The eCommerce sector is dominating the modern businesses landscape, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bricks-and-mortar stores that performed exceptionally well before the pandemic have now closed, while online retailers are thriving. Things have changed and so have customers’ requirements. eCommerce was flourishing before the COVID pandemic, and the events of the past year and more have only added fuel to the fire. The question is how do you set up your eCommerce store or grow your existing digital business in this competitive market? It’s important to start with the basics, so read on to learn the 7 crucial things every eCommerce business needs to thrive. 1. The Best Products Just because someone else’s eCommerce concept worked wonders for that business doesn’t mean it is going to work for you. Your focus should be on the products you want your target audience to buy rather than something you are desperate to sell to the world. Let’s face facts – running an eCommerce store is hard, especially for beginners. With today’s hyper-competitive market, it can be extremely overwhelming for store owners to keep their business alive and running. If your product does not resonate with your target audiences’ needs, you will struggle to attract business. Similarly, if the products you offer are not as advertised, your customers will not return to your store. The right products that address your audiences’ concerns and offer great value for money are essential – this should be the foundation of your business. 2. An SEO-Optimized Website Sure, you can use an eCommerce platform to promote your products to a wider audience, but that won’t offer a personalized experience. If you want your brand to stand out, build an innovative and unique website. Keep the design simple, elegant, and professional and make it easy for your audience to navigate through your website, explore your catalogue, and make a purchase. SEO-optimization means optimizing your website for search rankings. This makes your site discoverable in search engines, and helps it to stand out among hundreds of thousands of websites in a similar niche. 3. A Clear Return Policy There are times when customers are not satisfied with the product they receive and they ask for a return. It is really important for you to have a solid and clear return policy in place so that your customers can always return the product to you if they are not satisfied. Always remember that your key competition is Amazon Prime which offers free and hassle-free returns. 4. Easy Checkout Your customers find the long registration forms and complex checkout processes unnecessary and frustrating. In fact, one of the main reasons that customers abandon their shopping cart is a lengthy checkout. If you want your prospects to complete the purchase and return to your store, keep the checkout process simple and easy. Ask for the necessary details, such as their email, name, and payment details – keep it to the essentials only! Also check your banking methods. Add multiple payment options to allow your customers to choose a convenient payment method. 5. Reliable Customer Service Your customers will need to contact your customer support team to get their queries answered and their issues resolved. If you are using your own website, make sure you clearly display contact icons to allow your customers to get in touch with your support team as quickly and easily as possible. If theyget in touch, be sure to answer them quickly. If you are offering support services by phone, it’s important to clearly display your hours of attention. Live chat is a great option if you want to offer 24/7 support to your customers. The key to successful customer support is consistency. It is incredibly important to be consistent with your responses and answer your customers in a timely manner. 6. Positive Reviews Positive customer reviews work as a marketing tool that encourages others to do business with you. Just like word-of-mouth marketing, customer reviews attract new clients to your business. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get your product in front of your target audience and give them the assurance they need to make a purchase. 7. Use Affiliate Marketing Programs Affiliates are influencers who promote your products to a large audience through their websites, social media accounts, or emails. It is a cost-effective and easy way to have your products promoted to a wider audience. You can market your brand to a large number of people through affiliates for a small commission. Remember that the more commission you offer, the more affiliates will want to work with you. Wrapping Up More and more customers embraced online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting the eCommerce sector. The above tips will help you set up your eCommerce store and establish a successful business in no time.

Managing cash flow in construction can be complex. Good cash flow ensures that there is enough money available to cover all types of expenditure during a project, including the suppliers, materials, salaries, and other day-to-day activities. Efficient and sufficient cash flow is vital for any construction business to be successful. Some of the most common cash flow problems in construction businesses Some of the most common things that cause cash flow problems include poor management of orders, out of date systems, not setting up an initial payment before the start of a project and taking on too many projects at any one time.  Tips for improving cash flow  Cash Flow is not just about managing the budget, but managing all parts of the project that will affect the budget, including how the project is run, obstacles and risks, time and resource management and more.  Management The first step is sufficient management of the project. Ensure that you are clear on what projects are in the pipeline, their key milestones, budget and timeline. It is also important to manage the payments for the project, and ensure this is obtained before the start date or agreed for certain milestones.  Risk management  When planning the project, and throughout the project, it is crucial to track the risks that may cause constraints. There are problems that you can foresee, which should be taken into account when planning times, supplies and budget. There are also problems that you cannot predict. Make sure you monitor risks throughout the entire project, so if they do arise, they can be managed quickly.  Monitor  Throughout the entire project, you should not only track the risks, but also the actual vs. estimated schedule and budget. If this is monitored regularly, then any obstacles that arise can be managed accordingly, and all parties involved can be made aware. It is important that you can quickly see how each project is going and how it affects the overall budget. This allows sufficient time for steps to be taken and finances to be adjusted where necessary.  Resources  Sufficient resource tracking can ensure that you not only remain compliant but also stay within time and budget requirements. Track the incoming supplies, track contractors workload and make adjustments wherever is needed.  Improve systems and processes If everything in the project is running smoothly, it could be your systems and processes that are holding you back. Consider reviewing how your systems are currently working for you, and where changes can be made. For example, could you invoice quicker? Are you following up on unpaid invoices promptly? Are you processing change orders quick enough?  Make sure you conduct regular reviews on your systems and process, to see where improvements can be made. Alternatively, a guide to your annual filings will help you compare income statements with cash flow statements, so you can identify any red flags.  If you want to improve cash flow, it is important to consider all aspects of the project and how they impact the timeline and budget, the adequacy of the systems and processes you have in place and the visibility of project requirements and supply chains.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has caused challenges for many industries, it is also true that there has never been a higher demand for construction. New developments, properties, and commercial buildings are being scheduled for creation constantly, meaning that the construction industry needs an influx of skilled workers. The fact is that many roles in construction are in huge demand. Some of this is down to a lack of qualified professionals, while for others it may simply be that the workforce generally is unaware of the need for more staff taking on these roles. Here we take a look at six construction careers that are in high demand.  1. Plumbers All buildings need plumbing systems and getting this work carried out effectively is a hugely important aspect of a successful construction. The average wage for a plumber in the UK is over £35,000 – well above the national average. And those who get a reputation for skilled work during construction projects can command far more.  Of course it is important to note that you will need the right qualifications and experience. Indeed, many plumbers tend to prefer work in residential properties so this role might not be perfect for you, even if you are a fully qualified plumber.   2. Electricians Like plumbers, electricians are generally in high demand, so perhaps it is not a surprise that more are needed for construction projects too. Once again, becoming an electrician takes a great deal of training as well as working experience – understandably, there are also a large number of potential career paths for electricians.  So many systems across a building rely on electricity that this is an absolutely enormous job and one that it is necessary to get exactly right. Due to this responsibility, electricians on construction sites demand high salaries.  3. HGV drivers It is worth remembering that not all construction careers mean that you have to work at a construction site. A great deal of key work relating to construction projects actually happens well away from the sites, while others like HGV drivers only spend a short amount of time there. Effective and efficient logistics are essential, and there have been falling numbers of skilled and qualified drivers.  Recent years have seen a renewed focus on training HGV drivers taking into account the changing needs of the industry and the opportunities surrounding working with the construction sector. It is hoped that this will start to bring in those with the required skills and moving good to and from sites efficiently and effectively is a huge hurden on sites.   4. Construction managers Another great example of those who may not spend all of their time at a construction site, but play an absolutely vital role is that of construction project managers. Great project managers are needed for a huge range of responsibilities in the smooth running of a project, and experienced, skilled managers are in high demand.  The skills required of construction managers are actually transferable from a range of other industries, which could indicate the demand could potentially be filled by those looking for a change of scenery. The work typically involves everything from the hiring of workers and securing of permits to resolving site issues and tracking productivity.  5. Carpenters  Carpenters are essential workers on construction projects. Responsible for creating the frame work for much of the building they take a role in the construction of the most crucial elements of building infrastructure: floors, ceilings, windows, doors and more.  Carpenters on construction sites need to have the ability to work closely with other members of the team when bringing the project together. Experienced and skilled carpenters earn well too with a possible salary of around £40,000 at the top end of the profession.  6. Civil engineers Sometimes overlooked for their importance in a construction project, civil engineers are tasked with some of the most laborious and challenging jobs on the site. Civil engineers are qualified professionals who take on the projects relating to civil works around the site – this might involve alterations to roads, bridges and anything else used by the general public. Final thoughts A number of roles across the construction sector need more professionals to fill vacancies. With changes to the employment market due to the pandemic it may be the case that many workers who didn’t realise that they could be a part of the industry could find their dream job. 

When growing your business, it’s essential to know which marketing efforts are worth investing in. With more options available than ever before, choosing the best channel for your business can feel overwhelming. That said, email marketing remains a great tactic that helps eCommerce companies thrive in this saturated market. Aside from the fact that this strategy is 40% better at converting than some social media platforms, it is also an excellent channel for generating leads, making sales, and retaining customers. But before you set up an email marketing campaign, it’s essential to grow a reliable online presence for your business so customers can browse and shop in your online store without any trouble. A good start is the most suitable hosting for business and a relevant domain name. So if you’re wondering whether email marketing is the right marketing option for you and how well it would pay off, continue reading this article.  Generates the Highest ROI ROI, which stands for return on investment, refers to the incremental revenue per dollar spent. Implementing a high-generating ROI marketing strategy is essential to keep businesses profitable and running for the long haul. Compared to other marketing methods, email marketing tends to generate the highest ROI. For every dollar spent on this marketing tactic, businesses get an ROI of $40. In retrospect, search engine optimization (SEO) only generates $22.24, and mobile marketing yields at only $10.51. When done right, this practice benefits businesses in the following ways: Justifies marketing spend Compares marketing efficiency  Provides insight on what to spend more on With the correct information, businesses can plan a lucrative marketing strategy, spending less to gain maximum revenue.  Increases Web Traffic According to HubSpot, the most significant marketing challenge for businesses is generating traffic and leads. No matter the size of your business, having an email marketing strategy is vital. In 2021, there are 4.147 million email users and 319.6 billion sent and received emails per day. With that in mind, people worldwide are reachable through their email inbox, making email marketing a suitable strategy to drive more traffic to your website. The first step to email marketing is building an email list – a collection of email addresses from people who permit you to send them emails. Typically, people provide their email addresses in exchange for a special offer, valuable resources, or freebies. For instance, if your business sells kitchen appliances, consider offering a healthy recipe eBook in return for their email addresses. Next, make sure the emails you send are not spammy. Avoid sending them too often and including unnecessary information. Instead, keep them concise and provide a clear call-to-action button to drive targeted traffic to the pages you choose. Easy to Measure Measuring your marketing efforts is critical. It gives insight into what works, what doesn’t, and where to improve, allowing businesses to plan a better strategy for maximum results. Here are several email marketing metrics to measure to help improve the outcome: Open rate. This refers to the percentage of recipients who opened your email. Consider personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s first name to increase the open rate. Click-through rate. Shows how many recipients clicked on a link attached to your email. Pay attention to the anchor text, link placement, and button color choice. Unsubscribe rate. The percentage of recipients who unsubscribe from your mailing list. This is mostly due to unrecognizable sender, weak brand identity, and emailing too often. Complaint rate. This is the percentage of recipients who marked your email as spam. Reasons for high complaint rates include leaving out the unsubscribe link in your emails and sending irrelevant content. Conversion rate. The number of recipients who completed your desired action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a channel, or signing up for a course. Bounce rate. Shows total emails that weren’t successfully delivered, which is mainly due to the wrong email address, overloaded server, or full mailbox on the recipient’s part. Builds a Lasting Customer Base Aside from attracting new customers, it’s also critical to retain the existing ones. Not only will doing so help increase sales but a loyal and lasting customer base will also boost your company’s growth and brand reputation. A great way to achieve that by email marketing is through loyalty programs – a marketing strategy to encourage repeat orders and increase brand loyalty. Here’s a list of programs worth considering: VIP programs. Consider offering access to special deals such as coupon codes or early launch discounts to those who sign up as VIP members. Brand ambassador programs. Offer various perks such as invitations to brand events and access to exclusive communities to those who become brand ambassadors. Referral programs. Encourage customers to invite others to try your brand or service by giving redeemable points for every successful conversion. Email Is a Preferred Communication Channel 83% of customers prefer to hear from brands via email. That said, it’s important to pay attention to your audiences’ needs. For instance, 54% of consumers want businesses to make it easy to opt out of their mailing list. Therefore, include an easy-to-spot unsubscribe button for their convenience. Additionally, personalize your emails as this strategy boosts transaction rates by six times.  Customers also state they’re more likely to shop when offered personalized offers and product recommendations. A great example of this is Netflix, where they send emails based on the customer’s watch history. Without personalization, you risk losing customers, as 74% of them get frustrated when content has nothing to do with them. Boosts Sales When done right, email marketing can boost sales. To do that, consider using email segmentation, the practice of dividing your email list into different groups so marketers can tailor unique campaigns to each segment. As a marketer, you can segment based on a few criteria, such as signup date, group interest, or subscriber activity. That said, segmentation enables marketers to respond to subscribers’ behaviors and make customized messages relevant to their needs. This practice can garner 14.31% higher

Are you just starting in real estate photography? If yes, we have some fantastic tips for you. Here are some things you need to know. ·         It Is a Lucrative Field  If you have been doubting whether you should go into property photography, don’t. It is a highly lucrative field. According to insights from the United States Department of Labor, a beginner can take home as much as $40,000 every year. With a little more experience, earnings can rise to $100,000. Real estate photography is a niche area.  It tends to reduce the amount of competition you will have to deal with, so take the time to market yourself.  Come up with a unique offering that your peers may not have thought about.  ·         Diversify Your Income Look at other areas to diversify your earnings. Photo property images can make excellent online real estate magazines. You can also create 3D property tours for your client as an extra service. Another idea is virtual staging. Use your images to fill up empty rooms. The clients will find it easier to sell a house that looks like someone lives in it. Learn more about the fascinating virtual staging by clicking on this link.  ·         Invest In the Right Equipment Investing in the right equipment is critical as it will make your life so much simpler. Indeed, quality photography equipment is not cheap. But, look at it as an investment towards your career. Good quality will also give you long-term usage. You don’t have to keep replacing the equipment. You will need:- ·         Have a Website and Social Media Presence  A website provides so many advantages to real estate photographers. It is a fantastic way to get your name into the market. You also get to showcase your work on a professional easy to access platform. Take advantage of content creation to establish yourself as an authority. One particularly good example of a property photography business, that have recently been expanding their online presence is Photo Property who operate in the UK. They’ve been developing their website, making it look more professional and user-friendly, and creating engaging content for their social media profiles. Overall a fantastic strategy for gaining new business. As we’ve mentioned above, it’s important to have a strong social media presence. You get access to a broad audience base, who can end up being clients? Join relevant groups of like-minded individuals who work in real estate photography. Network like crazy so that you start to establish a name within the industry.  Do not forget to link the social media sites to your website. It is a fantastic way to build organic audiences for both platforms.  Conclusion Real estate photography can be challenging but very rewarding. With proper marketing services, you will never miss clients. Be consistent, professional, creative and unique in your service offering.  Good luck in your career. 

For all the advantages of a remote work environment, collaborating with others remains a challenge. How do you perform as a team when everyone is working from home? Thankfully, there are ways to boost collaboration with technology, tools, and techniques from the front-line innovators of online business. Here’s what they have to share on the subject. Keep the Culture Many businesses have struggled to keep their company culture intact during the remote work era. But those that put culture first are rewarded with great work and a dedicated workforce. “The old rules of teamwork still apply, especially in remote setups. You need a culture built on trust, empowerment, and mutual respect. Don’t ruin employee engagement and satisfaction by taking away these key components of a strong culture.” – Tracey Halverson, Co-Founder of Fastspot “With many employees opting to work hybrid and remote, we have more space in the office to form open-spaced pods where our team can collaborate in person while remaining socially distant. So we often schedule in-house brainstorming sessions for small groups of employees to get together in person to share ideas about new content and collaborate on ways to enhance our user experience.” – Tyler Faux, Founder and CEO of Supergreat “Create a quarterly or annual face-to-face retreat with your team. This gives everyone worthy incentives and will promote collaboration within the team. When everyone knows they are going to meet face to face together at some point, the way they collaborate with each other will shift.” – Jordan Nathan, CEO of Caraway “To enhance collaboration in a remote work environment, schedule monthly virtual happy hours. If you can work from home, you can drink from home, and this cultural event will help everyone interact with each other in a different way. This will improve the morale of your team and promote collaboration within the organization.” – Darren Litt, Chairman and Co-Founder of MarketerHire “The best way to jump-start collaboration amongst a team is to try and socially connect. This can be done remotely. I encourage management to set up one on ones amongst co-workers, create certain subject matters to discuss, this will break the ice and help everyone connect. Once you are able to connect on a social level it will be easier to collaborate and each employee will feel more comfortable, even remotely!” – Aidan Cole, Co-Founder of TatBrow  Tools of the Trade If your digital tools aren’t up to the task, online collaboration can only go so far. Equip your employees with powerful tech tools for the best results. “We have found that functional communication software is very important. Employees need these tools to collaborate on projects and tasks. Loom allows us to have those video conversations that are a bit more personal – better than communicating via email. Also, managing projects via Basecamp or traditional email is key to staying on top of big-picture tasks.” – William Schumacher, CEO of Uprising Food  “Just look at the success of online courses on LinkedIn and Skillshare, and it’s clear that creating a sense of community is essential. And with a thoughtfully structured lesson plan combined with engaging, easy-to-follow instruction, businesses can create an intensive learning experience online for their remote and hybrid employees.” – Harris Rabin, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at R3SET  “One way we have jump-started collaboration in a remote environment has been utilizing Slack to create an engaging way to collaborate. Slack allows us to stay connected at all points of the day no matter where we are, at the office or at home.” – Lauren Picasso CEO of Cure Hydration Overcommunication Is it possible to communicate too much in the world of remote work? We don’t think so, and today’s business leaders agree. “A great way to collaborate when operating in a remote environment is to set up virtual meetings for 30 minutes three times a week. This will give co-workers an opportunity to see each other’s faces. It is important to create a remote environment where everyone is still connected even though no one is physically in person together. Make these meetings interactive, don’t just preach as a manager or leader. This will help a remote group connect.” – Sean O’Brien, CMO of Modloft  “Setting up 1-on-1s with your team is a great way to jump-start collaboration in a remote work environment. These one-on-ones can be great at solving problems, discussing internal issues, and developing your employees. You can address both personal and professional goals for your team members and reiterate that your team has your support even when working remotely.” – Chris Gadek, Head of Growth at AdQuick “Encourage informal discussions before and after meetings. This will help keep your team synced and on the same page. It will also unify your team to learn to work together on clients, customers, and internal issues.” – Craig Carter, CEO of Jack Mason  “In a remote work environment, communicating often with your employees is key. Taking the time to send emails and meet regularly online can go a long way. Some companies are able to jump-start collaboration by coordinating online scavenger hunts, online mystery parties, and other games. Forming teams in that type of relaxed environment can help employees who would not normally meet have the opportunity to network. This can help fuel collaborations and lead to better teamwork in the future.” – Dennis Hegstad, Co-Founder of LiveRecover “As a manager, I continually promote communication. Communication is the best and most effective tool for teams, especially while working remotely. Start each week or project with clear and achievable goals. Allow your team to ask questions and contribute to the goal. You are now all on the same page and your employees can leave the Zoom call understanding their tasks and your expectations fully.” – Lo Bosworth, CEO and Founder of Love Wellness  Full Flexibility Everybody works a bit differently from home – be ready to accommodate different schedules and styles, and try to find common ground. “Offering flexible hours opens

Learning to help your startup thrive is about taking the rough with the smooth. And in the construction industry, understandably, there can be a number of obstacles. This means that we have to start asking for help, or outsourcing. Where we start to outsource, we need to make sure we do it in the right possible ways. We need to make sure that it helps the business, while also making sure that it doesn’t undermine the business. What is the best protocol for outsourcing in construction?  Provide Detailed Outsourcing Goals If you clearly define your outsourced goals early in the process, you’re going to differentiate yourself from the competition. Another advantage of defining your outsourced goals gives you the opportunity to take account of what your actual outsourcing needs are. You may find that your essential raw materials can benefit from streamlining, despite there being a necessity for C-clamps and assembly tools, but you can streamline your efforts to one company that provides all the essential raw materials so you can complete the job effectively. While you may discover Bessey clamps to be an effective organisation for your raw materials, when you are providing these crystal clear goals, it helps you have a solid understanding of your place in the process. Outsourcing doesn’t have to be about siphoning off every piece of your company, but you won’t know this until you detail your outsourcing goals. Picking the Right Outsourcing Engagement Model When you start a building outsourcing strategy, you need to prioritise the specific skills and materials you are looking for, but also define why. By defining these specific parameters of creative or technical expertise, it becomes easier to pick the right outsourcing engagement model to suit your requirements. For example, you could choose offshore engagement models or on-site models. There are also onshore and nearshore models and each one comes with its pros and cons.  Focus on Strong Relationships With Clients and Vendors Going back to the idea of working with one effective company means that you can focus more on the relationship. It is very straightforward, but if you can find a firm that works with your way of doing business, this makes it easier to blend corporate cultures and establish better communication protocols. When you work with an outsourcing vendor or a company that takes the opportunity to learn about the internal business culture and how it works effectively, this will not just promote the best staffing solutions, but also guarantee that the adjustment period is as minimal as possible. When you lay out a very clear blueprint in terms of what you expect from your outsourcing, while also being aware of the advantages and disadvantages, you will mitigate any risks. Within the construction sector, outsourcing is widespread, important to recognise that outsourcing covers a lot of ground. It can be the benefit your construction business needs, but it could also be the nail in your coffin. Outsourcing is not just a way to get rid of your workload for cheap, which is why you have to work within a specific protocol.