StartupTalky

Tag: 📖 Learning

  • Top 7 Best Fast-Food Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business

    Fast food restaurants are a type of restaurant that serve fast food that is easy and quick to prepare and serve. Fast food restaurants are the most popular restaurants nowadays as most people today prefer fast foods over traditional food when they step out to eat.

    During current times too, people prefer to order fast foods rather than other food items online through apps such as Zomato and Swiggy. Therefore, it remains essential to adopt correct marketing strategies for Fast Food restaurants.

    Top marketing strategies for Fast Food Restaurants

    1. Create a Website for Your Fast Food Restaurant
    2. Employ Email Marketing
    3. Use Social Media Marketing and Make Your Online Presence Strong
    4. Partner With Food Delivery Apps
    5. Offer a Good and Hygienic Dining Space
    6. Offer Deals to Local Offices and Workplaces
    7. Offer Deals and Discounts to Your Loyal Customers

    1. Create a Website for Your Fast Food Restaurant

    A good website attracts many customers. People will research about your restaurant before ordering something from you or visiting your store and when they go to your website, they must not be disappointed. You should add pictures and videos of cuisines offered at your restaurant so that people are attracted to your business.

    Make use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools so that your website pops up at the tops when someone searches ‘Restaurants near me’ or ‘Fast Food Stores near me.

    Add your restaurant to the Google My Business listing to improve the chances of people finding your restaurant.

    Restaurant recommendation on Google
    Restaurant recommendation on Google

    Add details such as opening and closing hours, contact number, website, etc so that people get to know about your restaurant.

    2. Employ Email Marketing

    This remains one of the most important fast food marketing strategies. There are many tools available online for the creation and sending of good quality commercial emails to your customers.

    Also, in comparison to social media marketing, email marketing can be more personalized and more economic. Almost everyone checks their emails regularly and find these types of personalized emails attractive.

    Zomato Email Marketing
    Zomato Email Marketing

    You can send emails to your loyal customers informing them about offers and discounts. You can send them personalized offers (Just For You!). Such types of personalized offers will attract your customers

    Send them emails regarding changes in the menu and items that are ‘Today’s Special’.

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    3. Use Social Media Marketing and Make Your Online Presence Strong

    If you are marketing your fast food business in 2022, social media is a must. Social Media Marketing (SMM) is the best digital marketing strategy as almost everyone uses social media nowadays. Instagram alone has over a billion active users daily. Therefore, choosing the right social media marketing strategies will help your restaurant to grow.

    Some important tips for your social media marketing strategy are:

    Use paid advertisements offered by social media platforms to reach out to more and more people.

    Collaborate with Food Bloggers

    Collaborate with Food Bloggers and Influencers that can write good reviews about your restaurant. These people have a huge presence on social media and collaborating with them can increase the number of customers of your restaurant significantly

    Be active on social media.

    People are interested in businesses that are active on social media. Post regularly about the dishes you offer to your customers and about offers and deals.

    Respond to your customers

    Reply to every query and complaint by your customers through social media.

    4. Partner With Food Delivery Apps

    This is the only thing that will help run your restaurant during current times as people cannot visit your restaurant to enjoy their favourite meals. This will also help you to reach more people and gather new customers as there will be some people who will get to know about your restaurant through these apps only.

    5. Offer a Good and Hygienic Dining Space

    Although some fast-food restaurants have minimal dining space, it must be good and hygienic so that people feel comfortable sitting there and eating. Some fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s also provides free Wi-Fi service to their customers.

    McDonald's Free WiFi
    McDonald’s Free WiFi

    If a customer visits your restaurant and isn’t satisfied, he/she won’t visit again. As they say, ‘The first impression is the last impression ’. This, in fact, is true in this case also. Also, maintain a clean and safe working environment for people that work at your restaurant.

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    6. Offer Deals to Local Offices and Workplaces

    If you own a fast-food restaurant you can partner with local offices and workplaces around your area. This will help in the growth of your restaurant especially if your business is new. You can reach out to them and offer them deals to deliver food items at discounted rates for their employees. This will also initiate the process of word of mouth marketing which will lead to an increase in the number of your customers.

    7. Offer Deals and Discounts to Your Loyal Customers

    Show your gratitude to your loyal customer base by offering them special discounts and offers. Offer time-limited discounts. This strategy will attract your loyal customers as well as other people to buy from you.

    Conclusion

    If your marketing strategies are not correct, then your restaurant may not be able to survive in the ever-growing competition in the field of fast-food restaurants. Make correct use of these marketing strategies and see your restaurant reach new heights right before your own eyes.

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    FAQs

    How does fast food attract customers?

    Give Free WiFi to your customers, Provide discounts, Provide music, Partner with food delivery apps, and Employ Email Marketing.

    What are some food marketing strategies?

    Focus on Blogging, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and packaging your product.

    How can I promote my food business?

    Add your business to Google My Business, Leverage social media, Collaborate with Food Bloggers and Offer deals and discounts to your loyal customers.

  • 8 Ways To Provide Better SaaS Customer Experience In 2022

    ‌‌‌‌‌‌Traditionally, software was distributed in different forms such as through CDs and DVDs. These practices are used to cost the user and distributor the additional responsibility of installation and maintenance of the software.

    The new alternative to this practice is to directly download a subscribed service by the means of the internet. They are termed SaaS. SaaS is a software distribution method that allows the end-users to directly purchase and download their needed software by the means of the internet.

    SaaS has gained much hype in the last few years. Many different startups and companies are investing in SaaS for vivid reasons. Some sell their products by SaaS, or others use SaaS for improving their business. Irrespective of the need, creating a SaaS is a hectic job.

    Imagine creating a SaaS product with such dedication. However, in the end, you are left with an almost negligible amount of customers acknowledging your efforts. The biggest fall for any product is through its customers. Customers are the biggest resources for success. Creating the best user experience for any SaaS developer is surely one of the major tasks.

    There are a few tricks and tips one can try to implement for a better SaaS user experience. Some of them are:

    Work Towards Creating a Good Impression

    We all have heard and believed the proverb “First impression is the last impression”. Creating better impactful landing pages can attract the attention of customers. On average, a visitor roughly spends about 10-20 sec on each webpage. These initial seconds are the time when a judgment is passed towards it. Creating an attractive and thoughtful landing page can surpass this period. Surpassing can increase the chance of converting a visitor into a customer.

    Begin With Ease

    The beginning is the first and most crucial step of any journey. Providing customers with an easy start can be more beneficial. There can be times when a SaaS product loses out their customers at the start only. This can be because of a complex starting procedure. It’s best to keep the start simple and clear.

    Starting with complex or time-consuming steps can irritate the customers. Even to sign in, it is best recommended to ask for needed information only at the start. As an alternative one can also add up the option of skipping unrequited formalities at the start.

    Be Clear About Your SaaS Product

    SaaS is a product brought by some amount. Before buying the product, no user has the proper acknowledgement of its services and tools. Not all products of the same field offer the same services. Customers buy the SaaS depending upon their requirements. Without actually having the idea of detailed work, a customer can’t make a call. Giving out clear information on the subscription given by the amount and the tools made available will be a plus point for both sides.

    Provide Clear Guidelines

    New users might get stuck in some steps. Keeping clear and detailed guidelines for customers can make them grateful for the team. Guidelines can be in the form of a small tour of the service, it can be a video explaining any error, a pdf full of basic working, or a graph showing the next steps. Guiding users makes them feel valued. This is a great tactic for avoiding any negative comments about service.

    Have an Open Communication System

    There can be times when clients might feel stuck. And no possible solution is made available to them through any guide. At such times, they might feel the need to have direct contact. For such occasions, keeping one or two methods as a part of communication is recommended. It can be in the form of an email or any other similar service.

    As much as it is important to provide clients with an immediate contacting option, it is also an essential part to answer them. For one to have better control over their customers, they should constantly reply and communicate with customers on all of their needed issues.

    Follow Real Advice

    Each service has a comment section below it. This is the place where one can easily track the accuracy of their made products. Be it grocery products or a SaaS product. It is best to keep track of given comments for a better understanding of the target audience and their needs. This can also avail the developers with the knowledge of their competitor’s strategies.

    Provide Improved Services Constantly

    The purchased users are the ones who can attract more customers by their comments and feedback. It is important to provide them with satisfactory service. New implementations are required to be made now and then.

    Developers should avail their SaaS users with new implementation as a part of the update. This update should also be explained and notified to the users by any possible means such as a message box or notification to their registered email.

    Be Grateful

    Showing gratitude to the SaaS users can alleviate their experience. Along with that, it can also make them a trusted client of your SaaS product. There are different options for making your users feel special.

    Giving out any free service as an addition or providing them with a free trial of service for a limited period. All these can create a good impact on clients.

    There are many practices one can implement for improving the user experience. The above-given examples are some of the most simple and needed implementations by markers.

    Conclusion

    SaaS (Software as a System) is the distribution of software by the means of the internet. Software as a service (SaaS) is one type of cloud computing along with Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and Platform as a service (PaaS). SaaS works to deliver software to the client directly without the need for additional instalment and management of any software or hardware.

    SaaS startups and products are gaining much hype recently. There are many factors affecting the success rate of SaaS products. One of them is their user experience.

    FAQs

    How do you improve SaaS UX?

    Provide Clear Guidelines, Provide Improved Services Constantly, and Be Clear About Your SaaS Product.

    What are SaaS best practices?

    Provide a better user experience, focus on personalization and compatibility with all devices.

    What are the examples of SaaS?

    Some of the most common examples of SaaS are Microsoft Azure, Dropbox, Google Docs, etc.

    What are some of the failed SaaS startups?

    Some of the failed SaaS startups are Teamometer, RingDaddy, Habitual, etc.

  • Everything You Need to Know About Retarget Marketing

    Marketing is a vital aspect for a business, a business can only survive when proper marketing is done. Marketing has to be done continuously, it will only boost your business when you are continuously visible in front of the public. Through online marketing, you might be able to attract a lot of traffic to your website but if you are just dependent upon the earning from advertisements on your website, that traffic means nothing to you.

    If your visitor is not converting into your customer, that traffic is just a group of people and they are not bringing any kind of profits to your business basically that traffic is just useless. To convert those viewers into your customers, you need to give in something, you need to remind them what they need and what you can give, again and again. In this article, we will talk about Retarget Marketing, so let’s dive into it.

    What Is Retargeting?
    Advantages of Retargeting
    Limitations of Retargeting
    How Does Retargeting Work?
    Best Retargeting Platforms
    Tips for Retarget Ads

    What Is Retargeting?

    Ever wondered why you see ads of a product you just visited the website of, on other websites? This is because they want you to remember them again and again. Advertisements are not there just to tell you about the products, their purpose is to remind you of the product again and again. When you see the ad, you might not notice it but it fits in your subconscious mind and whenever you are buying the product, you will more likely to buy that brand only. So, retargeting works the same way. When someone visits your website but forget to check out due to some circumstances, you can target them again and show your ads to them. This will bring that customer back to your website and generate a lead for you. You can even show that the price of your product is reduced to attract people, this is how retargeting is done.

    Advantages of Retargeting

    • Potential Customers: Retargeting helps you to reach potential customers. The system automatically recognizes the potential customer. Although the system is not accurate all the time, it will still give a great result identifying the potential prospect.
    • Brand Awareness: When people will see your ad on other websites, again and again, it will increase your brand awareness. More the people know about you, more the people share about you.
    • Generate leads: When the potential prospect see your advertisement many times a day on every other website, they will come back to your site. There is a very strong possibility that anyone who wants to buy some product will go for the brand they have been looking at all day.
    • Cost Effective: Retargeting gives a great ROI. Most of the people who really are in need of some particular product will get influenced by your ad. So, you will earn much more than you will spend on retargeting advertisements.
    • The Second Impression: You might not get the second chance to impress your crush, but can definitely impress your prospect in the second chance. If you think your website does not impress people and let them know the real power of your product, then you can show it in a better way in the retargeting ads.

    Limitations of Retargeting

    • Creepy: Your retargeted advertisement might feel creepy and annoying when people will see it again and again. Creepy in the way that not all people understand technology, so when they will see your retargeted ad, they will assume their privacy is at risk. And it will annoy people when you show the same ad again and again.
    • Time Consuming: If you don’t want your prospect to get annoyed by your ads, then you will have to create so many advertisements, which is both, expensive and time-consuming.
    • Waste of Advertising: These ads will be shown to the people who already bought your product too. So, your happy customer may start hating your brand.

    How Does Retargeting Work?

    Probably the most important question. Retargeting works as the system collects enough data to retarget the same user again. You can go to any retargeting service and pay them to do this for you. When someone will visit your website, they will show your ads on their platform. However, some information might be needed, but the companies still do not put their hands into any sensitive user data. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about when you see some ads on websites or Facebook or any other platform.

    Best Retargeting Platforms

    Some of the best Retargeting platforms are:

    • Google Adwords Remarketing
    • Facebook Remarketing
    • ReTargeter
    • SiteScout
    • Twitter
    • Criteo
    • Outbrain

    Tips for Retarget Ads

    • CTA: Call to action is as important in marketing as air is to us. Include some CTA in your retargeting ads.
    • Coupons: Provide coupons to the people who visited your website but didn’t buy anything. This might attract people as the reason for not buying the product, could be its price.
    • Potential Customers: You can retarget the visitors who spend a lot of time on your website. They might be interested in your product.
    • Stop Ads: Stop showing those ads which are not performing well. These ads can cause negative results.
    • Animated Ads: You can and you should use the animated ads to grab people’s attention.
    How to Run Retargeting Ads on Facebook

    Conclusion

    Retargeting is one of the most important parts of the internet today. This was the most innovative internet technology ever. The important thing to remember is that retargeting doesn’t need too much data and it definitely will not touch any of the private data of the user. You can choose any of the services out there, Google and Facebook are the best in this field though.

    FAQs

    What is the purpose of Retargeting?

    Retargeting helps in reminding your potential customers about your brand even after they left your website.

    Is Retargeting advertising effective?

    Retargeting advertising is said to be very effective and it is said to perform 10 times better than a normal display ad.

    Is Retargeting paid advertisement?

    Retargeting is a paid advertising strategy.

  • Popular Types of Coworking Spaces That You Can Rent

    Great work comes from a great team and environment. One can work for a few hours and start feeling drained. Another can work for the entire day and still feel productive.

    Environment and companions play an important role in influencing one’s work. Different people have different needs and preferences about their environments.

    So, it is possible for people to rent spaces as per their choice. For example- certain businesses like a professional environment whereas startups these days prefer a conventional setup.

    There are various types of coworking spaces one can rent. These include corporate, conventional, minimal, private, etc.

    What are Coworking Spaces?
    What are the Benefits of Renting a Coworking Space?
    Types of Coworking Spaces You Can Rent

    What are Coworking Spaces?

    It is an environment where people from different companies share a common space to work. It is like a community centre where people from distinct backgrounds or professions can work together on their own.

    Sharing the same office space is cost-saving. It is because of common infrastructure, equipment, utilities, services, and more.

    Most of the spaces come with all the basic essentials for working. For example- Wifi, printers, separate space for meetings, food, etc.

    A coworking space allows people to share ideas and connect with each other. It is the most suitable for students, freelancers, travellers, and remote workers.

    Co-working Spaces Explained

    What are the Benefits of Renting a Coworking Space?

    The pandemic made remote working a necessity. Some people feel great about it whereas some do not. There are many people who miss an environment full of colleagues. This gave a big boost to the idea of renting coworking spaces. It comes with many benefits; some of them are as follows:

    • It increases the amount of productivity. A person can stay away from the distractions in the house and complete the work more efficiently.
    • It gives you the opportunity to network. In these spaces, one gets to interact with people from different organizations.
    • It offers flexibility. There is no fixed time to enter and leave this space.
    • It helps to build a work-life balance. It is important to keep a difference between home and work. This is exactly what these spaces provide.
    • It is cost-effective. One does not have to pay for the equipment or services that they don’t want.

    Types of Coworking Spaces You Can Rent

    From a full-grown company to an early-age startup, everyone likes a coworking space. Everybody has different needs and choices related to their space. In today’s time, there is probably a coworking space according to every need.

    Here are some of the types that you can rent:

    Professional Spaces

    This kind of coworking space gives you the actual office feel but with flexibility. In this, the environment is more private and professional in nature.

    Here the lighting and atmosphere are sophisticated. There are all the facilities like internet, desks, private rooms for meetings, food, beverages, and more.

    This type is the most suitable for the people who like to keep their things professional and private.

    Open and Casual Spaces

    This is one of the most popular types when it comes to coworking. This offers a place for people from different organizations to work. It is different from the professional one because it does not offer much privacy.

    This is like an open space. It offers a shared environment with all the basic amenities that one needs to work. These coworking spaces tend to have quirky, casual, and energetic vibes.

    This type is appropriate for the ones who like to interact and connect with more people. Also, the ones who don’t prefer too much professionalism.

    Private Spaces

    This type is quite different from most of the other coworking spaces. In other spaces, people come from different companies and share the space.

    Some people feel that working around people from different companies is not good. Such people prefer private spaces. This cannot be rented by a single person; it needs a group.

    This has private rooms, a kitchen and more that is not available for others. A group can rent it for a specific time without making any long-term investment.

    This is quite expensive but works well for the ones who like to keep things private.

    Industry or Branch Specific Spaces

    This is a great type of space for the ones who like to be around people with similar interests. In this kind, different spaces are available according to different professions.

    These are made by keeping industry in mind. For example- An artistic co-working space- where all kinds of artists can work under one roof.

    Such spaces are niche-oriented. It can offer both an open and professional environment. It is the most suitable for creatives, law firms, and more.

    Incubator Spaces

    This type of coworking space is like a breeding space of ideas and innovations. It offers a casual yet industrious environment full of energy.

    These are open to all. Sometimes it comes with small cubicles. The like-minded people who want to connect can share the same one.

    It does not have a professional environment. Also, the best thing is that one can enjoy the working essentials at low costs.

    This is the top-most preference for developers, engineers, and early-age startups.

    List of 18 Best Coworking Spaces in India for Startups and Corporates 2021
    This is the list of best coworking spaces in India. It includes the exhaustive list of coworking spaces from cities like Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and others.
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    Meeting Spaces

    This is a perfect space for people who wants to rent a workspace for short time. Nowadays, there are many freelancers and small startups are emerging.

    They do not need a space all day long. But they do have meetings that need a private space. So, this coworking space has meeting rooms that allow people to rent the place for meetings.

    Here, the people can come together for meetings, planning, collaborations. For this, they can rent it on the basis of weeks, days, and even hours.

    This is a budget-friendly type that is suitable for freelancers, bloggers, small companies, etc.

    Conclusion

    The initial concept of coworking spaces came into existence in 2005. Since then, its concept has evolved a lot. It was the pandemic and rise of a remote working culture that gave a huge boost to this concept. People have almost forgotten what a real office felt like.

    The pandemic removed the line between home and work. Everything just got mixed up. Many people found it difficult to focus and give their hundred per cent to work. So, these coworking spaces proved to be a rescue.

    All these spaces come with the essentials of wifi services, office equipment, amenities, food, and other services. Now, there is a type of coworking space for almost everyone’s needs and preferences.

    FAQs

    What are the different types of co-working spaces?

    Different types of co-working spaces are:

    • Professional Spaces
    • Open and Casual Spaces
    • Private Spaces
    • Industry or Branch Specific Spaces
    • Incubator Spaces
    • Meeting Spaces

    What does coworking space offer?

    A coworking space is a shared office model that come with desks, chairs, and internet as well as access to meeting rooms and breakout spaces.

    What are the best coworking spaces in India?

    Some of the best coworking spaces in India are:

    • DevX
    • Wework
    • Awfis
    • 91Springboard
    • CoWrks
    • Innov8
    • Regus
    • Workafella
    • Cowork by Investopad
    • Smartworks

  • LIC IPO: Everything Retail Investors and LIC Employees Should Know

    Human beings not only think about their present but also about their future, so it is significant to do something that will at least give them financial security and help them in growing their wealth. None of us is aware of our future, so instead of sitting quietly and doing nothing, it is better to invest in something that can at least play the role of an umbrella for us during a rainy day.

    Life Insurance Corporation of India also known as LIC is the biggest life insurance company in the country. If you live in India, there is no way, you haven’t heard about LIC. This life insurance company has captured 70% of the market share and is under the Government of India. In this, we are going to talk about LIC IPO, what it exactly is and what are the things we need to know before investing in them. So, let’s get right into it.

    “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.” —Robert Kiyosaki

    What Is LIC IPO?
    Things You Need to Know Before Investing In LIC IPO
    When Will LIC IPO Launch?

    What Is LIC IPO?

    LIC IPO is LIC’s Initial Public Offering where they are offering shares of LIC as the Government has decided to sell some of its stakes. Recently LIC made headlines after submitting Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP).

    The Government of India has decided to sell 5% of its stake, therefore 95% stake of the company will remain under the Government. Among the public offering, 35% will be booked for the retail investors, the other 5% for the employees of LIC and 10% will be reserved for the policyholders.

    Things You Need to Know Before Investing In LIC IPO

    Investing in something is a very important decision that one has to take; you have been very clear and careful before doing anything related to this as it is about the financial security of your future.

    • As per the information, LIC policyholders who got their policy on or before the 13th of February, 2022 are eligible to invest in the 10% of public offerings that is reserved for the policyholders.
    • If anyone wants to be eligible in the quota for the policyholders, their PAN has to be linked with their policyholders. Those who have already linked their policyholders with their PAN on or before the 28thof February 2022 are eligible for the 10% quota.
    • Policyholders who have their Demat account are eligible for the 10% quota.
    • As 35% are reserved for retail investors, it means anyone who is not a LIC employee or a policyholder can apply to this quota. Policyholders, as well as employees of LIC, can also apply to this quota.
    • A retail investor is allowed to invest max to max INR 2 Lakhs, not more than that in their quota of LIC IPO.
    • LIC policyholders are allowed to invest INR 2 Lakhs under their quota of IPO.
    • LIC Employees are also eligible to invest a maximum of INR 2 Lakhs under their quota of IPO.
    • A policyholder who is not a LIC employee can invest a total of INR 4 Lakhs that is INR 2 Lakhs in the quota of retail category and INR 2 Lakhs in the policyholder category.
    • A LIC employee can invest up to INR 6 Lakhs if they are also a LIC Policyholder. It means INR 2 Lakhs under the quota of retail category, INR 2 Lakhs under the quota of policyholder category and another INR 2 Lakhs under the quota of LIC employee category.
    • If policyholder wants to avoid getting their application rejected under the policyholder quota, then they must ensure that they are primary Demat account holder.
    • If there are joint policyholders then they can apply under the policyholder’s quota, if only they have separate Demat accounts.

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    When Will LIC IPO Launch?

    LIC IPO will be open to the public in the month of April 2022. The total offering is 31.6 Crore shares. It is also said that LIC employees and policyholders are eligible to get discounts on the floor price as well.

    Conclusion

    LIC is one of the biggest insurance companies in India founded in 1956 and is completely owned by the government. It is one of the most awaited IPOs since the launch of Zomato, Nykaa and Paytm IPO. It is expected to be one of the biggest IPO launches. People are eagerly waiting for LIC IPO so that they can invest in it.

    FAQs

    Who are the shareholders of LIC?

    The government of India is the major shareholder and will remain the majority shareholder of LIC, only 10% is being sold to policyholders.

    When will LIC IPO launch?

    The LIC IPO will be open to the public on March 11, 2022.

    How can I buy LIC shares?

    If you’re a retail investor you can buy LIC shares using your UPI id.

  • 10 Ways to Boost Self-Confidence That You Need to Know as an Entrepreneur

    Believing in your abilities, powers, and judgments is what brings success in life. Self-confidence is a memory verse in our day to day life. Life feels meaningless without self-confidence. Self-confidence can be achieved by analyzing and identifying what you are good at, what value you add by doing it, believing in yourself and portraying it to other people. Never try to diminish or underestimate your abilities or look at yourself as a lesser human being. There is always a potential in everyone that can be built. Remember, every human is special.

    There are so many advantages attached to self-confidence. It brings effectiveness, deadlines can be met on time, boost concentration and commitment in our tasks and also brings motivation. All these also helps to see challenges positively, hence reducing stress. For an entrepreneur, it’s very important to have self-confidence. Every time you meet your business partners, investors or even customers, self-confidence is what everyone looks for first. Here are 10 ways to boost your self-confidence that you need to know as an Entrepreneur.

    Self-Assessment
    Self-Assurance
    Overcome Fear
    Be Positive
    Learn to Help Other People
    Set Boundaries
    Be Assertive
    Actions and Body Language
    Change Your Mentality
    Always Prepare Yourself

    Self-Assessment

    As human beings, it is important to visualize. We tend to have a poor perception of issues when we have low self-esteem. We have set goals and it is through visualization that will take you through the processes of achieving them. A fresh mind and ideas are installed when you try to assess yourself. This not only increases confidence but also boosts ego.

    Self-Assurance

    The way we see or perceive ourselves is what drives our behaviour. We should stop looking down upon ourselves and must believe that we can make it. You drive towards working on what you affirm yourself. For example, if you sit down and hate yourself or start seeing yourself as ugly, who do you expect to appreciate you?.

    Overcome Fear

    What is this mountain that is scaring you? It is you who built that! We should come out of our comfort zones and self-pity and must learn to face all the issues head-on. The insecurities that we possess will never help us. It is the experience that makes us strong every day, so whatever challenges you, do it quite often.

    Be Positive

    Every time we should see ourselves as winners, don’t dwell on something that has been done by you but wasn’t a success. In life, we need to come up with realistic goals, there are times when people have been discouraged because they set targets that are not easy to achieve, avoid doing that. Set simple goals that are easy to win first, then change as you move on. This will help keep on track of your progress.

    Learn to Help Other People

    It is always good to touch the lives of other people and make a difference in them. We should learn to mentor people with our skills and inspire them to do their job perfectly. As we practice this, satisfaction comes naturally, this way, you realize your potential and gain new tactics to solve your own problems. Self-confidence can be built naturally if one keep these things in their mind.

    Set Boundaries

    Not everyone is perfect and can be a jack of all trades. Be assertive in everything and learn to be a go-getter. Learn to say no when it is necessary. Take control over your life and demand respect where you deserve it. It is the secret of achieving self-confidence.

    Be Assertive

    How we present ourselves determines how people will judge us. When we are self-assertive our self-esteem is built. Avoid being nervous and learn to voice your opinion. This way people will be ready to listen attentively to you.

    Actions and Body Language

    Take up what you have never done before, use the skills that you have, to do the impossible. Confidence starts to rise once we employ our energy. Body language speaks a lot, it can shout insecurity and it can also show that you’re ready to take over the world. Another secret to show confidence is when interacting with people try to maintain eye contact. If you are confident, people will also be confident in you.

    Change Your Mentality

    Low self-esteem can make you feel that other people are better than you. This makes you feel uncomfortable when associating with them.  See yourself as equal with the rest, you are unique and that is what makes you strong and different. You are not less than anyone.

    Always Prepare Yourself

    Poor performance most of the time occurs because of poor planning. When we prepare ourselves, we become more confident. This is also a mark of competency in you, it will show how mentally tough you are. Unexpected surprises of life will never get you shocked if you have prepared yourself for anything and planned them accordingly. Gather necessary information on an issue that you want to tackle and break those tasks into small sequences so that you can manage them properly.

    Conclusion

    Self-confidence is one of the key things leaders should have. Decisions that you make will determine the outcome of your expectations. When you are an entrepreneur, the self-confidence that you possess shows your worth to everyone. Before expecting someone else to believe in you, you need to learn to believe in yourself. Remember, you are the leader of your life, no one apart from you can change it.

    FAQs

    What are the four signs of low self-esteem?

    The four signs of low self-esteem are:

    • Saying negative things about yourselves.
    • Self-blaming when things go wrong.
    • Joking negatively about yourself.
    • Think that you are less than other people.

    What are the three types of Self-Esteem?

    The three types of self-esteem are inflated self-esteem, low self-esteem and high self-esteem.

    Why Self-Confidence is important?

    Self-confidence is important because it helps you in taking the challenges in life that are thrown at you.

  • What Should a Brand Look For Before Partnering With an Influencer?

    This article is contributed by Mr. Sumit Gupta, Founder Whizard API and The Viral Pitch.

    Influencer marketing as a new-age marketing strategy has gained prominence over the period of time. Influencers are considered a beneficial medium that helps boost traffic generation in today’s times. However, what is often goes unnoticed is that not all are relevant or impactful for your marketing strategy!

    Factors to be kept into consideration before associating with an influencer

    For a brand, the follower base of an influencer is only the tip of the iceberg. It is imperative that brands know the influencer in-depth before planning to associate with them. It is trust that forms the foundation for any association. Since brands will be collaborating with them for their brand communication; it is essential that they know the influencer well so that they can trust them with their campaigns.

    Hence, a brand should keep various aspects into consideration before finalizing on the influencer for collaboration:

    Knowing the influencer’s follower base

    Every influencer boasts of a strong and diverse follower base. However, it is important that you analyze the influencer’s target audience first since you will be tapping them via your campaign. Apart from the influencer’s content feed and storytelling format, followers’ insights should also be taken into consideration. Their age, preferences, interests, etc. are of prime importance when you are conceptualizing your campaign and choosing the influencer.

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    Gauging engagement rate and relationship with the audience

    It is advised that you do not finalize the influencer basis their face value. Other factors such as their engagement rate and their relationship with their audiences are equally important. The influencer’s personal connection and rapport with their followers are relevant points and should be kept in mind while selecting the influencer for your brand campaign.

    Ensuring the values and core beliefs are aligned

    Your association and campaign will reap benefits only when your beliefs will be in sync with those of the influencer you are opting for. The collaboration will turn out to be advantageous and authentic if they believe in your brand and its core ethos. Hence, you should choose the one where this coordination and alignment are either present or can be worked out in the future post discussions.

    Numbers do count

    Indeed your decision should not rely only on numbers but the fact of the matter is that they do count! The amount of the follower base and the audience composition hold relevance before zeroing down on the influencer. The authenticity of the influencer is also one of the major factors to be considered while selecting the influencer for your brand communication. Hence, it is important that you look out for fake followers specifically.

    Analyzing past associations

    It’s always advised to do a thorough check of the influencer’s brand value and their past associations. The kind of collaborations they had, the brands that they partnered with, the reach, engagement, and clicks garnered, that is the campaign success are important points to be kept into consideration. If the influencer does not meet these criteria, then probably they aren’t the right fit for your brand and your campaign!

    Communicating personally

    Associations are best formed when there is a personal connection. Hence, apart from communicating via texts or DMs, set up a meeting where you can interact and get to know each other well. This informal interaction will give you an idea about the persona and personality of the influencer, their ethics, morals, ideology, etc., and will help you in eventually building a fruitful relationship.

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    Conclusion

    Influencer marketing is one of the effective ways to expand your social media presence. However, a one size fits all approach won’t work. For every communication, a unique campaign and associations with diverse influencers would be required. Content relevance, reach of the influencer as well as resonance (potential level of engagement the influencer can build with the audience relevant for your brand) should ideally be considered before you narrow down on the choice of the influencer for your brand campaign!

  • 10 Brand Health Metrics Every Company Should Track

    We all know that our own physical and mental health is important, but did you realize your brand also has a lot of the same components? We’re not talking about just being Happiness or Successful – these values can quickly turn into something less than desirable if left unchecked.

    “What kind?” people might ask; Well, there’s an easy way to find out! Symptoms include low productivity/performance at work (or home) and lacklustre relationships with others, both internally AND externally oriented towards one another.

    So, it is essential that you diagnose your business and make sure that it doesn’t fall ill due to any unforeseen circumstances. Thus, you have to take care of your brand health.

    What Is Brand Health?

    Brand health is about how well your company performs overall. If the brand helps you achieve all of the goals that you have set for yourself, then it’s successful and a healthy one! Healthy brands are those that have a high brand score!

    Why Is Brand Health Important?

    Brand health is important because it can help your company achieve its goals. If the brand provides value and helps you reach all of these objectives, then that would make them successful! And as we know from the previous discussion about how healthy brands are those which have a high brand score – so this means having an effective marketing strategy will always lead towards optimum profitability for any business venture.

    Benefits of knowing your brand health :

    1. To determine what’s working for your branding strategy and what isn’t
    2. Take an honest look at the performance of all elements that make up a cohesive whole.
    3. Identify strengths and weaknesses – This will help you correct any problems before they get out of hand or worse yet, become irreparable!

    Brand Health Metrics Every Company Should Keep a Track Of

    Now that you know what is brand health and why it is important, here are a few brand health metrics that you need to take care of.

    1. Brand Awareness

    When it comes to marketing, brand awareness is a fundamental metric that should never be overlooked. Marketers can track their progress by conducting surveys or extrapolating engagement information from social media platforms.

    The best way for them to get started on this journey toward growing their own value as an organization starts with assessing how easily recognizable they are within consumers’ mindsets and determining if there’s room left under those perceptions (or not).

    Brand Awareness has been shown time after again as being one of the most important factors when deciding who will thrive in today’s marketplace so don’t leave yours behind!

    2. Brand Consideration

    Brand consideration is a great metric of brand health, as it measures how popular you are in comparison to generic or competing brands. You can get this information through surveys and by paying close attention to market share following branded campaigns–marketing that helps your company stand out from competitors!

    3. Brand Association

    This metric is a ranking of how closely your customer base associates you with certain brands. This mapping can help identify competitors and potential partnerships because it outlines who their “brand neighbours” are – meaning that this data could be used in targeting new customers or pairing up with existing ones for cross-marketing opportunities!

    4. Customer Satisfaction

    The customer satisfaction survey is a great way to measure how your customers feel about their experience with you. If they aren’t satisfied, then it’s likely that future purchases won’t be either and may speak negatively of the brand as well!

    5. Brand Perception

    Your brand perception is the first impression your customers have of you. It’s important because it helps them decide if they want to buy from your brand or not.

    There are many ways for people in general communities that allow online surveys like Google Consumer Experience (GCE) which provides data on companies’ behaviours based on these opinions as well feedback collected via smartphone applications available at both iTunes store and Playstore corners respectively.

    6. Brand Salience

    When it comes to building a brand, you need the right tools for measuring your success. Brand salience helps determine if customers will remember and favourable opinion of what makes your brand different from others.

    For example, A quick-service restaurant could ask people in their target audience which restaurants popped into mind when they thought “quick service.” If this was one that consistently came up on lists near or at the top (based on responses), then it is likely pleased with how well it’s doing thus far.

    7. Brand Loyalty

    Brands have always known that there is something special about loyalty. It’s the reason why many companies strive to maintain their customer base, and it can be assessed through methods like brand health surveys or repurchase data.

    8. Brand Sentiment

    With the help of sentiment analysis, marketers can identify how their campaign is shaping overall perceptions for a brand. This information could be tied to ROI as customers who like and trust your company are more likely than ever before in recent history (or perhaps any) to purchase from you regularly on an ongoing basis!

    9. Net Promoter Score

    When it comes to determining a customer’s likelihood of recommending your brand, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is often used. This metric helps you see whether or not they’re advocates for what yours has going on and how well-loved/known an organization might be in its niche market segmentation terms–whether people would tell others if these were available or good to use.

    10. Brand Equity

    Your brand equity is a measure of how much your company overall means to you, both socially and financially. By generating awareness for the things that matter most in life through promises delivered on time with great quality control over what speaks volumes about who we really want our audience to be – this will increase values which then leads us up towards having even higher metrics than before!

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    Conclusion

    Branding is a strategic process that takes time and effort to develop. If you are looking for the benefits of branding without putting in all this hard work, metrics can help provide an estimate on how successful your strategy was by providing some basic information about its impacts such as traffic or revenue numbers.

    It’s important not only to understand what these numbers mean but also to use them efficiently because if Brand Analytics doesn’t give us enough data then there may be other ways where brands aren’t maximizing value from their brand strategies. So, always take care of your brand metrics and keep monitoring them to make sure your brand is healthy and well-functioning.

    FAQ

    What are brand health metrics?

    Brand health metrics are metrics that help you track the performance of your company.

    What are examples of brand metrics?

    Net Promoter Score, Purchase Intent, Unprompted Brand Recall, Prompted Brand Recall, Brand Uplift, and Share of Voice are some of the examples of brand metrics.

    How do you measure brand metrics?

    Website Traffic, Brand Awareness, Search volume, and Social Media Engagement are metrics you can track to measure brand metrics.

  • Virtualization in Cloud Computing – Characteristics and Benefits

    Nowadays, every service is shifting online. Be it a small or big business, everyone tends to carry their services online.

    With the internet and technology, people have realized the importance of online markets. Everything is getting digitalized. So many services that needed huge infrastructure can now be done over the internet.

    One such example of technology here is Cloud computing. It is no less than a blessing for businesses these days. People used to need huge systems for data storage and management. But now, cloud-based software is here to help.

    Now, cloud providers use the technique of virtualization. This reduces the cost, energy, and hardware instalment for data management.

    Virtualization in Cloud Computing
    Characteristics of Virtualization
    Benefits of Virtualization
    Disadvantages of Virtualization

    Virtualization in Cloud Computing

    Virtualization in Cloud Computing

    As a short and simple definition, virtualization means creating virtual resources. These resources include a virtual operating system, server, storage device. All these resources are created from one resource of its type. These show up as separate resources that the users can use as independent physical resources.

    As a matter of course, a traditional model of cloud computing worked with physical resources. A vendor of cloud services would lend its physical resources of servers, software, and storage devices to the businesses.

    But giving individual resources to various clients can be expensive. So here the technique of virtualization comes to the rescue. With this, a cloud vendor can use one big server, virtualize it, and offer smaller servers to different clients.

    It includes the use of special software for developing a virtual version of a computing resource. This prevents the creation of an actual version of the same resource.

    This means a single computer with the help of this technique can run distinctive operating systems and applications at one time. Thus, virtualization enables the utmost use of hardware.

    Characteristics of Virtualization

    It is a technique of developing a virtual version of computer hardware, storage devices, and, other resources. It has the following characteristics:

    Platform Virtualization

    The foremost characteristic is that it virtualizes the entire platform. This means it separates an operating system from the prime platform resources. It can virtualize the platform without the setup or investment of separate hardware.

    Resource Virtualization

    Apart from virtualizing the complete operating system, it also allows resources to virtualize. It enables the virtualization of specific resources of a system. These include network resources, storage, namespaces, and more.

    Application Virtualization

    Another characteristic is that it also virtualizes applications. It means hosting an application on different software or hardware. For example- portable applications, cross-platform virtualization, etc.

    Execution Management

    The inclusion of virtualization in the environment makes the process of execution more managed and secured. It also enables the application of more features. These include isolation, sharing, and more.

    Transparent Process

    One of the most important characteristics is the presence of transparency. Since the entire process gets shifted online, it becomes more transparent and secure. All the operations take place on virtual machines which represents a clear and controlled environment.

    Infrastructure Monitoring

    Virtualization in cloud computing ensures continuous monitoring. It means that one can keep a track of all the operations 24/7 with ease.

    Benefits of Virtualization

    Virtualized execution environment

    This technique enables the creation of virtualized execution environment. It makes the environment more manageable, controlled, and secure. The following points show its benefits:

    Portability

    One of the greatest benefits of it is portability. The presence of virtual machines helps to port data, servers from one place to another. This ensures easy transportation of files concerning physical systems.

    Protection of Data

    Data is a critical element for any business. Due to certain malicious activities, the systems get compromised. This can lead to damage or loss of data. Virtualization prevents the data from any loss or damage and thus, provides protection.

    Security from Attacks

    Another benefit is that it helps in the prevention of attacks. In case an application gets exposed, it can isolate that application from others. In this way, it provides security to the entire operating system.

    Supports Flexibility

    Organizations sometimes have to share their systems with others. So, it provides the flexibility to share only the desired system without having to disclose the important data or information present over that system.

    Increased and Better Access

    It offers increased and better access to the organizations over systems and networks. All the resources can be accessed through a single big server. This makes the operating system more efficient.

    Disaster Recovery

    Every system faces certain malicious disasters every now and then. Virtualization helps the systems to get recover from any disasters with ease. Thus, apart from prevention, it is also a great technique for disaster recovery.

    Cost-Effective

    One of the greatest advantages is that it is cost-effective. It creates a virtual version of the hardware, network resource, and storage devices. This means that there is no need to make any big investments in physical hardware or other equipment.

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    Disadvantages of Virtualization

    Every coin comes with two sides. Likewise, Virtualization also comes with certain disadvantages. Some of them are:

    • It is a cost-effective technique when an organization thinks of its implementation. But for a provider, it can cost quite high. After some time, there arises the need for quality hardware and software. So, for this, the provider has to make investments.
    • It does provide a great opportunity for growth to businesses. But many organizations use similar resources. This can sometimes slow down the growing process within the same virtual network.
    • It needs various links in a chain. These links must work in sync to ensure the functioning of operating systems.
    • It needs less time for implementation. But in the long run, it needs great time and patience to ensure smooth continuity of the process.
    • To install this, an organization needs skilled staff or has to provide training to them. So, finding and training procedures can be time-consuming and quite expensive.

    Conclusion

    Virtualization is a great technique for any organization that wants to build its cloud security. Indeed, its implementation is easy but it is not a cakewalk either. The organizations need to strategize, understand and, be prepared before the implementation.

    It is becoming more of a need than a choice for any business that aims to establish cloud security. Thus, creating virtual resources is the new go-to choice for businesses.

    FAQs

    What are different types of virtualization?

    Different Types of Virtualization are:

    • Desktop Virtualization
    • Application Virtualization
    • Server Virtualization
    • Network Virtualization
    • Storage Virtualization

    Is VDI an example of Virtualization?

    Yes, VDI is an example of Desktop Virtualization.

    What are the types of Cloud computing?

    Different types of Cloud Computing are:

    • Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
    • Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
    • Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
    • Business-Process-as-a-Service (BPaaS)

  • How to Effectively Divide Work in Your Team

    Each one of us has been part of a team at some point in time. Many have also led a team. The logic behind teamwork is to get the project done at the earliest with maximum efficiency. But if team management is not carried out properly, even the group comprising the smartest individuals cannot achieve its goals. And a crucial component of perfect team management is to ‘divide work equally’ among the members. Most managers fail when it comes to work allocation in a team since it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Experience, rationale, and intuition are essential to the appropriate allocation of responsibilities.

    This post by StartupTalky discusses a few ways to distribute work effectively among people.

    How to divide work in a team?

    Make a Plan of Action
    Interview the Team Members
    Assign Roles to Team Members
    Set Small Goals
    Communicate

    How to build high performance team?

    Make a Plan of Action

    Work Allocation
    Plan of Action to divide work in a team

    A well-defined plan is the cornerstone of a successful project. Make a detailed plan, divide it into different parts, and note down what has to be done to achieve the objectives mentioned in the plan. Employees generally have varying skill sets, so you need to map individuals to different components of the plan. Utilize those skills to complete the tasks at hand. If everything is going smooth, it means your work is progressing in the right direction.

    Interview the Team Members

    Once a detailed plan has been crafted for the project, you need to interview every member. Ask them questions about their strengths and weaknesses and what they can bring to the project. This exercise would allow you to gauge team members accurately and to distribute tasks accordingly. Bring all of the members in a room and have an introductory meeting. The attendees will get to know each other better and the meetup will enable them to open up. The next challenge is the task division among the team members.

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    Assign Roles to Team Members

    Now that you know the team’s capability and qualities, assign roles and designations to the members. The main question at this point should be how to divide the tasks in a team. Some tasks may need two people to complete while others may require three, so assign them roles accordingly. However, the team should not feel pressurized by the workload; teamwork is about easing an assignment, not complicating it. The second question you should be able to answer is how to distribute work equally. No member should be excessively burdened by the tasks allotted to him or her. You don’t want to cause a rift or create division among the staff. If there is a task that does not fit into anybody’s skill category, brainstorm with your group to identify the solution.

    Set Small Goals

    A big goal can be achieved by breaking it into small targets. Make the task fun and fulfilling by setting up small milestones. Be strict with deadlines! Not only does it compel people to complete their work on time, having a deadline increases productivity at the workplace. If a person finishes the given task before time, reward him or her to show gratitude.

    Communicate

    A healthy environment is important for any team to work efficiently. It is necessary to fill all sorts of communication gaps to realize this environment. People should be at ease. Take everyone’s opinions and have a meeting with all the team members at the end of the task. Use this meeting to encourage them to share their experiences and opinions on the scope for improvement.

    If a person does something wrong, criticism should not be your immediate reaction. Stay calm and help him or her correct that mistake. Patience is the virtue of a great leader. Your job as the team leader is to assist individuals in identifying when and where they go wrong along with the solution. Timely communication is the key here. Moreover, the team members should have the liberty to express their thoughts. If your subordinate hesitates in approaching you, the existing setup is definitely unhealthy. Have a channel where people feel free to communicate.

    Conclusion

    Dividing workload is an art. Not everyone can do it. It’s easy to say, “United we stand, divided we fall.” What according to you is the definition of excellent teamwork? How would you divide tasks among individuals? Do comment.

    FAQs

    What are the characteristics of effective team work?

    Some characteristics of Effective team work are:

    • Clear Direction
    • Open and Honest Communication
    • Small and common Goal
    • Defined Roles
    • Mutual Accountability

    What is necessary for good teamwork?

    Effective teamwork needs good problem-solving skills, decision-making, communication, and interpersonal skills.

    What are the teamwork skills for professional growth?

    Some teamwork skills for professional growth are:

    • Communication
    • Time management
    • Problem-solving
    • Listening
    • Creative thinking
    • Collaboration
    • Leadership