Billionaire Entrepreneur Bill Gates has said, ’Vision without execution is day dreaming’. Managing business requires handling many functions and verticals and to align this together ERP software tools need to take center stage. The advantages of using ERP solutions for small businesses are immense which will eventually help their companies to grow. Here are 8 benefits of implementing ERP small business software:
1. Cost Reduction
Implementation of the best ERP tools will reduce administrative costs considerably. This also helps in better turnaround time. Employees won’t have to waste time in doing manual jobs and entries into the system
Capability of your employees can be used for bigger and more profitable projects and plans
2. Automation with Increased Efficiency
Automation in workflow will help avoid the possibility of human error. Hence, reduction in any delays or problems related to customer interface leading to increased efficiency
Industry best practices can be adopted and aligned with the company’s goal and vision
Increased Efficiency is one of the biggest benefits of ERP tools for Small businesses
3. Visibility and Transparency
Visibility & Transparency is one of the biggest selling points for ERP small business software. It allows access to most of the critical functions of the business by keeping a track of every department.
For e.g. you can keep track of your distribution network, your inventory in the store house and how much of it is in transit as well as your marketing spends & financial books.
4. Single Reporting Structure
In SMBs there are not too many departmental heads, hence with the help of ERP small business software, a single reporting structure is created making it easier to analyze, report and draw conclusions
5. Improved Planning & Departmental Collaboration
Since the software gives you accessibility and the ability to analyse and compare reports from across departments, it can help plan inventory and financial management in a better and efficient manner making ERP small business software highly beneficial
6. Inventory/Supply Chain Management
For businesses with inventory requirements, ERP solutions create the opportunity for another kind of savings in the form of inventory management
ERP for small business can help calculate demand for specific materials, decrease overstocking and track real-time supply
When supply chain management runs smoothly, the entire organization will benefit
Data is the heart of any organization and needs to be secure all the time
ERP tools have controls that can keep your data secure by having restricted rights of edit, copy and deletion monitored continuously
Since there is a single source of data, accuracy and security are most important
8. Mobility
Today organizations are working on the move especially Startups and SMEs, hence effective ERP systems help in giving the same opportunities to employees who are working on the field
Employees can have access to a central database where they can carry out work from any location and any device making them a productive asset for the company.
ERP for small business is a boon that companies need to embrace and understand. The company needs to weigh which ERP solution is best suited to its goals and objectives and can deliver the ROI expected; hence decisions regarding ERP small business software need to be made strategically before jumping the gun.
Though every business has its own need and requirements, these are some of the Best ERP tools for Small & Medium Businesses
Be Prepared: How to build an Effective Crisis Management Plan
Every entrepreneur should understand that even the best of business plans can go off course during an unexpected event. Therefore a business crisis plan is a must. We usually tend to procrastinate while preparing a crisis management plan, but unfortunately, disaster can strike at any stage, and having no back up at that point of time can be risky for the business. Here are some tips to keep in mind while preparing for a business crisis.
1. Build a Crisis Management Team
It is important to have the leadership team involved in the crisis management plan
Involve people from different disciplines, so that all views and points can be accommodated in the final business crisis plan
2. Assess the Risks
Identify potential risks that can disrupt your business and work with all stakeholders to assess the risks
Devise a contingency plan for short-term as well as long-term. Once the potential risks are known, make a crisis management plan for a period of 3 months, 6 months and then one year. You never know how long the crisis can last
For e.g. no one anticipated the Corona virus outbreak and the lockdown that will follow. Hence businesses need to plan for the entire year in this case, to make up for the losses incurred by them and by the predicted slowdown
Carry out a Business Impact Analysis to evaluate which side of the business will be impacted the most. Will it be customer satisfaction, lowering of sales, payment defaults from vendors or damage in reputation in the market?
Once you know the extent and areas of impact, damage control measures can be listed and put into action during a crunch situation
3. Determine your Contingencies
Now that we have assessed the risks and the functions that can get impacted, the next step is to jot down how can the crisis be solved and what resources can be used efficiently to do so
Keep an emergency line of credit handy. You never know how long the crisis lasts so knowing from where you can get funds is always a plus
Include your employees in crisis communication management. Your marketing team, customer care teams and business heads need to know how they are going to communicate during a problem
A business crisis plan requires you to train your employees to tackle such situations and also be ready to take on additional functions to ease the pressure of on some teams. Also keep updating them with new skills, you never which one comes in handy during a crisis
4. Act Quickly
Though we advise you to act quickly during a crisis, but that doesn’t mean you take hasty decisions. During a crisis you need to be even more careful about how you battle the situation
For e.g. In the early 2000s, Cadbury was in the eye of the story when worms were found in their Dairy Milk Bars. In less than 2 weeks a PR campaign was launched for the trade followed by a nationwide ad campaign with Amitabh Bachchan on their new and improved poly-flow packaging.
Key learning here is that, Cadbury was quick in their damage control, they did bear a heavy cost of the damage but soon customer confidence was back and they started achieving their sales numbers
A crisis management plan needs to have steps that can help act faster
5. Keep your Business Crisis Plan updated
Review your crisis management plan on a regular basis for possible updates or market changes
We keep talking about the business environment being highly dynamic; there are changes in the market, technology up-gradation and sometimes there might be a case that employees who were a part of this plan might have left the organization. Hence, revisiting the plan will be beneficial for your business
One thing that Covid-19 has definitely taught us is the extent of impact a crisis can have on your business especially when there is no plan in place. If companies who are on the verge of a shutdown had a cohesive crisis management plan, maybe they could sail through these tough times. As they say, ’Better late than never’- there is no harm in having a general preparedness in place for your company to be financially sound in the long run.
When someone mentions ‘Motivational Speaker’, a lot of us start thinking about an individual who will come up and start giving a speech. But this couldn’t be any farther from the truth.
Who is the Motivational Speaker?
A motivational speaker is a speaker who delivers speeches intended to inspire or motivate an audience. Such inspirational talkers may attempt to transform or challenge their audience.
Motivational speakers are ordinary individuals who have made their place in this world by going through a series of ups and downs in their lives.They learned from his experience and gained expertise in a particular area.They are manual not only for your professional challenges but also for the issues related to your personal life.
How does Business Motivational Speaker help you?
A business motivational speaker can help you in the following ways:
He/she reignites the passion to achieve your goals.
He/she motivates you to overcome personal as well professional challenges.
He/she inspires you to set and attain goals.
He/she pushes you out of your comfort zone.
So, when a person faces any situation in life where he/she gets stuck, loses direction, loses faith in his capabilities, gets surrounded by negative people, thoughts or situations, or when he or is completely lost a business motivational speaker can instill hope for a brighter future and confidence to attain success.
At such times, we need help from someone who could guide and inspire us to bring a wave of positivity to our lives. Someone who can influence, inspire and motivate us to bring about a change for the better so that we can sort out the problems of our lives. These mentors don the role of motivational speakers to provide help at the right time with their wisdom of words.
Anyone can motivate you. It could be in your family, friends, and relatives as they influence and encourage you in different phases of your life. For instance, as a teenager, your family, teachers, and friends influence you a lot while selecting a career option. These are the people who will always make sure you choose what is best for you.
Many people want to pursue this as a full-time career too. They want to become a motivational speaker because these days it pays well. With the right experience and passion for motivating people to achieve their dreams, you too can become a business motivational speaker.
Motivational speakers choose to do this to fulfill various objectives:
High-level executives who want to share their knowledge.
People who want to educate people in a particular field.
People who want to educate others about social issues and motivate them to take action in this direction.
People who guide others on personal or professional aspects of life.
People who have a story or passion that they want to share with others.
How can a motivational speaker influence the lives of people?
By inspiring people to bring about a change in their lives and achieve their goals.
By providing guidance or education in a particular field.
By aligning individuals with their goals.
By providing new ideas or perspectives to see things.
Are a Motivational Speaker and a Business Coach the same?
Though a motivational speaker and business coach do the same work, they influence and inspire people; there are several differences between the two.
Some of these differences are:
Motivational Speaker
Business Coach
Gives a motivational speech to a group of people from different backgrounds
Guides businessmen or employees on a one-to-one basis belonging to the same company
Inspires and motivates people to bring positivity to their lives
Enhances the knowledge and skills of businessmen and their employees by giving them tips and strategies to perform their work efficiently
Delivers a powerful and encouraging speech, which every individual in the audience can relate to and apply in their life differently
Gives a speech related to a particular topic like a strategy to increase sales, tips to reduce the cost of the company, tricks to create a positive attitude in employees towards the company, etc. So, all the people attending this session will reach the same conclusion.
Can a person develop expertise in both genres?
You can find several people who are either motivational speakers in India or well-trained business coaches, but very few can do justice to both roles.
But, there is definitely ‘one’ person who has been recognized and awarded for excellence in both- Dr. Vivek Bindra. Dr. Vivek Bindra is an international motivational speaker and business coach who has received many awards for his invaluable contribution to developing entrepreneurship in India.
Some of the global recognition awards that he has under his kitty are:
“Best Motivational Speaker” by the International Glory Awards 2019.
“Best Leadership Trainer in Asia” by Marshall Goldsmith at World HRD Congress.
“Best CEO Coach in India” by Times of India –Speaking Tree.
“Best Corporate Trainer in India” by Maruti Suzuki.
“Think Tank of Corporate Asia” by World Leadership Federation.
Dr. Vivek Bindra is one of the top motivational speakers in India and a renowned business coach. He is the Founder & CEO of one of the largest and most progressive organizations in South Asia– Bada Business Pvt. Ltd. (formerly known as Global ACT).
Dr. Vivek Bindra is recognized as the best motivational speaker in India and rewarded everywhere because of his immense knowledge of Business Strategies and his ability to empower entrepreneurs to make it big. As an Indian motivational speaker, he has shown the direction to millions of people to take control of their life and move towards happiness and success.
A little background on Dr. Vivek Bindra (Motivational Speaker in India & Business Coach)
1. Owner of the World’s No. 1 Most Subscribed Entrepreneurship YouTube Channel:
He owns the World’s No. 1 Entrepreneurship & Leadership Development YouTube Channel. He has more than 12 million subscribers globally and 700 million+ viewership
On his YouTube channel, he provides several business strategies and frameworks to solve the business problems of small businessmen, entrepreneurs, and Startups in India.
He also gives case studies on different companies, renowned personalities, and countries to motivate and inspire people.
His YouTube channel is a “Free Digital Learning University” whose objective is to empower every aspiring potential entrepreneur to start his own business and generate employment contributing to his vision of adding to the GDP of the country.
2. Founder & CEO of one of the Most Progressive Organizations – Bada Business Pvt. Ltd.
Apart from being one of the best Motivational Speakers in India, Dr. Vivek Bindra is a revolutionary entrepreneur as well. He is the Founder and CEO of Bada Business Pvt. Ltd. (formerly known as Global ACT). He established this company in 2010. It started as a training company that provides business training to corporates from different industries but has now grown into a ‘University of Entrepreneurial content’ for SMEs.
He is a trusted advisor for over 1500+ corporates and a guide to various entrepreneurs and other top-notch business entities. He has also been an inspirational pathfinder to various high-profile entrepreneurs and other top-notch business entities providing Leadership excellence for taking their organizations to the next level.
As a business coach, he has been instrumental in providing CEO coaching to over the Top 100 CEOs in the country.
3. Launch Various Programs and Events for Motivating People
Dr. Vivek Bindra has organized various seminars and events like Leadership funnel, Bounce Back, etc. wherein he dons the role of both a motivational speaker and a business coach and solves the problems of entrepreneurs by giving powerful tips, strategies, and frameworks.
He launched a new mobile App, “Bada Business community App”, which is a unique platform for entrepreneurs, leaders, industry experts and anyone who has a dream and a vision to achieve it. The platform allows young entrepreneurs to network with like-minded people and learn from the experts in the Free Masterclass.
Problem Solving Courses (PSCs) are designed to give practical solutions to the most frequent and prominent business problems around various business functions like Business Finance, IT, HR, Sales, Digital Marketing, Legal, etc. faced by entrepreneurs.
Recently, he has also launched Business Coaching Program under which anyone can get access to premium courses that are specifically designed to solve business challenges that entrepreneurs face.
He has also launched his ambitious project Bada Business Juniorwhich aims to provide academic education as well as soft skills to prepare kids for a brighter tomorrow.
Vision of Dr. Vivek Bindra
As the world best motivational speaker, his vision is to empower businessmen in a manner that they can expand their businesses not only in India but around the world. This will help in making India economically stronger; and further, take our country ahead on the path of becoming a developed nation.
Dr. Vivek Bindra’s mission is to help and guide the Indian entrepreneur who is struggling to establish and expand his businesses.
The objective of Dr. Vivek Bindra is entirely different from the people who have taken up motivational speaking as a career choice to either share their knowledge, earn money and fame or do it as a part of service to the society.
For his contributions to empowering and motivating entrepreneurs, Dr. Vivek Bindra has received 100+ awards. Some of them are:
Royal American University, Boston has rewarded him with the highest degree of “Doctorate” in the year 2020.
Hon. Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Bhai Rupani awarded Dr. Vivek Bindra for his “Outstanding Contribution in the field of Entrepreneurship Development” in the year 2020.
Economic Times has rewarded him with the award of “Game Changer of the Year 2019.”
Conferred upon with “India’s Greatest Brands and Leaders –Pride of the Nation” award, process reviewed by PricewaterhouseCooper
World Leadership Federation has crowned him as the, “Think Tank of Corporate Asia”.
Dr. Vivek Bindra also holds a place in the Esteemed Golden Book of Records for “Training the Largest Gathering of HR Professionals under one Roof on the topic – Can HR Become a CEO?”
The awards and achievements of Dr. Vivek Bindra, whether as a motivational speaker in India, a business coach or an entrepreneur himself are endless, but the goal is one- to relentlessly work towards the growth of the nation and its people. As one of the best motivational speakers in India, it is his dream to make the entire nation a powerhouse full of entrepreneurs and he is leaving no stone unturned to make it a reality!
A-Z Guide to Understand Your Business Balance Sheet
Understanding the Balance Sheet to maintain Financial Stability
Is your business in a position to expand?
Can your business handle financial setbacks? Or should your business take immediate steps to increase cash reserves?
As a business owner, you probably are aware & keeping track of what your business earns and owes to others.
However, if you don’t organize these key pieces of financial data in your business balance sheet, you may be setting your business up for failure.
Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to understand the balance sheet, if you’re willing to learn a few key concepts. So let’s dive in!
What is a Balance Sheet?
Balance Sheet = Financial Position of Your Business
Balance sheet is a financial statement of a company which includes the assets, liabilities and equity capital of the company, at a particular point of time.
Balance sheet communicates the “book value” of a business.
Book Value of your business = Assets – (Liabilities + Owner’s Equity)
Business balance sheet provides you with a summary of your company finance at a given point of time i.e. how a business is currently performing, how it performed in the past, and how it expects to perform in the immediate future.
Understanding the Balance Sheet: How to read a Balance Sheet?
Business balance sheet includes 3 sections:
Assets
Liabilities
Owner’s Equity
Assets:
Asset means any tangible or intangible resource owned by a company like machinery, furniture, land, etc.
Assets include:
Short-term Assets = that you expect to sell or convert into cash, within 1 year.
– Cash
– Marketable securities – traded investments easily convertible to cash
Long-term liabilities = liabilities not to be paid within 1 year.
– Long-term loans
– Capital leases
– Other long-term debts
Owner’s Equity:
The final section of the business balance sheet is owner’s equity (or shareholder’s equity).
Owner’s equity = Total Assets – Total Liabilities
In other words, owner’s equity is what you own after you subtract (reduce) what you owe from your total assets.
Capital invested by the owner
Retained earnings
5 Simple Steps to Prepare a Balance Sheet:
Step 1: Gather the required information from your books of accounts
Gather all the information (discussed above) needed to prepare your business balance sheet. Any source with updated account balances can be used, however, the most appropriate tool for collecting information is your business’ Trial Balance.
Step 2: Report all Assets
Report all the assets in the right side of the business balance sheet. Report all short-term assets separately from long-term assets.
Short-term & long-term assets should be subtotalled, then totalled together.
Step 3: Report all liabilities
After reporting all the assets in the business balance sheet, next step is recording liabilities of your business. Start by recording short-term liabilities, followed by non-current liabilities.
Short-term & long-term liabilities should be subtotalled, then totalled together.
Step 4: Calculate Owner’s Equity
Owner’s Equity = Assets – Liabilities
Compare the assets and liabilities of your business to calculate the owner’s equity.
Step 5: Add Total Liabilities to Total Owner’s Equity and Compare to Assets
It is necessary to compare total assets against total liabilities plus equity, in order to ensure you’re your balance sheet is balanced.
Here’s an example of a finished Balance Sheet: Balance Sheet Format
Balance sheet in the books of _________ year ending 2020
Liabilities
Amount (Rs)
Assets
Amount (Rs)
Capital
XX
Fixed assets
XX
Loan Taken
XX
Current assets
XX
Current liabilities
XX
Cash/Bank
XX
Outstanding expenses
XX
Accounts receivable
XX
Bank overdraft
XX
Bills receivable
XX
Accounts payable
XX
Inventories (Stock)
XX
XYZ
XYZ
Balance sheet is one of the most critical and important financial statement of your business, offering a quick summary of the financial health of your business.
Learning how to prepare a balance sheet for business can help you understand the financial implications of business decisions leading to better decision-making and running of your business.
8 Ways Your Small Business Can Get More Customer Calls
Your Ultimate Guide to Cold Calling
Is your business heavily dependent on the cold calling strategy? Allowing customers to quickly and easily contact your business through a phone call can help build trust and in turn improve the sales of your business.
Here are 8 ways your small business can get more customer calls:
1. Have web presence
Having a web presence is extremely essential nowadays. If your business is at an initial stage, then ‘Google My Business’ is a great place to get started with if you don’t have your own website yet.
This platform allows small business owners to display their business across all of Google’s products and platforms.
Tips:
Include your contact details at the top of every page so that it becomes easy for visitors to reach out to you.
Make sure you include a click-to-call link in the website, so that it becomes convenient for the visitors to call you without having to search for your number.
2. Use landing pages with a single call to action
Using one course of action through a promotional page increases the odds of your potential customers taking that particular route.
Tip:
Visitors are more likely to call when it is made clear that they should pick up the phone to receive a discount.
3. Speak at an event or host an industry gathering
Communities are a great way to capture a large segment of the market, hence if you have plenty of expertise in your field—why not get involved with the community?
By speaking at an event, sharing your experience and getting involved in your industry at a local level, you’ll have the opportunity to build your connections and give an impetus to your reputation as a thought leader.
4. Get your business listed in local directories
Marketing through listings in local directories can have a great impact to get more customer calls.
The idea is to make it more convenient for the consumers to find your brand, and one of the most assured and affordable ways to do so is to get your brand listed in local directories.
Tip:
Try to be as elaborate as possible by adding your company information in detail, the product/service that your brand caters to and most importantly your contact information.
You never know which medium a potential buyer might choose to find your brand
You might be marketing your products or services through various channels such as outdoor media, catalogs, brochures, social media posts, search ads or any other form of marketing tools. All these marketing materials must include your phone number.
Assign a unique number to each of your marketing channels, as it will help you analyse which channel is driving maximum results. You can then shift the maximum focus there to boost the results further.
6. Paid advertising
We all know about the benefits that paid advertise can bring to the table.
This route is a sure shot way to get that phone ringing and to get more customer calls, if done right.
You can hire an agency that fits your budget to help you out with this.
Take small steps by allocating a small budget towards paid advertising and use core optimization techniques. Explore different paid channels such as Google Search Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
7. Spend more on click-to-call (CTC) campaigns
Listing your phone number on your website is a great way to encourage people to call you.
You should focus to spend more on click-to-call campaigns.
You should add a click-to-call feature in your website, so that, if you’re dealing with people who are interested in talking to a real person, this feature could result in more calls.
According to statistics 52% of search queries come from smartphones, hence, a click-to-call feature encourages consumers to call your business & get answers as soon as they have a question.
8. Have Social Media presence
As the first step, you have to create a profile for your small business on each relevant social media platform.
Leverage these platforms by creating & sharing customised content to each of your social media handle.
An effective social media presence will encourage your followers to go through your lead funnel and eventually reach out to you by calling your business.
Make sure to include a click-to-call link on your social handles as well, so that it becomes convenient for the visitors to call you without having to search for your number.
With the advancement of technology, there are multiple ways through which customers can reach out to businesses, but, there is always a sense of satisfaction for the customer when they speak to an executive in person and this feeling surely can’t be replaced easily.
So for those businesses that depend & focus more on calling as a point of contact, you now have 8 more tools in your arsenal to get more customer calls and begin tangible conversions.
Entrepreneurs today are not just building companies, but creating a stronger India. Some of the best business tips revolve around the attitude & determination of an entrepreneur that eventually decides the altitude he can achieve. Growth in business is full of challenges and to reach the top you need to inculcate habits that make your life happy and productive. Here are 10 business tips for success mentioned by a visionary and entrepreneur par excellence- Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, Mr. Ratan Tata.
1. Giving
Businesses need to go beyond company profits, sales & targets. You need to give back to the communities you serve
Successful companies have the resources to give back to the society and do good!
Build a culture of giving back in the organization, in this ways the employees respect and look up to you even more
The gesture of giving only builds mutual respect making your community a better place to live in
2. Persistence
Have the ability to push and push till you reach the finish line
Persistence in business is one of the best business tip for an entrepreneur as you need to fight failure and bounce back, only then you can be successful
Persistence is all about indomitable spirit whether it is in business or in your life
Find new ways to do things and you will be able to find new solutions to many of your problems
3. Talent
Everyone cannot be the best in everything. Develop your talent and find your unique strength
An important business tip for success is to focus on the visible skills and hone them. As a leader you should do this on a regular basis for your employees
Build a culture of development- Mentor employees, have one-on-one interactions, devise programs for skill development. This gives employees the confidence to build more capabilities in them
Understand the value of learning- Learning is a continuous cycle and for people interested in building new skills, touching new horizons & reaching new heights, learning should never stop
4. Life
Embrace life, love life and enjoy every moment of it
Don’t stress over things what others say to you. As Mr. Ratan Tata himself says, let them throw stones at you and you should build a monument out of it
You are born to do bigger and better things in life, identify your goal, your mission and put in all your energy to fulfill it. This can be one of the best business tips to lead a prosperous company and will turn you into a happier soul
5. Decision Making
Decision making is required at every level of your business; in fact it is required at every moment of your life as well
For success, one of the best business tips is to have clarity of thought. Be sure of what you want to do and then devise plans around it
Don’t be scared of making the wrong decision, this too is a part of your learning curve
Gather relevant information that can help you make a decision and then evaluate your options. This will help you reach closer to your goals
Evaluate the results- Evaluation and reviewing helps in judging the effectiveness of the choice made by you
6. Mindset
Your mindset can either break or make the goal you have set to achieve. It is your way of thinking to treat a problem as an opportunity or an obstacle
Develop a success-oriented mindset; following this mantra is a key business tip for success
Be around positive people and find time to disconnect from unnecessary stressors
Focus on learning new skills and put yourself in challenging situations, this will help in making you mentally strong and build confidence
7. Change
We all know the only thing constant is Change. So embrace it and move on with it
Suggest new ideas, introduce new processes and do things differently. A change for the better is the best business tip
Predict and prepare for the future. This will help you face challenges in the rapidly changing business environment with ease and preparedness
Focus on your values and not the fears. You need to understand that change is inevitable and there should be no inhibitions while adapting to it
8. Challenge
View any obstacles that stand in your way as a challenge, have the belief that it’s not impossible to overcome a certain business problem
In challenging times, the best business tip for an entrepreneur is to don the role of a leader. Show the way to your people and other stakeholders
Ups and downs are very important in business to keep us going. It helps us challenge our limits as well
Understand the problem first and then put things into perspective before jumping the gun and making a hurried decision
9. Legacy
Follow a set of values, ethics or culture that your forefathers have left behind
Build your business on sustainability and not just on the basis of profitability. Money is important but sustainable development is the best business tip for success in the long run
Following or leaving a legacy requires immense investment in upholding the value system that has been created
10. Growth
Know what you want- If you have clarity about your goal, you will focus all your energies to achieve that and this business tip forms the stepping stone for growth in business
Set your eyes on the prize- Measure yourself, your team, and your organizational goals alongside your target. Once you know the how far the target is, everyone can align their energies to work towards it
Keep your Passion alive- Keep the excitement and enthusiasm going, it is contagious and spreads to people around you
Think People first- Your stakeholders are the backbone for the company. Keep your employees motivated, customers happy and other stakeholders aware of the functioning of the company. This business tip for success will play a major role in your growth strategy
So if you feel a little lost in life, these 10 business tips for success by Ratan Tata can put you back on track and motivate you to bounce back.
Work from Anywhere Successfully using these Remote Tools!
Having the perfect set of remote work tools can make work from home productive and meaning for yourself and the employer. With the entire country under lockdown, we get you 10 remote work tools that can help employees successfully work from home.
1. Zoom
Zoom is a web-based video conferencing remote working tool with a local, desktop and a mobile app that allows users to meet online, with or without video
Zoom users can choose to record sessions, collaborate on projects and share one another’s screens, all with one easy-to-use platform
2. Google Docs
This remote work software solves the challenge of working on multiple documents at the same time. Today, businesses have various spreadsheets for every department. With Google docs you can collaborate and work with fellow employees simultaneously
Say goodbye to endless chain mails and creating multiple versions of the same document. It is also available in 53 languages
3. Slack
For business communication and internet chat services, slack is a unique remote work tool as it reduces your reliance on e-mails through its third party services
4. Google Hangouts
Hangouts is slightly on the lines of Zoom as it brings conversations, discussions to life through group video conferencing for free.
From direct messages to group chats, it can help employees collaborate and work efficiently from remote locations
5. TeamViewer
What happens when most of your important documents and information is kept on your office desktop and you want to access it while working from home?
TeamViewer is easy to set up and is a great option for employees who need desktop access from their homes or any other location. Supporting a two-step authentication, this tool requires very basic firewall access and in no time you are ready with your work
6. Google Calendar
Google calendar helps you keep a schedule in place making it easier to check with co-workers on conducting meetings at a given time. Through this remote work software calendars can be shared so that full event details can be viewed by employees working from their respective homes
It can be accessed from your laptop, phone or a tablet
7. Skype for Business
Again a great tool for conference calls, instant messaging or creating chat rooms
8. Dropbox
Sharing large files can be a painful task over e-mail, so a dropbox account makes it easy to sync files and collaborate with
It’s a great way to organize work from remote teams when they need to submit presentations or projects.
9. Teamwork
Teamwork allows you to track your team’s productivity. This remote work software lets you create custom time reports of time logged on the project
Once the work is completed employees can export the report and time log entries in easily accessible formats to their reporting managers
10. Hub Staff
Hub Staff helps in keeping a track of the tasks assigned to the employees working from home
Some of its important features include online timesheets, employee scheduling, employee monitoring, payroll software, GPS tracking, online invoicing & project budgeting
Employees & employers both are able to adapt quickly to the remote work tools and can jump right into their jobs without worrying about how to set things up. All these tools are easy to work with and make remote working more productive.
Make a Positive First Impression: Recipe for Success
First Impression in business is very important. You get only a limited time to impress your potential partner or client and he too takes only one glance to judge you. Every new encounter leads to evaluation and it’s your first impression that makes all the difference.
Here are 8 important tips that can help you create a positive first impression on the people you meet.
1. Research about who you are meeting
It is important to prepare beforehand and research about who you are meeting. Whether it is a potential partner, a client or a customer, you should not enter a meeting cold.
Doing your homework will give you a competitive advantage over your competition.
Being knowledgeable and showing that you have made an effort, are both positive qualities to make a first impression in business.
2. Attire
You need to dress for success. When you enter the room, the first thing a person notices is the way you dress. So be dressed as per the gathering.
If you are meeting a client or a highly qualified gathering, professional attire will help in making a good first impression.
Some occasions do call for a casual approach, so if you are going for a networking dinner or a media party you can try out your personal style.
3. Rehearse your Pitch
It is always better to practice your pitch before the meeting. You don’t want the client to lose interest halfway.
Hence, make pointers that will help you convey your message promptly and with clarity.
A third party prefers if you have clarity of thought and a clear outcome of what is expected out of the meeting.
4. Be Punctual
You always build a positive first impression in business if you are punctual and no time is wasted waiting of either of the parties. In fact try and be 10 minutes earlier just in case you face any issues in finding the place.
Give a few minutes to compose yourself and gather your thoughts before entering the meeting.
5. Be Courteous and a Patient Listener
Listen to them. Listening to the client with patience can go a long way in forming a good partnership.
Sometimes we get too carried away in making a good first impression that we forget to listen to what the other party has to say. This can appear to be rude.
It goes without saying that certain courteous gestures always work in a meeting. Just like switching off your phone or being well-mannered and polite with others.
6. Be Honest & Genuine
Do not try to fake your achievements or boast about your credentials. Be genuine and it will help in creating a memorable first impression in business.
Clients appreciate honest feedback, so if a client is asking for something unreasonable to be done, be honest about your feedback and suggest a way out.
7. Carry a Positive Outlook
Positivity can help conquer every obstacle, so enter the meeting room with a positive approach.
Your attitude can make or break your first impression, so be optimistic about whatever challenges they throw at you.
A smile can help you break the ice and bring everyone at ease.
8. Be at your Professional Best
Reserve personal comments or negative remarks about any person from the organization or any religion/country being discussed in the meeting.
Keep your conversation to the point and answer in a professional manner. This will help in building a sensible first impression.
A positive first impression in business is an important chance to prove your confidence & passion. If you follow these guidelines before entering an important meeting, be rest assured you will come out happy and contended and so will your client!
Learn the Art of Zero Dollar Marketing to Get More Customers
In today’s digital India, social media has democratized marketing for everyone and zero dollar marketing techniques can be a boon for SMEs. It’s about your creativity, your understanding of the customer & innovative strategies that will get you more customers. Here are 7 strategies that will get the customers rolling!
1. Make a World-class Strategy at Minimum Cost
The basic premise is that the customer should be able to find you. You should not spend your energy in finding people and zero dollar marketing tools help you to achieve that
Design a website and that has a neat and clean home page, so that the customer can understand the messaging easily
The website should support a Call to action; this will help in engaging the customer.
Focus on the solution- Don’t waste your website space on product introduction and description. Maximize your messaging on the solution
Try and have all the navigation information on one page making it convenient for the customer to browse
Stick to need-based up-gradation of the website
You would need either a full-time resource or a vendor to fulfill these requirements. Look at minimizing the cost but increasing the scope of work here. And how can you minimize the cost- by using zero dollar marketing ideas!
Ask the technology vendor to come and explain how the technology works and how will it benefit you.
Call 4-5 vendors and understand what they teach you and then finally choose the best vendor for your company
This will help in minimizing your cost to set up your website or what we call as zero dollar marketing
2. Track the Pattern of your Customer’s Buying Behaviour
Consumer behavior is key to an entrepreneur’s business and zero dollar marketing tools can help track this beahviour in a structured manner
To begin with you need to analyze the old buying behavior of the consumer
Understand the touch points, how is the customer reaching you?
What is your customer’s buying process and where is his pain point. Try and solve that buying process gap.
For e.g. If a customer would order multiple items from a restaurant, it would cost him Rs. 800, but if that restaurant owner gave him an option of a fixed thali with most of his likable items with a cost of Rs.600, immediately the customer would prefer to order the thali. This is how you can pull the consumer using zero dollar marketing
Take business decisions based on analytics & data and not based on perception. You can use the Google analytics tool for this
Check which pages on the website show high traffic and which pages show low traffic
Analyze for how much time you retain the customer on your webpage
What are the videos from your website that he is sharing on other social media platforms?
What is the bounce rate which means at what point does the customer move to another video or website
3. Anticipatory Content to gain Customer Attention
Anticipatory Content is that content which is authentic, relevant, and to the point. Don’t write big articles but use infographics, tabular representation instead. This just requires a little time and effort but is a powerful tool for zero dollar marketing
Make the content free and make sure it is not about your product features or promotions
For e.g. For a pathology lab, give the consumer content related to what tests are beneficial for him. For a restaurant owner, give content related to recipes & international food items. Interesting content makes for good zero dollar marketing.
Understand that content is king and the customer will come to you with these zero dollar marketing technique
4. Flip your Marketing Budget from Outbound to Inbound
Inbound Marketing includes- SEO, Blogging, CRM, Social media, Call to Action, Analytics
Change your model, spend 90% of your funds on inbound methods and 10% on outbound. The ROI on outbound marketing is less
Attract, engage and delight the right customer by using zero dollar marketing
5. Build your Database
Data is the heart of your business, keep your customer’s personal data and their preferences secure to successfully run your business
Build a database of your prospective and relevant customers gathered from calls, events, old sales and enquiry forms
Put all data in the CRM software so that it is registered for life
Empower your employees to build a relationship with the customer using this data
6. Give Old Data a New Life
Follow-up with ageing lead and build a relationship with the customer
Don’t waste time on incompatible, incomplete or unqualified data
The sales agent should call the old customer to build a relationship and not to sell the product in the first go. Ask more questions on why the customer has not returned to make more purchases
Building on employee-customer relation can go a long way when it comes to zero dollar marketing strategies
7. Story Telling for Recall
Have an emotional, engaging & educational story that talks about your brand rather than a direct advertisement
Add a story in everything; from your sales pitch to your brand campaign to your website. This will help the customer connect with your brand
Become a problem solver!
If an entrepreneur follows these Zero dollar marketing strategies to acquire more customers, not only will his business flourish but his customer too will be happy and satisfied.
Small businesses usually work on a small budget and apart from budget, there are other concerns of resources and time. Hence, SMEs need cost-effective marketing ideas that can help get the word out to their customers in the best possible budget. Depending on your target audience, digital media is a saviour when it comes to low-cost effective marketing ideas . Here are 5 such strategies that can help small businesses build their brand
1. Use Social Media Extensively
Use Facebook and Instagram effectively, they are free of cost and organic marketing can help create awareness about your brand. You can also explore paid marketing with them to boost your reach to the target group. Nurture your consumers through Facebook groups and Instagram Stories
Create great content that can help build communities around your brand. Be creative, use innovative ways to connect and build a loyal customer base For e.g. From 1990-2009, Harley Davidson purely built their community by producing great content around the brand which made the bike an aspirational product and changed the fortunes for the company
Use more of videos, infographics & pictures to hook the customer when talking about your brand or any offer
Carry online contests- Spend some money on a good price because the number of participants and the potential leads you get is worth every penny spent
2. Turn your customers into your Brand Ambassadors
Make the customer feel special so that he becomes the ambassador of your brand and this can be done by providing certain memories to them that they would like to hold on to and carry with them
Give them T-shirts, laptop stickers, notebooks, basically things they use in daily life
Use can use social media to take an opinion poll on new deigns they would like to see and perhaps reward the winning design. This will help them engage with you as an effective marketing idea
3. Focus on SEO Strategies
Investment into SEO is not much but is a cost-effective marketing idea to get target customers
In search engine optimization, you need to choose the targeted words that can increase your search possibilities and divert traffic to your website
For example, if you have a business named Gagan Dry Cleaners in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi, you will develop content across your platforms that focus on the keyword Lajpat Nagar + dry cleaners. It will help draw potential customers looking for dry cleaners in that area.
4. Build an easy to navigate Website
Another cost-effective marketing idea is to build a website. Having a website with an easy to navigate approach is a must for a small business as part of its marketing mix
Your website should contain all the important information about your products & services, how to reach you, contact details and a tracker of your location
Use your website smartly to put amazing content that makes it a must-visit for the customer
5. Sponsor Local Events
There are many events that happen locally and sponsoring such events is an effective marketing idea to get your business in front of local patrons
Sponsoring an event opens doors for networking with other businesses, which can lead to fruitful partnerships going ahead
Since local events are always looking for sponsors, it would be easy to negotiate on the pricing.
Always keep an eye out for cost-effective marketing ideas, because the only way to make an impact today is to think differently. Spend time, not money to devise a strategy that works best for your company.
