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4 Tips for Successfully Working Remotely During This New Age
Things sure changed quickly for many of us in just a matter of weeks due to CoronaVirus Covid-19! All of us at Stickerbeat can relate to how different things have suddenly become for many of our customers and friends. Many of us have unexpectedly been thrust into the position of working remotely, and we wanted to offer our customers some tips on how to continue to be productive at work despite not being physically at your office or usual place of business. Together we can successfully get through this tough time together! 4 Tips for Successfully Working from Home/Remotely During This New Age Lots of on-site employees often dream of working from home on a daily basis. The Novel Coronavirus now has many companies pushing workers to stay home to work, so many of us are getting our first taste of what it’s like to be a remote employee. The challenges of working from home are many, particularly when you are accustomed to direct contact with your manager, peers or the business owner on a daily basis. Now is the time to master a new way to work remotely with success in these tough times. Don’t be daunted by not being able to walk into your manager’s office to ask a direct question. Pick up the phone, send an email or use available online tools to have meetings and share work. Many businesses and managers are using simple online tools to keep in contact with their peers and manage their teams remotely so productivity continues. Some great internet tools are: Slack: provides communication for projects, direct communication with employees and customers Asana: a terrific project management tool that helps teams stay on task and know the status of projects. Zoom / Join Me / Google Hangouts: enable easy ways to create virtual meetings where employees can literally see each other to discuss work. Google Drive: Allows teams to create and share documents such as spreadsheets, reports, photos and anything else you want. Many of us don’t yet know how long we may be working from home due to Coronavirus, but you can be highly industrious when working remotely. In fact, many individuals who work remotely feel that they accomplish much more because typical office distractions are removed. Working from home for the first time can seem daunting at first, but truly all you need to do is FOCUS. Find a quiet place to work so that all disruptions can be removed, and get comfortable. You can do this! Here are some great tips to make sure you are successful working from home and add continued value in your job: 1. Get out of Pajamas Keep your morning routine the same as when you were working on-site. Set your alarm, take a shower and get dressed. You don’t need to put on a tie or anything fancy, but try to avoid staying in pajamas all day. Just dress comfortably and casual so everything still feels professional. If your boss asks you to join a video meeting, you want to look like you are continuing to take your job seriously. Say “no” to messy hair and PJ’s! 2. Separate Home from Office Not all of us have the luxury of a separate office space in their home. If you are lucky enough to have a specific room in your house you can retreat to in order to get work done, that’s terrific. Carve out a quiet space where you can sit and work without distractions--even if it’s a small desk in a corner of your bedroom, your dining room or a hallway nook. Make sure all the tools you need to work are readily available to you. Just as you would do at work, be sure to keep a distinct work schedule. Just because your office is now in your home, doesn’t mean that you alter your work hours from the norm. Stick to a schedule so your peers and manager know that you are available when they are. And just because your workplace is now located at home, it does not mean that you should slave away endless hours either. Clock in and out at your normal work hours, and then walk away from your desk until the next day. It’s time to relax. 3. Minimize Distractions Resist the urge to turn on the TV, organize your kitchen cabinets or clean the house when you are working remotely. If you normally listen to music while you are working, don’t hesitate to put on some tunes in the background. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a normal break during your day. You can certainly listen to the news to keep informed about COVID-19, but don’t obsess or stress out about it while you are working. Concentrate on the tasks you have to do to complete the day’s work. Working remotely successfully is all about staying clearly focused. Keep checklists that you can continually refer to so you can stay on track and make sure everything gets done by the correct deadline. 4. Stay Connected: Talk with your Peers You don’t need to isolate yourself just because you are working from home. If you are used to taking a break and hanging out with coworkers at the copy machine a few minutes a day, by all means, pick up the phone and reach out to your peers during breaks. Set up a quick video chat and say hello to the people you normally chat with at work so you still feel connected to them and their activities. Checking up on one another and making sure everyone is okay is a great way to keep the comradery going even in these tough times.
Learn moreWhat to use die cut stickers for
New Stickerbeat business customers often wonder what to use die cut stickers for? If you own a company or store, die cut stickers are an inexpensive marketing and advertising tool that sells! Die cut sticker with name possibilities are endless Custom die cut stickers have infinite uses in business use. Big impact comes from die cut stickers with names or a word. You can personalize a die cut sticker with your company name, the name of a person, or even words to display on a wall such as “BIG SALE!” You can create a sticker to name your products, or even name your displays so that customers can find a product with ease. Die cut can stickers make a company car stand out Die cut vinyl stickers for cars give your company vehicle the ability to market your business. You become a roving billboard for your business with free advertising. Die cut van stickers show your customers who you are when your employees come calling. Personalize your entire fleet of company vehicles with a side wall sticker that can be as large as you like. Die cut bumper stickers also make awesome free customer gifts. Die cut window stickers attract sales Custom die cut window stickers are definitely a way to get eyeballs turning toward your storefront. Put your logo, a cool image or announce a seasonal sale with massive impression on a store window. We use clear 3M graphic vinyl that showcases bright colors while still letting your customers see inside. You can easily change these out whenever you like to speak to your customers on a continual basis. Die cut Logo stickers show them who you are Your business image or logo stands out in a dashing way with a die cut logo stickers. Create a memorable logo that sticks with your clients and markets your company. Stickerbeat’s customer service reps can help you design a custom logo that your customers will remember and know is YOU. Die cut logo stickers can be put virtually anywhere and are perfect giveaways. Die cut hard hat stickers, laptop stickers, wall stickers, floor stickers, and thermal cup stickers are just some of the possibilities. Let Stickerbeat help your business generate sales and marketing traction that will pay off with big effect. Diecut stickers should be a part of your advertising plan, and there is no cheaper way to do it than with custom stickers. We partner with companies big and tiny to create a sticker marketing program that moves inventory. Contact customer service today to start using custom die cut stickers in your business. With a 3 day turnaround and FREE SHIPPING on every sticker order, it would be silly not to take advantage of what Stickerbeat offers. Let’s get sticking!
Learn moreHow To Be A Better Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are constantly looking for ways to boost their performance and maximize personal output. Suggestions such as better time management, delegating tasks and improving physical fitness, are useful for getting better results now. However, your strategy on how to be a better entrepreneur should also include long-term tactics. You Don’t Need To Be An Expert As an entrepreneur, you don’t need to be a bona fide expert at something in order to use the knowledge to your advantage. In fact, you can make tremendous gains in any area or discipline if you work at it regularly for an extended period. How To Be A Better Entrepreneur Business philosopher Jim Rhone advocated, what we become in life is more important than what we get out of it. Focusing on what we are becoming leads us to be more creative and more inspired. As a result, getting more comes naturally. Which new skill would make you better at what you do? Are there any holes in your professional background that need to be filled to make you more competitive? Take the time to do a personal SWOT analysis and start working on improving yourself in the area that needs it most. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Embrace The 5-Hour Rule The 5-hour rule is the practice of putting aside one hour each day, or at least five hours each week, to practice something that will help you grow. You must use the time for deliberate daily practice of something that will ensure your personal improvement. Where do you find the time? Take your daily to-do list and pull out those items that belong in a 20-80 list based on the Pareto principle. Try to delegate the rest. Ruminate Ruminating helps you gain perspective on the lessons you’ve learned and it allows you to assimilate new ideas. It helps develop hunches that lead to creative breakthroughs. Some like taking walks alone to process these insights. Others prefer deliberating with conversation partners or in groups. Find what works for you. Set Aside Daily Reading Time Most successful people read a lot. They read news, industry articles, how-to books and biographies. They read to gain knowledge, improve their mindset and to better their mood. Beyond reading, successful people study. They study trends in their industry and beyond. Wrap – How To Be A Better Entrepreneur There are always more things to do in a day than you have time for. That’s why it’s important to focus on what matters most every day. You should have two lists on your desk: a to-do list and a 20-80 list based on the Pareto Principle. As an entrepreneur, you need to focus on the 20-80 list, and delegate tasks that are on the other list whenever possible. Track Clicks & Actions Turn off
Learn moreHow To Boost Your eCommerce Revenue in 2017
The trend is set. Online sales are growing and retail sales are shrinking. While a good blog and paid-for ads will drive traffic to your site, you need to convert some of those visitors into customers to generate revenue. Here’s a hint on how to boost your eCommerce revenue in 2017: it’s easier and more profitable to double your conversion rate than it is to double your traffic. How To Boost Your Ecommerce Revenue in 2017 Have A Mobile-Friendly Website Twenty-five percent of eCommerce sales were placed on mobile devices in 2016. But twice that many shoppers visited on mobile first and returned on a desktop later to make the purchase. That’s why it’s important to present a consistent presence across all platforms. Additionally, your site should have a mobile-friendly mega menu. It makes it easier for mobile users to navigate the site and it also decreases page load time. Have A Shopper-Friendly Site First-time visitors have no idea whether they’re going to do business with you and it’s easy to scare them away by trying to capture their email too soon. Generally speaking, it’s best to give them a chance to explore the site first. Check your logs to see how long the average visit lasts and time your email capture to load at an opportune time. Provide A Shopper’s Wish List Tool A shopper’s wish list tool is an effective way to get shoppers invested in your site. It’s also the easiest way to turn them into repeat clients. Once they’ve built the list, you can ask them for their email address so they can save the list for later or share it with someone else. Always provide value to the client before asking for their private information. Even a small gift will be more effective than a ‘sign up to our email list to be notified of future posts’. Provide A Save-the-Cart Feature Most online shoppers are comparison shoppers. It's not uncommon for them to have several browser windows open as they compare prices of similar products. That’s why it’s important to let them save carts. How To Boost Your Ecommerce Revenue in 2017 The easiest way to boost your eCommerce revenue is to reduce cart abandonment According to a 2016 study by the Baymard Institute, over two-thirds of shopping carts are abandoned during checkout. That means you could double your sales by reducing cart abandonment by fifty-percent. Here’s the breakdown of why shoppers abandoned their carts: - Extra costs too high (shipping, taxes, fees) 61% - Didn’t want to create an account 35% - Checkout process too long or complicated 27% - Total cost not visible early on 27% - Website malfunction or crash 22% - Didn’t trust site with credit card info 18% - Delivery takes too long 16% - Unsatisfactory return policy 10% - Too few payment options 8% - Credit card declined 5% note: those who were just shopping and not ready to buy were removed How To Reduce Cart Abandonment - Offer free shipping - Disclose all costs up front (especially shipping charges) - Offer a guest checkout option. Forcing users to register is responsible for thirty-five percent of abandoned carts - Simplify checkout and have a clear checkout progress indicator - Have a money-back guarantee that inspires confidence in shoppers - Use Trust Logos from Mastercard, Paypal, Verisign, Thawte etc. - Offer several payment options - Provide an easy way to navigate between the shopping cart and shopping pages Wrap – How To Boost Your Ecommerce Revenue in 2017 Imagine a bricks and mortar store where two-thirds of shoppers abandon their carts and walk out without buying anything. That’s the state of online retail right now. While cart abandonment will probably always be higher in the digital world, it shouldn’t be as high as it is. Check your site against the list above and make changes wherever you can. What’s your biggest beef with your online shopping experience? Track Clicks & Actions Turn off
Learn moreHow To Be More Productive At Work
It can be hard to stay on top of a heavy workload when you have several deadlines to meet. While we don’t have a magic wand for you, we can offer a few suggestions on how to be more productive at work. Unless instructed otherwise, you should assume that prioritizing your workload is just another part of your job. Heavy workloads mean more stress, and it’s pointless to blame your manager for taking on too much work. Bottom line, if your customers aren’t happy, they will go elsewhere. That means the company you work for and your job could be at stake. How To Be More Productive At Work List And Prioritize - Urgent Versus Important Lists work: They keep you organized and focused. They also provide positive reinforcement whenever you check an item off the list. Create lists for urgent and important projects and sub-lists for major tasks required to complete each project. Deadlines matter: Other things being equal, a deadline is the most important factor that determines priority. Customers place a high value on deadlines and you should always strive to meet them if you can’t beat them. Stay focused: Work on one task and get it done, if possible. Juggling several tasks often leads to decreased efficiency. If you have to work on a few tasks, allow a certain amount of time to each one and concentrate on one thing at a time. Be efficient: When reviewing your to-do list, take care of any small task that takes less than a few minutes to complete. Otherwise, you will keep wasting time over the next couple of weeks continually moving small items from list to list. Use shortcuts: Learn to use keyboard shortcuts; you can hit two keys simultaneously long before your hand can reach the mouse, let alone find something to click on. Delegate or enlist: Sometimes, you need to enlist additional help despite your best efforts. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help so you can complete an important project. How To Meet Deadlines Without Losing Your Cool Plan your day with a to-do list: create and update at the end of each day; review and edit if needed next morning Use time-tracking software to log time spent on projects: you might be surprised and make a few changes Deal with email efficiently: see this post on effective email management Take advantage of your most productive time of day: we’re all different; don’t squander your peak productivity time Avoid situations that waste your time. Here are some examples: - Time stuck in traffic – leave for work earlier, stay later - Unnecessary meetings – bow out if possible or try to limit how long you stay Stay positive: feeling down and depressed saps your energy and leads to procrastination Stay in shape: you will be more productive at work Invest In Yourself: take courses to be more effective at whatever it is you do Wrap Up – How To Be More Productive At Work It’s important to realize that we’re never done learning how to be more productive at work. Of all the tips in this article, I think the last one is the most valuable, especially in the long term. Invest in yourself. Learn how to do things faster and better. Take courses, read, watch productivity videos. Lastly, reward yourself after completing a big project. You will feel reinvigorated and ready to tackle the next one. Track Clicks & Actions Turn off
Learn moreBest Hashtags For Entrepreneurs
Hashtags were first used on Twitter in 2007. Once you post it, the hashtag becomes a clickable link. Anyone who clicks on it is brought to a page that features all the latest tweets and posts with that hashtag. Therefore, if you create a tweet with a link to your blog, you should place the hashtag early and away from the link so you don’t accidentally direct traffic away from your blog. People also use hashtags as search terms to drill down for relevant information posted by savvy internet users. Using hashtags is a great way to build a following or to find prospects and suppliers. Why use hashtags More engagement: Social media posts with hashtags typically get twice as much engagement. When tweeting, only use one or two hashtags in a tweet or it will come across as spam. Reach a larger audience: You will reach a larger audience by using a popular hashtag that relates to your business or one that is trending at the moment. How To Use Hashtags You create a hashtag by placing the hash symbol before the word or phrase you want to use. The three simple rules to remember are: There are no spaces allowed in a hashtag No punctuation marks Use only letters and numbers There is no difference between #HashtagRules and #hashtagrules as far as functionality, but caps do make longer hashtags easier to read. You can make hashtags look more natural by using existing text; if you're tweeting about banners, just place a hashtag before the word banner rather than add a separate hashtag. Best Hashtags For Entrepreneurs Examples of best hashtags for entrepreneurs are #Biztip, #Entrepreneur, #Entrepreneurship, #Leadership, #Marketing, #BizOpp, #smallbusiness. There are many others, and some are probably more suited to your business than others. Which ones should you use? You can take the guesswork out of the equation by going to Ritetag to see how well any hashtag is likely to do. Hashtags on Ritetag are color-coded based on performance: Green: good for short term visibility Blue: good for long term visibility Red: overused right now, avoid it Grey: don’t use, no one follows it Ritetag is a free and excellent resource for hashtags and statistics. Here's a typical screenshot: Can You Own A Hashtag You can trademark a hashtag if the hashtag is being used to identify the source of a good or a service. However, the fact that a company has been using a hashtag on social media or in advertising materials does not automatically mean it warrants trademark protection. In other words, the hashtag must signify a specific source of goods or services. Remember, even if you trademark a hashtag, people will still be able to use it on social media. The trademark will only stop other companies in the same industry from using the hashtag to compete with you. Wrap – Best Hashtags For Entrepreneurs You should use hashtags to boost engagement on social media and to get your tweets and posts in front of more people. Keep your hashtags away from any link to your blog so you don’t accidentally drive traffic away from your website. You should also do research on any popular or trending hashtag before you use it to be sure it represents what you think it does. Finally, use a resource like Ritetag to get the best results from your marketing efforts.
Learn moreSeven Habits That Ruin Your Chances Of Success
Success doesn’t come overnight. A lot of time and effort goes into laying the groundwork of any successful venture. Therefore, you need to make sure you don’t have any bad habits that ruin your chances of success, or you won’t get there at all. There Are No Overnight Successes There’s no shortage of snake oil salesmen selling books and courses to gullible people who believe there’s a secret or shortcut to success. If there is a secret, it’s to stay on track and focused on your plan, even when confronted with problems and setbacks. Changing course and adopting a new plan every other week is a recipe for failure. Seven Habits That Ruin Your Chances Of Success 1. Skimping On Research There’s no substitute for quality research and it should go into every important decision you make. The time and effort spent on research should be proportional to the scale of the decision. A ‘flying by the seat of your pants approach’ could end up costing you in a big way. 2. You Don’t Question Your Beliefs A successful business leader needs to be an innovator. To be an innovator, you need to question the beliefs you’ve inherited along the way and eliminate the ones that are incorrect. Not that long ago, many people thought that things like clothes and shoes would never sell online. Some people have made a lot of money by questioning that belief. 3. Lack Of Confidence It can be nerve-wracking when success seems to be just out of reach. This can lead to second-guessing yourself. Questioning your decisions fosters a lack of confidence and weakens your commitment to your plan. 4. Fear Of Failure Fear of failure can paralyze you. You need to remember that even when you don’t get the desired result, something positive happened. The road to success isn’t always a straight line and failure can be a great teacher. 5. Procrastination Do you tend to over-prepare? Too much preparation leads to unnecessary actions that don’t move you closer to your goal. Here are a few signs you might be procrastinating rather than preparing: Postponing tasks rather than completing them The need to have all your ducks in a row before you start anything You keep doing research when you have enough information to make a decision Letting emails and phone calls bog you down Spending too much time on social media when you should be working on your project 6. Spreading Yourself Too Thin Do you embrace the 80/20 rule? Known as the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 rule is the notion that eighty percent of our results come from twenty percent of our actions. The easiest way to boost results is to understand which tasks fall into the twenty percent category. Focus on those and delegate the rest if possible. 7. Taking Too Long To Make A Decision It isn’t wise to make decisions too quickly. It can be catastrophic to put off a decision that needs to be made now. In some cases, a decision that isn’t ideal is better than no decision at all. Wrap-Up: Habits That Ruin Your Chances Of Success While all of these points are important, spreading yourself too thin exacerbates all the others. You should start by making it a daily practice to ensure you apply the 80/20 rule when planning your daily schedule, then work on the other points.
Learn morePoint of Purchase Marketing Strategy
Why do you need a Point of Purchase Marketing Strategy? To take advantage of the fact that seventy percent of final buying decisions are made while shopping in the store. That’s why Point of Purchase displays are so effective. Therefore, you need to develop a good point of purchase marketing strategy. More than half of all supermarket purchases are impulse purchases. That number may not translate to every business, but it’s a behavior you need to capitalize on. Point of Purchase Displays Nearly all retail outlets use POP displays. You’ve seen them at cosmetics counters and you’ve seen them in various departments at big box stores. There are a few basic things you should consider when planning your point of purchase marketing strategy: POP Categories POP displays fall under three main categories: temporary (1 to 3 months) semi-permanent (3 to 6 months) permanent (6 months+) Temporary displays are mainly used for special offers, to promote new products and for seasonal products. They are economical and ideal for large quantity rollouts. Semi-permanent displays are often used to display mid-priced retail goods. Permanent displays are designed to be used more than once. This allows retailers to display different items throughout the year without incurring the cost of purchasing new displays. It’s important to design this type of display with versatility in mind. Locating And Designing Your POP Displays In the past, you would only find POP displays at the cash register area. Today, retailers place POP displays throughout the store with great success. Keep in mind that sales from displays with signs are twenty percent higher, even with regular priced merchandise. It’s a good idea to restrict the height of displays to preserve the vistas on the floor. Set your displays up to attract consumer attention and make sure they allow several customers to inspect the items at the same time. How To Maximize POP Sales Tied Selling: Use your POP advertising to induce customers to purchase product accessories i.e., batteries for flashlights, alarms or toys. Sell Complimentary Products: Bundle two complementary products and offer a discount for purchasing the combo; shampoo and conditioner, drill and bit set. Buy One, Get One Free Promotion: This can work with many products. Keep improving your POP marketing effort: You must constantly consider new ways to market your products. Mix up your merchandise or try a different approach; it’s hard for customers to be excited about a promotion for more than a few weeks. Use promotional items to boost sales: Include samples, coupons or refund offers on product packages to make them stand out at the point of purchase and boost sales. Consult with distributors to see what they can offer: Point-of-sale materials are often available from manufacturers. Vendors also know what is working elsewhere and can offer tips and advice or promotional items you can give away with a purchase. Consider personal experience: What appealed to you and what didn’t? Is it the display, the offer, or the product that ultimately leads you to buy the item? Use that experience in your marketing strategy. Conclusion: Point of Purchase Marketing Strategy POP marketing is gaining in popularity for three reasons. First, it’s one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing. Second, it allows retailers to reduce sales support staff to keep costs down and remain competitive. Finally, the increase in last-minute impulse buying among consumers makes point of purchase marketing more important than ever before.
Learn moreBoost Productivity With Outlook - 5 Tips
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular email and calendar programs in use today. This article features 5 tips that will streamline your email workload and boost productivity with Outlook 2010 or newer versions. Outlook has several built-in features that save time and boost productivity. If you’re struggling with a heavy email load, you need to develop good working habits and learn to use some of these features. 5 tips to boost productivity with outlook 1. Use The Touch Once Technique Form the 4 D’s habit and process messages using the touch once technique. When reading through your messages, deal with each one immediately: - Do it (respond or file for reference) - Delete it (if it isn’t relevant or you don’t need to keep or respond to it) - Delegate it (forward to someone else who will deal with it) - Schedule it for a later time if it needs your personal attention at a later date (use categories and flags) 2. Automate Repeated Typing We all use the same common phrases over and over in our daily communications. Here's an easy way to automate your typing with the built-in Quick Parts feature. Anytime you write a sentence or phrase often, save it as a Quick Parts for insertion in later emails. Here’s how: when writing in the composer window, highlight the text and click on the Insert tab, then click the Quick Parts drop-down and select Save selection to the Quick Parts gallery. Anytime you start typing that phrase in the future, you will see a popup suggestion box. Select the phrase you want and press enter – that’s it. You can save as many as you need. 3. Use Quick Steps To Automate Filing And Recurring Tasks You can quickly manage your inbox using Quick Steps. With one click, you can move messages to a specific folder or forward messages to your peers or manager. You can also customize Quick Steps by creating your own Quick Steps gallery of mail actions – this can be a big time-saver for any steps you take often. Default Quick Steps Actions Outlook comes with several default actions which can easily be customized or used as is. Outlook prompts you to do this when you use some Quick Steps for the first time, i.e., you need to select the folder you want to forward to before you can use that Quick Step for the first time. The default Quick Steps in Outlook are: Move to, To Manager, Team e-mail, Done, Reply & Delete and Create New. 4. Send Messages Later Rather than schedule the activity for a later date, you can write the email and set it to be delivered at some future time. Type your email, then click the Options tab and select Delay Delivery. In the dialogue box, select Do not deliver before option and enter a time and date, then click Close. Hit the Send button and your message will be held until the specified time for sending. IMAP or POP servers must be kept open until delivery time for this to work (Exchange servers can be closed). 5. Send SMS Text Directly From Outlook You can send SMS text messages directly to contacts if you have registered with a third-party messaging service. To connect Outlook, click the dropdown from New Items in the Home tab and select Text Message. Select the text messaging service for your mobile operator in the dialogue box. Wrap Up - Boost Productivity With Outlook You can boost productivity with Outlook by using Quick Steps and Quick Parts. Use the touch once technique, and learn to customize the Quick Parts and Quick Steps features and you will drastically cut down the time you spend dealing with that heavy email load.
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