Tips

These days social media marketing experts can earn a valued and lucrative career, particularly as it becomes a necessary arm of any modern company’s communication. They are indeed many companies and organisations that will now pay six figures for the right social media person/expert, but how do you become and expert in this ever-expending digital landscape.

 

Tweeting big!
Becoming a Most people think a social media expert who just posts to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, but really, it’s all about utilising each of those platforms and of course others to gain and build a big and dedicated audience or fanbase, as well as promoting your brand and personal recognition too. Contrary to popular believe, Social media is definitely not just a numbers game; but it’s dedicating time to an audience and establishing a connection and having engagement through response and regular messaging. Most importantly it’s about creating the best engaging content through all the platforms.

Once you are happy with a clear and good message, the sky is indeed the limit; and hopefully your Tweets are shared and favourited often ; your LinkedIn posts drive gain followers and engagement for you to become an influencer, whilst the big two Facebook and Instagram capture business and other engagement of your audience in many great ways.

But what are the tips and tricks to generate an audience beyond just sharing and posting content?

 Automate your content

Automate social media tasks where possible within reason, as we all know the art of automation on Social Media is to not look like it’s automates, try and keep some of the human and social elements to those automated posts. Automation can include following back, finding new customers and or even sending direct messages. Being automatic will save lots of time and make live and work a lot easier is you get it right.

Direct Is King

Direct messaging can be or is a powerful tool. Simply thanking someone for following you, shows that you are interested and is the start of your relationship with them. And will enable you to send them to social media channels within your brand or indeed to notify them of any subscriptions or offers you may have at that time.

Don’t be shy, let’s talk

So ok we are not telling you to post 250 twitter posts a day, but of course there is value and advantages for regular posting across all your social media channels. And remember all posts need to be about you, your company or something related to the product or services. For instance if you are a digital marketing company you may decide to post regularly about automated software on  social media.

Remember headlines

To draw attention to your posts, make sure the headline is good, because that is your first carrot for further reading, Headlines on say blogs and LinkedIn announcements need to stand out from the crowds they really need to capture emotion or at least interest from your audience. Remember make it snappy. Think like click bait, without of course the stigma attached. 

Stainless steel nails come in all different shapes and sizes, so how do you ensure you are choosing the right ones for you. It can be a much more daunting task than it first appears. The consequences of using the wrong nail can have a big impact. The first question on everyone’s lips is what size nail do I need to use? The best way to check is to look at the rules and regulations that apply to building in your district but there is a general rule of thumb, no pun intended. This is to use a nail that is three times as big as the material you are nailing through. If you are unsure it is always better to use a nail that is a little too long rather than one that isn’t long enough.

Nails for pneumatic nail guns which are also called fasteners are sold in gauge sizes. The smallest is usually 15 gauge and the largest 23 gauge, the gauge refers to the thickness of the nail rather than the length. You can then have several different lengths in each of the different gauge sizes. So be careful not to confuse the two. 15 to 16 gauge are called finish nails, and these are the largest. You would use these for doors, baseboards and moldings especially for pieces of wood that aren’t visible.

Eighteen-gauge nails which get called brad nails are smaller and do not have quite as much holding power. They are better for smaller pieces of trim as they are less likely to split or damage it. 21 and 23-gauge nails are better known as pin nails they are usually so small that they do not really have a visible head and are used to hold very small pieces of trim and you may tend to use them alongside glue to ensure that everything remains in place. 18 gauge is the most versatile nail of this type.

Another thing that you have to consider is whether the nail will be inside or whether it will be outside where it may have to battle with the elements. If you use interior nails outside, then they are likely to rust and will not do their job for very long. So, there are four types of exterior nail that you need to be aware of.

Electro Galvanized which are steel nails which are given a coat of zinc as this protects them from rusting. They are however not as resilient as some of the other types of exterior nails that are available.

Hot Dipped galvanised nails are dipped in molten zinc as they are being made. This means that they have a much thicker coating of zinc and thus do not rust for many years.

The next option, the stainless steel 304, is a premium product that is guaranteed not to rust.

The final option is the stainless steel 316 nails, these are the hardest wearing of the fasteners. They have chromium, nickel and molybdenum added, this makes them very hard waring and non-corrosive.

Gaining customers today is not nearly enough for the average business. Companies today must institute ways to keep customers happy and purchasing more of their products and services. This requires an investment and thinking and time. Businesses must implement those tools and strategies that are customer-centric and that demonstrate to customers that they are the priority. You’re a few of those tools and strategies that can show customers your commitment to them.

Portable GPS Trackers

Portable GPS trackers can be used to track shipping orders to your customers. Inexpensive devices are valuable because they give you an ability to have an up to the second understanding of where packages or parts are. You can communicate this information to your customers so they are never put in a bad position. If there’s an adjustment that needs to be made in terms of delivery time, you can let your customers know this in advance so that they do not have expectations that cannot be met. GPS trackers allowed company to track real time any packages or parts that are in transit.  This ability improves efficiency and effectiveness and is a valuable tool for keeping customers happy.

Improve your communication with customers

You should stay in constant communication with your customers and build a relationship that allows you to understand their wants and needs. You should develop multiple ways where you can interact with your customers that includes calls, email, and social media. Social media is a great way for you to set up an interactive relationship with customers where they can be questions answered, provide feedback, and make complaints. You should provide near immediate feedback to any comments or complaints that your customers make. This way they know that you are aware of the issues and are immediately taking steps to look into and correct it. This level of communication will speak volumes to your customers and make it difficult for them to shop anywhere else.

Always Give Them Good Reasons to Choose Your Company

There are many ways to remind your customers why they choose your company over the competition. This could be because your prices are better, your products and services are of a higher quality than anyone else or that you deliver your products and services to them on time whenever they are ordered. If you were doing any of these things consistently for your customers, then they will have a positive feeling about your organization. However these days, because the competition is so tough, you need to go the extra mile to show your customers how much you appreciate them.

One great way to do this is to offer them random surprise discounts pricing. Picking arbitrary time you need to let them know that you are lowering their bill 10%, let them know that is because your company really appreciates their business and you’re hopeful that you can continue providing them your excellent products and services for the foreseeable future.

Another great idea for customer retention is to occasionally send them nice gifts. You do not have to go overboard on spending, the ideas simply to let them know that they are being fought about and are appreciated for giving you their business. You should do this on a regular basis and certainly often enough that the company understands that this is a business process that will not stop. Individuals love to be recognized and thanked. This is the ideal way for your company to build additional value with customers.

 

How free background checks have transformed the fortunes of small businesses

If one were to turn the clock back a few years ago, there was no doubt that recruitment was a major headache for a lot of businesses. We’re not just talking about the process of advertising a job and actually finding a candidate – but more about the validation process.

In short, it was time-consuming and it meant that a lot of candidates either slipped through the net, or were hired when they really shouldn’t have been.

Nowadays, there’s no doubt that free background checks are making life for these smaller companies so much easier. They are providing something of a filter, and making it more difficult than ever for false candidate information to land on their desk.

For example, let’s turn to education. For years, this has been one of the primary ways in which candidates have tried to mislead potential employers. Some might list a completely different grade on their CV, while others might go one step further and state that they have attended a particular college when in reality they really haven’t. Regardless, it was a huge headache for employers to deal with.

Now, the use of a background check can quickly verify all educational information. This is something that can immediately feedback to an employer that they are in fact interviewing someone who is actually qualified for the job – and not just listing the qualifications that they know companies want to hear.

Next on the list are issues like criminal background checks. This is something that can be a bit of a grey area, after all, the society in which we live in suggests that everyone should be given a second chance (and rightly so). However, there’s no doubt that for some roles at least it might not be a good idea to employ someone who has recently been convicted. This is where employers can now quickly tap into a criminal records database, and find out whether someone really does have a clean past. If they don’t, it might not necessarily mean the end of the road in relation to the job in question – this should all depend on the severity of their crime, and when exactly it took place. If it took place three decades ago, many might suggest that it should be ignored. Again, different jobs demand different requirements in this regard, though.

Following on from the above, there’s no doubt that life for employers has become somewhat easier from this recruitment perspective. Not only that, but the fact that potential employees can now check what might be holding them back is of huge significance, and can just make that tiring job hunt a little easier on them. Sure, there are legalities involved when it comes to checking potential candidates, but as long as a company approaches one of these checks with the best intentions, there should be nothing formal from stopping them finding out all of the necessary information about a candidate.

 

Have you ever considered investing in stocks and assets to help build your wealth portfolio? As the online trading world continues to grow more popular, there’s a good chance that the answer to this question is a resounding “yes.” As exciting as it can be to begin your trading and investment journeys, it’s also extremely nerve-wracking too. After all, investment isn’t just like putting your money into a bank and waiting for it to gradually gather small amounts of interest. There’s risk to investment, but also a lot of potential benefits too. Fortunately, we’ve put together a few quick tips to help you get started on the right track.

Learn as Much as You Can Before You Jump In

The first thing you need to know about successful investing is that it’s all about what you know. Before you dive into the market, take the time to learn as much about the area that you’re getting involved with as possible. There are plenty of ways to start learning. For instance, you can consider signing up with a stock trading course with a reputable provider, or you can even try your hand at simulated stock trading. Some new investors even find it helpful to simply read up about the stock trading world with as many helpful blogs and articles as possible.

Know When the Best Times for Trading Are

Different people have their own opinions which times of day are the best times for trading. However, most experts agree that the early afternoon, between 1 pm and 2:30 EST is a good time to start checking the market. Importantly, this isn’t the case in a day-trading environment when you need to take advantages of changes to your stocks as quickly as possible. However, if you’re just trading at the market, the afternoon could be your best bet. Additionally, some experts also suggest that the best time of the month for purchasing stocks is any time between the 18^th and the 22^nd. These are the times when cash is flowing into the market. The best time to sell, on the other hand, might be within the initial few days of the month, or the last few days.

Manage your Risk

Finally, it’s important to note that there is always a risk with investment. Not investment can ever be foolproof, and you’ll need to take precautions to reduce your risk whenever you can. A good way to reduce your risk and make sure that you don’t lose too much money at once is by setting a stop-loss point in your portfolio. Essentially, a stop-loss point is an order that automatically helps you to stop trading when you’ve decided that you can’t afford to take any more losses. This way, you can figure out the maximum amount you can afford to lose ahead of time and ensure that your losses don’t go over that number. It’s also worth making sure that you never buy or sell a stock based on emotion alone. Make sure you have a logical reason for each investment move you make.

If you are new when it comes to experimenting with different makeup looks, simply continue reading to discover 8 invaluable tips which will help you put together a natural, everyday makeup look.

Makeup tips for newbies: 8 Invaluable tips

1. Opt for a long-lasting matte lipstick

If you can’t be bothered reapplying your lipstick throughout the day, it’s well worth purchasing long-lasting matte lipsticks, which are designed to last for 12 hours. Which means that you’ll never have to reapply your lipstick after enjoying a coffee or enjoying a meal, again.

2. Decide how much coverage you’d like your foundation to give you

If you’d love to achieve a natural make up look, you may want to opt for a light BB cream, while if you want your foundation to cover any imperfections which you may have, such as freckles, you will be far better off opting for a full coverage foundation. The latter of which will be sure to give you a nice, even skin tone.

3. Highlight your cheekbones using a highlighter or a bronzer

If you wish that your cheekbones were more prominent, simply use a makeup brush to contour your cheekbones with a high-quality highlighter or bronzer.

4. Use concealer to hide any of your skin’s imperfections before you apply your foundation

While many women grew up applying concealer to their skin, after applying their foundation, if you want your skin to look natural, you’re far better off applying your concealer to your face first. Before covering the areas which you concealed with your favorite foundation.

5. Opt for waterproof mascara on a daily basis

If you’re sick of looking like a panda at the end of a long day at work or a night out, it’s well worth getting into the habit of applying waterproof mascara on a daily basis. As a waterproof mascara is less likely to smudge than traditional mascaras.

6. Make sure to set your makeup look for the day with a finishing powder or spray

If you want to avoid your makeup wearing off within a couple of hours, it’s well worth setting your completed makeup look with a great finishing powder or spray. Which will ensure that your makeup will look just as flawless in six hours as it does as it did when you first applied it.

7. For an even skin tone, apply primer to your face

After moisturizing your face, it’s well worth applying a primer to your skin, which will ensure that your concealer and foundation will glide smoothly on to your skin.

8. Make sure to blend out your eyeshadow

Eyeshadow is well worth experimenting with as it can add a well-needed pop of color to your face. Just make sure to apply your eyeshadow directly to the bottom part of your eyelid, which will allow you to blend out your eyeshadow so that you avoid looking like a clown. It’s also well worth starting off by applying a neutral beige shade to your brow bone, before applying a more noticeable color to your eyelids.

So if you lack experience when it comes to creating stunning makeup looks, you simply can’t go wrong using all 8 makeup tips listed above!