There are a few businesses that are pretty much recession proof. Though the construction business can slow down considerably during a financial downturn, the paving business is usually still going strong even in the worst situations. Roads need to be paved to keep traffic moving. Not only that, but generally cities and towns have their paving projects budgeted from the year before so the money is already there even if there is a crisis happening. If you’re trying to decide on a business with lots of upside then read on for the tips on how to start your own paving business. 1 – Have your equipment ready Your biggest expense is going to be your machinery to do the work. From the trucks to bring the machines to the site, to the pavers themselves. It is a huge expense to buy them and also to maintain them. You can buy some of these at auction to get you started if you are on a budget, but make sure that you have a plan to replace them once the jobs are coming in regularly. After all, older equipment will cost you more in the long run through maintenance and also in terms of lost work if they don’t perform well. You’ll need to shop around for the best insurance plans to save money and look for the best red diesel suppliers that will give you the best price on your fuel for the machines. 2 – Create a business plan Whether you plan to open a paving business or a lemonade stand, a business plan is essential. A business plan not only will help you secure loans from a bank but it serves as your roadmap to success. It will provide you with a step by step guide on running your business. Each section is essentially a milestone that lets you know what to do after having surpassed each one. Without a business plan, you are simply flying by the seat of your pants and taking things as they come. 3 – Start small Your ultimate prize should be getting contracts for city and state projects that pay a lot of money and usually last for years. This is the ideal situation, but don’t expect these huge contracts off the bat. First, you’ll need to start out doing smaller jobs like driveways and patios for residential projects. Then, you can gain a reputation and start going for bigger commercial jobs like a restaurant or store parking lot. Then, later on you can start bidding on larger projects. 4 – Be insured Construction is a dangerous job for you, your staff and even the general public. And you need to cover yourself against any injury claims. Have good liability insurance that covers an injury and even damage to property. There is always the possibility that your equipment or workers damage somebody’s lawn or home and you don’t want to pay out of pocket for that.

From the days of flyers and telephone calls to the evolving world of social media content and tailored online advertising, brands and businesses are constantly thinking of new ways to gain exposure and sell their products to customers. Thanks to the power of social media, almost every company includes platforms like Facebook and YouTube. From TikTok to Instagram, it’s all part of a strategy to reach new audiences and increase sales. You’ll already know that “influencer marketing” has been the way forward for many marketing professionals. Tapping into the success of everyday people who’ve taken the internet by storm has been seen as the logical way to go about it. But, with high follower counts comes the high price you’ll have to pay to get social media users—who are bombarded by brand deals—to pay attention. Even if you opt for an influencer with fewer followers, you can never guarantee a return on investment. Today, we look at how new tactics are being used to corner the social media market, including User-Generated Content and the phenomenon of “unboxing”. Unique touches over fake presence The traditional use of influencer marketing, where you pay a social celebrity to post your product on their platform, is a dying art. The facts and figures certainly back this up, especially around the use of fake followers. According to a report in 2019, fake followers cost advertisers $1.9 billion, with companies “ripped off” for the price they paid for sponsored posts. It’s no small cost for a market said to be worth $8.5 million in the same year—based on advertising spend. But it’s not just fake followers that point to influencer marketing being less effective than it once was. In the same year, American internet sensation Ariana Renee had to cancel her own clothing range after failing to sell the minimum 36 T-shirts required to start her first shipment, despite having a following of 2.6 million on Instagram. Examples like this has got brands thinking. How can they promote their products in a way that people on social media will share it, without having to be paid a small fortune for the pleasure? The answer in a nutshell—User-Generated Content (UGC). In simple terms, UGC is any content, whether it be videos, text, or audio, that’s shared by social media users. For brands, it’s a means to get creative and add personal touches to their products and packaging. This will have people reaching for their phones to post about it without hesitation. Personalisation has boomed in recent times, with everything from personalised wrapping paper to personalised candle holders available online. It’s a trend that even celebrities are on board with. David Beckham’s 45th birthday celebrations saw Victoria give him his presents wrapped in paper printed with his own face! It’s more than plausible to say that people want more unique, personal items these days, with the world of social media playing a key role in the desire for personalisation. If you think about it for a second, what is more likely to be shared on social media, a shopping bag with a brand name on it, or one that’s been designed to feel like it’s special to a specific individual and nobody else? To quantify this from a financial point of view, it’s estimated that the global market for personalised gifts will rise to $38 billion by 2021. This provides a closer look at what direction things are heading in. Unboxing–the never-ending phenomenon With a continuous conveyor belt of products to choose from, there comes the opportunity for trends to emerge on social media. One of the most popular ones right now is known as unboxing. Recognised in the Oxford Dictionary, ‘unboxing’ is defined as: ‘An act or instance of removing a newly purchased product from its packaging and examining its features, typically when filmed and shared on a social media site.’ Search for ‘unboxing’ on YouTube and you instantly get a sense of how popular it’s become. A channel known as ‘Unbox Therapy’ has amassed 17.1 million subscribers since its creation in 2010, with over 3.7 billion views in that time, with viewers tuning in for the excitement of unboxing the latest products. Not only do unboxing videos fuel anticipation of what’s inside, but it always gives key information on the product itself. This is a big deal for consumers, and a recipe for success when brands think of new ways to present their latest craze. Unboxing is not some sort of look into the future, it’s an established way to present and digest content right now. As of 2019, YouTube channel Ryan’s Toy Reviews, where youngster Ryan unboxes the latest toys and reviews them with his parents, was worth a whopping $26 million. Personal reviews, not just views It’s clear to see that the days of brands relying on social media megastars to post about how much they love the product they’ve just been paid handsomely to share are over. It just doesn’t yield the same results that it used to. Now people want to see more personalised branding and opinions from the people in the position to blog, vlog and talk about. Not only that, but the everyday person also wants to share what they buy on social media. Making simple changes to packaging, adding unique touches, and even handwriting a note to fit inside the box are all ways for companies to up their UGC game. Gary Peeling, CEO at UK commercial print company: Where The Trade Buys, currently producing PPE for UK education spaces, workplaces, hospitality venues, retail stores, charity shops, the NHS and more. The company has also been involved in manufacturing face visors for NHS essential workers in the fight against Covid-19. Sources:

There is never a bad time to build your client base, but with the recent pandemic affecting businesses everywhere, now is as good a time as any to market your company. With more clients on your side, you will be able to make more profits and push your business forwards. You will also have the opportunity to fight off the advances of your nearest competition. To build your client base, we recommend the following.  #1: Focus on your website First impressions are everything in business. But if your website isn’t up to scratch, your potential clients might assume the quality of your work isn’t great either. So, do what you can to create a professional image for your company. Include high-quality pictures of your past projects as people will then know what you’re capable of. Include testimonials too, as a positive word from past clients will do much to sway people to your side. And check out these construction website must-haves to make an impact on the people who visit your site #2: Direct people to your website After working on your website, you need to make sure people actually find it online. Thankfully, this is pretty simple, as you can include your site URL everywhere. Have it printed on your work vans, and include it on your promotional materials. Link back to your website from your social media pages, and make sure it’s included on the business listing sites you use too.  You could also embed QR codes on your business cards, brochures, and the other marketing materials you use. Give people an incentive to scan them with their smartphones – perhaps with the offer of a special deal – and use the code to direct them to the relevant page on your website. Use the following linked site to make a QR code for your business.  #3: Build relationships with other contractors Not every contractor is your enemy! If you specialize in one area, you might want to partner up with another contractor with the skills you don’t have. So, if your focus was building work, you could partner up with a specialist in electrics, for example. You could then share work and build your client base this way, or you could ask them to promote your services to their clients. If you offered to market their business too, they should be only too happy to support you.  #4: Stay in touch with past clients Don’t assume your clients will remember you in six months’ time. As there are many other contractors competing against you, they might be tempted to try another firm if they have other projects in mind. So, stay on their radar, especially if you know they were pleased with the work you did for them. Drop them an email about updates to your company, and let them know about any new services you are offering. This way, you might retain their custom and keep them on your client list. You can then use them to build your client base, as you can ask your past clients to refer your business to their family and friends.  More clients equal more money and a better reputation for your business. Do what you can to build your client base then, and improve your chances of success in your industry. 

Your business is one of the most essential things in your life, and you need to do everything you can to keep it moving forward. There are some super simple things that you can to propel your business forward without causing much of a hassle, it’s just a case of knowing what they are. But, luckily for you, we know what they are, and we’re going to share them with you in this article. As such, if you want to know more about how to move your business forward easily, keep reading down below.  Expand The first and arguably one of the best things that you can do is to expand your business. Depending on how much experience you have on the market, expanding your business doesn’t have to be a difficult thing. You can even hire someone to help you by planning the expansion if you don’t think that you’re going to get through it without the help. Don’t forget that when you expand your business you’re also going to need to hire more staff, so make sure that you are advertising this right as you start the expansion. Go through all of the departments and see what you’re going to need to cover all the new customers that you’re going to have. With more customers comes more staff, and you don’t want to forget about this, keeping your staff happy as they aren’t going to be overworked.  Keep in mind that the financial side of the expansion has got to be managed as well. If you have no experience with finances, then you need someone who does and soon. Different Payment Options Another thing that you’ve got to think about is different payment options. People want to pay in a way that suits them, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re offering an array of solutions. For example, you need to look into the best international money transfer services and see what one is best. People want to be able to pay in their own currency, as this will help to entice them to buy. When you can buy in a way that suits your needs, you are more likely to buy from a business, which is what you want your customers to think. You don’t want to only offer the standard credit or debit card options because then you are limiting most people who can buy your product. If they don’t have a credit or debit card handy, you want to be able to pay with an app such as PayPal or something. When you add more options, you will find more people are willing to buy from your business. Invest In The Right Tech You’re also going to need to invest in the right tech. There is so much tech on the market right now that if you’re not investing in it, you’re doing something wrong. There is no business right now that is going to be able to survive without certain pieces of equipment. That’s right, we’re talking about baseline survival, not even propelling the business forward. You’re going to need the standard tech, such as up to date computers and tablets, depending on what your business does. Then on top of this, you’re going to need the more advanced and specific tech that relates to your industry. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you don’t need them, because you are never going to get your business high on the market this way. Go through what you think you’re going to need, and make the purchases when you’re ready to expand. You should make this list a couple of months before so you know how much you’re likely to spend on new tech, meaning you can budget it in. Keep in mind that if you don’t have the right tech, you’re going to make your employees slower than they should be. You can’t then blame them when they aren’t doing what you wanted of them, and your business will lack. Instead, if you want your business to move forward, then tech is going to be your best friend. Hotel management software is a prime example of how investing in the right technology can propel your business forward. By streamlining operations such as reservations, billing, and customer service, the software eliminates time-consuming manual processes and reduces the risk of human error. This kind of technology not only boosts productivity but also frees up valuable time for staff to focus on delivering exceptional service, ultimately driving business growth and profitability. It might seem like a lot of money to spend right now, but trust us when we say it’s going to be worth it when your business is running better than ever, providing you with more customers. We hope that you have found this article helpful and now understand some of the simple solutions that you need to propel your business forward. Good luck, and hopefully, you’re going to see results sooner rather than later when you implement these solutions.

Marketing communications agency, Jam, has demonstrated its value and extraordinary thinking in driving its clients forward through the pandemic, with two clients placing additional investment and trust in the delivery of integrated marketing strategies. National PropTech company, MakeUrMove, has tasked Jam with positioning the firm as the leading provider of smart technology for landlords and tenants and increasing brand awareness through PR, and implementing marketing campaigns to increase web traffic and leads. Jam has enjoyed a partnership with MakeUrMove for over two and a half years, working collaboratively to deliver elements including a brand refresh, website design, digital content strategy and establishing a presence in the media through a hard-working press office. Specialist housing recruitment agency, Andersen James, has enlisted the support of Jam to deliver an integrated strategy on its road to post-coronavirus growth and support its ambitious scale up plans of tripling turnover and profit by 2023. Having worked with Andersen James since 2015, delivering ad hoc creative assets, including brochures, presentations and a website build, Jam has now been awarded an ongoing retainer and trusted to supply a long term strategy of increasing awareness of the firm and positioning them as industry leaders through B2B PR and digital content. Jaime Gee, Managing Director and co-founder of Jam, said: “With our long standing partnerships with MakeUrMove and Andersen James, we’re thrilled that our clients see the real value in the services we deliver. While many businesses have paused or scaled back marketing activity due to the current climate, our clients trust us in our ability to deliver an integrated approach to help drive their businesses forward and ensure a resilient future. Alexandra Morris, Managing Director of MakeUrMove, said: “It’s been a challenging time for the property industry, but the sector is already seeing a bounceback and so we believe that now is the right time for investing in a long term integrated marketing strategy with Jam. As a result of our established partnership with Jam, we are confident that Jam’s understanding of our sector, and proven experience of delivering fantastic and meaningful results will support us in our future growth journey and plans of becoming a household name in the industry.”  Jam’s roster of clients includes Argos Pet Insurance, UAE based IRE Oil & Gas FZE, Koura, Survivors Manchester, Sync, The Furniture Recycling Group, and Printworks.

In life, we need to have good quality relationships in order to gain any substantial meaning from them. Whether you are running a business or doing your best to nurture a friendship, relationships are crucial. But when you throw money into the mix, this is when things can get tricky. Money is the ultimate goal, but we need to remember that money isn’t everything. But when we are suffering from debt or struggling to keep our business afloat, we have to put certain components in place to guarantee success. But before all this, you need to fix your personal relationship with money. And how can we do this? Prioritise As our lives change, we have to choose priorities in life. When you consider your value system, such as if you prioritise money over everything else, is this going to damage your relationships in other aspects of your life? There are so many business people out there that are driven by profit that they ignore the needs of their employees, consciously or unconsciously. And this is where we have to look at fixing our own values. This means that we may have to look at our debt system. While there are systems out there like the Debt to Success System (DTSS) and if you’re wondering is DTSS legit? It is one of those systems that can open your eyes to the wider world. It’s not just about the finances, but something like this can throw up so many pertinent points that we can’t help but address our attitudes towards money. Prioritise it, but don’t let it take over your life. Stop Using It for Manipulation Purposes The very nature of doing business relies on money as the most vital commodity. And with money comes the balance of power. But when you start to think about the things that you really care about in life, does money really factor into it? Or to rephrase it better; should money factor into it? When you love someone, would you manipulate someone into doing something to get you money? As soon as you start to remove the ideas of power with regards to your money thoughts, it makes for more clarity in life. Relationships and Passion Will Bring the Answer Whether we are setting up a side hustle or we are looking to forge a life for ourselves, when we have more control when we place an onus more on money rather than how we feel at the end of the day, this can throw things out of balance. When we start to put our passions into a project, this may require a lot of effort on our part, but the results we get out of it will be worth it, financial or not. When people are looking to make a living from doing something they love there comes a point where they have to address their own passions towards the project. Once you start to address your own relationships with a certain type of work, you can ask yourself if you are happy to do it without earning money at the outset. Naturally, we all need to make a living but money is a commodity used for trade rather than the route of happiness. This is why you have to fix your relationship with it.  https://youtube.com/watch?v=28-FMrg0KqQ