Deciding how to create a profitable business based on your passions is not a silly, time-wasting, money-wasting, pie-in-the-sky project. But it is also more than dreaming about what you love to do, or simply chasing after any passion that you have, or turning your hobby into a business, or figuring out what job you would do for free. Turning your passion, or passions, into a profitable business takes planning, research, commitment, an honest assessment of your life and your abilities, and a realistic assessment of what the market needs and wants – and is willing to pay for.
Here are three basic questions that you might be struggling with if you are trying to decide how to create a profitable business from you passion:
1. What If Someone Else Is Already Doing It?
“But if someone else is doing the same thing, then I can't do it.” Wrong. If they are making a living at it, then it is a proven concept that makes money. They paved the way for you. This is a good thing. And why should you care whether someone else is already doing the same thing? It is your passion, one in which you bring your own personality, abilities, and experiences into. In contrast, if no one is doing it, then there is the possibility that there is no serious money to be made in it.
2. What If My Passion Is In Something That Is Very Obscure?
The more niche something is, the better you must be at it, and the better you must understand that particular audience – especially if you want to make a good living at it. If a particular niche is extremely small, this most likely means that very few people are interested in it. But, if those few people are wealthy, for example, and they see you as the expert in that tiny niche, maybe there is money to be made. But who is to say that you that you can't pursue more than one passion, or niche, that all together form one or more businesses?
3. How Does My Passion Align With My Talent?
In order to make a profit with your passion, your passion must align with your talent. But how does your passion align with your talent? Don't make this more difficult on yourself that it really needs to be. This isn't rocket science. You are just so close to the subject that it seems more difficult that it really is. So, with that said, you should already have a good idea of what you are passionate about in life. And hopefully you have done an honest assessment of what your talents are. Where do the two intersect? Where do they meet? During this process it is probably a good idea to reach out to those who have already gone though this process successfully. In this way you will find mentors, and build a relationship with them.
Conclusion
You are never going to have the perfect plan. Start taking steps in the right direction and do your research, talk to others about it, write about it, and read about it. This journey is not linear, but up and down, fast and slow. Look at this process as a learning experience – a journey of self-discovery. And don't forget that there are some things you won't know if you like them or not until you try them. So don't be afraid to explore, change, or fail. You need to start somewhere, and now is the best time in your life to get started.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9211280
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Questions-Profitable-Business.png6281200jong833@gmail.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngjong833@gmail.com2021-04-22 04:53:092021-04-22 04:53:093 Questions To Help You Decide If Your Passion Can Become A Profitable Business
Among the basic foundations of a thriving profitable business is an active, ongoing, and professional-looking outbound marketing presence. It does not matter if you are a home-based business, or one-person professional office, or a business with many employees. This list does not change no matter how small or large your company.
Improvement #1. Keep Website Current
Your website is your most essential marketing tool. It will be working for you 24/7/365. It is the first place that everyone will go to learn more about you and your business. You must always make sure that it is working at its peak performance. Every link must be active, and every picture and graphic must appear as it was meant to. Make sure that every pdf is working properly, and that the links inside each pdf are also working. Make sure that all of your dates, statistics, and facts are current and accurate. Be certain that your pages are easy to navigate and find. All of these details are very easy to overlook or forget about. But first impressions are extremely important, so make sure that every detail of your website always looks good and is working properly.
Improvement #2. Make An Emotional Connection
The most powerful and fundamental part of a successful marketing plan is one that can make an emotional connection with your prospects and your customers. Your company's very survival and growth depend on it. The greater this connection, the greater your ability to beat out other companies for the hearts, minds, and dollars of the customers. So few companies, small or large, bother to try to make an emotional connection with prospects and customers. But by showing your customers how much you care about them, and proving to them that you really want to keep them as customers, you can build a base of loyal customers that will not be so quick to leave you for your competition.
Improvement #3. Build Your Lists
By lists I mean email list, direct mail list, and social-media list. Each can play an important role in your marketing plan. Some prospects and customers might prefer one format over the other. This will depend on your type of business, and what your customer demographics are. But whichever format your prospects and customers prefer, you need to constantly be building these lists. For example, your email list might be built up by offering a free pdf download. Your direct mail list might be build up by offering a free sample. Your social-media list might be built up on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. Although each list has its benefits, limits, and demographics, all can and should play an important role in your marketing plan.
Improvement #4. Shake It Up
Don't be afraid to try something new or different. For example, if you are always the one that is creating and designing your own marketing materials, don't be afraid to let someone else in your company, or family, or someone from Fiverr, take a shot at designing new marketing materials and copy writing. You might be in a creative rut, or possibly too close to the subject matter to create effective copy. Allowing someone with a fresh or outsider point of view might give your marketing materials a whole new life. Shaking it up might be the difference between your business thriving or dying.
Conclusion
These are some of the basic, but essential, marketing efforts that you should always be paying attention to and improving. You must never stop thinking about them, and working on them. Although improvements to just one of these outbound marketing efforts can enhance your marketing plan's power – if you want to look more professional, and make more money, improve them all.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9178316
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Outbound-Marketing-Efforts.png6281200jong833@gmail.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngjong833@gmail.com2021-04-20 19:00:572021-04-20 19:00:574 Simple Low-Cost Ways To Improve Your Outbound Marketing Efforts
If people know, like, and trust your content, they will want to do business with you.
It doesn't take an ace marketing team to figure that one out. And yet, many brands fail at one of these crucial elements all too often.
You don't have to put all your effort into all of them all the time. But if even you neglected one, it will show in your performance.
It is easy and simple to say all that, but what does it mean practically? Let's take a closer look at these terms.
What Does It Mean to Know?
To know means a little more than just recognizing your brand and being aware of it. It's about understanding what your business is about on a deeper level. To get to that level, you must actively and directly share information with prospects.
This doesn't necessarily mean that you should write an essay on your About page. Nor does it mean that every interaction with prospects needs to underscore all aspects of your business.
Sometimes, what's left unsaid tells an important story. Keeping things simple sends a message that your brand is focused and dedicated to results without the fluff. At the same time, if you're just starting out, it's a good idea to let people know of the brand's details explicitly.
In 1983, Apple Computers published an 18-page brochure called Macintosh Introduction in Newsweek. They saw those 18 pages as necessary to get their concept across ahead of the Macintosh's launch. Contrast that with Apple's approach today. The more prospects know you, the less you'll have to work at this step.
What Does It Mean to Like?
The first thing to make peace with is that not everyone is going to like you or your brand.
Some prospects just won't like your approach to sales, or they just won't like what you're offering. That's OK, as long as you know why that's so.
Every marketing decision you make puts you in a category. For every person that likes how you engage with them, there's bound to be one that doesn't. Your job is to figure out why they like or dislike you.
Sometimes, you'll find that getting some people to like you isn't worth sacrificing your values. It's fine to make that choice, as long as you know why you're making it.
One of the things that most people don't like is being sold to. It's not a pleasant experience, especially if it's glaringly obvious. To get people to really like your brand, infuse value into your content.
There are many ways to get your prospects to like you, but the key thing is that you have to give them something to like. Your brand should have some character, as it's hard to like something that's bland and uninspiring.
What Does It Mean to Trust?
This is the easiest one to get right, and yet many get it wrong.
Humans are trusting by nature. We believe most of the things we hear. Otherwise, it would be impossible to have a conversation.
All you have to do to get prospects to trust you is never fail on the promises you make. With most prospects you reach, you have a priori trust in good-faith engagement. Don't compromise that trust and your job is done.
A great example of this is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel's $2,000 employee empowerment allowance. Every employee is authorized to spend up to $2,000 to repair a patron's negative experience. That creates deep trust. People trust that, no matter what, their experience will ultimately be satisfactory when they stay at the Ritz.
Knowing Leads to Liking and Eventually to Trusting
Whenever you make a decision ask yourself how it impacts your prospects' view of your brand.
Do as much as you need to raise awareness, even if it means publishing an 18-page brochure about your product. Figure out what your prospects like and what they don't. Don't assume beforehand. Finally, never, ever fail to deliver on promises.
Pamela Wigglesworth, CSP is an international marketing consultant, speaker and the CEO of Experiential Hands-on Learning based in Asia. She is the author of The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur and works with organizations across multiple industries to help them increase brand awareness, increase leads and ultimately increase sales.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Blog-Header-1200x600-px-2.jpeg6001200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2020-09-18 11:17:392020-09-18 11:17:39Do Prospects Know, Like, and Trust Your Brand?
Emerging Prepared with a Plan in a Post Pandemic Economy
It's April 2020 and as I wake up and start my day, there is always the nagging questions lingering in my head. What the heck will my business look like in three month or even six months from now? Will I still have a business to run or will the way in which I earn a living cease to exist and will I end up doing something entirely different?
It's hard to know what state my business will be in one month from now, let alone three months later. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball that will predict the future for me or anyone else I know for that matter.
One thing I do know for sure is that things will never be the way they were four months ago. If you're one of those people waiting for the ‘old economy' to return or bounce back, then you're in for a rude awakening, because it's not going to happen.
I'm guessing that most people don't want to entertain the idea that they could be out of business in a matter of months. Heck, it's not something that I wanted to think about either. To be put out of business because of an invisible predator that has spanned the globe and disrupted peoples' lives and the global economy, just seems unfathomable.
As my husband and I watched what was going on within our own country and around the world and the impact it had on our businesses, we did a financial assessment of how long we could sustain our current standard of living. For some reason I felt okay knowing that we could get to a certain period within the year. It never occurred to me that I wasn't allowing myself to think about what would happen if we did run out of savings.
My husband on the other hand had thought about it. Hearing him verbalize his ‘before we get to that point' plan of action forced me to finally go to that place in my mind where I needed to have the internal conversation, ‘what would happen if I could no longer maintain my business?'
The AHA Moment
When I did finally ‘go there', I had a major AHA moment. Suddenly I realized something that had never occurred to me before. The voice in my head said, “Pam, you've been here before!”
Oh my God, yes, that's right-I have been here before. I have had to unexpectedly close a business due to circumstances beyond my control-an economic crisis.
It was 18 years ago. I had a women's fashion retail store in a major mall in Singapore. The store was in operation for a good part of 3 years, and just one year at the mall premises. Business was good. That is until we got hit by the Asian Financial crisis of '99.
My clientele tended to be expat women along with residents and tourists. As we moved through the year 2000, we witnessed the decline in the daily number of shoppers. People began to hang onto their moneydue to the uncertainties that lay ahead. Much like what we are experiencing today.
Eventually it reached a point where there wasn't enough business to cover the monthly overheads and the tough decision was made to close the store. Yet it wasn't as simple as just closing the doors. While the landlords could see for themselves that there was no foot traffic for all tenants, they still demanded to receive payment for the remaining months on the lease. Thatresulted in a painfully written $40,000 cheque to the landlord. Making that payment just added insult to what was already a very difficult moment of having to close due to an economic crisis.
When the premises were vacant and the doors shuttered, I allowed myself to have a private pity party. I gave myself permission to feel sorry for myself for two weeks. When the pity party was over, I knew it was time to get up off the ground and get busy contemplating what the next plan of action would be.
Even through my despair, I was confident that there would be another business in my future and I would need to be prepared and ready to pivot.
Remembering that I've been here before and knowing that I had the resilience to bounce back and come out the other side,reassures me that I can do this again ifnecessary.
Every company or business owner will need to figure out what is best for them post pandemic. Maybe you haven't even begun to think this far ahead. Maybe you have, yet still have no idea of what you'll do when we all resurface in this new c-economy (covid-economy).
Instead of waiting for circumstances to dictate what will happen in one to three months from now, I view myself as a surfer who needs to be out there in the blue ocean, judging, calculating, waiting for just the right wave to jump onto and ride through the barrel all the way to the beach.
This time I'll be ready to ride on top of the wave instead of finding myself being tossed around in the surf and not knowing which way is up.
Preparing for the C-economy
No one will be able to say for certain when countries, states and communities will be open their doors for business, yet it's important to be ready with a plan of action.
Here are just a few of thoughts for a business owners and business leaders to consider right now in preparation for the resurrection of their business.
Establish product-service relevancy
There are a few vital questions to address before you begin to create the recovery road map.
Is my product or service still relevant to my target market today and will it be relevant post pandemic? Will the target audience remain the same or will it change all together?
If my target audience remains the same albeit with minor changes, then I will move forward with my recovery roadmap.
Anticipate, ask & answer
Read the latest research findings in your industry, along with reports from economists. As business operators we need to research the market and anticipate the wants and needs of the consumer in order to provide appropriate solutions.
Creating ideal solutions for consumers cannot happen while brainstorming in isolation. Ask your clients what they will need in a post pandemic business environment.
Armed with research and the needs of the target market, answer their requests and deliver your best solution that addresses those immediate needs. This may require the development of a whole new product or service.
Double down on the low cost, no cost marketing activities
The global health and economic crisis has left millions of businesses without incoming revenue for months, so the last thing most would want to do is fork out a large sums of cash for marketing campaigns.
However, that doesn't mean that a business should go underground and not market at all. On the contrary. There are things that any business can do to continue marketing their products and services using low cost or no cost marketing activities.
Create content. No one knows your business better than you (and your employees if you work for a large organization). Start by creating content that educates and helps your target audience. Your content can be distributed in so many ways.
Write blog posts and upload it to your website, social media pages and syndicated sites.
Conduct a survey related to your industry and then distribute your findings that to your target audience if it will help their business.
Use free creative sites like Canva to create visual content such as banners, posters, social posts, animated posts, etc.
Use the free tools to create infographics that educate.
Create short videos that educate, motivate or demonstrate a product. Everyone has a camera on their smartphone so pick it up and hit the record button. There is no excuse not to.
Seek synergistic collaborationOne of the upsides to all the chaos we're all going through is the change we are seeing in humanity. The giving economy is on the rise and rightfully so. You are of greater value to your clients when you offer them more of what they need.
Seek collaboration with business partners who can add value to your client base.What can others bring to the table that is beneficial to your clientele that is not in direct competition with you, yet creates synergy for both of your businesses?
Reaching out to other corporates and business owners will stimulate the economy and creates a three-way win.
Learn and Go Digital
The way business is conducted today has already changed. Operating efficiently in the new c-economy, will require the use of more technology and apps for conducting business remotely with clients and team members.
Businesses that once offered their services in person, must adapt to digital platformsin the new normal. This form of communication once thought to be a ‘nice to try' has moved into the realm of a legitimate way of doing business.
Not only will the need arise to learn new technologies for virtual engagement, the need to know how to protect our privacy will require us to spend some time understanding cyber security as well.
There will be a learning curve, yet failure to dive in and embrace the new wave of technology that has now become part of our everyday lives, will mean that those who are unwilling to learn will be left behind.
Repurpose to Create Additional Revenue Streams
As a veteran small business owner, I'm a big advocate of having multiple streams of revenue. Each time I develop a new brand, I map out the various ways I can sell my services at different price points and through different distribution channels.
Having more than one revenue stream is something that I push small business owners to do initiate when crafting their business model from the get-go.
View your business with fresh eyes. At the onset of your business, the product or service you offer may have been created for a specific target audience. Can what you offer now be re-purposed for another audience or niche market?
Case in point. I have a deck of cards on entrepreneurship that was derived from the chapter action steps frommy book, The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur. The deck of cards was a spin off from the book and became another form of re-purposing information and additional revenue stream.
Given that the information on how to create a business is the same, I can now re-purpose the deck of cards with a new brand name, new design and sell this to a completely different market.
Is there a portion of your business that can be splintered off to create a new product in another industry? What could potentially be re-purposed or even upgraded within your own business to create a new stream of revenue?With a little brainstorming, you just might surprise yourself with what you come up with.
Riding the Wave
A big wave of change is on the horizon for all of us. It's going to come in the form of a recession or possibly a depression. I'm preparing myself now. I want to be ready when the wave of opportunity surges toward me. I hope others will join me out there in this blue ocean and we can ride this wave together.
Pamela Wigglesworth, CSP in an international entrepreneurship coach, speaker and CEO of Experiential Hands-on Learning. Residing in Asia for over 20 years, she is The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur and supports encore entrepreneurs in their business development and growth.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Blog-Header-1200x600-px-1.jpeg6001200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2020-09-18 10:30:322020-09-18 10:30:32Are You Ready to Ride the Waves of Change?
One common thread about startups is that most are pressed for time and money. They know they need to establish their brand, but lack the major funding of most established businesses. Many try to muddle through in an attempt to pique the interest of journalists and secure media coverage. They understand the longer it takes to create name recognition the longer it will take them to build sales and profitability, but they aren't sure how to get the process rolling. Here are five publicity hacks for startups to quickly attract the attention of newspapers, radio and TV stations, and generate the needed publicity for immediate growth.
#1. Create a short summary highlighting what makes the business special and why it is different than other companies in the market space.
A startup should avoid the standard press release if possible. The common mistake is to create the typical release and just send it everywhere hoping something will stick. Instead, depending on the type and scope of the business, offer an exclusive story to the media with a lot of news “hooks”. Point out interesting details and pitch the local business journal, daily newspaper, or a TV station announcing your company's launch before it happens. You can put together an interesting summary with an eye catching headline. Journalists like to break stories and are always watching for new businesses they can write or talk about. Businesses can always issue and distribute a standard press release later after a major news outlet or two have broken the story.
#2. Develop a short, quirky video for social media.
Video, of course, is highly used in today's highly digitized world. A video can humanize the owners and team, and get people talking about it. Many people would also rather watch something than read about it. A video can help cover all the bases. It can depict some emotion and show aspects of the business print cannot deliver. A company can also link to their video for added PR value when the business does send out its press release.
#3. Host a special event.
A special event can create excitement for the leadership, team and recruiting. The right type of event can also have a lot of media value. Creating a special event is where creativity kicks in. You can do something a little off-the-wall such as creating the world's biggest cheeseburger or selling 50 dresses in 50 hours to build revenue for a nonprofit or repairing a house for a needy homeowner if you are a painting company or construction firm. You can do something related to computers if you are a tech firm. Many ways exist to execute an event and accomplish your goals. Remember a business will need something visual if you wish to attract local TV stations.
#4. Tie-in a charity.
Community outreach can be a key part of a communications program. A new company can develop something at the outset that benefits a local charity and gains the attention of the media. Editors and producers like companies that do something creative and give back to the community. You can do some special things with nonprofits that involve bringing your pets to work or small children. The media loves dogs and kids.
#5. Publicize your press coverage on social media and your website
Your newsroom should be kept up-to-date and make sure you link to your stories on all your social channels. Print, video and digital all play off each other with SEO benefits as well. Keep in mind the more coverage you get, and the more media relationships you establish, the more credibility you will have for future stories.
……………………………..
By Stephen Turner
Stephen Turner is a Principal and owner with Solomon/Turner PR, a public relations and integrated marketing firm in St. Louis, MO. Solomon Turner PR is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020. The firm has been named One of the Top PR Firms in St. Louis for 12 years in a row by Small Business Monthly. Steve was named a Rockstar Publicist by Authority Magazine and Thrive Global. He has over 30 years of experience in PR and marketing communications. His firm, Solomon/Turner specializes in publicity campaigns, social media, and branding. Mr. Turner has written dozens of blogs and articles on PR and marketing. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Visit https://solomonturner.com
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Blog-Header-1200x600-px.jpeg6001200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2020-09-17 13:57:522021-02-20 16:39:245 Publicity Hacks For Startups To Grow Your Business Now
It may seem like starting young is the best way to build a successful business, today more than ever. After all, when you're young you have nothing to lose and a lot of energy to spend, and since your whole life is ahead of you, you can afford to make mistakes and learn from them. But starting older isn't bad either. In fact, it turns out that for many people, starting at 50+ years is even better than starting young. Yep, you read that correctly.
A Few Illustrious Examples
Some of the world's best-known and most profitable businesses were started by entrepreneurs past 50. Raymond Kroc was 52 and driving around the US selling milkshake machines when he started McDonald's. Pharmacist and physician John Pemberton was 55 when, in an effort to create an alternative to morphine, removed the “French Wine” from his French Wine Coca recipe and founded the famous Cola company. Colonel Harland David Sanders was 65 when he opened a small service station and started working with franchises, establishing what would later become one of the world's best-known brands: KFC.
You could say “that was then, but things have changed.” To some extent things have changed, in that it's now easier than ever for anyone to become an entrepreneur and start a business, which is why so many entrepreneurs are starting young. But here are some present-day facts that can inspire anyone past 50 to start a business.
Entrepreneurs over 55 are almost twice as likely to build successful businesses than entrepreneurs aged 20 to 34. This is true even for the highly competitive tech industry, where young entrepreneurs are thought to have a head start because they grew up with the Internet and 21st century technology.
The highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the United States in the last 10 years was dominated by entrepreneurs aged 55 to 64. There are many reasons for this, including a new approach to retirement that technology and modern life makes possible, strong professional connections, and the ease with each almost anyone can start a business.
Startups that survive are more likely to be led by owners over 45 years of age, according to a 2004 to 2008 study based on 5,000 startups carried out by the Kauffman Ewing Institute. No less than 64% of the surviving startups were headed by older entrepreneurs.
People over 50 years of age have a greater potential to create innovative companies, products, and solutions. This may sound a bit surprising, but innovators do get better with age. Whether you want to create a startup in an industry you've worked in before or start afresh pursuing a passion in a new industry, the experience that comes with being 50+ can be a big advantage.
People over 55 years are more likely to launch a high-growth startup than those under 35. What's more, this doesn't seem to be localized to specific industries, but can be noticed across the board. Older entrepreneurs have the experience, skills, and insight necessary for them to guide their venture to success. They can better manage fears and expectations and have the balance and determinate to persist in spite of obstacles.
When 50 Is Just Right
Put together all these interesting findings and the message is simple: age is not only not an obstacle to becoming an entrepreneur, but being 50 or older increases your chances of meeting with success. While this insight won't make the creation of your startup any less easy, nor will it eliminate challenges, it can be a wonderful incentive for you to finally create the business you always wanted to have.
Pamela Wigglesworth, CSP in an international entrepreneurship coach, speaker and CEO of Experiential Hands-on Learning. Residing in Asia for over 20 years, she is The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur and supports encore entrepreneurs in their business development and growth.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/thesitecrew-1200x628-layout729-1fjqpqm.png6281200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2020-08-19 14:10:272020-08-19 14:11:39Why Entrepreneurs Starting at 50+ Have a High Success Rate
Today, when younger entrepreneurs get so much media attention, it may seem that they have a head start, but in fact, there are twice as many successful entrepreneurs over 50 as under 25 (yeah baby). Apart from life experience, a 50 or 60-something entrepreneur has a couple of other advantages over a young entrepreneur, even if he or she is only starting their first venture. Listed below are just a few reasons why 50+ is a great age for anyone to make his or her dream of being an entrepreneur come true.
Richer Network Connections
By the time you reach 50 or 60, you've probably built at least a few strong professional connections, some of them perhaps even reinforced by strong friendships and other ties. This is especially true if you've been working in the corporate world. Knowing other people in an industry you are interested in, whether they are on the management ladder or not, can be a treasure trove of insight, advice, business opportunities, and perhaps even partners and staffing resources.
Stability and Endurance
Being an entrepreneur is rewarding, but it can also be demanding, especially with your time and money. By the time they turn 50, many aspiring entrepreneurs have a family, own a house, and are more secure financially than they were in their 20s or 30s. Many are even likely to be grandparents. Having a strong and stable personal and financial foundation gives entrepreneurs in their 50s and 60s the stability and endurance needed to steer a business on the path to success.
Clarity and Focus
Entrepreneurs over the age of 50 are more likely to invest their time in projects that have a social, cultural, or environmental impact that matters for future generations. By the time you're 50, time has likely helped you filter your passions and embrace those which are not only the most important for you, but which have the power to do good. From this understanding springs the clarity and focus of applying all your energy and resources on building something that matters, not just for you, but for others, too.
Patience
Patience is a virtue in the world of business. There are plenty of young entrepreneurs who have it, but it's one of those virtues that the years tend to polish and refine. An entrepreneur in his 50 or 60 has seen enough in his or her life to know that rushing things, making impulsive decisions, or acting on the spur of the moment is often bad for business.
With 50 or 60 of years of life experience behind you, you will be less likely to force the growth of your company, quit when the going gets tough, or go to market too early. You have the patience of experience.
Empathy
As we grow older, we tend to become increasingly aware of the problems and challenges those around us are facing. The same is true for entrepreneurs. After 50 or 60, entrepreneurs tend to have deeper reservoirs of empathy for those around them. This can translate into a more considerate approach to management that creates a pleasant workplace environment which naturally attracts people.
Better Fear Management Skills
Fear of failure, fear of stagnation, or fear of competitors getting ahead are only three of the fears entrepreneurs have to manage. All too often, these are background fears that can surge at any moment during challenging times. The 50 or 60-something entrepreneur knows fear and, like most people, has likely battled with his or her own fears during his life. He or she has developed a natural fear management and response mechanism that minimizes fear as a factor for their decisions.
As C.S. Lewis said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Being 50 or 60 years old is not only a great age for being a successful entrepreneur today, but it's actually good for business.
Pamela Wigglesworth, CSP in an international entrepreneurship coach, speaker and CEO of Experiential Hands-on Learning. Residing in Asia for over 20 years, she is The 50-60 Something ™ Start-up Entrepreneur and supports encore entrepreneurs in their business development and growth.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Advantages-of-the-50-60-Something-Entrepreneur.jpg6281200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2020-08-09 11:33:202020-08-09 15:43:30The Advantages of the 50-60 Something Entrepreneur
We were proud to have had the opportunity to work with the Fairfield County, South Carolina library system to create their new logo/brandmark and website. They came to us with a unique idea that we were excited to bring to life!
The first rule of design is that all design must have a purpose. The second rule is to listen to your client. During our initial discussion with the client, the most important concepts in this case were history and legacy. The main branch of the Fairfield County library is located in a building which exemplified both history and legacy. Developing a concept which encompassed the history of the building and the colonial legacy of the region – along with an element of modern design – was key to creating a memorable brandmark for such an important landmark.
We utilized the building cupola as the key element to tie the brandmark to the rich history and legacy of the library while maintaining a bond with the colonial heritage of the region. A modern upward moving swoosh carries the eye to the name and finishes the concept with a forward look and feel. The deep red color coupled with the black and white cupola reinforces the historic to modern feeling necessary to appeal to a wide age demographic.
Special thank you to the good folks at the Fairfield County Library System for choosing us to work with them on this challenging and enjoyable project!
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Fairfield-County-Library.png7681280jong833@gmail.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngjong833@gmail.com2018-08-16 15:41:122018-08-16 19:24:03Evolution of a Brandmark: Fairfield County Library
One of the most common mistakes new businesses make is cutting corners on their identity. Often times, when we are engaged by a client for marketing services (i.e. collateral materials, website development, etc.) and when we review their assets, we find issues with their logo (also known as a brandmark.) Your brandmark is important because it is the face and identity of your business. It should be created by a professional graphic designer who understands proper file formats, licensing, and is willing to provide you with rights to the final artwork.
Engaging a qualified graphic designer from the beginning can avoid some very costly issues down the road. Let’s take a closer look.
Relevant Imagery
A professional graphic designer is trained in strategies to ensure the proper imagery, colors, and text are used to reach your target market(s). Reaching your target market(s) is the first step in getting your business off the ground. Designers are artists, but artists are NOT designers. A professional graphic designer will create artwork that influences how people see, feel and react to your message. Every element of design must have a purpose, otherwise it is just decoration and may confuse or distract from your message. Most of the time, less is more in graphic design.
Proper Formats
Hiring a professional graphic designer ensures you will receive your logo/brandmark files in the proper formats. Brandmarks must be designed to work at all sizes, from a business card to a billboard. Creating the brandmark in the wrong format will severely limit its scalability and usability across multiple mediums.
Original Artwork
You must make sure the artwork provided to you is original. If the artwork is pirated, stock art, or unlicensed clip art, the first indication of a problem will likely be a legal notice or lawsuit. This can result in your reputation being compromised and the artwork needing to be changed, recreated or licensed. We have had clients come to us with brandmarks they have purchased from an online vendor that “guaranteed the artwork was original and properly licensed” only to later find out it was not. This costly mistake can lead to hefty fines and, in worst cases, closing of the business.
Do you need a professional logo or are you unsure if your current logo meets all of the above criteria?
The Site Crew is a full-service online marketing firm with professional graphic designers on staff to create artwork that targets your audience with your message to drive consumers to consider your product or service. Contact us today for a free marketing asset evaluation.
Stay tuned for “What is brand identity and why should I care? “
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Why-Should-I-Hire-a-Professional-Graphic-Designer.jpg6301200jong833@gmail.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngjong833@gmail.com2018-08-08 17:25:502018-08-16 15:43:27Why Should I Hire a Professional Graphic Designer?
WordPress has been around since 2003 and is the most popular blogging software on the market. Over the last few years, WordPress has also become the content management software of choice for non-blogging websites. Here are the top 10 reasons why WordPress is so popular and why you might want to consider switching to a WordPress platform for your company's website.
1. Ease of Use
WordPress is very easy to use and has an intuitive interface. Adding new pages, blog posts, images, etc. on a regular basis is a breeze and can be done quickly. Because the technology is so simple, time spent on formatting is greatly reduced.
2. Manage Your Website from Any Computer
WordPress is browser-based. You can login from any Internet connected computer and manage your site.
3. No HTML Editing or FTP Software Required
WordPress is a self-contained system and does not require HTML editing software (such as Adobe Contribute or Dreamweaver). You can create a new page or blog post, format text, upload images (and edit them), upload documents, video files, image galleries, etc. all without the need for additional HTML or FTP software.
4. Search Engines Love WordPress Sites
The code behind WordPress is very clean and simple, making it easy for search engines to read and index a site's content. In addition, each page, post, and image can have its own meta tag keywords, description, and title, and be optimized for specific keywords, allowing for very precise search engine optimization. You can also use tags to further enhance your search engine optimization efforts.
5. You Have Control of Your Site
No more waiting for your web designer to make simple updates to your site. With WordPress, you have control of nearly every aspect of your site and can easily make those simple updates yourself.
6. The Design of Your Website is 100% Customizable
WordPress acts as the engine for your website. The look and feel of the site can be 100% customized so your brand can shine through on your site and provide a unique experience to your visitors.
7. A Blog is Built-in and Ready to Go
Since WordPress was originally created as a blogging platform, blogging capabilities are built-in and are easy to integrate, if desired. Setting up RSS / email subscriptions to your blog, commenting capabilities, and automatically adding the most recent blog posts to other pages of the site (your home page, for example) are also very simple to set-up, and help to extend your company's reach and make your site more dynamic and interactive.
8. Extend the Functionality of Your Site with Plugins
Want to add an event calendar, video gallery, Twitter Feed, Facebook Fan Box, and more to your site? WP makes this possible with plugins, most of which are free or very reasonably priced.
9. Your Site Can Grow as Your Business Grows
WordPress sites are very scalable. You can have hundreds of thousands of pages or blog posts on your site and the performance of the site will not be compromised in the least.
10. Have Multiple Users
As an administrator of a WP site, you can set-up multiple users for the website and assign access levels and capabilities to each user.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/IMG_3871-1028-Medium.jpg7681152admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2016-11-21 20:54:352017-03-08 09:29:3510 Benefits of Using WordPress to Power Your Company’s Website
Leading Provider of Environmental Control Units Chosen From Over 500 Nominees
Accessibility Services, Inc. (ASI) announced today that it is among 50 statewide companies selected from more than 500 nominees for Florida Companies to Watch℠, a statewide program managed by economic development group GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation. ASI joins an esteemed group of honorees who will be recognized with this prestigious award on Thursday, November 5th at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida.
“We are thrilled to be part of the Florida Companies to Watch class of 2015,” says Maggie Thompson, President of ASI. “I applaud GrowFL and the Edward Lowe Foundation for taking time to recognize the hard work and sacrifices businesses such as ASI make everyday to contribute to the economic prosperity of our state. We are excited for all the winners!”
Thompson took the helm of ASI in 2009 when her husband and ASI founder, Fred Thompson, retired. Thompson made the decision to lead her company down an ambitious path toward becoming the leading provider of environmental control units (ECU’s) in the country. Her substantial investment in research and development paid off as the $800,000 company grew to become the $7,000,000 enterprise it is today.
“We were able to accomplish these goals because of the hard work of our outstanding team,” explains Thompson. “This award would not have been possible without our dedicated and committed employees.”
According to GrowFL, ASI’s management team, competitive market position and strong community involvement were among several factors that put them in contention for the award.
The 50 companies named the 2015 Florida Companies to Watch generated a total of more than $1.2 billion in revenue and added nearly 1,000 employees between 2011 and 2014.
Together, the companies project a 23 percent increase in revenue and 19 percent increase in job growth in 2015.
“These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs, and have demonstrated their capacity and intent to grow,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute and associate vice president for the University of Central Florida’s Office of Research and Commercialization. “They also all have critical intellectual property or a niche position that gives them a competitive edge in their markets.”
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/device-composition-2-variant-12.png6501280admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2015-09-10 07:46:242017-05-06 22:18:30Accessibility Services, Inc. Among 2015 Florida Companies to Watch℠ Honorees
The best way to get people and search engines (which means more people) to your website is by getting relevant inbound links. If you have some great new gimmick on your website this may be easy as everyone will be linking to you.
However, with a basic, solid web page the process may be much more difficult and slower. How do you get people to link to you?
Blogs
Blogs can be great way to get visitors and develop a long term return. Blog posts tend to stick around for a long time. The trick here is to get people to blog about your website without forking over a bundle of your hard earned cash.
A great idea is to become a guest blogger. This would be where you write blog posts for other people’s blogs and include your link!
This puts you in the drivers seat for a couple of reasons. First you have control over exactly what is said. Secondly, if you do a good job you may have the opportunity to make regular blog posts. That will build an audience on the blogs for your writing and turn into more and higher quality traffic for your website.
The key to being a great guest blogger is to write short (3 to 6 or so paragraph) posts that are interesting, informative, humorous and relevant to the topic of the blog (and your website). Of course they should have a link to your website. Don’t over do the linking. Don’t make it sound like an advertisement or something you just cut and pasted from your website.
A few minutes to compose a couple of well thought out paragraphs could do wonders for your web traffic. Keep looking for guest blogging opportunities and never use the same post for more than one blog. One post could bring a lifetime of traffic.
This may well be your most effective way to developing quality web traffic and enhancing your the SEO for your website(s).
Contact us if you need help finding guest bloggers for your blog or if you want to write blog posts and become a guest blogger for others.
https://thesitecrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/How-To-Get-The-Most-SEO-And-Web-Traffic-Benefits-From-Blogging-.jpg12001200admin/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/logo-large-e1443277888385.pngadmin2012-09-03 09:08:012019-03-27 18:30:14How To Get The Most Seo And Web Traffic Benefits From Blogging
If you have some great new gimmick on your website this may be easy as everyone will be linking to you.
