Author: Lexie Lu

A positive customer experience is one of the most valuable things you can offer your audience. While your offerings are definitely central to success, strong customer service and a streamlined buying process can make a serious difference. In fact, research shows that around 52% of customers are willing to pay more to shop with a brand that offers speedy and efficient customer service. A smaller but similar percentage said the same about brands with friendly and welcoming customer service. With the right investments, any company can boost company customer experience (CX) and make interactions with the brand smoother and more…

As businesses grow, inventory management can quickly become complicated — especially if that business relies on traditional inventory and asset tracking methods. Incorrect information on unit counts, asset information or product location can all create major issues in the supply chain or cause downtime as workers look for assets that aren’t there. There is a wide range of technology that can support inventory and asset management systems in industries like warehousing, manufacturing and retail. Barcoding is one of the simplest tools to implement. With barcodes, businesses can uniquely label items and assets as needed, enabling quick inventory and asset tracking…

Some companies spend all their time going after massive clients, hoping to land the whale and focus most of their attention on a single customer. Such a strategy is rarely effective. First, it’s difficult to land massive brands. Second, if they leave for a competitor, your business is sunk. A much better approach is seeking referrals from small to mid-size businesses or individual clients. If word-of-mouth marketing leads you to the big fish, it’s an added perk that boosts your company’s growth. Testimonials are one of the most effective ways of reaching new leads. According to the Content Marketing Institute,…

One of the keys to building a strong brand presence is consistency. A branding guide helps ensure anyone who works on marketing or design sticks to the same standards and presents your company in a very particular way to consumers. If you aren’t sure where to start with your style guide, your company name offers some strong clues. Stackla surveyed 2,000 adults across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. It found that 86% of consumers believe authenticity is vital if they’re supporting a brand. A branding guide creates stability and ensures you aren’t continually retracting statements or negating your previous…

Figuring out when and how to invest in your company is not straightforward. One of the primary concerns many business owners have is how long it’ll take to start seeing the payoffs of an investment, and whether those advantages will prove enduring or short-lived. If your business is relatively new, it may feel hard to justify any long-term investments because you’re worried about possible cash flow issues. However, investing in things to help you over prolonged periods supports your company’s growth. Here are five long-term investments that will give you measurable benefits over time. Some have short-term perks, too, making…

Your company events following COVID-19 will look quite different from those held before the pandemic. As a business owner, you may be wondering how you can prepare for small and large functions. What do you need to consider, and what safety guidelines should you adhere to? Here’s how to prepare for your first company event post-COVID-19: Go Virtual During the outbreak, many companies held meetings and conferences virtually. Small- and medium-sized events, in particular, can work well this way. By doing this, you can take advantage of communication and marketing opportunities that may enhance the gathering. You can also connect attendees with…

Running a business is expensive. Payroll, upkeep, rent and supply costs all add up quickly. Good accounting is essential for any company that wants to maximize its spending ability and make sure it has enough money to handle regular expenses. However, some things are often overlooked — and can be a serious problem if they blindside you. Fortunately, you can have the resources you need to manage these costs more effectively with the right prep. Here are six common expenses that your business should be planning for. 1. Permits and Licenses Your business will probably need at least one or…

A strong call-to-action (CTA) is an essential component of any marketing email or landing page. Even the best content can go to waste without a compelling CTA that makes potential customers want to click through. Because CTAs are central to your strategy, there are several dos and don’ts recommended on the internet. Much of this advice is well-meaning and may work some of the time — but it isn’t always accurate and can result in CTAs that don’t work. Below, we’ll break down six common myths about creating CTAs and demonstrate why they’re not always true. 1. You Don’t Need a CTA…

Starting a new company is exciting, but growing that brand into something successful is like climbing a mountain. As time marches on, you learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t. Hopefully, you learned from mistakes and are now ready to observe your progress. If you’re coming up on a business anniversary, then it’s time to celebrate all your hard work. You’re probably looking for some unique ways to share your journey with others. The Bureau of Business Employment Statistics reports that 20% of small businesses fail in the first year and around 50% by the fifth year. If…

Figuring out ways of connecting with your audience via your website isn’t always easy. Your design aesthetics are a vital component in the fight to keep visitors on your page once they land there. Texture is just one way you can make your site better to look at and add some personality and interest to your design. According to Internet Live Stats, there are around 1.7 billion websites online, but only about 200 million of them are active. The competition may not be quite as fierce as you think, but you’re still competing with many others who clamor to grab…