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Accepting Credit Card: The Pros And Cons

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If you run a business, you’ve probably considered accepting credit card payments. Allowing customers to pay by credit card can have benefits and drawbacks. You can compare some of the biggest pros and cons below to help you decide whether accepting credit card payments is the right decision for you.

Pro: Attract more customers

Being able to pay for your product/service using credit could help you attract more customers. This is particularly the case for businesses that sell big ticket items or receive large orders – many consumers may not have the cash to pay outright for these expenses and could find the option to pay by credit card to be very useful. Of course, even being able to pay for small purchases using a credit card can be useful for consumers in the lead up to payday. All in all, you could lose out on customers by not offering credit card payments.

Con: Pay more fees

Every time a customer pays via credit card, you will be charged a credit card processing fee. This fee can vary depending on the type of card and purchase, but is typically between 2 and 4% of each purchase. This may only work out as a few cents on many small purchases, but could cost you a lot more when it comes to big purchases. These fees can affect profit margins and are something to consider when selling products with very slim profit margins. On top of these fees, you should also consider the initial cost of setting up a credit card reader or payment gateway. 

Pro: Speed up service

Accepting credit card payments can speed up the rate at which you get paid. When it comes to big ticket items, eager customers may take a few days to arrange funds when buying in cash. Accepting credit card payments could allow them to pay there and then. This could reduce the time spent dealing with individual customers. 

Con: Increase risk of refunds

Unfortunately, accepting credit cards can increase the amount of refunds you’re likely to pay. Customers that are not happy with their product/service can demand a direct refund from you, or they can file a chargeback directly via their card provider. Chargebacks are the most expensive type of refund – the customer’s card provider will not only charge you the cost of the product or service, but will also demand a chargeback fee on top of this. If you are in an industry that is renowned for frequent chargebacks, you may find it hard to get approved to accept credit cards. You’ll usually have to get a high risk merchant account, which will charge additional fees. Overall, this can put off some high risk companies from accepting credit card payments.

Pro: Reduce need for instalment plans

Instalment plans can be another way of allowing customers to make purchases without having to pay the total amount upfront. However, instalment plans have many drawbacks for the company offering them. Not only do you have to wait longer to receive the total payment, but you need to be prepared to chase up customers that miss payments. There could be times when customers stop paying and you may have to pay to take them to court to get the rest of your money. All in all, instalment plans can be a hassle. Allowing credit card payments can eliminate this hassle – the customer still gets to pay in instalments, however you receive the full amount upfront from their card provider. There is no chasing up required and you are not affected if they cannot keep on top of their credit card bills. 

Con: Increase risk of fraud

Unfortunately, many fraudsters use credit cards to commit ‘friendly fraud’ (which isn’t friendly at all). This is when a customer files a chargeback on a credit card purchase, falsely claiming that they did not receive the product or that the product was damaged or that their card was stolen/hacked. It is possible to dispute a chargeback by submitting a rebuttal letter with evidence that there was nothing wrong with the purchase (such as photographic evidence of a product being delivered or CCTV  footage of a customer using their credit card to make the purchase). However, such cases can be time-consuming. In industries that are common targets for friendly fraud, some businesses may prefer to not accept credit cards to prevent having to deal with fraud. Fraud protection systems can also help to protect you if you decide to still accept credit card payments. 

4 Essentials For A Start-Up To Consider

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It’s been claimed that starting a business is the most difficult thing to undertake. Taking a business from the startup phase to the expansion phase is even more difficult. New difficulties will arise as your firm expands, but careful planning and decisive action will help you overcome these roadblocks and build a prosperous company. In this article, we’ll go over some of the fundamentals for expanding your business. Read on to find out how to advance your company.

Investing In The Right Team 

 To grow, a company must first invest in the proper people. It’s important to build a team with the knowledge and experience to drive the firm forward. Although it may be costly to hire top personnel, it is well worth it in the long run. Having a competent team on hand to guide your company’s expansion is crucial, but so is fostering an environment that rewards and promotes original thought and fresh approaches to problems.

Create A Solid Strategy 

If you’re a startup with big plans for expansion, you need a solid business strategy. Your business plan should detail the aims and objectives of your organisation, as well as the means through which they will be attained. Along with pitch decks and business plans, you’ll need financial estimates to show investors how much money they can make from your firm. You can use this data to improve your chances of being approved for a loan or grant from a financial institution.

Use All The Tools Available

Expanding enterprises can greatly benefit from the use of technology. Many previously labour-intensive tasks can now be automated with the help of current technologies like cloud computing and smartphone apps, freeing up employees for more imaginative work. Moreover, several solutions offer superior support and control over data, letting you glean insights from client behaviour and patterns to guide your future actions.

In addition, think about spending money on marketing automation software or other digital marketing tools; these programmes help simplify processes like content distribution, email campaign management, and customer connection building. Using these methods, you can increase the number of people you market to while spending less time and energy doing so. You should have a look at how to get funding for a startup.

Make Sure You Take Care Of Your Clients 

Providing first-rate support to existing customers is crucial to expanding to new markets. Because if they aren’t pleased with what you provide, your consumers won’t come back, and your business will suffer. To that end, make sure your staff has received adequate training in areas like handling client enquiries and complaints in a timely manner. You could also think about spending money on automated solutions like chatbots and virtual assistants to help you swiftly and efficiently respond to your client’s information needs.

In sum, expanding operations is a thrilling yet complex endeavour that need for thoughtful preparation. Businesses have the best chance of succeeding while expanding their operations if they follow the aforementioned procedures and invest in skilled workers, cutting-edge technology, and customer service efforts.

Careers That Allow You To Work With People Daily

When it comes to choosing a career, many people are looking for something that will allow them to interact with other people on a daily basis. Working with others can be incredibly stimulating and rewarding. It also provides you with an opportunity to develop your interpersonal skills. If this is what you’re looking for in a job, then there are plenty of great options out there for you. The following post will look at nine different careers that involve working closely with other people every day. 

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1) Teaching

Teaching is both rewarding and challenging. It requires a great deal of dedication and patience to ensure that students are able to learn in the best way possible. As a teacher, you will be dealing with a variety of different ages and backgrounds each day, giving you ample opportunity to interact with people on a daily basis.

2) Social Work and Community Services

Social work and community services are a crucial part of many communities, as it provides much-needed support to those who need it most. This might involve assisting with family issues, helping people in crisis, or providing support for those affected by physical or mental health issues. Social workers and community service staff are often required to show empathy and understanding while they help their clients. This makes this type of career invaluable for society.

3) Medical Professionals

The medical profession is of most importance to society, as it involves helping others to maintain their physical and mental well-being. Medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, psychologists and therapists are all responsible for providing expert care and advice to those they treat. As a medical professional you will be working with people daily, often in difficult circumstances. This is a career that requires empathy and compassion, as well as technical knowledge in order to be successful.

4) Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy is a career focused on offering spiritual guidance and comfort to those in need. Chaplains are trained by chaplain organizations where they learn to provide spiritual counseling, pastoral advice, and other services. As a chaplain you will be interacting with people of various backgrounds in different settings. You must be able to provide counseling, group support and educational services to other people to help them cope with physical, mental, and emotional challenges they face in their daily lives.

5) Business Administration and Management

Business administration and management is an important career field that involves working with other people daily and leading them forward into a direction. From small businesses to large corporations, business administrators are responsible for developing strategies and managing operations to ensure a successful outcome. As a business administrator and manager you will plan, budget, and organize resources to determine the best way to motivate staff and reach business goals.

6) Human Resources

Human Resources professionals are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and training new employees. They play an important role in any organization and act as a bridge between management and staff. As a human resources professional, you must have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to evaluate candidates objectively, as well as understand the needs of the organization in order to find the best people for the job.

7) Sales And Customer Service Representatives

Sales and Customer Service Representatives are an important part of any business, as they are responsible for connecting customers with solutions that meet their needs. This role requires a high level of interpersonal skills, as you must be able to understand the customer’s situation and provide appropriate advice. You must also be knowledgeable about the products and services to ensure that customers get the best possible experience. 

8) Event Planning And Coordination

Event planning and coordination is a rewarding and creative career path that involves bringing people together to share unique experiences. As an event planner, you must be able to think on your feet, juggle multiple tasks and stay organized while providing superior customer service. You must also have excellent communication skills in order to facilitate collaborations between venue managers, vendors, contractors and other parties involved.

9) Coaching And Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring are both vital roles in supporting the development of others, whether they are in school, starting a career, or transitioning into retirement. Coaches provide guidance and support to help people reach their goals and maximize their potential. Your role as a mentor will be to model behavior, guide, impart wisdom and give advice.

Working with people daily can be a rewarding and meaningful job. From teaching to coaching and mentoring others, it is possible to make an impact in the lives of those around you. With the right training and experience, careers that involve working with other people daily can provide a rewarding and fulfilling work-life balance.

10) Marketing

This goes hand in hand with sales, but they’re not the same thing! When it comes to marketing, you need to understand that it’s actually pretty diverse! Sometimes, you’re getting to create content like reaching out for interviews, creating campaigns, and even getting your vision to come to life! Other times, it could be simplistic, like keeping an eye on SEO, or even as simple as doing a Bitly change URL or something along those lines. But if you love working with others and you love interacting, then marketing is filled to the brim with this!

Friends, I hope you’ve found these tips for networking within your career helpful. Now, I want to ask-how does your career allow you to work with others daily? Be sure to leave your thoughts below.

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Create More Free Time for Yourself: The Essential Guide to Outsourcing

One of the biggest struggles business owners faces is finding enough time in the day to accomplish everything. It may seem like there are never enough hours, especially if you’re growing your company rapidly. Outsourcing can help solve this problem by delegating tasks and freeing up more time for yourself. This guide will teach you how to outsource effectively and efficiently so that you can start creating more free time for yourself!

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1) Define Which Tasks to Outsource

When outsourcing certain tasks, it is important to determine what needs are best handled by another party. The initial step to successful outsourcing is identifying which tasks should be outsourced. This decision depends on your type of business and what goals you have for it. When considering which tasks fit into your overall strategy, factor in whether they require customer support, research, or marketing; otherwise manufacturing or design may be better suited for outsourcing instead. Each business is different so take time to assess which tasks are ideal for outsourcing in your particular case.

Additionally, it’s essential to assess how urgent different tasks are. If a task needs to be done quickly and will cause major delays if not completed on schedule, then this should be given higher priority when considering which tasks can be outsourced.

2) Research Outsourcing Providers

Once you’ve identified which tasks to outsource, the next step is researching outsourcing providers, such as a marketing agency or an accounting firm. Make sure the provider you select has the necessary skills and expertise for your tasks. Furthermore, cost should also be taken into consideration when choosing a provider; research their rates and compare them across various providers to get the best value for your money.

Before making any commitments, it’s crucial to read reviews of different outsourcing providers. This will give you an indication of their reliability, ability to finish projects quickly, and other valuable details.

3) Outline Your Expectations

When hiring an outsourcing provider, it’s essential to clearly define your expectations. This should include specific deliverables you require, any deadlines or milestones that must be met, and how communication between both parties should take place. Furthermore, agreeing on payment terms and setting forth clear guidelines for revision requests is key.

By outlining expectations in advance, you can guarantee projects are completed on schedule and according to your desired outcomes.

4) Effectively Manage Your Outsourcing Provider Effectively

Finally, once you’ve established a relationship with an outsourcing provider, it’s essential to manage them effectively. This includes setting realistic timelines for projects, communicating regularly about progress and issues, and providing feedback when needed. By doing this, you can guarantee projects are finished on schedule and the quality of results exceeds expectations.

Here is some essential knowledge you must possess in order to outsource effectively and create more free time for yourself. Outsourcing can be an excellent way to achieve the best results for your business while preventing burnout and allowing you to focus on what matters most: success!

Top 7 Digital Trends To Keep In Mind

Technology is advancing rapidly. Every year we are exposed to new social media apps, better smartphones, and other technological advances that promise to revolutionize digital marketing.

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To beat the hype, we’ve put together a list of digital marketing trends to keep an eye out for in the year ahead. Let’s take a look!

Top 7 Digital Trends To Keep In Mind

1. Cookies

To improve online privacy, Google has set a goal of removing third-party cookies from websites. In addition, Safari and Firefox are no longer supported. This change may affect how onsite banner ads are displayed since websites can no longer use tracking cookies to fill ads.

The good news is that Google and other platforms are working on alternative algorithms to serve onsite ads while improving privacy, and cookies won’t officially be affected until the end of 2023. A solution for you would be to customize your digital advertising with keywords and ads on your website that provide logical context to your ads.

2. Voice Command

Many customers are still using voice commands to make life easier with features like Alexa, Cortana, Siri, or Google’s digital assistant. One can even use Google digital assistant without touching your phone to do a web search.

What you can do as a business or marketing department is to adapt your SEO to voice search. Use conversational phrases instead of written words or phrases and use an SEO audit service to double-check your results. 

3. In-feed Ads

If you run an online business, you may be familiar with shoppable posts on social media. It is possible to connect Instagram and Facebook to your digital products or catalogs in order for your customers to click directly on the post. 

Remember to use Google Ads in your campaigns. Ads are linked to your products and can be displayed as an image. All you need to do is to narrow down the perfect search terms for your product to point your customers in the right direction. These ads are easy to edit should you aim to target specific areas, demographics, or products.

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4. SMS Marketing

Digital marketing trends also include connecting directly with customers through text. In addition to pushing notifications and email marketing, use SMSs to engage with your customers.

This makes it easier to connect directly with your customers by sending out personalized messages, coupons, or discounts. Remember to include the opt-out option when doing SMS marketing.

5. Video Marketing

Youtube or Vimeo is perfect when planning to do video marketing. Facebook and Twitter are not far behind, and this gives you the perfect landscape to showcase your products or services. Remember to keep it short and simple, but informative.

The key to successful video marketing is to tell a short story in an engaging manner explaining to the viewer why they need to engage with your brand. A new entrant to the screen time race is TikTok where business video shorts may draw a new demographic in clientele to your business.

6. Email Marketing

This may seem like an old-school method, but there are plenty of customers who still prefer this long-form written method with a kind of newsletter feel. Just make sure you have the opt-out or unsubscribe option visible in the footer of your email.

A mailing list is great if you can get your customers to sign up at their convenience, this means that they are already open to seeing what you have to offer. These communications need to go out less regularly than you might think, so try to do a monthly newsletter with a weekly marketing e-mail.

7. Interactive Content

This is new territory on so many levels, but it seems that people enjoy the interaction. The Live interaction gives your customers a feeling of being there with your brand in real-time. They feel part of the family so to speak.

To be effective with your interactive content remember to grab their attention and hold it. Be engaging and funny and energetic, almost like a TV presenter or radio disc jockey. Customers want to be entertained while also getting information relevant to your product or service. Hosting a Live event is a brilliant way to let them get the news of a new product instantly. It also creates urgency when the buildup to the Live event is done right. Invest in getting your presenters comfortable and ready to engage, they may need to answer questions on the spot without being put in an awkward position. 

There You Have It

These are just some of the digital marketing trends you can check out right now. A great way to tackle these would be to try them one at a time and see which would fit best with your brand and how best to improve on those results.

How To Make Your Business Blog More Professional

A well-maintained business blog can serve as a powerful marketing tool, helping you reach out to potential clients and even elevate your company’s profile in the eyes of current ones. A lot of companies launch blogs, but they have no idea what to write about or how to use the blogs to promote their business. Hence, business blogging frequently drains resources without providing returns.

If you have a blog for your business that isn’t getting any traction, try implementing these strategies to turn your blog into a powerful and professional marketing tool that helps you reach more clients and strengthen bonds with your team.

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Define Your Audience 

You wouldn’t publish an ad in a magazine or air a commercial without thinking about who would be interested in seeing it. In the same vein, you shouldn’t write a blog post without first determining what kind of reader you’re targeting.

Your intended audience consists of those who are actively seeking information about your company. If you don’t already have a specific target demographic in mind, you can start by writing a reader profile that describes your potential customers.

By compiling this data, you’ll be better equipped to select blog post themes that will appeal to your target audience.

Create A Schedule 

Predictability is appreciated by customers, blog readers, and search engines. Readers are less inclined to return if you start writing but then don’t post for a long period of time. If your website only publishes once every several months, it will have a lower search engine ranking, and fewer clients will be able to find it through online searches.

Whether you are having trouble coming up with content or have simply forgotten that you have a blog, frequent posting might well be difficult. Make an editorial calendar that specifies when certain articles will be written and published to avoid this.

It’s not how often you post but rather how consistently good they are that matters. Marketing your business effectively with a single well-written, a relevant blog post every two weeks is preferable to making daily, low-quality updates or not updating your blog at all for months.

Have A Consistent Brand Message

Brand consistency is at the core of your business’s identity. It includes everything about your marketing, from what you say to how you say it and how you design things. Basically, every place where a customer interacts with your business, whether online or in person, should be the same (and have a consistent look and feel).

When used in marketing, brand consistency shows customers that your business has a strong brand identity that is easy to recognize, no matter where they see information about your business or interact with your brand. You can learn more about this here. 

Connect Your Blog To Other Marketing 

Even though the effects of blogging are often indirect, it is still a form of marketing, and you should include it in your overall marketing plan for the best results.

If you’re letting people know about a sale on social media or via email, you should also mention it on your blog. If your business is mentioned in the news or if you appear on a TV or radio show, write about it on your blog and include a link so that people can watch or listen to the appearances.

If you change the name of your business or your website, you should also change your blog.

Rights You Should Be Aware of as an Employee

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As humans, everyone has rights to certain things, and being an employee is no different. There are a variety of rights you will have as an employee that you should be aware of. Here are a few of them. 

You should have safe working conditions

It is your right as an employee to be provided with safe working conditions by having access to the relevant safety equipment, personal protective equipment, and tools for the job at hand. There are many dangers that can be found in the workplace from heavy machinery to toxic and unsafe materials. If you feel that you have not been provided a safe place to work, and have become ill or injured as a result of this, then you might want to consider contacting a toxic exposure lawyer to see where you stand. These experts will then be able to provide you with the guidance and support you need when taking the next steps. 

You should be given a positive workplace culture

An important right that you need to be aware of and that your employer needs to promote is a positive workplace culture. What is meant by this is that there is no discrimination, bullying, harassment, or singling out of any person for any reason. No one should be afraid to go to work and feel like their race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability is holding them back or making them a target. It is important that you are aware of these rights so that you know something can be done if you or anyone else in your workplace are currently a victim of any of these situations or reasons. 

You should be paid a fair and legal wage

Hourly wage amounts will go up and down depending on various factors such as age, experience, and the length of time served at your company. However, you should be aware of what rights you have when it comes to the minimum and legal wage. Not often, but sometimes, especially if you are salaried and are then asked to work overtime, you can actually be getting paid less than minimum wage. So, it is important you look into these rights, and what it says in your contract specifically regarding what your company can and will pay you. 

Time off entitlement

There are many reasons for needing time off work, this can be due to sickness, vacation time, emergencies, maternity, paternity, or even bereavement. Sometimes it can be awkward trying to get any time off from work due to staff shortages, busy periods of work, or simply if you have an awkward boss or supervisor. There is usually a genuine reason people need to take time off, so it is important that you know what your rights are when it comes to this so that you may take your required and entitled time off as and when you need it. 

So, next time you find yourself in a situation at work, try and remember what your rights are regarding it, and remember to check these examples out at your company.