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Stacks of books on the shelf
Business Resources, Business Tools, Personal Growth

The Top 4 Business Books That Will Rock Your World

Key Takeaway

Read these books to be inspired in your business.

 

Some of the most powerful business magnates in the world are avid readers. Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates are all self-proclaimed bookworms who attribute their success to reading. Billionaire Warren Buffett is said to read about 500 pages per day.

If some of the most successful people in the world credit their success to something as simple as reading, then why wouldn’t you give it a try? Check out these business books and get to rocking your world.

Business Adventures by John Brooks

Business Adventures by John Brooks
Business Adventures by John Brooks

You have to have the right people on your team to successfully plan, implement, and carry out short- and long-term goals. The way team members and leaders react in both times of success and hardship will make or break their companies. 

Bill Gates calls Business Adventures (which was a gift from Warren Buffet, by the way) one of the best business books he has ever read. 

The book tells the crisis and triumph of several prominent companies, including Ford Motor Company’s Edsel disaster, the rise of Xerox, and the GE and Texas Gulf Sulphur scandals. Brooks also details the stock market crash in 1962 and the chaos that ensued on Wall Street. 

Business Adventures is a must-read for anyone who is currently running, or aspires to run, a resilient business.

Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott

Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott

If you’re looking for a lighter read that provides applicable information on how to be a successful boss and colleague, then this New York Times Bestseller is for you. Scott uses her own experiences at Google, Apple, and other tech companies to show how to be a respected leader and encourage your team to do their best work. 

Radical Candor shows readers how to build strong relationships in a work environment, create a culture of feedback, shape a connected team, and achieve goals everyone can be excited about. Scott is engaging, humorous, and provides readers with entertaining illustrations throughout the book. 

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

There are plenty of companies out there that are considered successful. They may have good investors, a solid group of promoters who love their brand and make enough money to sustain their existence. But what about the companies that are really killing it? Raking in the cash and growing exponentially in all forms? How did they get to where they are? How did they go from good to great?

Jim Collins answers those questions in this intriguing read. He organizes a 5-year experiment to find out the common characteristics of 28 successful companies that made that leap from good to great. 

You’ll have to read Good to Great to discover his findings, however, Collin’s said at the end of his experiment: “The key concepts discerned in the study fly in the face of our modern business culture and will, quite frankly, upset some people.” 

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

An international bestseller and the winner of more than five notable awards, Thinking Fast and Slow takes a hard look at two ways that humans think, which Kahneman calls systems. According to the author, system 1 is “fast, emotional, and intuitive.” System 2 is a bit slower, more deliberate, and logical. By understanding these systems, he tells readers the ways we can take information and use it to shape our personal and work-related decisions. 

There are certain aspects of the two systems that should be focused on or avoided based on the environment and situation. Thinking Fast and Slow takes you through practical techniques that will help you uncover best practices in all situations.

By understanding how we all think, we can successfully lead and help the people around us.

More Books

Reading entrepreneurial books can evoke creativity and inspiration. Personal development is key to creating a successful life and business.

Want more? Here are a few other notable books you should consider:

  • Den of Thieves
  • Pivot
  • The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
  • Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader
  • Live It, Love It, Earn It: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom
  • Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
  • Imagine: How Creativity Works
  • The Power of Onlyness: Make Your Wild Ideas Mighty Enough to Dent the World
  • The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
  • Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business
  • Steve Jobs
  • The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
  • Tools of Titans
  • Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing
  • Inbound Marketing: Attract, Engage, and Delight Customers Online

 

By Leslie Radford
advertising graphic
Business, Business Resources, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Small Business

6 Major Digital Advertising Benefits for Small Businesses

6 Major Digital Advertising Benefits for Small Businesses

In this Article –

 

Reach your target market

Flexible cross-promotion

Mobile engagement

Get faster results

Easy to track metrics

Stay top-of-mind

 

Digital advertising is a new weapon in the struggle of small businesses for survival. If you’re not promoting your goods and services online, you might be missing a huge audience that could benefit from your business.

Ways of promoting are diverse and give different results, depending on the type of activity you go with. The growth or decline in your sales directly depends on the types of advertising you use on the Internet. There are many platforms to choose from, but sometimes it’s a trial-and-error sort of thing to see what works best for you. And you don’t have to spend a ton of money to try different advertising techniques. Moreover, small businesses earn an average of $3 in revenue for every $1.60 they spend on Google AdWords.

Let’s take a look at why you should be advertising digitally:

advertising graphic

Digital Advertising is Targeted

You can create ads that are seen by qualified prospects and target audience members. Because you can be specific about who sees your ad, you’ll know you’ll be piquing their interest and can probably convert them.

Traditional advertising is hit-or-miss, but digital platforms are changing the game. SEO and PPC can put your brand name and your content marketing in front of customers at every stage of the buying cycle. Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn offer flexible ad options that allow you to segment by geographic location, demographics, interests, and more.

Digital Advertising Provides Flexibility Across Channels

The keyword for success in digital advertising is “multi-channel.” With digital advertising, a piece of content can be shared across a variety of platforms, which means that you are no longer confined to one page, 30 seconds, or whatever format your traditional ad was designed for.

Videos are a great way to promote in a way that your buyers want to listen. And they’re sharable which means you can reach more potential customers on various platforms. According to Forbes, videos are shared 1,200% more than text and links combined.

Digital Advertising Invites Mobile Engagement

Digital and mobile marketing go hand-in-hand. Digital advertising allows you to reach your audience on the go, wherever they are, whenever they are online. It’s an especially great place to reach Gen Z and Millennial customers. According to a study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), mobile phones are the place Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to see relevant ads. Nearly half of all typical smartphone users have taken action based on seeing relevant ads on their mobile phones.

Digital Advertising is Faster to Market

Market conditions and trends change quickly, and that requires agile marketing. Digital campaigns can be executed much more quickly than traditional advertising, and they can be modified on the fly if needed. 

Digital Advertising is Easily Measurable

Digital campaigns metrics are built-in. You know exactly who clicked on your content, opened it, referred it, shared it, etc. You also can trace the source of your traffic from entry to the shopping cart and eventual purchase. This will help you determine which platforms and strategies yield the best results, and which deserve more investment.

man analyzing digital marketing efforts

Digital Advertising Maintains Top-of-Mind Awareness

A study by Baymard Institute revealed that the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 68.53%. And that’s where digital advertising has a major advantage. Through remarketing and retargeting, you can stay in front of the customer to suggest one more time that they liked your product, so go ahead and purchase it. Abandoned shopping carts can be recoverable by retailers who use marketing automation software to offer a sweet deal, like a discount or free shipping. Digital advertising can keep that sale from slipping away.

Digital Advertising is the New Norm

When you consider the myriad of benefits digital advertising provides compared with traditional advertising, it’s easy to see why big brands continue to utilize all forms of digital advertising platforms as an integral part of their strategies. But it isn’t just for big brands, it’s for your small business, too.

Business, Business Resources, Business Tools, Entrepreneur, Small Business, Tips

How to Write a Professional Job Description

How to Write a Professional Job Description

In this Article –

 

Job description definition

How to write a job description

Job description essentials

 

Your business is growing and you need extra hands. How do you write a job description that will get a qualified person in the position you’re seeking to hire?

Here are some things to consider when writing up a job description.

job description typewriter

What Is a Job Description?

A job description is a medium by which hiring managers communicate their needs to both external and internal candidates. 

For the employer, the job description lays out essential information about the role, the candidate’s experience, skills, and readiness.

For the employee, the job description describes the responsibilities, tasks, and related duties of a position. It will often include additional information such as education, qualifications, and skills required for the role. You can also expect important details like working conditions, compensation offering, physical demands, and tools or equipment required.

 

How to Write a Job Description

It can be as short or as long as you like. As descriptive or vague as you want. It can also have hidden instructions to gauge people’s attention to detail. Most importantly, it should be clear and concise. You can use it briefly when posting a job offering and give the candidate more details during an interview.

Ideas to Get You Started

1. Jot Down the Position’s Responsibilities and Duties

Some critical questions to ask yourself as you write this are:

  • What does their day-to-day look like?
  • What tasks do you expect they own and complete in a timely manner?
  • Who else do they interact with day-to-day and how are they accountable to those people?
  • If they were to provide reports or updates to someone what metrics are included?

Be as specific as possible here to make their day-to-day and your performance evaluations easier.

2. List Experience and Skills Required

Now that you’ve specified responsibilities and daily activities it is time to create your wishlist of skills, experience, and education. Who is your ideal candidate? 

Take another stab at your wishlist and order it from most important to least important. Finally, add in what’s required and what’s optional.

3. Include Desired Soft Skills and Personality Traits

Describe their education and experience that fit your culture. Do they have the soft skills to pull off their job function? Here are a few questions to consider when dreaming up the right candidate:

  • Do you need a self-starter or someone who can simply follow directions?
  • Will they work independently or as part of a team?
  • How flexible is the role? Do they follow checklists or is a lot of it creativity?

Describe the current team’s personality or the company’s culture. Jot down what you want and what you don’t want.

4. Determine Compensation

How much would you have to pay that ideal person and how likely it is to find that person? Decide if it’s an entry-level position or a higher tier that requires more experience and a higher starting salary.

A fair salary is a must, but how else can you entice a candidate to apply?

Consider adding monetary and non-monetary benefits besides salary. Sometimes people will take a lower-paying role if the health, dental, and retirement benefits are excellent. Or if they know there’s a lot of opportunity for growth at the company.

Determine ahead of time if there’s a salary cap or a merit increase schedule and what you’re comfortable paying year over year.

5. Write the Job Description

You now have everything you need to write your job description.

Start by writing the job title and a brief introduction to the company. Explain what the company does, how many employees you have, and your overall mission.

Next, add position details, including job requirements and day-to-day responsibilities. Ensure that they understand both the opportunities and the challenges of the role. The more transparent the better so nobody wastes their time.

Add in miscellaneous details like work hours, location, compensation, and start details.

Finally, list out the attributes that the ideal candidate would possess, ranging from education to prior work experience and soft skills. Ensure that they know what’s required and what’s optional.

 

Job Description Essentials

We’ll leave you with some best practices for writing an effective job description:

  • Transparency is key – Glassdoor and job review sites are widely used so it’s better to disclose any and all rough aspects of the job or the company upfront.
  • Limit industry jargon – It will only discourage candidates from applying.
  • Help them do research – Link your website, social media pages, and relevant press releases so they can easily do more research on your company and its values.
  • Talk about your customers – Give them industry insights so they have a better understanding of what they’re signing up for.

The last and best piece of advice on writing job descriptions is don’t start from scratch. There are countless jobs out there just like the one you’re posting. Use them as inspiration and adapt them to your needs.

we are open sign
Business, Business Resources, Entrepreneur, Small Business

Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC: How to Choose

Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC: How to Choose

Key Points

 

Define Sole Proprietorship

Define LLC

Pros/Cons of Both Entities

Making a Decision

 

So, you’ve started a small business. You know what you’re going to do and how to do it. But have you determined your business entity structure? Not sure what to register? 

New business owners are often confused about the difference between a limited liability company (LLC) and a sole proprietorship. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Let’s explore the differences.

What is a Sole Proprietorship?

A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business with one owner, and it’s the simplest and least expensive type of business to form. 

As a sole proprietorship, the owner’s name is the business’s name, though sole proprietorships can also operate under a brand name or trade name. The main characteristic of a sole proprietorship is that there’s no legal separation between the business and business owner, so the owner is personally responsible for the business’s debts.

Here are some key takeaways to think about when considering a sole proprietorship:

  • No required paperwork apart from industry-specific licenses 
  • No annual state filings
  • Simplified tax filing
  • No liability protection
  • Difficult to obtain financing in the business name
  • Harder to build business credit

What is an LLC?

An LLC (limited liability company) is a legally separate business entity that’s created under state law. It combines elements of a sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation, and offers a lot of flexibility for owners. This structure is popular with many business owners due to the ease of setting it up, its cost-effectiveness, it’s also easier to maintain than other business structures such as S corps or C corps, and it can provide asset protection. One person can form a single-member LLC, or multiple people can form a multi-member LLC.

Here are some key takeaways to consider when forming an LLC:

  • More market credibility
  • Liability protection in the case of certain lawsuits and commercial debts
  • More financing options
  • Some paperwork
  • Annual state filings
  • Tax advantages and disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Sole Proprietorship

Benefits:

  • No required state paperwork, unless there’s specific licensing such as an occupational license and/or business license. 
  • No required annual state filings to complete, unless there are specific industry filings required by your industry.
  • All profits/losses are passed through to the owner’s personal tax return. These are typically reported on a Schedule C tax form that is filed with the owner’s personal tax return. 
  • May enjoy the tax benefits of being self-employed, from deducting certain business expenses to utilizing self-employed retirement plans.

Drawbacks:

  • There’s no liability protection against commercial debts, lawsuits, and other obligations. This means you can be sued personally for commercial activities, putting your personal assets at risk.
  • Many investors choose not to invest in a Sole Proprietorship, making it difficult to secure financing.
  • Many financial institutions will refuse to establish business credit and will categorize loan requests as a “personal loan” rather than a “business loan.” 
  • You will have a lower amount of market credibility by not operating under a trade name. You can create a “Doing Business As” name (DBA) with your state’s department of revenue or the secretary of state, but this will require fees for the establishment and ongoing fees to continue to use the DBA name.

sole proprietor takeaways

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of an LLC

Benefits:

  • When you form an LLC, you are creating a business entity separate from yourself; you are not your LLC and your LLC is not you. 
  • You will have a higher level of market credibility.
  • Liability protection against commercial debts, lawsuits, and other obligations as long as you set up and maintain your LLC properly, do not commingle personal and commercial assets, and avoid personal guarantees.
  • It’s much easier to obtain equity and debt financing if you have a separate business entity as well as an established business credit score. 
  • You can combine the “best” of the incorporation worlds, by electing your single-member LLC to be taxed as a Sole Proprietor (which is the standard election), an S-Corporation, or a C-Corporation. Electing tax treatment as a sole proprietor just means all profits/losses flow to the owner’s personal tax return. Electing to be taxed as an S-Corporation means the profits/losses flow to the owner’s individual return, but you have the chance to reduce FICA taxes by establishing a “reasonable salary” and receiving the remaining profit amounts as dividends, with only the “reasonable salary” being subject to FICA (Social Security and  Medicare) withholding.
  • You can enjoy the tax benefits of being self-employed. 

Drawbacks:

  • State-related paperwork will be required, including any specific industry licensing.
  • Annual state filings (and the associated fees) will be required as well, including any specific industry licensing fees that are required. 
  • Besides paying personal federal, state, local, and the self-employed version of FICA taxes, you might also be required to pay State Business Taxes and Unemployment Taxes.
  • Costs for completing the tax return of an LLC may be higher than that of a sole proprietorship.

llc takeaways

LLC vs. Sole Proprietorship: Which Should You Choose?

Many business owners, particularly freelancers or consultants, start as sole proprietors because it’s easy and it’s attractive for new entrepreneurs, particularly those testing a business idea. 

The best business structure for you will depend on many factors, and it’s best to consult a business lawyer and tax advisors before making this important decision. Make sure you take the right steps to establish your business.

 

By Leslie Radford
networking graphic
Business Resources, Business Tools, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Tips, Uncategorized

Three Most Important Reasons You Should be Networking for Your Small Business

Three Most Important Reasons You Should be Networking for Your Small Business

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Business Leads and Referrals

Connections

Visibility

There are many reasons networking is important to your small business. It can help you build leads, get referrals, make important connections with people in your industry or community, build your confidence in connecting with others and, so much more. Networking can also help you identify opportunities for partnerships, joint ventures, or expanding your business. 

Here are the three most important reasons you should be networking for your small business. 

networking graphic

1. Business Leads and Referrals

It is vital to your business’s success that you acquire business leads and gain referrals. Without them, you do not have a business. You should use every social and professional opportunity to meet and connect with new people and use them to open doors for additional business opportunities.

People want to help others so make sure to communicate professionally when you follow up on leads and not badger them for business. Be sensitive to timing and use common courtesy when following up with contacts. When they discover you have value, are courteous, and feel they can trust you with their own network of people, then these connections will be more likely to send you referrals. These referrals will get you higher quality leads compared to the leads you get from marketing, and thus increasing your business. Remember, you’re in the business of building relationships first. 

2. Connections

Networking can open the door to talk to highly influential people that can help grow your business. But it’s not just about who you are networking with directly either – that person will already have a network you can tap into as well. With the help of these connections, anytime you need something, you can easily call them to get some help that is needed. Whether you need a residential plumber, a business accountant, or anything else, somebody will know someone who can help you. Also, these people can give you advice on various matters that might help in improving your business.

3. Visibility

Meeting and communicating with potential clients and business partners on a regular basis will help maintain your business relationships. Attending networking events raises your personal profile and can help keep you front and center in the minds of the right people. You can build a reputation for yourself as a supportive, reliable, and knowledgeable person by offering tips and useful information to others.

When you have earned respect from everyone, you will get referrals much more easily. If you’re not out in your community spreading the word about you and your business, you will not be top of mind to those who may need your services or connections. 

start a business
Business Resources, Entrepreneur, Uncategorized

Small Business Ideas that are Easy to Get Started​

Small Business Ideas that are Easy to Get Started

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Create Digital Products or Courses

Sell Print-on-Demand Posters, Greeting Cards, and Prints

Other Ideas

At NuvoDesk, we cater to entrepreneurs. We know that starting a business can be exciting and stressful. We’ve compiled a few business ideas that are easy to start and have low overhead and risk. These are some of the businesses that flourish in our facility: The beginners, the boot-strappers, the innovative thinkers.

Create Digital Products or Courses​

You can create digital products like music, courses, videos, and templates where there aren’t recurring manufacturing or shipping costs to worry about. Your margins will be high, making it the best business to start.

Just ask yourself, “What is useful enough that people are willing to pay to download it?” 

You could provide informational videos, teach a subject, compose your own music, or create downloadable templates.

NuvoDesk has a media production room that provides equipment perfect for podcasts, photography, and videos. Take advantage of:

  • Green Screen Wall
  • Camera
  • Lights
webinar

Sell Print-on-Demand Posters, Greeting Cards, and Prints

If you’re artistically inclined or know your way around a camera, you can dropship using a print-on-demand business model.

You can turn your work into products such as posters or framed wall art, even greeting cards. There are plenty of digital templates and mockup generators like Placeit you can use to showcase your products without having to print out each item and conduct your own photoshoots.

Etsy is also a great place to sell your downloads or take orders for shipping. Use a local printing company to print larger items to be shipped.

NuvoDesk can provide a scanner for many needs you may have, a physical address for your business, and high-speed internet to do your work.

Other Ideas

Other business ideas that will flourish at NuvoDesk with little overhead and start-up costs:

  • Freelance Writer
  • Freelance Graphic Artist
  • Life/Business Coaches
  • Travel Planner
  • Consultant

We support our entrepreneurs with all kinds of services at NuvoDesk to make sure you are prosperous with your new business. These are just a few great ways to get started doing something you love.

neat desk
Business Resources, Tips

Tips to Organize Your Business for the New Year

Tips to Organize Your Business for the New Year

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Organize your Business Purge Your Office Organize Your Paper Files Ditch Paper Receipts

An organized business is a productive business. Get organized by taming your email workflow, keeping your desktop organized, and getting rid of paper clutter.

Below are 3 tips on how you can organize your business:

1. Purge Your Office

Too much clutter can add to daily stress and chaos. Clutter exists because we think that everything is important. Toss out whatever is outdated, no longer relevant, or a duplicate. Get rid of anything that collects dust (trinkets or office supplies that have no value to you or your business.) Make sure you have plenty of storage to keep things neat and tidy and out of sight to keep them from distracting you.

Things you could purge:

  • Recycle the broken electronics you may have stashed in a closet.
  • Donate anything you don’t need or use.
  • Keep the basics and anything you’ve used in the past year; everything else can go.

Put items that you require every day in the same place so that you won’t have to hunt for them every time you need them. 

When your workspace is clean and uncluttered, you won’t waste time searching through stuff or moving piles around. See how you can develop an office space that inspires. 

messy files

2. Organize Your Paper Files

The average person wastes more than 4 hours per week searching for papers, according to one study. Go through your filing cabinets and shred anything that’s out of date or no longer relevant to your business.

You scan the originals and throw out the paper files to make more room if you think you might need these documents in the future.

3. Ditch Paper Receipts

There’s no reason to hang on to all those tiny paper receipts. Scan them and keep them digitally. Stay on top of this clutter by scanning them as soon as you get them or make time each week to scan them all in and keep them in a digital file.

Get It Together

This will get you started on organizing your business. See more tips for staying organized. 

Virtual Assistant
Business Resources

What is a Virtual Assistant and What They Can Do for Your Business?

What is a Virtual Assistant and What They Can Do for Your Business?

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

What is a Virtual Assistant?

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

More on Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants are a cost-effective staffing solution for companies of all sizes and are becoming very popular. Let’s explore what they are and how they can help your business.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is basically like having an executive assistant who provides administrative work and office support on a remote basis. They usually work as an independent contractor, although some are hired as full-time remote workers and are employed by companies of all sizes and across many industries.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

Just about anything! Here are some of the most common jobs given to virtual assistants:

 

Administrative Work

Virtual assistants are most commonly hired for admin work like scheduling meetings, booking travel, organizing calendars, and even answering phones.

 

Bookkeeping

Keeping track of finances is an essential part of running a profitable business, and virtual assistants can help manage a budget, make purchases, and track expenses.

 

Personal Assistant

Virtual assistants can help organize tasks outside of work, in addition to their standard duties. Booking vacations, organizing a calendar, and purchasing gifts for friends and family are some of the more common personal duties.

 

Data Entry

In this role, a virtual assistant can easily compile data, check for accuracy, and delete unnecessary records. This is especially beneficial for patient recording, billing, postal work, and school administration.

 

Research

Research can be a time-consuming endeavor, even with dedicated resources, so some companies use virtual assistants to assist with compiling this information. Because these tasks are typically more manual, they’re best suited to virtual assistants specialized in data analysis.

More on Virtual Assistants

From digital marketing tasks, scheduling appointments, and managing events to personal errands, a virtual assistant can help you with every aspect of your business.

Business Wire estimates that virtual assistants’ market size will reach $25.6 billion by 2025. With low overhead and limited commitment, virtual assistants are a cost-effective staffing solution for companies of all sizes.

technology
Business Resources, Business Tools, Tech, Tips

Technology That Will Keep Your Business Organized

Technology That Will Keep Your Business Organized

By Leslie Radford​

You got your physical space organized in January, here’s how to use technology to help keep your business organized further:

 

Get the Right Note-Taking Tool

Get rid of paper clutter by taking digital notes. Download a note-taking tool like Evernote or Google Keep. You can organize notes and ideas to access for reference with ease. Make sure it’s something you will use consistently and can possibly be used across several devices so you don’t go back to paper clutter.

There are also programs like Google Tasks and Todoist that will help you keep your to-do list handy. To-do lists will keep you undoubtedly organized.

 

Get a Digital Calendar

Digital calendars are great because many can be used across devices, like Google Calendar. They can be color-coded so you can find particular activities quickly and many easily integrate with other software to make scheduling a breeze. This will help keep you organized by knowing exactly what you are doing when so you don’t miss important dates revolving around your business.

 

Programs that Keep You in Touch with Clients

Staying in touch with clients and customers can be overwhelming and can get disorganized fast. However, keeping in touch with your customers indicates that you care about them and value their business. A CRM (customer relations management) program, like Hubspot, will keep all their contact information in one spot. You can find their information quickly to send regular notes or emails about new products and services that you offer or just to check in with them.

Several email marketing tools like MailChimp allow you to store a customer’s birthday and send an e-card or other email campaigns automatically.

 

Go Paperless

These days, with newer and faster applications, it’s now possible to have a paperless, uncluttered office. Having access to data at your fingertips indicates a good business organization.

Tips for Motivating Your Remote Team
Business Resources, Tips

Tips for Motivating Your Remote Team

Tips for Motivating Your Remote Team

By Leslie Radford

With many teams working remotely due to the pandemic, it can be hard to keep them motivated. Here are a few tips to implement to make sure your team happily does their best work.

Create a Remote Company Culture

You can’t replace water cooler talk or hang out with your colleagues at lunch, but you can reward their success through incentives.  This in turn helps you retain top talent, boost engagement, and encourage high performance.

You can do this by:

  • Send them a handwritten thank you note or gift
  • Extending your company’s culture remotely with team-wide recognition  
  • Have positively reinforced contests amongst teammates

company culture

Help Them Solve Time Management Problems

Not everyone is cut out for remote work. It may have been forced upon them during the pandemic. When you struggle in this area, you aren’t producing your best work, are more likely to miss deadlines, and you’re unable to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Try using these techniques:

  • Stress the importance and benefits of time management to them
  • Set goals together
  • Focus on quality, not quantity
  • Help them identify what’s causing their time management problems so that you can come up with solutions
  • Offer training on programs being used by the company 
  • Provide resources for time management tools (Focus Keeper, MyOrganizedLife, Trello, etc.)

Trust Them

Allow them the flexibility they need to work at home. Many are juggling their children who are learning from home and they’re trying their best to get it all done.

That doesn’t mean that you don’t need to clearly define responsibilities, expectations, and deadlines, as well as checking in on them, but there’s no need to micromanage them. 

Emphasize what is produced instead of focusing on when and how much.

 

Collaborate with Them Frequently

Working remotely can take a social and psychological toll on some. Not having that human connection can affect their work. Use technology (Like Zoom and Slack) to touch base with them often. This will allow for team interaction and make them not feel isolated and alone.

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