Category Archives: Everything Else

Why Applying For Grants for Minority Startups Has Never Been Easier?

Setting up a startup is a bit complex in our time because of the several entailed processes, which will be relatively difficult for a new entrant into the business arena to put the last touches on. Besides, the topic becomes all the more intricate and grave when the applicant is from a minority group. It’s almost the same case as regards women entrepreneurs; stepping into any of the male-dominated businesses will be somewhat uncomforting for females. In many cases, it will be a big challenge. The discriminatory practices that the social structure still carries make it very hard for minority individuals and women who dare to enter the business field where competition is at the peak. When such a budding entrepreneur steps into an office for the processing of the related paperwork, he or she may face various atypical nerve-racking behaviors, which will dissuade them from their desire to enter into the business domain. Hence, as far as minority startups or a startup by a woman is concerned, it is always prudent to approach an experienced entrepreneurial hub.

It’s an open fact that almost the bulk of contemporary business owners are white and males, and for a minority member or woman startup entrepreneur, things are not encouraging or advantageous. Such individuals will have to fight it out and drive hard to reach the destination; the entire process will be disheartening. Here, the expert assistance of an experienced entrepreneurial hub will be of much help with which a minority startup can swim safely to reach the shore. Very many hurdles lie in front of them, such as investor presentation, planning the financial strategies, formulating ideas, marketing, etc. To sort out these things rightly, one will need proper professional guidance. That said, it won’t be hyperbole to say that making sure that you, as an entrepreneur, get all of the probable grants that are legally feasible for small businesses is relatively tough. Apart from getting the official procedures right, there will be various related tasks like locating the investors, communicating with the banks, finding out the other banking options, fixing the business idea, arranging the marketing setup, etc. As a new business entrant, and especially due to the prevailing constraints that minorities will bump into during such situations, you are sure to get a bit bemused as regards the next steps that you will have to follow. It’s possible to locate banks that show deep interest to finance startups started by minority members or women. These minority startup facilitation agencies will have the knack for dealing with these banks. In the same way, they will also help minorities to get exclusive aids and grants from departments such as the SBDC (Small Business Development Center), MBDC (Minority Business Development Center). Individual attempts to sort out these matters may not yield the desired results.

Pick a Professional Entrepreneurial Hub

However, the minority startup support agency from where one plans to take guidance must have a keen dedication as regards fortifying black-owned or woman-owned business concepts. They must have practical experience in sorting out the connected tasks effectively and swiftly. Above all, the agency must be an ardent advocate of minorities and women empowerment. Besides, the management must have a comprehensive awareness as regards the existing grant possibilities. One will have to hunt for the same, do practical research as regards the available options, apply for the same, do the related official paperwork, etc. All new entrants are sure to feel somewhat nervy about these proceedings, and this will be a practical obstacle. The better way to do it, as far as a minority startup is concerned, is to get in touch with a professionally run entrepreneurial hub, which acts responsible for the betterment of its clientele. For sure, such an agency will have an ardent wish to support a black-owned business venture in all the possible ways. Hence, it is only wise to go for the specialized guidance of a practiced agency that manages an entrepreneurial hub with all the related technological tools and professional proficiency.

The Importance of Regular Commercial Duct Cleaning

Office Space

We live in an age of increasing productivity and business. This is an unprecedented era where economic growth and development, refined technology, and to-the-second social media engagement are spinning the wheels of progress and creating new technical fields that need to be filled by educated professionals. So, by necessity, more buildings and office complexes need to be erected as control centers for all the growing, new industry. An estimated 86% of Americans hold a desk job, whether in administration, clerical, bookkeeping, or software design. This results in highly occupied, multi-floor complexes that could potentially house thousands or even tens-of-thousands of people, and that could definitely benefit from duct cleaning commercially.

Uncleaned ducts present the higher possibility of hazard. Several occupational hazards can affect an office complex or professional building that could negatively affect the health and productivity of the workers, and one common unseen hazard is the breathing air exchange, which is why a duct cleaning commercial company is so important to your business.

Breathe, Breathe in the Air

Because of all these bodies being in one confined place, having an air exchange system is a necessity, and like any elaborate system, it is prone to eventual foul-ups and breakdowns. In the case of a ductwork network filtration system, very tight standards need to be maintained, and frequently. Therefore, it’s also necessary to make sure the system is routinely cleaned out by a professional duct cleaning commercial company, and there are several important reasons for this that you may not have considered:

Why Routine Professional Duct Cleaning Is Important

Reason #1: Integrity

An effective duct system can collect mass amounts of particulate in many small crevices, and unlike piping systems, the components of a duct system don’t always come in long, solid connectors, but rather in several panels that need to be fastened together. Because of effects like building shifting and settling or simple wear, it’s always possible for a duct system to start developing areas of compromise. What this can lead to is an accumulation of dust and particulate escaping through small cracks in the system. Part of the program duct cleaning commercial professionals engage in involves inspecting the ductwork for any signs of damage or leaks, which could potentially permit harmful particulate contamination to permeate sections of the building and cause respiratory problems, not to mention decreasing the efficacy of the circulation by weakening the vacuum.

Reason #2: Safety

Safety is the absolute key reason for the installation and operation of an effective duct system. Clusters of people working in proximity in a contained office without any form of breathing air circulation are prone to breathing hazards, like settling dust or stale air, which more easily allows the exchange of airborne pathogens, leading to potential illness breakouts. An effective duct network is the answer to preventing and exchanging stagnant air, but only if the system is routinely maintained. Duct systems naturally carry loads of particulate and undesirables that get caught in one of a series of filters, which often need replacing. Clogged filters will render the system ineffective because the vacuum gets harder to maintain. Professional duct cleaning commercial outfits will scour your system, replacing filters and thoroughly removing contaminants to keep the constant exchange going smoothly.

Reason #3: Specialty

We now know that the integrity of a smoothly running duct system is essential, and that the system needs to constantly be monitored for damage or other irregularities. And if your system does experience a breakdown of some sort, you know you cannot delay having the problem attended to. You could stand to miss out on productivity and increase worker absenteeism, or worse, potentially cause your staff to become seriously ill. Cleaning a duct system is a task not handled lightly. To ensure the safety of everyone in an office building, any sudden problems need to be tended to as soon as possible, and it’s important to have a duct cleaning commercial company of professionals at hand with the knowledge, experience, and training to handle the problem with minimal effort and time. Specialized ductwork technicians are well-equipped to troubleshoot, isolate problems, and fix any problems before they get worse.

Why Ecommerce Businesses Should Use Shopify Inventory Management?

Shopify is a popular eCommerce platform that provides fully hosted and cloud-based solutions to businesses of all sizes to help them to quickly and easily set up their online retail stores. One of its critical features is the Shopify inventory management software that facilitates inventory management. It allows for better business practices that can ultimately lead to business growth and profit.

Benefits of Shopify inventory management

The Shopify inventory management software is easy to install and use, and the company keeps refining and updating it to give better service to their clients. Aside from that, here are some more reasons why eCommerce businesses should consider using Shopify inventory management in their retail operations:

They can keep an accurate and well-organized inventory

Maintaining a well-organized inventory is crucial for businesses as it allows them to keep an accurate track of stock. By knowing what they have in their product inventory, they can install better controls to prevent the theft and spoilage of the goods. They can estimate when they will run out of stock. They will know when to order or manufacture more products and in what quantity. That way, they can avoid selling what they don’t have in stock, and can also not order more than they can sell. These practices are useful for reducing overall expenses.

They can better track their purchases from suppliers

Most businesses order their products from multiple suppliers. With the Shopify inventory management software, they can create a transfer page to keep a record of their incoming inventory. They can enter details like the supplier name, transfer location, expected arrival of a shipment, transfer reference number, product name, and product quantity. They can check if they have received everything fully or partially from the purchase order, and organize it as accepted, rejected, or canceled.

They can transfer their inventory between different locations

It is often necessary for businesses to transfer their goods from one active location to another, and the Shopify inventory management software can help them to keep track of these transfers. They can track which place the transfer is coming from, which destination it is going to, the quantity of the products, and the expected arrival of the shipment.

They can conduct an ABC analysis of their inventory

It is essential to conduct an ABC analysis of the inventory as that can help businesses to categorize their products better and prioritize which products they ought to focus on to gain more profits. They can grade their products according to their sales records. The products that sell the most and bring in about 80% of the business revenue will go into A grade.

In the B-grade category, there will be the products that sell well intermittently, account for about 15% of the business revenue, and can sometimes become best-sellers. The products that sell the least and bring in only about 5% business revenue will go into the C grade.

By focusing on the A-grade best-sellers, the businesses can cut down on the warehousing expenses, product storage and maintenance costs, and product advertising costs for the goods that their customers don’t order as much.

They can offer better customer service

With sound inventory management, businesses can optimize customer fulfillment and offer customers better service by developing a good understanding of their buying behaviors and product preferences. They can keep tabs on seasonal buying trends and use that data to think up and implement new business and product ideas. They can also check how they are doing financially and profit-wise.

The basic functions of the Shopify inventory management software are excellent for businesses that make their product purchases directly from the supplier and don’t have a complicated inventory flow. As they expand their operations, Shopify will allow them to create and track multiple channels for their inventory management and marketing practices. They can also sync their online stores with social media platforms.

If the businesses require more advanced features and increased functionalities for better inventory control, they can get different third-party apps and integrate them into the Shopify software. There will be an additional cost for these apps, and some of them are expensive, but they will be worth the many business benefits that they bring.

Role of A Video Production Company In Business Marketing

The video certainly is a powerful marketing tool. According to a report, 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. Creating a video that will have a positive impact on customers is no easy job. A video may look like it is easy to produce but actually involves a lot of planning and behind the scenes activities. Which is why you need to collaborate with a video production company.

A video production company Miami can concisely tell a compelling story. With the advent of social media, people are more accustomed to watching images and videos than reading content. So, for marketing purposes, you need to use well-crafted videos.

Let’s find out how a video production company can help:

Provides an opportunity to create brand awareness

A video production company starts its work based on the brief provided by you. The brief includes objectives and relevant information about your business and the target audience.

The video production company then carries out its own research and develops the content along with key messages. They find ways to tell your story in an interesting and entertaining way. The more interesting your video, the more you benefit.

When the video is shared on social media, people get to know about your brand. If they appreciate the video, there is a chance that they will engage with it and may ‘like’ it, comment about it, and even share it. All of these activities will make the video visible to even a greater number of people.

Explains seamlessly about products and processes

While television and radio commercials are limited to 30 or 60 second spots, your corporate video is not subject to these limitations.

If you need to explain your product or the process of creating it, a video production company can help. Say, for example, if you are a company that specializes in producing clean steel, the video production company can demonstrate the process of making clean steel by combining real footage with animation. This can create a positive impact on B2B customers. They will be assured of your process competencies.

Although the video can be of any length, it works best online if the video production company keeps the video length under five minutes.

Short and simple works more often than not. And the right video production company in Miami with its experience and available skill set can deliver in this regard. They can find ways to work through time constraints and deliver the best.

Improves search engine rankings

A Corporate video communicates to your audience. It is also beneficial to your website and company. Google prioritizes websites with more video content. This means that you will appear higher in Google search results. As a consequence, you will get more traffic to your website.

Also, if you have videos on your website, people will spend more time on your site. Long exposure helps in building trust.

An effective way of increasing the number of videos on your website is to let visitors know what your past or existing customers think about your product or services. Video productions of customers giving testimonials about your company can also help in building trust.

Converts to sales

A well-made video can make some real money for you. According to a report, a product video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%.

Video can also contribute to sales indirectly. 74% of people who watched an explainer video about a product bought it later.

Viewing a product increases its credibility. Videos provide customers with the reason for choosing a brand. And a video production company can provide that because they have an understanding of what works and doesn’t work with the audience.

Also, a video can be so designed as to provide a call to action. The voice-over in the video or the anchor can direct the viewer to where he or she needs to go to buy the product.

Conclusion

A video production company in Miami can showcase your products and your business in a visually enjoyable manner. From corporate videos to promotional videos to training videos for your employees, they can create almost everything. And when you match these video presentations with the right strategies, video marketing becomes effective.

The Role of Advertising Agencies for Promoting Businesses

We live in a technology-driven world that changes very fast. The world of advertising has evolved over the years with the rise of technology. Many companies turn to advertising agencies in Philadelphia to promote their business because the right agency can help your brand reach the right audience and increase sales. Read on to learn in detail how such agencies can help.

Help You Find the Right Target Audience

Every business makes products or offers services with a target audience in mind. For example, a beauty product company’s target audience is young women or women in the ’30s. There is no “general” audience in the business.

Casting your audience net too wide is an expensive mistake for businesses. It wastes time and money and results in poor ROI. The right advertising agencies in Philadelphia would help narrow down your audience through strategic marketing.

An advertising agency uses the concept of targeted advertising. The agency develops a campaign based on who they will target. No matter what your business niche is, you will get success when you target the right people who are interested in buying your products and services.

Create Brand Awareness

Just finding your target audience is not enough; you need to get your brand’s name out there. You need to build brand awareness and it is not a simple exercise. The right agency can help you build such brand familiarity that people will instantly relate to a few things when you mention the brand name. For example, when we hear the name Nike or Adidas, we think about shoes.

The marketing agencies in Philadelphia can also help with build brand loyalty and convert one-time buyers into loyal ambassadors.

Meet the Changing Landscape

Digital platforms and marketing channels are always changing in the world of advertising. Advertising agencies in Philadelphia are aware of the changing digital landscape and help businesses navigate successfully through the changes.

For example, ad agencies can help you with influencer marketing which is a popular marketing method these days to reach the right audience and persuade them to buy a recommended product. Influencer marketing on Instagram alone was around $1.8 billion markets in the year 2018. And It is expected to reach $10 billion by the year 2020.

Long story short, the right advertising agency would build brand affection and help tailor the advertising campaign for your target audience successfully. Whether it is Google AdWords or using influencers, the right advertising agency can develop the right strategy for your business.

Help in Getting Traditional Advertising Right

TV Advertising

Despite the rise of digital marketing platforms, some traditional advertising mediums are still holding ground. Do you know TV advertising remains highly effective even in this digital era? Here are some facts supporting this claim.

· According to an AC Nielsen survey, American adults watch lots of television, around 5 hours of live and time-shifted television shows every day.

· According to eMarketer research, 195 million US viewers are expected to watch television in 2019 which will grow to 204.1 million viewers by 2022. It means 60% of the US population would watch television

The power of sight, sound, and motion build an emotional connection with the audience. Hence, TV advertising continues to remain forefront in traditional advertising. The advertising agency can help businesses effectively use the power of traditional advertising to promote your business.

Print Advertising

According to MarketingProfs survey, the response rate for direct-mail marketing is 37% higher than email marketing. One of the reasons is 98% of 18 to 23-year-old adults prefer print over digital media. When making purchase decisions, people are more likely to trust paper printed advertisements than advertising seen on search engines.

Print advertising is not going anywhere and you need to use it to your advantage. Advertising agencies in Philadelphia can help your business figure out which traditional modes of advertisement are worth exploring and can give better ROI. Together they can craft an advertising campaign that is a potent combination of digital and traditional advertising that can bring success.

Thus, you can see the right advertising agency plays a multi-faceted role in promoting your business and help achieve success. So do you have any questions about advertising agencies in Philadephia?