowledge will help you stay top of mind for when things do improve and they are ready to make buying decisions again.

That’s where content comes into play.

Content Fuels Your Sales and Marketing Flame

Many organizations invest in great marketing and sales infrastructures. They have top talent, top technology, great websites. But what’s powering all of that?

You need to invest in great fuel, or all of your other investments will go to waste. And great content is that fuel.

Content is an extension of your people, and it works 24/7 for you. It can act as a “marketer” and a “salesperson” to help you digitally connect with your prospects. Great content can help fill in the gaps left behind by reduced in-person interactions. And high-quality, relevant content educates potential prospects into qualified leads and then gives you the chance to convert them into great customers.

Creating guest-contributed articles, blog posts, gated whitepapers, social media collateral, checklists and guides, or any other type of content can have a measurable impact on your marketing and sales efforts. For example, when companies prioritize blogging efforts as a marketing channel, they’re 13 times more likely to see positive returns on their overall marketing investments.

This ROI can include improved traffic to the company’s website and contact information provided by sales leads in exchange for gated content. But easily quantifiable metrics aren’t the only way you can see a tangible impact from great content. You can also pull quantitative results out of what might seem to be only “fluffy” metrics.

For example, the qualitative goal of “building trust with prospects” can be more quantitatively measured by the shortening of your sales cycle and an increased close rate. Great content is an asset for your sales team to leverage in their everyday interactions with their pipelines, and it can lead to a faster “speed to trust.”

How to Use Content to Strengthen Your Other Sales and Marketing Strategies

Content marketing isn’t a standalone strategy. Here are some common sales and marketing strategies that you might already be investing in and how content can fan the flame of those efforts:

Paid Ads

Pay-per-click advertising or paid ads on social media can be a good way to get your company in front of your exact target audience. But people won’t just click on any old ad — especially now that people are warier of advertising. Your ad needs to promote a strong call to action that gives your prospect value. For example, a step-by-step guide breaking down a complex process that your target audience struggles with would be a great “give” to promote.

Also, if someone in your target audience encounters one of your paid advertisements, the first thing he or she will probably do after clicking on the ad is look up more information about your company. What content will that person find? Own that conversation by putting your own original thoughts and expertise on the web. This gives leads the opportunity to come into that first sales call seeing you as a forward-thinking, trustworthy expert — and they’ll be more apt to continue engaging with you as a result.

Outbound Sales Emails and Calls

Cold outreach still has its place in marketing and sales. If your services can truly benefit someone, reach out. But be sure that those outbound touchpoints are valuable to the recipient, or your message will be quickly ignored.

To provide value to recipients, include great content that educates them and challenges the way they think. For example, we published a blog post about how hospitality companies can stay top of mind with their audiences during travel slowdowns. If I were sending a cold email to someone in the hospitality industry right now, I might include a link to that blog post as a resource that person could use.

Leveraging content in this way positions the sender as a helpful resource who has the prospect’s best interests in mind. People don’t like to be sold to. Help them instead by providing content that’s so good that they’ll want to talk with you.

Speaking Opportunities and Webinars

Whether your speaking opportunities involve giving a talk at a conference or being a guest on a webinar, they can lead to exciting business opportunities and boost your reputation as a thought leader in your industry. But if you’re not using content in tandem with your speaking engagements, you’re leaving a big opportunity on the table.

Before you even apply for a speaking gig, you need to build your reputation as a thought leader. Guest posting in reputable industry publications and being mentioned in the press is one effective way to do this. This strategy could even lead to you naturally being approached for a speaking opportunity.

If you do apply to a speaking gig, content can also be used to bolster your speaker’s application. When you submit your application, include a list of a few of your best pieces of content to boost your credibility — especially if they were published in third-party publications. This can also give the event host an idea of where your expertise lies so he or she can develop a more targeted topic for your talk.

Content is even more helpful after a speaking gig is over. Long-form content like a whitepaper serves as an effective leave-behind or a great “download this” call to action to include in your presentation slides. By sharing a gated whitepaper with attendees, you can leave a lasting impression and also potentially gather their contact information in order to engage with them further.

Networking and Referrals

Networking will always be an extremely important element of a business. Part of my role involves maintaining our relationships with partners. To do this, I often share case studies, blog posts, and articles with them to stay top of mind and provide them with helpful information they can use in their own businesses.

Sharing content in this way also gives our partners the opportunity to introduce us to even more contacts. For example, when I send a resource to a partner, I might include a note asking for an intro to any contacts that come to mind as the partner reads the content. These referrals will also do their own research on your company, so make sure the content they find showcases your knowledge and expertise.

There are so many marketing and sales channels to consider, and you’re likely investing in a diverse array. But all of them have one thing in common: Their individual effectiveness is dependent on the content that powers each channel.

content marketing concept -DepositPhotos

The post Why Content Marketing Is the Key to Taking Your Sales and Marketing to the Next Level appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

source https://tweakyourbiz.com/marketing/content-marketing/improving-sales

A Strategy to Pick or Create the Best-Fitting of Hospital Apps for Doctors

The competition in the entire healthcare market concerning medical apps is quite intense, and there are quite a few opportunities for healthcare IT solutions for hospitals since not every hospital provides an app to its patients. However, demand for hospital apps is increasing multi-fold. Most of the patients like to use mobile apps to interact with their hospitals. But only a few of them frequently use these apps. It is owing to the fact that custom hospital apps don’t actually live up to the patients’ or doctors’ expectations and lack necessary features and functionalities.

Another reason is poor and unfriendly user experience. Most of the hospitals’ apps aren’t actually high-quality and fail to provide the users what they require the most. Also, patients and doctors prefer to utilize apps that are made by third-party app development companies instead of hospitals as they better reflect their own requirements and needs.

Also, doctor app solutions aren’t the best possible solution since the one-size-fits-all approach often fails to work for hospitals. Everyone has their own rules, level of technical ability, scale, and internal processes that need their own customized solutions. Hence, the notion of developing a custom mobile app will certainly pay off as it will certainly fit the requirements exactly as it should actually do.

Most of the hospital apps can’t even withstand the competition, and only a small section of them provide three best features that patients want, which are access to medical records, the ability to request refills of prescription, and the ability to schedule, change as well as cancel appointments.

Here we discuss what the best strategy to create or pick a healthcare app for doctors is.

Types of Healthcare Apps

There are different types of apps that doctors or hospitals commonly use or develop.

1) General Hospital apps often provide general information regarding the hospital, departments, doctors, and services. These apps often offer virtual 3D tours in order to guide potential as well as actual clients through the entire hospital. Such apps work great for big hospitals, which have lots of departments as well as different buildings. These apps can be more advanced as well as contain more information regarding the doctors and even the services. They can provide users with an opportunity to leave the reviews, too, making it easier for the patients to choose a particular doctor.

2) Physician referral apps allow the doctors or physicians to retrieve and receive information about the patients, check their different schedules and appointment, and even connect to different other doctors as well as departments in order to quickly and also effectively exchange information. Such apps help in diagnosis as they allow doctors to have all the lab results and charts in front of them. The primary and crucial goal of these apps is to increase the overall effectiveness of every physician. Rather the looking for lab results or even getting patients to bring them from one particular department to another, the doctor can just check the app and get all of the information. Also, the referral apps need to be quite secure since they can store as well as transmit sensitive information regarding the patients.

3) Wayfinding apps provide indoor maps to assist patients in navigating the hospital and easily finding the departments as well as doctors. These apps can easily be a part of the general hospital app as well as a standalone app. In case it is harder to orient on the entire hospital territory, the app can be quite useful for patients.

4) Outpatient apps are utilized to exchange lab results, manage treatment plans, and track current states of health of the patients. These apps offer remote monitoring of patients with the assistance of on-demand telemedicine as well as wearables to track not only the heart rate but also the other physical indicators and then send the data to the doctors. Data accuracy and security is quite essential for such apps. On demand doctor app development needs to consider this aspect.

5) Wellness apps actually allow the patients to easily manage their own health with the assistance of tracker devices, plan schedules for exercise, and receive healthy lifestyle tips. One can even find pregnancy as well as childcare apps that have pregnancy trackers and offer information about childbirth and care. These apps should be compatible with different types of tracking devices like wrist bands and smartwatches.

6) Medication tracking apps utilize notifications in order to remind the patients when to take their own medications, meals, and doses. Such apps should be quite customizable. Also, they can consist of a database of medications as well as store recommendations for medication intakes. These apps can easily be controlled by doctors such that a doctor can easily add recommendations and even tell when to stop a particular medication course at any instant.

7) Doctor appointment apps are for creating a doctor’s appointment via the app. Such an app reduces the handwritten work, as well as makes the process much more convenient. Doctor appointment app development makes it easier to develop such an app.

Medical reference apps consist of official reference guides as well as offer quick access to different reference materials that help physicians during their work. Such apps can easily be beneficial for interns and medical students. They can include schedules of conferences, qualification courses, and training.

Conclusion

The strategy to choose a healthcare app depends on the type of app required. Each type of app contains various features, but to create a healthcare app, it is advisable to develop a robust all-in-one app. It allows you to compete with different third-party medical and healthcare apps. Also, such as an app, will be quite valuable for the doctors and hospitals, along with more convenient for the patients. Even the patients who face a lot of choices when it comes down to applications, often don’t like to load their smartphones with different apps. Hence your all-in-one app will be much more successful in case it covers any particular issue a doctor or patient has.

doctor using tablet -DepositPhotos

The post A Strategy to Pick or Create the Best-Fitting of Hospital Apps for Doctors appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

source https://tweakyourbiz.com/technology/business-apps/hospital

8 Ways Businesses Can Benefit From a Cloud Solution

Each year, more and more businesses are taking advantage of cloud solutions. They are becoming popular for multiple reasons; they help to save money, provide great security and enable you to store, manage and process data on a server without needing your own.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some reasons how businesses can benefit from cloud solutions. If you’re a business owner that isn’t using cloud solutions, you will be by the time you’ve finished reading.

1. Saving Money

This is probably the main reason by businesses look at cloud-based solutions. Cloud computing means that you don’t have to own your own hardware. All your webpages are hosted on a remote server, saving you money on the cost of the hardware itself, the space needed to store the hardware and the power to run it all. That’s just a couple of things, not to mention insurance, air-con, maintenance, etc.

2. Instantly Scale

In short, cloud computing is cost-effective and flexible.

Let’s say you have your own data center and you want to scale up. In this case, you must buy the server, which can be expensive, install it and configure it to your own needs. But what if you only need a new server to cover for increased short-term demand?

In this case, you’re spending all that money on something you won’t be utilizing for the majority of the time. Further, if the demand suddenly comes out of the blue, you may not have enough time to get the server up and running.

This is where cloud solutions come into play. You have to ability to scale instantly, whenever you need it. If you receive an increase in unexpected traffic, you can increase your capacity at the click of a button. If the demand then dies down after a few days, you can scale it down accordingly.

Cloud solutions are pay as you so services. You only pay for what you use, so there’s no need for a permanent upgrade to a bigger server for a temporary spike.

3. Gain A Competitive Advantage

As noted by Alex Denholm at Ghost Insights, businesses that use cloud solutions suffer zero lag time. They don’t have to wait for an application to deploy. Everything is done instantly, giving you a competitive advantage over companies in the marketplace that are not using cloud technology.

Further, going back to the scalability factor, smaller companies that would usually find it difficult to compete against larger businesses can work on a level playing field. There’s no need to invest in-house.

4. Readily Available

In the event of servers going down, being offline, even if it’s just for a small period of time, can do a lot of damage to a business’s reputation and bottom line. In-house server failure can take a while to get running again and it will likely cost a fair chunk of money too.

On the other hand, cloud technology is readily available. It’s designed to guarantee constant uptime so you never have to worry about going offline for a second. This covers everything from a single hard disk failing to the entire complex going down.

Businesses on remote servers can migrate their data across the server, so nothing is lost if there’s an issue.

5. Fast Performance Levels

Slow websites are a huge turn off for visitors. As such, cloud solutions are extremely fast so they meet customer demands. Servers come equipped with high-performance technology, such as the most recent and powerful CPU and upgrading SSD drives for the fastest available.

Additionally, cloud solutions use load balancing to realize its full potential in terms of both speed and capacity. This means that, even when servers are tasked with heavy loads, they can be distributed evenly so they don’t experience any problems with performance. Since cloud solutions have many servers on hand, the service provider can ensure optimized performance levels.

6. Use Applications Instantly

Before cloud computing became an option, businesses had to wait for a while to get new applications up and running properly. This no longer has to be a problem.

The cloud gives businesses the chance to use new applications instantly. One really useful application for this comes is when a business wishes to migrate its data to the cloud. In this case, as soon as they’ve signed up for the service, they can benefit from all the AI and machine learning techniques to get deeper insights.

7. Better Security

Businesses that use cloud solutions are better protected against criminal activity or being infected with a virus. This is because service providers must comply with strict regulations to protect personal data. Their security measures include comprehensive firewalls to prevent intrusion and robust virus protection. Cloud service providers are able to detect threats and remove them before they come anywhere near your server. You could even make use of a virtual private network (VPN) for added protection.

8. Be More Flexible

Using cloud solutions gives company employees greater flexibility. If they need to be onsite at a client, they can easily access all the information and files to conduct work. The same goes for when they need to work at home.

From the business’s point of view, giving employees flexible working means that they don’t need as much office space. This means they can save on costs on the office itself and all the equipment an employee may need like desks, chairs, cupboards, etc. In fact, the hot-desk system is becoming more popular for this very reason.

Further, company staff can use their own personal equipment like mobile phones to access the company’s network. All their devices can sync in real-time, making collaboration and online conferences a breeze.

Conclusion

All these reasons show how businesses can benefit from cloud solutions. It saves money, always stays online, it’s easy to scale and is very secure. It’s everything you need from an IT system in the modern world. Businesses that do not use cloud technology are at serious risk of being left behind by the competition.

cloud computing concept -DepositPhotos

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