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5 important aspects of a marketing action plan for small businesses

5 important aspects of a marketing action plan for small businesses
Every business must have a good marketing plan to be successful. Marketing helps a brand communicate its objectives and benefits to its customers and become widely recognized. It also attracts new customers and helps small businesses grow over the years. However, creating a marketing strategy is not as easy as it seems. It requires thorough research, time, and resources. Here are five essential components of a marketing action plan for small businesses. Studying the market When devising a marketing strategy, a small business must study the territory in which it is operating. This involves identifying potential threats, studying competitors, and assessing the firm’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. A thorough knowledge of the market helps businesses properly navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities. Recognizing the target audience This is one of the most important aspects of good marketing. Small businesses must understand their target audience’s behavioral, psychographic, geographic, and demographic traits. Doing so helps them tailor their marketing strategies so that they resonate with their audience. Setting a positioning strategy for products Small businesses must understand what makes their product unique and then highlight those distinctive features in their marketing plan. Customers are more likely to purchase when they know why a product stands out in its segment.

5 benefits of text messaging as a small business tool

5 benefits of text messaging as a small business tool
Starting a business can be an overwhelming venture for aspiring entrepreneurs. Aspects of the small business, like demand, supply, and customer service, must be constantly improved so it can thrive. However, in the buzz of social media and its avenues, text messaging is often forgotten as a means to communicate. Surveys indicate that SMS marketing has a higher click-through rate and read time. Here is how text messaging can help a small business grow. Real-time communication A business can communicate with its client base in real time through text messaging, which helps improve response times and decision-making. SMS replies are about 60 times faster than emails. For instance, it may take 90 seconds to respond to a text, while an email may take up to 90 minutes. Improved customer service With the help of text messaging services, a business can easily follow up with customers regarding factors like appointments, complaints, promotions, and their quality of service. Through quick responses, a business can identify problems quickly and deal with them immediately. Ultimately, it helps boost the business’ loyalty and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Lead capture with web-to-text A web-to-text widget can help a business maximize conversation traffic in various situations. For example, the tool will let visitors immediately text the business about their queries or purchases instead of waiting for a reply to their email or spending time on hold on call.

6 critical mistakes to avoid as a new entrepreneur

6 critical mistakes to avoid as a new entrepreneur
Starting a business is not only a significant milestone in one’s life but also a huge responsibility for the years to come. From planning and managing finances to making major organizational decisions and hiring the right team, entrepreneurship entails several activities demanding one’s undivided attention. The outcome of a meticulously planned and established business is often highly rewarding. So, here are five critical mistakes new entrepreneurs should avoid to increase their chances of success. Not setting concrete business goals The first step to establishing a successful business is to set concrete business objectives. One should begin by asking the significant question, “What do I wish to achieve with this business?” This can provide one with the purpose of starting the business. New entrepreneurs should then translate this answer into concrete, achievable objectives that can become the driving forces of their business. Not seeking guidance from established entrepreneurs No man is an island, and it only helps to seek much-needed guidance from businesspersons who have already begun their entrepreneurial journeys. Established entrepreneurs can provide sound advice on various aspects, from goal setting and team building to obtaining the required capital and resources and initial public offerings (IPOs). Having a poor understanding of cash flow Cash flow refers to the amount of money that flows in and out of a business.

5 reasons to get commercial vehicle insurance

5 reasons to get commercial vehicle insurance
Insurance helps cover unexpected costs and liabilities that may incur in the future. Investing in a decent insurance policy also protects your assets, be it rental or owned. If you are a business owner and own or rent vehicles that transport goods and consumables, you must invest in commercial vehicle insurance for the following reasons. There are several monetary benefits, some that also save tax in the long run. Some of them are mentioned below: Get additional cover Your regular auto insurance may not cover all costs that arise out of accidents or personal injury involving commercial vehicles. Also, most personal auto insurance policies are not valid for liabilities accrued out of vehicles used for business purposes. This is where commercial truck insurance will provide customized, comprehensive insurance suited to your business needs. Follow regulations The law in many states requires business owners to get a commercial vehicle insurance policy. The insurance is mandatory if your business transports goods and hauls heavy-duty equipment. Even if your company provides service from a vehicle, your auto insurance policy will not cover the liabilities. Any business, partnership, or corporation that owns vehicles for commercial use must buy this additional cover. Customized coverage One of the main advantages of buying commercial insurance is that you get custom cover for specific damage, repairs, or the replacement of certain parts.

6 top business credit card companies

6 top business credit card companies
The right business credit card can help you save thousands of dollars. Business accounts can earn more rewards like discounts, hotel stays, and cashback offers. You may also use these cards to meet short-term financial requirements. In case you haven’t applied for one yet, you must check out 6 of the top business credit cards that you can apply for to make your life easier. American Express Blue Business® Plus Card This is an ideal business credit card offered by one of the leading credit card companies and does not levy any annual fees. You receive twice the Membership Reward ® points upto $50,000 with no category restrictions, which reduces to 1% thereafter. The cashback earned automatically gets credited in your statement. The regular APR on this card is 13.24% to 19.24% variable. CitiBusiness® AAdvantage® Platinum Select ® MasterCard® This is an excellent option if you undertake frequent business travel with American Airlines. You earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. Additionally, the card offers 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on telecommunications, fuel, car rental, and cable and satellite services. All other purchases earn you one mile for every dollar spent. The annual fee is $99 (waived in the first year) and regular APR varies between 15.99% and 24.99%.

Business class flights and its features

Business class flights and its features
All of us have daydreamed about traveling business class when we make a steady shuffle from business class to economy. Yes, it lures us with its spacious cabins, and luxe and cushy comforts. So, is it worth flying in a first-class or business class flight? Let’s discuss some of the best business class flight features that will prove that it is worth every penny. Priority check-in For travelers traveling business class, the check-in process is a lot more convenient and easier. You don’t need to stand in the long queue to finish your check-in procedure. Go ahead and sit down at the waiting room seat while the staff handles the check-in for you. Extra baggage allowed Now, this completely depends on the policy of the airline. However, irrespective of the airline you are traveling with, the permissible baggage allowance for a business class is certainly more than economy class travelers. So, if you are a shopaholic, it could be a huge plus. Access to the special lounge Ahead of the boarding time, business class travelers can wait in the exclusive lounge dedicated to them. Again, it might vary from airline to airline and airport to airport, but in most lounges across the globe, you’ll get scrumptious snacks and food.

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Website building with Square Online

Square Online provides e-commerce tools and services to help businesses set up an online store. Business owners can easily build a new website with the Square and begin selling their products. If your growing newly venture needs an e-commerce scale-up, you can create a fully functional digital store in minutes. Let’s look at what you can avail with a Square Online website. Features you’ll get with a Square website When you create a webpage with the Square website builder, you’ll be able to choose marketing features, interface customisation, and social media integration. The integrative features like syncing with Square POS lets you create an e-store that is set for growth, aling with the option of setting up contactless pay options for seamless transactions. Moreover, Square Online has a to-the-point dashboard that has great analytics so that you can easily map a customer’s journey on the site. The best part is that you don’t need any coding experience to set up a website with Square Online; it’s easy, quick, and efficient. Square website building costs If you want to simply try the platform to see if it works for your business, start by building a website for free with Square Online. There’s one condition though: you have to pay when you make a sale. Square will take 2.9% + 30¢ for every purchase made. There are other options too. like Professional, Performance, and Premium. We particularly like the Performance set up because it is economical at around $26 per month. And you get to publish customer reviews on the site and send emails to potential buyers who have abandoned their carts. The Premium option is the most expensive set-up costing around $72 per month, but you get additional cost-cutting features. Good alternatives to Square Online While Square Online has amazing features, it is not the only option for setting up an online store.

Popular DIRECTV packages to avail of

DIRECTV deals on TV packages are quite popular among customers looking for affordable and reliable television services. This service provider is known to offer great value for money with their innumerable plans. Moreover, several DIRECTV promotions are offered with these sometimes. No matter the budget, there is something for everyone. Here are a few popular TV packages from DIRECTV. Entertainment Package Reasonably priced at around $64.99 per month, the Entertainment package included a total of 160 channels. These include channels for sports enthusiasts and customer favorites such as Fox Sports, ESPN, and ESPN2. In addition, this package also offers channel premium preview for three months. This feature is often a part of DIRECTV promotions. Moreover, customers can access more than 40,000 titles on demand. Choice™ Package At just around $69.99 per month, customers get a blockbuster DIRECTV promotion deal with the Choice™ package, which includes more than 185 channels. What’s more is that there is a premium channel preview thrown in as well. In addition, there are more than 45,000 titles available on demand. Along with this, customers get 2021 season’s NFL Sunday ticket. Plus, a one-year subscription of HBO Max™ is often an added plus as a DIRECTV promotional offer! Ultimate Package Customers get access to a whopping 250 channels and more with this DIRECTV promotion deal on TV package. Called the Ultimate package, it is priced are around $84.99 per month. There is an additional Regional sports fee as well. This package has more than 55,000 tiles on demand along with access to tons of films with Starz Encore and the Movie channel. In addition, there is three-month premium channel preview as well. Also, the Ultimate Package offers 2021 season’s NFL Sunday ticket as well as one-year subscription of HBO Max™, which is a DIRECTV promotional offer. Premier™ Package For those who want premier and open access to all DIRECTV deals on TV packages, the Premier™ package is the right choice.

Essential CMS and CRM software to grow businesses

Business owners indefinitely look for ways to outrun the competition with the content on their websites. A CMS (content management system) software helps create, manage, and update these websites regularly. It also acts as a foundation for an online presence. For those in search of a viable cloud-based CMS software, here are three efficient options. WordPress Based on PHP and MySQL, WordPress allows a business to create a feature-packed blog or website. The website can consist of videos, images, written content, or other things suitable for a business. It offers users full access to their theme store, unlimited storage space, and a custom domain at cost-effective prices. Magnolia The cloud-based CMS software works best for businesses that require websites to execute any task. Magnolia allows the integration of e-commerce, analytic, social media, marketing automation, ERP, and even CRM. One can always add in these features as the business evolves. Weebly Weebly is a CMS that is easy to use and allows respective businesses to set up a simple website within minutes. It also sports a drag-and-drop format that enables its users to add or remove media and features to their website with ease. What’s noteworthy is that CMS is not the same as CRM (customer relation management). However, the two can complement each other. CRM software allows businesses to improve sales and monitor customer relationships, among other features. Here are three cost-effective CRM software to pick from. Zoho CRM Zoho enables users to get a 360-degree view of their business. It also allows them to track essential sales and marketing opportunities while increasing their conversion rate. The platform is host to over 150,000 customers globally. Further, the software has stellar features, including an AI-powered sales assistant, price and quote generation, and process management. Nimble Nimble, simple by its digital nature, can function within the G-Suite inbox or Office 365.

Benefits of wet and dry cat foods

If you’re a cat parent, you’d already be aware of their eating habits. Cats prefer a variety of meals in small proportions. No wonder we find them grazing over their bowls time and again. Although, if you’re new to the concept of wet and dry foods for cats, dive right in, for we’ve got something for you. There are benefits of serving both wet and dry foods to felines. Mainly because, unlike dogs, they’re difficult to please, and one can’t trick them into things they don’t like. If your cat is a fussy eater, they may enjoy wet food better. Find out the benefits of the best dry and wet cat foods. Benefits of dry cat food While dry cat food is convenient to store and serve, cats may throw tantrums if served the same food every day. However, dry cat foods help maintain their dental health by preventing the buildup of tartar. Dry foods are also the best way to get the cat to chew its food, exercising its jaws. These foods are ideal when cats are suffering from diarrhea as it helps add bulk to their stool. Some best dry cat foods that are readily available in every kitchen include: Cooked sweet potatoes Beef Pork Lamp Dark meat chicken Cooked carrots Banana Green beans/ asparagus/ broccoli (steamed) Melon Spinach Pumpkin Peas Benefits of wet cat food Wet cat food has a potent aroma and taste, making it ideal for fussy eaters. Cats have a stronger sense of smell than taste, and that’s why they tend to lean more towards foods with a fresh aroma. Additionally, wet food is a great way to keep your feline friend hydrated, especially when they don’t consume adequate fluids in a day. Wet cat food helps induce digestion and prevents constipation. It also helps keep stomach issues at bay.

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6 best upcoming Viking Ocean Cruises in 2021-2022

6 best upcoming Viking Ocean Cruises in 2021-2022

It’s no secret that Viking Ocean Cruises is one of the best cruise lines to enjoy a luxurious cruise vacation with your friends or family. Their fleet of state-of-the-art ocean ships takes you to the most exotic destinations around the world. This article looks at some of the best upcoming Viking Ocean Cruises sailings in 2021-2022, along with Viking cruise deals and airfares. Panama Canal and Central America If you want to explore rich Caribbean diversity, this ocean cruise is the perfect opportunity. It’s a 15-day Florida roundtrip cruise that takes you to seven gorgeous countries, including Panama, Jamaica, Honduras, and Mexico, among others. Pricing: Cruise fare starts from $4,299. With Viking’s Special Cruise Savings deal, you can save up to $300 on airfare. You can also save up to $500 on basic accommodation (Veranda). Departure dates: 26th November and 10th December Los Angeles, California, to London Witness the diverse landscapes of Oahu (Honolulu), Kauai (Nawiliwili), Bora Bora, New Zealand, Tasmania, and Brisbain, among other places. This 119 days cruise could be a vacation of a lifetime for you and your family. It departs from Los Angeles, California, and its last stop is in Tilbury, London, which lasts for two days.
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Oil change coupons for your Ford Motor

Oil change coupons for your Ford Motor

Frequent motor servicing is expensive, but a Ford engine needs regular oil changes to keep it functioning optimally. Luckily, many dealerships offer coupons for a discounted oil change. Depending on your car model, your engine will require either synthetic, semi-synthetic, regular, or premium oil. Once you know the type of oil that needs to be replaced, look for a service center that has it, and check out these coupons for your Ford motor. These will make an oil change a lot more affordable. The Works® Package coupon Almost every Ford dealership is familiar with the popular Works® package coupon. With this deal, you get six quarts of Motorcraft® oil, which is a high-quality synthetic blend. The costs differ depending on if the vehicle needs premium oil; it will cost something around an additional $30 dollars. If you want to avail of this offer, get in touch with a local dealership and ask them if they accept this particular Ford Motors coupon for oil change. The Works® Package also includes brake inspection, battery test, and filter check, along with oil replacement. Santa Margarita Ford Express Service Santa Margarita Ford, based in California, is an automotive venture that specializes in Ford motor servicing.
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