Categories
Branding

5 Innovative Ways to Improve Your Branding

Every entrepreneur wakes up wondering how the world views their business. For many new businesses, the main issue might be that few people even know about them. Even for veteran entrepreneurs, finding the right audience can take years and years of hard work and practice. In any case, there are ways to improve the quality of your brand and ensure that your marketing efforts actually reach the right people. So, in today’s post, we are going to take a closer look at 5 innovative ways to improve your branding!

Get Involved In High-Profile Events & Projects

As previously mentioned, getting seen and noticed is a difficult hurdle to overcome for many entrepreneurs. For this reason, getting your foot in the door of a high-profile event or project can do wonders for your visibility. Whether it’s a red carpet event or even a local community project that has attracted media attention, getting your brand associated with it can help expose hundreds or even thousands of potential customers to your business.

Reduce Human Errors With Automation

Looking at the internal operations of your business, you should always be focused on providing a positive experience for customers, clients, vendors, and partners. Unfortunately, humans are not infallible. They make mistakes. While there’s nothing wrong with making mistakes from time to time, you should do your best to reduce human errors by automating some of your business processes. For example, if your business operates within the healthcare industry, you can work with Amitech Solutions to implement robotic process automation (RPA).

Find the Niche Within Your Niche

Oftentimes, entrepreneurs take a blanket approach to marketing and branding. While this may cast a wide net when generating leads and looking for customers, it can also be a major waste of resources. Instead, find your niche, and then find the niche within your niche. This way, you can target marketing and branding efforts to specifically appeal to your ideal audience.

Consistently Speak to Your Audience

If and when you establish your brand as an authority in your niche, you may think that you can just sit back and let the branding take care of itself. In reality, branding is something that you must constantly work to maintain and improve. For example, if your brand has one or more social media pages, you should engage with your followers consistently. This means answering messages, responding to comments, and generally letting people know that there’s a real person behind the steering wheel of your business.

Work With Other Value-Centered Brands

Like people, your business is often a reflection of the company it keeps. If you work with vendors or other businesses with bad reputations, it will greatly tarnish your brand. Instead, look for value-centered and value-driven businesses that have a proven track record of positive engagement with the public. This way, you can make your brand look good by association!

Did you enjoy our guide on 5 innovative ways to improve your branding? If so, be sure to check out some of our other great posts on Get Entrepreneurial today!

Categories
Business Trends Entrepreneurs

12 Apps Changing Shopping Culture Forever

These genius shopping apps makes shopping with a mobile phone easier than ever.

  • The latest mobile app technology is turning smartphone users into smart shoppers.
  • Mobile shopping apps can help you save money and time, and alert you to hot deals on the items you’ve had your eye on.
  • Digital wallet apps, such as Android Pay and Apple Pay, simplify the checkout process, and they are accepted at hundreds of retailers nationwide.
  • This article is for smart shoppers and business owners who want to generate new leads and attract new customers.

Mobile shopping doesn’t just mean visiting a retailer’s website and making purchases on a mobile phone. The latest mobile app technology is turning smartphone users into smart shoppers as well. Here are 12 apps at the forefront of technology and shopping.

1. Instacart

Instacart has become a favorite of consumers because of the same-day grocery and product delivery option. Consumers aren’t limited to grocery stores; they can choose from various other retailers, such as CVS and Walgreens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers turned to grocery delivery to avoid public spaces. What many found was that grocery delivery is an easier way to get the household food shopping done.

2. Savings.com

Savings.com offers access to coupons and deals across many of the most popular retailers in the U.S. From Shein to Home Depot to Macy’s department stores, Savings.com offers consumers wide range of deals all in one place. Whether you’re in the market for new home and garden goods, looking for travel products, or even wanting to purchase wireless internet, broadband, and cable, Savings.com avails shoppers to discounts on all sorts of products from major retailers in various verticals.

3. Honey

Honey is the smart shopping assistant you can use on your browser or smartphone. Track prices on specific items, get automatic coupons, and compare online retailers automatically. Honey can also be used as an extension with Google Chrome, automatically applying deals from around the internet to each transaction.

4. CamFind

Visual search, which uses recognition technology to make it easy to find products on a mobile phone, is one technology that’s changing how we shop. CamFind is one of those apps. It is free on both Android and iOS.

Using mobile visual search, CamFind makes it easy for shoppers to find more information about an item and where they can buy it. For instance, users can simply take a picture of an item, and the app identifies the product and tells users where they can find the best deal.

CamFind’s interface gives price comparisons as well as information on any item that’s photographed. This information is particularly helpful for big technology purchases, such as televisions. CamFind allows you to simply take a picture of a product to determine if you are getting the best deal.

5. ShopSavvy

ShopSavvy is a free app for iOS or Android. It lets you scan any barcode or search for any product and instantly find out which retailer offers the best price. The app scans millions of products from some 40,000 stores, including Amazon, Macy’s, Target, Best Buy, Walmart and Newegg.

Some of those stores let you buy through the ShopSavvy app and earn 20% cash back when you do. Other features include the ability to save and track your favorite products’ prices. You can send yourself an email with what you’ve searched for so you can purchase the product later, as well as create wish lists and shopping lists.

6. nate

Nate is marketed as an artificially intelligent app that makes it easy to centralize all purchasing from within a single platform. Consumers can make and share lists, buy products from any site, create payment plans, and even send gifts.

7. ThredUP

ThredUP is like a local consignment store that has the best options from all over the country. You can access all offerings from the website as well as Apple and Android devices

8. Digital wallets

Google Pay and Apple Pay are examples of digital wallets. Google’s version is available on Android for free, but Apple Pay and Apple Wallet are part of the iPhone’s preloaded ecosystem. Digital wallets store your various credit and bank cards, and encrypt your data. You can then just wave your phone in front of the contactless checkout counter.

Google Pay is accepted at millions of stores, including Best Buy, JetBlue, Macy’s, Petco, Subway and Walgreens. It can also connect to your loyalty cards for brands such as Walgreens and Coca-Cola, so you still earn rewards points. At some outlets, such as Jet.com, you can get special discounts for using Google Pay.

Apple Pay is also accepted at millions of stores, including Ace Hardware, Barneys, Crate and Barrel, Foot Locker, Office Depot, and Staples. You can also use Apple Pay to donate to a variety of charities, such as UNICEF and Feeding America.

9. Ibotta

The Ibotta app is free for both Android and iOS and is great for people who like to get money back when they shop. This app works with most retailers, and you can scan your receipts, save deals, and access app-specific deals to save money. The app features regular offers that you can apply to your account to get bonus money back when you scan your receipt. Ibotta offers cents back on certain items you buy; when you scan your receipt, the purchase is confirmed and the balance is added to your account, which you can cash out after you reach $20 in rewards.

10. LikeToKnowIt

LikeToKnowIt crowdsources the best items, curated from influencers on various platforms who can create shoppable videos and posts. The Shop the Pic section makes it easy to buy the exact item you’ve seen and fallen in love with.

11. Dosh

This app links to your debit card, and you can shop with it at the stores you already use. You can also use the Dosh app to access your frequently used websites, to get deals and money-back offers. You can do a quick payout to Venmo, PayPal or another payment platform after you have gotten $15 in your account. You can also get deals on hotels.

12. Etsy

Etsy makes it easy to find indie artists who are creating one-of-a-kind items. The handmade e-commerce site offers everything from jewelry and custom clothes to children’s toys and stationery.

12 Mobile Apps Changing Shopping Forever [Businessnewsdaily]

About Our GE Network Expert - Min Tang

Categories
Work Life

Overworked?

It’s well-known that entrepreneurs must dedicate a lot of their time to getting their businesses off the ground in order to be successful. It’s not uncommon to hear of a business owner working 60 or more hours a week in pursuit of that success. However, this amount of work can have a major negative impact on one’s mental and physical health.

Tips to Cut Down Working Hours

To address the issue, busy professionals need to find a way to work smarter and gradually reduce the number of hours spent running their businesses. That’s why we asked 12 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:

“Working hard is important, but working too hard can impact your health. What’s one practical step busy entrepreneurs can take to reduce a 60-hour work week to 30-40 hours?”

1. Timeblock

“Put your rest activities into your calendar just as much as you put your work activities there. It’s the only way you can effectively force yourself to take time for yourself.” ~ Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting, Inc.

2. Let Your Experts Work

“It may sound obvious to some people, but not so obvious for the others: As a business leader, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. Your main job is to mentor and coach the people who work on all the elements of the business. Take a look at all the tasks that you do. I’m sure you already have dedicated experts in your team to deal with some of these. Then, fire yourself. Let people work.” ~ Solomon Thimothy,OneIMS

3. Divide Tasks By Size

“I divide tasks that I need to accomplish by size. Then, I figure out what size task I’m best able to complete at a certain time of day. Since I’m a morning person, I find it easier to accomplish large tasks quickly at the beginning of the day and then smaller tasks toward the end. However, you might prefer working on large tasks toward the end of the day. It depends on your productivity habits.” ~ Bryce Welker, Beat The CPA

4. Be Realistic

“We’ve all heard that people overestimate what they can do in a week, but underestimate what they can do in five years. If you want to keep your work weeks to a minimum, start being honest about what you can accomplish in a week. Identifying the most important thing you can be working on to affect the bottom line of your company each day is key. Then do that 40 hours per week.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30Experiences

5. Leverage Automation

“If entrepreneurs aren’t leveraging automation yet, then they need to. Marketing automation performs routine, everyday tasks for you so you can spend your time wisely and still get more done. It’s easier to stay productive and meet deadlines when you have technology working for you.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

6. Set Clear Boundaries

“Only with clear boundaries for their time will a driven entrepreneur find that balance. Many successful entrepreneurs leave their industries after a few short years to build a family or pursue their passion because they are unable to have both. The only way I am able to “work to live” is by design, and I assure you it’s worth the effort. Set clear boundaries and respect them.” ~ Reuben Yonatan, SaasList

7. Cultivate and Build Leaders

“The right mindset, leadership and systems are key. In order to greatly reduce your time, you’re going to have to trust people. Then you need to cultivate and build leaders within your organization. To be successful you should have a system where those leaders routinely meet with clear goals and agendas around managing and growing the company. That’s it. Enjoy your time off.” ~ Kevin Getch, Webfor

8. Outsource Tedious Tasks

“If an entrepreneur doesn’t have the resources to hire in-house and delegate certain tasks, they can outsource tedious tasks that don’t generate revenue. For example, the following tasks could be outsourced: blog content creation, social media marketing, website design, payroll and bookkeeping.” ~ Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

9. Recharge Between Work Sessions

“Avoiding long hours is hard, but taking breaks in between tasks can alleviate the pain. If long hours span from early strategy calls through late-evening client meetings, make the most out of your business day. Hit the gym, take lunch outside, listen to an audiobook. Recharging between other energy-intense sessions is a long-lasting exercise worth trying out.” ~ Mario Peshev, DevriX

10. Schedule Hard Stop Breaks

“Scheduling hard stop breaks into your daily routine will help you balance work with the other parts of your life. Break your day into multiple work shifts to create a natural separation in your schedule. Neglecting this aspect of your routine can be harmful to work and oftentimes lead to counter productivity.” ~ Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC

11. Set Goals Outside of Your Career

“Entrepreneurs are goal-driven, and usually get overly absorbed in career goals. I like to have fitness goals that dictate a workout schedule, for example. I recently took classes in scuba diving and boat sailing, as well, to get out of the office and focus on something new and adventurous. Leave the phone at home and go explore the world.” ~ David Boehl, GoLastMinute

12. Empower Your Team

“Empower your team. Too many entrepreneurs think they need to still have their hand in every single thing at the company, which is draining to them and ultimately discouraging to the employees who are ready to step up and take on more. I did this years ago when I had a major surgery and had to delegate responsibilities during my recovery and then just didn’t take all of the responsibilities back!” ~ Kelsey Raymond, Influence & Co.

Overworked? 12 Practical Ways Entrepreneurs Can Cut Down Their Hours [Smallbiztrends]

About Our GE Network Expert - Min Tang

Categories
Teamwork & Leadership

Aligning Culture and Brand Values

If you were to ask one of your employees what your brand’s core values are, would they know the answer? How do you think they would respond?

Hopefully, your company already has some firm brand values, covered in your initial business plan or your brand guidelines. If not, now may be a good time to consider the nature of your brand and draft those core values.

But assuming those core values are in place, how can you make sure your employees are all working in line with those core values? And why is it so important in the first place?

The Importance of Brand Alignment

Let’s focus on why this brand value alignment is so significant to your company’s success:

  • Direction and motivation. Core values bring life to your brand, and define what your organization is all about. For existing employees, this can be a source of inspiration and motivation. For new and prospective employees, it’s an indication of whether they fit with your corporate culture.
  • Consistency. Brand values also help you keep your team members working consistently with one another. Your employees will find it easier to form bonds with one another, and work collaboratively on projects.
  • Belonging and morale. When employees feel like they fit with the values of a brand, they develop a sense of belonging with the company. This leads to higher morale (and therefore, productivity), and could increase employee retention as well.

Strategies for Aligning Culture and Brand Values

So what can you do to keep your employees aligned?

1. Hire the right candidates. Everything starts with the people you hire. The interview process should help you determine, straight away, whether someone’s individual values fit with, are close to, or deviate strongly from your brand values. Even if someone has the appropriate experience, you should pass on them if they aren’t going to fit the culture you want to create. The right people will require less conditioning, will be more likely to stick around, and will even contribute to a healthier, more value-encouraging environment.

2. Use signage to remind employees of values. Office signage can have a powerful effect on employee values and productivity. For example, you could print a massive sign for each of your brand’s core values, and hang them up throughout the office as a reminder of how those values are supposed to be displayed. You could also display motivational signs, designed to subtly showcase your brand values in action, such as reminders of the value of teamwork. Conceptually, it might seem tacky, but these visual cues can radically change employees’ moods, mind states, and patterns of behavior.

3. Demonstrate values from the top down. Employees look to their leaders as role models for the culturethey’re going to embody. If you want your lowest and newest employees to support your brand values, they need to be on display from your highest-ranking leaders. Encourage all your executive officers, leaders, managers, and supervisors to display these brand values in their own positions. From there, it’s only natural that the rest of your team will follow—assuming those leaders are respected.

4. Implement and discuss values in employee reviews. If you conduct annual or semi-annual employee reviews, take that time to discuss each employee’s knowledge and embodiment of your brand values. Gauge how they’ve performed in each dimension (such as embracing change, pursuing growth, or being honest), and ask them how they feel about their performance in each category. It’s a good way to remind employees what your core values are, get their opinions on how those core values relate to their individual work, and give pointers on how to do better in the future.

5. Publicly reward people who follow or exemplify your brand values. Finally, take the time to publicly acknowledge and/or reward employees who do a great job of demonstrating core values. For example, you might call out an employee who demonstrated the nature of team spirit in a collaborative project, and treat them to lunch or give them the rest of the day off. This will make the employee in question continue this pattern of behavior, and encourage your other employees (who witnessed the reward) to strive for similar levels of adoption.

5 Ways to Keep Your Team Aligned With Brand Values – and Why You Should [Smallbiztrends]

About Our GE Network Expert - Min Tang

Categories
Communication Skills

Pitching To Venture Capitalists? Know These First

Readying your slide deck for a VC pitch?

In addition to a killer presentation, you need to be able to answer some specific questions.

Having raised venture capital for my first company, Wordstream (which sold for $150 million last year), I’ve got the inside scoop on the exact kind of questions investors will ask you.

In an interview with Parul Singh, a principal at the venture capital firm Founder Collective, I asked her what she’s wondering as she’s sitting across the table during a pitch.

Prepare for these VC Pitch Questions

Take a look at 10 questions investors are wondering across the table — even if they don’t ask them out loud.

1. Is there a big enough market opportunity for your pitch to be compelling?

“What is compelling depends on the size of the fund. Given the risk involved — the majority of startups fail — many investors expect any single investment to return the entire fund. So we want to know if you can demonstrate realistic sightlines to that number,” explains Parul.

“We’re not expecting you to map out all the revenue projections until that point, but you need to show that A) you can build a real business, and B) you’re tackling a believably big market opportunity (‘believably’ here means that you’re not pointing to the total spend in your space as the market opportunity),” says Parul.

2. Is your ask compatible with what the fund invests in?

“Are you raising a series B round, while we only invest pre-seed and seed?” asks Parul.

3. Does your idea conflict with anything else in the fund’s portfolio?

“We take pride in serving the best interests of our portfolio companies,” says Parul.

If you don’t even take the time to check whether the fund has potential conflicts of interest, it’s a clear indicator that you didn’t do your homework — and a huge red flag.

4. Are there any obvious obstacles to succeeding in this market?

“As investors, we are looking for the best opportunities for our own investors. Most investors will favor a sector where there are acquisition possibilities and where you can grow quickly,” says Parul.

If you’re in a sector where you need to spend years getting regulatory approval or closing deals, never fear: While other investors may be dissuaded, there are investors who specialize in projects of that nature — just make sure that you seek them out.

5. Do I believe in this team?

To “believe” in a team, Parul needs two things:

1) Compelling evidence that the team can execute. For example, can you show traction or LOIs from potential customers?

2) Meaningful commitment to the concept. Have you taken the plunge to be a full-time founder?

“While there absolutely are financial constraints that may prevent founders from leaving their jobs, I’m left wondering if you are asking me to commit more than you have,” says Parul.

“If you want to steer toward financial prudence, moonlight on your idea until you have some traction you can bring to the table — or pre-sell your company to customers, not just me,” she says.

6. Is this product or service exceptional?

“Rough edges are fine on a B2B product, where a clearly expressed value proposition matters more,” says Parul.

Enterprise B2B customers generally will cut you slack when it comes to the UI/UX of your product, since their primary concern is to solve their business problems.

“But if you’re going direct to consumer and your product and brand don’t feel world class, I might question if you have what it takes to retain the average consumer,” says Parul.

7. Are the founders knowledgeable about key market dynamics and competitors?

“This advantage may not be as evident in an early-stage startup (where founders are wrestling to get product, sales, and team mechanics to work), but as a company grows, competitiveness increasingly matters,” says Parul. “The No. 1 and 2 players in a space typically may win big, while other companies may not make it at all.”

Investors want to be confident that you know the big-picture dynamics that will affect your company long term so that you’ll be able to beat out your competition.

8. Is there founder/market alignment?

“Your deep knowledge of your space is your unfair advantage — we’ve seen this time and time again with our most successful companies,” says Parul.

For that reason, investors always want to take a deep dive into why a founder is tackling a particular problem.

9. Do I want to commit to this problem for the next few years?

“Growth is a process that can take time, and there will be times that you and I both question our commitment to the problem,” says Parul. “Beyond just the hard metrics, most investors want to truly care about the problem you’re solving.”

10. Am I excited about working with you?

“In a world of inflated metrics and Steve-Jobs-channeling bluster, VCs crave honesty — in other words, do you treat me as a partner, or are you only telling me the good stuff?” says Parul.

From an investor’s perspective, working together will be much more meaningful and effective if the prospect is willing to be transparent and solve hard problems together.

Thinking about Pitching your Business Idea to a VC? Be Able to Answer 8 of these 10 Questions [Smallbiztrends]

About Our GE Network Expert - Min Tang