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7 Common E-Commerce Marketing Misconceptions that Marketers Should Ignore to Ensure an Overall Business Success.

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7 Common E-Commerce Marketing Misconceptions that Marketers Should Ignore to Ensure an Overall Business Success.

The sea of informations available on the Internet often creates a sense of fear among marketers that they have invested poorly or executed an ineffective marketing strategy.

The truth is that, most of these e-commerce myths on the internet, hold no values to business growth and success.

The best way to ensure your business uses the most effective e- commerce strategies is first to identify and break the most common e-commerce marketing myths.

Plus, it will also educate you on topics that your customers need answers to.

This article aims to help you with that!

FIRSTLY, WHAT IS E-COMMERCE MARKETING?

Ecommerce marketing is the process of driving sales and profits by raising awareness about an online brand, product and services.

It is divided into two general initiatives:

  1. Driving website traffic
  2. Optimizing the user experience to convert more shoppers.

 

9 DIFFERENT TYPES OF E- COMMERCE MARKETING CHANNELS THAT MARKETERS CAN USE TO BUILD A STRONG CUSTOMER BASE.

1) Pay per Click (PPC)- PPC means buying traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo and so on for further conversions. Running an effective PPC campaign involves strategic bidding on the keywords or phrases that is the best fit for your ads.

2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)- SEO traffic help you generates “organic” (unpaid) results. Factors such as social media engagement, inbound links, credibility into consideration before guaranteeing the top spot.

3) Search Engine Marketing (SEM)- SEM is the promotion through paid ads to increase the visibility of your site on search engines results. Google AdWords is the most popular paid search platform used by marketers.

4) Display advertising- Display advertising refers to banners, sidebars and other predominantly visual advertisements that appear on other websites. Display ads are facilitated by ad networks such as Google Display Network.

5) Affiliate marketing- It is the process by which you pay an affiliate a commission for marketing your company through reviews, comparisons or testimonials to drive traffic to your site.

6) Marketplace- This are the sites that allow you to offer your products/services for sale. The consumer purchases these items from the marketplace such as Amazon, Walmart  not your site.

7) Email marketing- Email marketing is used to target current, potential and past customers with newsletters, abandoned cart email notifications and remarketing.

8) Mobile marketing- The use of smartphones has increased universally hence it is strongly recommended that marketers build their brands capabilities in this arena.

9) Social Media marketing–  Social media is significant to marketing. The primary and secondary sales from these channels are huge which is why marketers should start experimenting all the various social media platforms now.

7 Of The Most Common E-Commerce Marketing Myths Debunked.

#1: Social media creates brand recognition but does not bring in customers.

Facebook Advertising

While many people believe that social media is just a platform to get your business name out into the world, but it also holds a great power to your business profits.

Social media marketing give business enhanced profitability and provides an opportunity for business to increase customer base, generate sales, and enhance the overall success of your brand.

Facebook advertising for example is the prove that, there is money can be made through your social media engagements.

#2: Profit and revenue are the only metrics you should watch when you analyze your online success.

Remember, steady growth of profit and revenue aren’t the only measures of a business success!

When it comes to effective e-commerce marketing, you need to look at the bigger picture.

An effective online presence brings in potential growth measurements from many different areas of your analytics such as conversion rates, website traffic, asset values, and social media engagement.

So, track, measure, and analyze these areas of your strategies to evaluate your overall business worth and visualize your business growth potential.

#3: Your website should be the only focus of all your online marketing strategies.

It is difficult to look beyond your website when it comes to marketing online because quality web and graphic designs brings more views

But today success is measured by creating an overall brand experience that is delivered to customers across multiple online platforms.

There are so many different ways you can market your products and services. If you primarily stick to your website to market yourself, it is only limit your growth potential.

To find your greatest success online, you need to use your social media presence, mailing lists, PPC campaigns, content marketing strategies, and other online advertising outlets to get your brand in front of the greatest number of customers.

This will you give your business the chance to reach its full online potential.

#4: Email marketing is ineffective.

Although many people think e-mail marketing is a thing of the past, but statistics shows  it is alive and extremely effectual.

E-mail continues to evolve as the greatest form of communication and connection in the business world. The power of e-mail touches both commercial and personal levels.

You should use email marketing to deliver relevant content to your customers and potential customers as it gives you a direct link to your customers.

When you deliver quality content with captivating graphic design, you can create an email marketing strategy that converts viewers to lifelong customers.

#5: Business success is measured by the amount of followers you have.

Instagram Followers

While, it is true that high traffic is driven by large group of followers but, your success is not solely measured by the number of traffic your website draws.

The most effective way to build revenue from your website traffic is to ensure that you target the right group of people.

The goal of all ecommerce marketing is to deliver an online brand presence that creates a quality user experience which converts viewers into customers.

Hence, it is important to identify the right target audiences and deliver effective contents to that audiences to see the greatest return on your investment and watch your business grow exponentially.

#6: Going viral is the best indicator of business success.

Today,  the universal goal of marketers is to create a campaign that goes viral. But in most cases, ‘viral’ does not bring you as much success as you would think it would.

When a brand go viral, it is important to know why it has gone viral. Most time, it might not be the products or services that was engaging with audience but could be the pictures used in ad, or the audio or the music that was catchy or the funny videos that actually went viral.

In this case, your business is getting overlooked and audiences are being carried away by the actual message of the campaign.

This also the reason why in many cases of businesses that going viral fade very quickly. Hence, ignore the 15 minutes of fame and work on creating long term bond!

#7: High-quality products and services market themselves hence digital marketing investments are not necessary.

Apple Products

It is great when you can create products/services is high in demand. But, just because you have a great product does not mean you do not need an effective marketing strategy or other tools to promote your brand.

Even the most profitable businesses continue to market their products and services. Just think how many advertisements you see for Apple, Ford, or Amazon.

Sometimes the best way to advertise a new product is to build suspense before its release. Again, think about the lines of customers who sleep outside of Apple stores when the next tech product is due for release.

Marketing are part of the business that will always be a necessary investment. It is important to continually communicate what your business plans to do next.

If you want real business success, you need to pour effort into your products and services regardless of how great they are.

Remember, customers are always curious to hear about your latest products!

 

人才流失的真相！！

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01

谈到人才流失的原因，有一种流传甚广的“马云说法”，即一是钱没给到位，二是伤心了。

咋一听，谁都会想当然地认为是这个理。

我不这么想。

这个所谓“马云说法”，要么是马云说这几句话时，脑子给驴踢了下，没走心。要么是有些书呆子段子手想当然瞎编的，然后为了吸引流量借上马云的名号。

这个“马云说法”错在哪儿呢?

错在该“说法”假设老板们在人才面前“眼”瞎了或是“傻子”。

什么是人才?

(1)素质、专业技能比较优秀且是企业圈子里公认的,而非自以为是的“潜能”。

(2)素质、技能与岗位匹配,符合公司的需求。

(3)对企业有重大的突出的贡献。有人分析,说20%的人才,创造了一个部门或一个公司80%左右的绩效。

应该说老板群体的素质智商高于平均人口水平，难道他们会“有眼不识泰山”，看不见人才，或看见人才却不惜得罪人才砸自己饭碗，犯“钱没给到位，还让人伤心了”这种最低级错误吗?

也不排除有极少数老板利令智昏，但大部分老板不会蠢到跟自己过不去。

如果发生了“钱没给够，让人伤心了”的事，那可能是老板有意为之，为的是对付那些自以为是人才而实际达不到公司岗位要求的人，让他们自己辞职走人。

02

“人才流失”的真相是什么？

我有一个管理咨询业务上的客户，他公司有一位省级分总公司总经理，年轻，能干。我这个客户给他的薪酬待遇很高，也尊重他，涉及他分公司的工作指示都先征求他的意见。总之这个分公司总经理对待遇是一百分满意。但最终因另一家公司挖他去做总载，还是辞职走了。

对待符合前面所提到的人才三个特征的员工，老板们的态度大都是奉若至宝，其名利需求都会满足，甚至有过之无不及。如果有委屈的话，那也是老板宁愿让自己受委屈或者让其它人受委屈，也不会让人才受委屈而心伤。

既使这样，有些人才还是会提出离开公司。原因主要是，一是自己想创业；二是其他公司给出了超出这些人才目前能力水平与相应职位的更大舞台。一句话，就是因为更高级自我实现的情怀与理想使然。虽然东家待我不薄，但世界那么大，我想去看看。

从用人策略层面分析，这些人才流失的原因，不是因为公司“钱没给够，让人伤心了”，而是人才自己或外部公司对人才给予了“超前提拔”与“超前使用”。在“超前提拔”面前，使这些人才看到了目前尚未开发的潜能与未来更好的自己而辞职。

 

03

十几年前，我在一家公司帮忙做总裁。

那一年，公司要招聘行政部经理。没想到折腾半年也没找到合适的。这半年前后招聘了两位经理 ,前一位干了三个月 ,上上下下不满意 ,就辞退了。后一位倒是既能干又勤快且嘴甜 ,大伙都觉得不错 ,但这人却另择高枝走了。

我觉得这个经理岗位不能老换人 ,便与老板商量 ,起用行政部的员工张芳芳来坐这个位子。

老板一开始有些狐疑 ,认为她学历不高不合适，现在提拔有些超前了。我便举了几个提拔她的理由 ,一是她在行政部干的时间长 ,事儿都熟，在现有岗位表现出色 ;二是她虽然缺少部门经理的管理经验 ,但她勤快好学 ,责任心与自驱力强 ,我教教她应该能带出来 ;三是她对公司有感情 ,加上公司破格提拔她 ,会珍惜这份工作 ,会激发其感恩心忠诚心奉献心 ,会加倍努力。由于我的坚持 ,老板也勉强同意了。

后来我离开了公司。十几年后我俩偶遇上了，我问她如今干什么。她说还在原来那家公司工作，现在公司发展做大了 ,她也随着职位升迁了 ,已经是其中一家房地产公司的总裁。她有这么大出息，这是我当年没想到的。我当时认为她素质不错 ,经过一段时间经验积累与磨砺 ,胜任行政部经理 ,我是对她有信心的。只是没想到这么一个平常女子 ,她未来能做到一家中等规模公司的总裁 ,其潜力有这么大 ,能走这么远。

所以，要想留住人才，老板不但要满足人才现有职位上的名利与工作需求，还要认识与满足到人才不断自我实现、不断挑战更高事业发展目标的需求，釆取“超前提拔”与“超前使用”的策略，六分人才、七分使用、八分待遇、九分培训。

并且这样做，对公司和员工都带来了机会。

 

 

职场必读！如何以最快速度让老板加你薪？

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中国有句俗话：老实人吃亏多，会哭的孩子有奶吃。这话听上去像句牢骚，不过最近居然被证实了。美国康奈尔大学劳资关系学院的一项调查中，分析了职场人员的“随和度”特征后发现：性格随和的员工的薪酬比“带刺儿的”员工低18%。明明做了很多工作，为什么还是薪酬很低呢？性格随和的员工想要提高薪酬需要谨记四个职场守则。

1 你的薪水取决于你解决问题的层次，而不是做了多少工作。

在职场中很多人都会收到来自各个方面的额外工作请求。这个请求通常与你的工作内容无关，还会花费你大量的时间。人们总是说：这个你擅长，帮个忙吧！

这个跟你现在做的事情一样，你帮我一块做了吧！

你不是经常做这个吗？这个你也一块做了吧！

……

于是你想：是啊，人家那么相信我，我肯定要帮忙的！

为什么你不会适当地拒绝他们的要求呢？

帮助同事的前提，是提高他们的求助成本，迫使每一个人首先寻找自己的“能力边界”，而不是降低自己的工作效率。

2 用你最擅长的能力去工作，在领导心中树立你的“能力边界”。

设计师们通常都会遇到这样的客户：“这次广告设计的要求是，时尚大气上档次，低调奢华有内涵。”面对面有难色的你，他们会拍拍你的肩：“年轻人，挑战一下嘛。”做了一版后，客户说，“这里应该再大气一点，低调的奢华懂不懂，不要太低调了。”

于是你再改。

“这里应该在添加一种元素，要有一个对比，然后还要突出我们的奢华感觉。”

再改。

“感觉你上次做的比这个好呀，你这个感觉完全跟我说的不是一个方向嘛！应该这样……”

设计内心os：第一版就跟你说的要求一样啊！

在设计圈有一句广为流传的话：“如果客户完全知道自己想要什么？那你的价值何在呢？”

所以有一个叫“客户期待管理”的说法，在接触客户之初，就必须帮客户把工作目标建立在一个合理的基础上。

面对客户的“无理要求”，把这些问题和客户一起讨论清楚，相信客户会对工作目标有更清晰的认识。

3 赠人玫瑰，未必手有余香，可能是刺疙瘩。

一位美国作家讲了这样一段经历：每天早晨，他在上班的路上都会经过一个卖白吉饼的老妇人，出于同情，他每次都会丢下25美分的硬币，但从来不要白吉饼。一直坚持了15年，终于有一天，老妇人拦住他，并问了他一句话。可惜这句话并不是他想像中的“为什么只丢钱不拿东西”，而是“你难道不知道，白吉饼的价格已经涨到50美分一个了吗？”

当你长期不懈地关心、帮助一个人超过一定程度后，他的想法就会从“他是个不错的人”变成“他有多久没帮助我了？”

最后你的帮助只会成为他索取的借口。

4 学会说NO，拒绝道德绑架。

之前，郎平与国家队的执教合同要到期了，突然杀出了个意大利女排，抛出了500万美元年薪再加3个月陪伴家人的假期。国家队是怎么表态的呢？“郎平续约女排国家队是众望所归，我们会以最大的诚意挽留郎平，我有信心能够签下郎平。”

人家500万美金，你200万软妹币，请问你的信心是从哪里来的呢？无非就是那两个人人都会说的字嘛，这就多多少少有点道德绑架的味道了。

5 那么如何体面地“say no”呢？ 

一、领导交给你一项不属于你工作范围的工作，是否需要拒绝，你可以考虑以下问题：

1、这是与我核心能力相关的工作吗？是，接受；否，进入下一条：

2、它能帮助我拓展我核心能力的边界，或是我感兴趣的吗？是，接受；否，下一条：

3、如果我没有达到要求，领导可以理解我吗？是，接受；否，下一条：

4、我可以直接而清晰地表达我的能力不足以处理此项工作，或我的特点不符合这项工作的要求吗？是，拒绝；否，下一条：

5、如果我直接拒绝，我可以承受相应的代价，或者我早有离职的意思？是：拒绝；否：接受。

二、同事请你帮忙完成一项工作，是否需要拒绝，你可以考虑以下问题：

1、这是与我核心能力相关的工作吗？是，接受；否，进入下一条：

2、它能帮助我拓展我核心能力的边界，或是我感兴趣的吗？是，接受；否，下一条：

3、我有时间，或者愿意牺牲其他时间吗？是，下一条；否，拒绝：

4、如果我不帮助他，他就无法完成工作吗？或者，我在帮助他的过程，他也能得到提高？是，下一条，否，拒绝：

5、这是他第一次求助我，或者我希望和他多多接触吗？是，接受，否，拒绝。

 

 

一封来自华为创始人的信

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“您想做专家吗？一律从员工做起。”“您有时会感到公司没有真正的公平与公正。真正绝对的公平是没有的。”“草率的提议，对您是不负责任，也浪费了别人的时间。”
致新员工书

任正非 1994年12月

您有幸进入了华为公司，我们也有幸获得了与您的合作，我们将在共同信任的基础上，度过您在公司工作的岁月。这种理解和信任是愉快奋斗的桥梁与纽带。

华为公司是一个以高技术为起点，着眼于大市场、大系统、大结构的高科技企业。以它的历史使命，它需要所有的员工必需坚持合作，走集体奋斗的道路。没有这一种平台，你的聪明才智是很难发挥并有所成就的。

因此，没有责任心，不善于合作，不能集体奋斗的人，等于丧失了在华为进步的机会。那样您会空耗了宝贵的光阴，还不如试用期中，重新决定您的选择。

进入华为并不意味着高待遇，因为公司是以贡献定报酬的，凭责任定待遇。

对新来员工，因为没有记录，晋升较慢，为此十分歉意。如果您是一个开放系统，善于吸取别人的经验，善于与人合作，借助别人提供的基础，可能进步就会很快。如果封闭自己，怕工分不好算，就需要较长时间，也许到那时，你的工作成果已没有什么意义了。

实践是您水平提高的基础，它充分的检验了您的不足，只有暴露出来，您才会有进步。实践再实践，尤其对青年学生十分重要。唯有实践后善于用理论去归纳总结，才会有飞跃的提高。

有一句名言，没有记录的公司，迟早要跨掉的，多么尖锐。一个不善于总结的公司会有什么前途，个人也不是如此吗？

实践改造了人，也造就了一代华为人。

您想做专家吗？一律从员工做起，已经在公司深入人心。进入公司一周以后，博士、硕士、学士，以及在内地取得的地位均消失，一切凭实际才干定位，已为公司绝大多数人接受。希望您接受命运的挑战，不屈不挠地前进，不惜碰得头破血流。不经磨难，何以成才。

公司要求每一个员工，要热爱自己的祖国，热爱我们这个多灾多难、刚刚开始振兴的民族。只有背负着他们的希望，才可有进行艰苦的搏击而无怨言。我们总有一天，会在世界通信的舞台上，占据一席位子。任何时候、任何地点都不要做对不起祖国、对不起民族的事情。

要严格遵守公司的各项制度与管理。对不合理的制度，只有修改以后才可以不遵守。不贪污、不盗窃、不腐化。严于律己，宽于待人。坚持真理，善于利用批评和自我批评的方法，提高自己，帮助别人。

您有时会感到公司没有真正的公平与公正。真正绝对的公平是没有的，您不能对这方面的期望值太高。但在努力者面前，机会总是均等的，只要您努力，您的主管会了解您的。

要承受得起做好事反受委屈。没有一定的承受能力，今后如何能做大梁？

其实一个人的命运，就掌握在自己手上。生活的评价，是会有误差的，但决不至于黑白颠倒，差之千里。

您有可能不理解公司而暂时的离开，我们欢迎您回来。您更要增加心理的承受能力，连续工龄没有了，与同期的伙伴的位置拉大了。我们相信，您会加步赶上，但时间对任何人都是一样长的。

希望丢掉速成的幻想，学习日本人的踏踏实实、德国人的一丝不苟的敬业精神。真正生活中能把某一项技术精通就是十分难的。您想提高效益、待遇，只有把精力集中在一个有限的工作面上，不然就很难熟能生巧。您什么都想会、什么都想做，就意味着什么都不精通，任何一件事对您都是做初工。努力钻进去，兴趣自然在。

我们要造就一批勤奋好学，行成于思，有真正动手能力、管理能力的干部。机遇偏多于踏踏实实工作者。

公司建立了以各部门总经理为首的首长负责制，它隶属于各个以民主集中制建立起来的专业协调委员会。各专业委员会委员来自相关的部门，组成少数服从多数的民主管理。议事，不管事。有了决议后由各部门总经理去执行。

这种民主原则，防止在一长制中的片面性，在重大问题上，发挥了集体智慧。这是公司六年来没有摔大跟头的因素之一。

民主管理还会进一步扩展，权威作用也会进一步加强，这种大民主、大集中的管理，还需长期探索，希望您成为其中一员。

公司永远不会提拔一个没有基层经验的人做高级领导工作。遵循循序渐进的原则，每一个环节对您的人生都有巨大的意义。您要十分认真地去对待现在手中的任何一件工作，积累您的记录。

要尊重您的现行领导，尽管您也有能力，甚至更强。否则将来您的部下也不会尊重您。

要有系统、有分析地提出您的建议。您是一个有文化者，草率的提议，对您是不负责任，也浪费了别人的时间。特别是新来，不要下车依始，哇啦哇啦。要深入地分析，找出一个环节的问题，找到解决的办法，踏踏实实地一点一点地去做。不要哗众取宠。

在公司的进步主要取决您的工作成绩。

一个高科技产业，没有文化是不行的。业余时间可安排一些休闲，但还是要有计划地读些书。不要搞不正当的娱乐活动，绝对禁止打麻将之类的消磨意志的活动。为了您成为一个高尚的人，受人尊重的人，望您自律。

谁为谁服务的问题一定要解决。公司总的是为用户服务，但具体来讲，下一道工序就是用户，就是您的“上帝”。您必须认真对待每一道用户。

要关心时事，关心国家与民族的前途命运，提高自己的觉悟，但不要卷入任何政治漩涡，指点江山。公司不支持您，也不会保护您。公司坚持员工必须跟着社会潮流走。

当前，要承认只有共产党才能领导中国，否则就会陷入无政府主义。一个高速发展的经济社会，没有稳定，没有强有力的领导，陷入无政府主义状态是不可想象的。共产党的缺点，通过整党和教育来解决。我们可以帮助它，但必须是善意。

公司在飞速的发展，迫切地需要干部，希望您加速磨炼，与我们一起去担起明天的太阳。

12 Whip Smart Ways to Get Your Content on Front Page Of Google by Increasing Your Click Through Rate.

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12 Whip Smart Ways to Get Your Content on Front Page Of Google by Increasing Your Click Through Rate.

CLICK THROUGH RATE (CTR):  DEFINITION, MEASUREMENT AND IMPORTANCE.

WHAT IS  CTR?

CTR is ratio of how often the people that sees your ads actually click into it. It can also be use a gauge to see the performance of your ads and coherence of your keywords.

Each of your ads and keywords have their own CTRs. A high CTR is a good indication that users find your ads helpful and relevant.

Ad CTRs aren’t exclusive to the ones which appear on search engine results.

Banner ads also have CTR measured but generally, their CTR is not higher than 1% which reduces the effectiveness for using them.

Hence, most marketers have avoided using banner ads.

HOW TO MEASURE CTR?

CTR is calculated by dividing the number of time people click into your ad to the number of times your ad is shown (impression).

For example, if you had 5 clicks and 100 impressions, then your CTR would be 5%.

FOUR MAIN REASON WHY HIGHER CTR IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR AD CAMPAIGN?

 

1. Indicates which ads and keywords which are attracting the most people.

You can analyze the behavior of the people clicking your ads in the search engine results through the CTR. You can see which of the ads are being clicked on the most and which keywords are producing the best results. That way, you can change your SEO campaign to work what the people like and want.

2.Boost up your SEO ranking.

Google uses backlinks along with number of click your content get on their website to rank pages. So, a combination of high external and internal clicks will boost SEO ranking.

3. Reduce the Cost per Click .

The higher your CTR is for a particular keyword, the cheaper Google will make your cost per click. That way, you don’t have to pay as much as you used to which drastically reduce the money you spend on the campaign. Lower costs means a higher ROI.

4. Save money by improving the CTR for a particular keyword.

The higher you rank on the keyword, the cheaper you can buy it for. You should keep this point in mind the next time you are bidding for keywords. As you can see, the cost of your campaign will come down substantially if you simply improve your click through rate.

 

So, here’s are THE TOP 10 WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR CTR, which guarantees the most coveted Google Front Page spot!

 

  1. Use ad extensions as it create more visibility. Google themselves recommended ad extensions to increase your CTR.
  2. Put your special offers, discounts and so on in your headline because it the first and sometimes only thing people read.
  3. Create eccentric ad copy, message, and design to  create curiosity because people will only clicks on your ad if it is engaging and intriguing.
  4. Focus on just one strong primary keyword. It helps in attracting more qualified traffic.
  5. Experiment different types of fonts, numbers, images and just test your ad to figure out what works and what not.
  6. Utilize your main keyword by placing it in your URL to reach a more targeted niche market.
  7. Add a full stop to the end of your description line. The full stop helps  scoop that line into the headline when your ad appears in the Google search list.
  8. Use countdown timers in your ad to generate urgency. This creates the fear of missing out which helps in getting more people to click on your ads.
  9. Write ads that appeal to your target audiences’ desire because people don’t click on ads to just  buy something, they want to a solution hence the emotional approach always payoff.
  10. Tap your audience ideas and preferences and leverage on those opportunities as it helps you understand your market better.
  11. Tie calls to action to the idea of appealing to the customer’s desire. Like using testimonials, past reviews, bonus offers for an emotional payoff
  12. Use strong and active verbs in your headline as they are more eye catching and persuasive.

12 Exercise Tricks You Can Secretly Do At Your Work Desk To Boost Productivity

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SITTING KILLS, LITERALLY!

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 3.2 million deaths at work is caused by lack of  physical activity!

So, you need to get yourself tied away from your chair! I will make sure to give you some exercises to do at your desk later for that.

FIVE REASONS TO WHY WORKPLACE WELLNESS MATTERS FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.

1. Reduce chances of  diseases.

On average, we spend about 9.5 hours a day just sitting! Did you have your lunch at your desk and keep working? See how much and how quickly it can all add up. The impact of all that sitting is an increased rate of obesity, chances of heart disease and so on.

2. Boost up your energy. 

While many people think exercising drains energy levels, it actually creates more energy. Exercise promotes better circulation which allows blood to reach the brain consistently. This makes us to be more focused and alert at work.

3. Reduces your stress level.

Exercise has the ability to decrease the amount of stress felt from physical and emotional tensions in life. Employees who aren’t stressed are more focused, positive and happy. Their clear minds allow them to focus on work, which means they contribute to a much higher level of productivity.

4. Builds self-confidence.

Exercise gives employees a feeling of self-confidence creating a sense of poise and allowing them to set higher goals to strive for excellence. Since they don’t settle for less than meeting their goals, they are very successful.

5. Less likely to use sick days.

Employees who exercise are less likely to get sick than those who don’t exercise. When employees use less sick days, they contribute more to overall productivity. Fit employees are also less likely to take an extended leave of absence, require surgery or quit because of health reasons.

With that said, here are the  12 simple stretches you can do secretly in your office!

 

  1. Rubber neck- Sit up tall and drop your right  ear down towards your right shoulder,  you don’t have to touch it! Hold for a few seconds and repeat for the left side.
  2.  Glut squeeze- Squeeze your gluts as hard as you can and hold for 10–30 seconds. Careful though, don’t puke!
  3. Squats- From your chair, stand up, sit back down and repeat 10 more times. Simple!
  4. Reach and Bend- Extend your right arm over your head and reach out as far as you can to the left and gently bend over. Hold for a few seconds and do it the other way.
  5. Chest opener- Bring your hands behind your back, press your palms together, sit up tall and hold for 5–10 seconds.
  6. Bobblehead- Drop your chin down towards your chest and GENTLY roll your head from side to side.
  7. Reach for the stars- Interlace your fingers and reach up towards the sky, as high as you can keeping your palms facing up towards the ceiling.

So, those are the easy ones. If you want to burn more calories, then:

 

  1. Walk/Jog/Run in Place- Stand up from your chair and get to it. Anyone can do this one, you are in control  f the intensity based on the pace you choose for as long as you want.
  2. Take the stairs- Don’t like making small talk on the elevator? Take the stairs instead. The stairs are a great way to increase your heart rate and tone up those legs.
  3. Have walk break- Schedule 10–15 minutes a day to just walk. See how many steps you can get on your fitness tracker. If it’s nice outside, go get some fresh air.
  4.  Push ups-  Now, don’t you panic not asking you to  get on the floor in your office, because there are options besides the floor. The modifications are to do them on the wall or on the edge of your desk.
  5. Wall Sit- Another great isometric move. Stand with your back against the wall and slowly lower yourself into a seated position and hold for 10–30 seconds at a time.

 

SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

You now have an arsenal of tips and tricks to help boost your health and work rate.

The most important thing is to be aware now is how much time you spend sitting.

Ideally you should get up from your desk at least once an hour. Set an alarm to remind you.

Even, walking for just two minutes an hour can reduce the negative effects of sitting.

If you are sitting right now, Get up, get moving!

 

12 Low Pressure Tips to Increase Your Business Profit Without Burning Out Your Sales and Marketing Team

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How To Increase Your Sales, Revenue & Profits Without Burning Out Your Sales and Marketing Team.

OPPRESSION ON YOUR SALES TEAM KILLS THE BUSINESS, HOW?

Without a doubt, sales and marketing organization these days are relentless because of the unbearable pressure of the current market.

Infirm economy and shrinking margins, make it even harder to drive revenue and gain profit.

The sales representatives are the first responders to the pressure as they are those carrying the future profits of the company on their backs. They are taking on bigger territories, facing higher quotas, and making more customer contacts than ever.

Unfortunately, in many organizations they are still losing ground because there is not proper guidance. For example, where does the sales rep turn to for direction, motivation, and performance support in the middle of such challenging times?

The answer, is their team leader (sales manager), who is in charge with providing the insights, resources, accountability, and coaching the sales representative to success.

However, most sales managers today  have their own set of pressures to deal with. So, in the face of all this pressure, sales manager gets overwhelmed and distracted to such a degree that they have nothing left in the tank to feed the sales representatives.

Eventually, sales reps especially those who haven’t achieved the star status will  stumble, feeling uncertain of their own goals, their value to the team, and clueless on how to fix the situation.

Ultimately, production that is already underperforming continues to gradually trend further down and the pressure on everyone keeps growing and getting worse.

 

12 TIPS FOR TEAM LEADER TO INCREASE SALES PERFORMANCE WITHOUT KILLING YOUR TEAM

1. Lead your team, not manage.

Sales managers rely too much on metrics and deadlines to drive performance neglecting the teams’ mental health.

It would be more effective to motivate and reward your team in a social format that brings out the best in them in a way that inspires everyone.

2. Set social goals along with business goals to drive sales team performance.

Every team should have a sales process then set a goal and measure pipeline. Somehow you have to align these organizational goals to a social goal.

Example of social goals are like protecting the environment, improving the standard of living of the sales professional and so on.

Leveraging social goals gives sales professionals targets that are practical, comfortable, and therefore more natural.

3. Committed to hiring the best fit for your business goal.

If you want the best, hire the best. This saves time and money on training while protecting yourself from failure six months down the road.

It does costs more now, but it definitely pays off over time.  

Look for individuals with social goals that are already more aligned with your organizational goals.

4. Set and manage every component of the sales and management process.

A sales team thrives when everyone is in tune and follow regular standards and schedules.

If sales managers have the tools, real-time tracking and instantaneous feedback, sales reps won’t feel a need to stop and doubt themselves.

So, make sure you know what is going on the whole time so you can give  instant feedback with deals in motion and bring more positive energy to team.

5. Keep the communication clear and  expectations well-defined.

An integral part of a consistent winning is the tone and the topics of your communications with your sales team.

It important to remind your team know what is expected of them and when it is expected. So, the team members know what to aim for, and understand what will happen if they hit it or not.

6. Know the difference between pipeline and forecasting.

 Pipeline consists of all prospects at all stages in the sales cycle. From the beginning phase of introducing your company to presenting a pricing proposal. Unqualified leads will not be in a sales pipeline but all unclosed sales belongs in it.

The sales forecast on the other hand, is the salesperson’s best estimation of which sales will close in a given time frame. Forecasting is focused on late stage deals.

A  significant difference between the two is that the sales forecast is used to estimate a company’s short term revenue and cash flow. In other words, sales forecasts help a company determine whether or not they can pay their bills, pipelines do not.

Most managers don’t differentiate or understand the difference between the two. Keep this in mind when aligning new goals.

7. Use the tech and tools available to track performance in real-time.

Every sales team works within a standardized process that defines how to approach, qualify, work with, and close the customer.

Up to date tracking let the manager make immediate adjustments and giving the teams flexible guidelines that is optimal in modern dynamic sales environments.

8. Coach and provide feedback that will build confidence and drive production.

Coaching is the responsibility most neglected by sales managers mainly because it is time-consuming but placing a high priority on coaching will boost team morale and sale.

Therefore, take advantage of every opportunity, scheduled or unscheduled, to provide feedback that will make their sales reps perform better.

9. Motivate and reward your team to maximize performance and minimize conflict.

The highly competitive field is a challenge to work in and confrontation are unavoidable. 

Effective sales managers know how to handle these situations, thus taking a good sales professional making them great.

You can also leverage social networking. For example, using the success of high performers to motivate others, turning great individual performers into great performing teams.

10. Think ahead and take note of every little thing.

Try to recognize what small trends indicate before they become big problems.

In doing so, you can prevent weaker performances from becoming anchored as bad habits that sap overall yearly productivity and sales.

11. Practice good time management habit.

Make sure your sales teams is making the most of their time by eliminating usage of time that don’t directly help drive revenue.

Aligned goals and activities that can be quickly evaluated. Activities that don’t support these goals can be eliminated or updated to bring them into alignment.

12. Dispel some of the pressure off by celebrating big or small victory.

This ought to be self-explanatory, but do not wait too long or not celebrate enough.

Reward the team even for small successes and celebrate as often as possible. It as an opportunity to give everyone a little boost.

A little celebration creates motivation and that goes a long way.

TOP 12 SALES MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT EASE PRESSURE OFF THE TEAM AND BOOST SALES

These are some of the best tools designed  to improve sales team performance. When sales reps are equip with the best tools, it enable them to work efficiently and sales managers can achieve lean management and increase profit.

1. Ambition Sales Performance Management Platform- The only platform that scores overall user performance in real-time.

Cost: Free trial available

2.Sales Cloud by Salesforce- Helps the team to sell smarter and fasters.

Cost: Free trial available

 3. Yesware- Helps team keep track of emails and work more effectively and efficiently from their Gmail or Outlook inboxes.

Cost: Free 100 email tracking events per month, personal email templates, and reports

4. OnePageCRM- OnePageCRM keeps all contacts and sales information in one place and has a proven follow-up system. 

Cost: Free 30-day trial available

5. Clari- A sales productivity platform, Clari combines mobile, design, and data science to help sales managers guide their teams through the selling process.

Cost: Free trial available

6. NetSuite- It is the only cloud solution that delivers a real-time 360-degree view of your customer. Helps sales teamwork their way throughout the customer life cycle and offers suitable  quote.

Cost: Contact for a quote

7. DemoChimp- Help teams stay lean and efficient by automating sales and marketing conversations and then measuring them.

Cost: Contact for a quote

8. LevelEleven- Utilizes the competitive nature of salespeople, uses real-time leaderboard and performance recognition, and integrates with Salesforce data to make it simple for sales managers to increase sales with motivated sales professionals.

Cost: RM 2000/month  

9. Infor- Provide a complete 360° customer view for their sales teams to turn their organizations into streamlined, efficient sales leaders.

Cost: Contact for a quote

10. Yooba- Turns sales and marketing materials into apps and adapts to your sales teams’ best practices.

Cost: Contact for a quote

11. Brainshark- Enables sales managers to produce content and training tailored to their own teams every time.

Cost: Contact for a quote

12. LivePlan- Simplifies business planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking for small businesses and startups.

Cost: Free 60-day trial available

 

12 SIMPLE LOW PRESSURE SALES AND MARKETING HACKS TO SELL SMARTER AND FASTER

  1. Practice active listening to identify customer pain points.
  2. Seek out feature requests and product criticisms.
  3. Use data to decide which problems are most profitable to prioritize and solve.
  4. Inform potential customers about your offerings, trends that apply to their business, and how your product is the perfect solution for their needs.
  5. Send your first email within 90 minutes of sign-up.
  6. Share an in-depth how-to guide to get started.
  7. Personalize each of your emails to users and sign off with brand contact information.
  8. Include a clear and obvious call to action.
  9. Send multiple emails throughout the trial period and lighten the pace of email delivery after the user’s trial ends.
  10. Host a weekly or monthly seminar so users have an opportunity to walk through different ways of using your product and so they may ask questions.
  11. Offer free trial extensions to customers who have not yet signed up as paying customers.
  12. Source feedback to understand buyers’ biggest reservations, which prevent them from purchasing.

8 Reasons Why Malaysia Is The Best Place For Entrepreneurs To Launch Their Business

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WHY MALAYSIA THOUGH, YOU MAY ASK?!

Despite all the political and economical chaos that has happened and is happening in the country this year, the future’s looking bright.

Statistically speaking, Malaysia is having a strong expanding economy, as The World Bank has forecast that the country’s economy will go steady at a GDP* rate of 5.4% which makes its an ideal place to start your business. (*Gross Domestic Product).

Apart for stable economy growth, there are millions of reason why Malaysia is perfect spot for your business venture.

Whether if you are foreign investor looking for a new market or if you are local trying to venture into foreign market, take a moment and appreciate the resources and sources available in the country and you will realize that there is no place like Malaysia.

Let’s take a look at eight solid and factual reason why it is feasible to kickstart your business without any hesitation and fear in Malaysia.

1) Strategic Location

Malaysia is located  in the heart of Asia Pacific Rim with many ASEAN countries surrounding it.

Offering business an easy yet massive access to the South East Asia market, which is the fastest growing market in the world right now says Forbes Magazine.

In fact, this is the main reason why many foreign investor chose Malaysia.

After all, Malaysia is Truly Asia.

2) Young, Intelectual and Urban Demographic

Though it is not the biggest country in the world but Malaysia definitely is a metropolitan with an 76% of its total population urban.

In the Peninsular alone,1/3 of the population are living in urban city areas. Kuala Lumpur alone has 1.7 Million people, and the population is continuously growing.

Apart from that, it is the only country in the world with more than 95% of literacy level for both male and female.

3) Low Operation Cost and Cheap Labors

Over 80% of startups spend half of their monthly expenses on labor and operations, if not more.  

Being able to reduce these 2 main expenses of the business can dramatically increase the survival rate of the company, especially during the early stages of growth.

Due to the lower exchange rate of the Ringgit to many foreign currencies today, hiring talented & skilled labour in Malaysia is also a lot more affordable compared to anywhere else.

4) Flexible Banking System

Modern and flexible banking infrastructure is available across the country making it easy for you to have multiple foreign currency accounts.

There are two types of banks, onshore and offshore in Malaysia. Means you can use your international card here and use local card abroad.

Personal banking on various currencies is also conveniently available for local and international entrepreneurs with valid residency visa.

5) Excellent Infrastructure and Wide Connectivity

Malaysia has an excellent network of highways which boosts connectivity and accessibility across the country with efficient cross-border highway that even links Singapore to Thailand!

It is also the home to international award-winning airlines such as Air Asia, Firefly and MAS, offering cheap flights for great savings and convenience for you to move in and around the country and beyond.

In terms of internet connectivity, Malaysia continuously upgrade its networks for its wide broadband penetration throughout the country.

Plus, it is home to one the highest number of mobile and internet users.

6)  Peaceful and Safe for Living

Since its independence in 1957, Malaysia has been an land of multi-ethnicity and culture  which consists of three major races the Malay, Chinese and Indian living together harmoniously.

It is also politically stable led by a democratically-elected coalition Government committed to the socio-economic development of the nation.

Malaysia is also well positioned and safe from major natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons.

7) Friendly and hospitable citizens

Malaysians are well-known for their hospitality and friendliness to each other as well to foreigners visiting the country.

Values of honor and respect are well ingrained in the culture in spite of racial and religion differences.

The friendly nature and positive attitude will make you feel very much ecstatic and offer great opportunities for further collaboration.

8) Wide use of English

Being under the CommonWealth shell, Malaysia has a strong English influence.

Almost of all its people can speak good English and you can find English everywhere!

Wide use of English, especially in business, legal and accounting practices based on the British system making it easy to reach global level.

 

WhatsApp Will Delete Your ‘Things’ If You Don’t Back It Up Soon – Here’s How and Why.

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 WhatsApp will delete your chats, photos and videos if you don’t back it up soon, take note!!!

WHATSAPP’S  LATEST UPDATES SPARKS PRIVACY FEARS. WHY?!

WhatsApp users have been warned earlier this year about a change coming to the world renowned messaging service. The change is now here and it has high potential of valuable information leakage with no proper guidance and protection.

Fom the 12th of November 2018,  WhatsApp users will be required to update backups that haven’t been touched in a year or it will get permanently deleted. Whatsapp announced that a system update that could see all your chats, pictures videos and audio files be deleted.

The changes are part of a deal between Google and Whatsapp, with Google agreeing users can backup their accounts and messages on their Google Drive account.

However, tech site ZDNet reports that while the Google Drive backups may be free for users, communication records will not be protected in the same way.

This is poles apart to Whatsapp’s data protection, which features the highest level of end-to-end encryption.

Though, this is not the first time that WhatsApp have said messages or media stored in backups aren’t encrypted. But with the new November 12 deadline approaching it’s worth a reminder.

Google is also advising WhatsApp users to manually back up content in the chat app before this date or risk losing precious files.

This means if users do not fully ensure all of their data, both past and present, backed up to Google Drive before November 12 they could lose all photos, chat history, video and other media after such time.

5 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD USE WHATSAPP MARKETING FOR BUSINESS GROWTH AND SALES ?

1) Key way for your audience to share content via ‘dark social’- Dark social is a term to describe when people share content through private channels such as email or chat apps like WhatsApp, as opposed to more public networks like Facebook.

2) Most widely used social network at the moment- Many of your customers are probably already using it. Whatsapp, which is only 5 years old, already has 700 million active users and more than 60 billion messages are sent through WhatsApp every single day. Officially overtaking its competitor Facebook Messenger.

3) Broad reach with a young demographics- 42% of smartphone owners between 18 and 29 years old use WhatsApp for their day to day communication, compared with only 19% of smartphone owners who are 50 or older.

4) Incredible engagement rates- 98% of mobile messages are opened and read everyday  with 90% of them getting opened within three seconds of being received.

5) Significant for information sharing-  84% of information sharing now takes place on Whatsapp. So, even if you’re not using WhatsApp to market your business, your prospects are likely using it to extend your content’s reach already.

7 EFFECTIVE WHATSAPP MARKETING TIPS THAT HELPS MARKETERS TO WIDEN REACH AND INCREASE SALES

The most critical thing about Whatsapp is that you CANNOT push messages to consumers you do not know. You need to get invited by consumers to become their contact which makes it even harder to market.

Hence here are a list of 7 seven effective Whatsapp marketing tips that can help you:

1. Create an engaging brand persona with its own Whatsapp number

People don’t like to chat with impersonal company representatives. In fact,  the most popular brands and companies have the most visible and lively company cultures.

So, try to be more intimate and personal while communicating with customers on Whatsapp.  

2. Create an identity for the person in charge of your Whatsapp channel

For instance the brand Rarepink has a Whatsapp number managed by its customer service managers who are available at all times to engage with customers.

Busy business people find it easy to engage with this person on Whatsapp, exchanging pictures of products they are interested in, asking questions and even agreeing payment and delivery terms.

3. Create a fictional Whatsapp character to build interest and engagement.

For example, Absolut Vodka created a fictional character called doorman Sven to engage with their young audience.

The whatsapp number was released in all the Absolut media and advertising and users started sending messages, songs and even indecent proposals to Sven in order to get in to the party.

Once the persona is created, the character can be used again and again for different events to bring consumers in.

4. Offer one-on-one help to inspire new uses for a product

Hellmann’s in Brazil wanted to inspire people to think of mayonnaise as a cooking ingredient, not just a condiment. So they invited visitors to their website to submit their phone numbers along with a picture of the contents of their refrigerator.

They were then connected through WhatsApp with real chefs, who came up with a recipe using Hellmann’s and the other ingredients in their fridge.

A total of 13,000 participants spent an average of 65 minutes interacting with the brand, and 99.5% of them approved of the service.

5. Make sure to constantly deliver instant and functional customer service

Whatsapp has a 70% opening rate, which means you are almost guaranteed exposure of your message if you customer is on Whatsapp with you.

Leveraging this, Banco Santander Bank in Spain, has created Open Bank, a whatsapp customer service number where you can chat with the bank, post queries, solve issues.

With 17,000 customers using the service, 99% of consumers found the service very useful and 98% said they would continue to use it.

6. Make sure your contents are relevant and free

Whatsapp has a 84% of information sharing, so you need to offer users great content on relevant topics to ensure that they are engaged with you.

A great example of this is Dr Amrik Singh, Agriculture scientist in India, who has created a WhatsApp group called Young Progressive Farmers to educate farmers on modern methods of farming for rice which use less water and get higher yield like the information below on wedding.

This method is very low cost, and you can create multiple groups for a personal bond. But remember,  as the numbers grow, one has to think of how to resource for managing a large database of whatsapp users.

7. Design an attractive promotion to get users to share their number with you

Whatsapp will remain ad free and hence in order to build a base of users, you need to offer them something of value in exchange for their phone number. This can be a promotion, a freebie, a free service or valuable information.

WHAT IS DARK SOCIAL MARKETING?

  • ‘Dark social’ as mentioned earlier is when people share content through private channels such as instant messaging programs, messaging apps, and email.
  • Dark social describes any web traffic that is not attributed to a known source, such as a social network or a Google search.
  • Referral traffic is usually identified by certain “tags” attached to the link whenever it’s shared.
  • Dark social links, however, don’t contain referrer data.
  • Common examples of dark social include links copied and pasted into emails or instant messages, or shared via text message.

5 REASON WHY YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD START PAYING ATTENTION TO DARK SOCIAL MARKETING

1. Dark social is everywhere- For the past year-and-a-half, the majority of responses (clickbacks) to dark social shares have come from mobile devices.

2. Dark social has a huge impact on traffic- According to marketing firm RadiumOne, in the last year-and-a-half, dark social shares as a percent of on-site shares jumped from 69 to 84% globally.

3.Dark social data gives a detailed representation of consumers’ real interests- Familiarizing yourself with this information will allow your business to access a targeted audience of connections.

4. Dark social reaches unique demographics- 46% of consumers age 55 and older share only via dark social, as opposed to those in the 16 to 34 age group, where only 19% do so.

5. Dark social sharing is prevalent in many industries- If your business is in personal finance, food and drink, travel, or executive search, more than 70% of social sharing is done through dark social.

 

8 SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MEASURE DARK SOCIAL MARKETING?

Measuring dark social should be an essential part of your social media ROI framework.Here’s a short list of how to do so:

  1. Use shortened URLs for outbound links in your content to get a deeper analysis of the engagement rates.
  2. Use Hootsuite’s built-in URL shortener which allows you to upload images, track real-time clicks and have the ability to post to your various social networks sites.
  3. Thoughtfully arrange the share buttons on your website so that they are easy for visitors to spot.
  4. Distinguish which are the “follow” buttons and which are “share” buttons.The sophistication of your share buttons should match the quality of your content.
  5. Use dark social tools that allow marketing professionals to track dark social traffic origins and analyze their outcomes.
  6. Check for a simultaneous spike in link traffic coming from Facebook or Reddit.
  7. Try digging into user agent data, which includes a line of code users leave after visiting a website, which identifies their operating system and browser type.
  8. Ensure all your content gets shared by creating interesting, informative and original materials. 

 

HOW CREATIVITY LEADS TO ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS?

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATIVITY: THE FINE LINK BETWEEN CREATIVE MIND AND BUSINESS MIND


In today’s world, due to globalization and excessive industrialization, products are manufactured and exported to international markets.

As a result, everything is much easier to access. Leaving the consumers with an ingress to different kinds of products in  various type and quality.

This leave business minds with questions such as What do I do in a market flooded with these many products? How to manufacture and supply a product in markets where consumers already have their trusted preferences with so many options thrown at them? How to make my product to stand out of the rest?

A creative mind answers all those questions. It takes  the ‘science’ aspect about how to bring the artistic creativity to life. Therefore, creativity bridges the gap between the entrepreneur ideas and cashflow.

 

HOW CRUCIAL IS CREATIVITY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS?

6 WAYS CREATIVITY UPLIFT BUSINESS SUCCESS:

1. Improve existing business practices.

A brand might be very established and popular among the consumers, but there is always something that can be done differently from them and in a better way. Creativity can come up with the most unthinkable ideas and bring innovation into existing practices.

2. Ditches the traditional norms and think of something new and innovative.

Creativity is simply the ability to imagine. In business terms, imagination alone is what is known as “thinking outside the box”. Using imagination, an entrepreneur can do the unexpected.

3. Gives the competitive edge that all business  strives to achieve.

Creativity improves the process of problem solving.  It doesn’t matter if you are developing a new strategy or an innovative way to stay ahead of the competition. Creativity gives you the notch to excel better.

4. Increase the productivity of the organization.

With creative minds, employees too can think outside of the box which allows them to explore new areas for innovative ideas such as cost effective business plans and solutions.

5.Set companies apart from one another.

Without creativity and innovation, every company would follow the same patterns in marketing/promotion, technique, or even the goods and services they may be selling.

6. Avails from success without neglecting failure.

If you’re forever aiming for success because in business failure is not an option, then you’ll be reticent to step out of your bubble. Whereas, creativity in many way up break the barrier and gives you the courage to take risk.

7. Fix an issue by propagating multiple possibilities.

Every problem has a solution, but with a creative mind one problem has millions solutions. Creativity helps you to look at all sides of the issues, and come up with solutions that might be completely new and interesting.

WHY CREATIVITY MATTERS FOR ENTREPRENEURS SUCCESS?

5 REASONS WHY CREATIVITY IS IMPORTANT TO BUSINESS:

1) Provide the knowledge to business success.

Most businesses still value intelligence over creativity. However, intelligence is subjective, while creativity is putting ingenious thoughts in action. For example, a person considered intelligent in New York City could die in the Amazon jungle if he or she does not have the knowledge needed to survive in that environment.

2) Combines convergent and divergent thinking that leads to breakthroughs.

Convergent thinking is highly analytical and focuses on one solution, whereas divergent thinking generates creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. Creativity makes one more rigorous, but not rigid hence brings extreme accuracy and precision in the work efforts.

3) Lay down new neural networks that train the mind in developing news skills.

Creativity teaches new skills which can be turn into a hobby to train the mind in developing creative problem-solving skills. Truth is everyone has creative potential, it just needs to be stimulated by constant learning and developing curiosity.

4) Allows you to view a problem from a new perspective.

Creative problem-solvers are often able to connect two distinct areas of expertise and can translate potential solutions from one field to an unrelated area.

5) Gives you the ability to visualize then implement an idea to practice.

Entrepreneur businesses are often driven by the vision of founders who believe they can solve a problem in a smarter, better, more efficient way than anyone else currently on the market. Turning vision into mission is the driving force of creativity.

HOW TO HARNESS CREATIVITY INTO A POWERFUL ENTREPRENEURIAL FORCE?

8 TIPS TO ENHANCE YOUR CREATIVE JUICE FLOW AT WORK:

  1. Regular brainstorming session- This helps in compiling every idea starting with the most absurd ones. Choosing a successful idea requires enough viable ideas on the table in the first place. So, churn out every possible alternative that you have in mind.
  2. Encourage and reward creative ideas- Make conscious efforts to encourage the employees to think creatively. For example, Give certificates, vacations, awards or another motivational strategy to inspire yourself and your team.
  3. Get enough sleep- Rest is a crucial part of the creative process so make sure to sleep well and keep your phone away while sleeping, because it is an extremely unhealthy habit to get into.
  4. Travel- Travel broadens the mind and exposes you to new and unfamiliar situations. You get to learn and experience new things which enhance problem solving skills and the ability to think creatively on your feet.
  5. Draw your strategy- That’s right, draw your strategy. Don’t write it. Visual allows your mind to think differently, which is a great way to shake up creativity.Visual thinking is also one of the best way to solve problems and crack new ideas.
  6. Be vulnerable and open up to new things- If you’re really committed to improving your creative mind  you need to get out of comfort zone. Take a class that you would never think of taking like charcoal drawing or tap dancing! You might feel ridiculous at first,but that’s a good thing. Having that vulnerability will remind you that you don’t have all of the answers and need to be open.
  7. Experiment and learn- Keep playing around news ideas as that the  first step to success. Then, regardless of the outcome, learn from the experience and the third step is implementation of what they have learned.
  8. Never be afraid to lose– Creative minds are  less likely to shy away for failure is always keen to experiment in new ventures. Always believe in the power of creativity and that creative ideas will only help their enterprise.