Monday 7 November 2022
How to be a freelancer without losing your mind
Freelancing has many advantages. You
can set your own hours, choose the projects you want to take on, and even pick
which clients you would like to work with. However, freelancing also comes with
challenges, one of which being that you have no boss telling you what to do. To
be successful at freelancing, it’s crucial to know how to be organized without
the structure provided by an employer or boss. The following tips will help you
stay motivated and productive as a freelancer so you can make the most of your
newfound freedom as well as your opportunities!
The
freedom of being your own boss
Freelancing can be one of the most
rewarding and challenging careers out there. It's great because you get to work
on projects that excite you and work in an environment where you have complete
control. You can set your own schedule, work from anywhere, and take or leave
any job that comes your way. The downside is that there are no benefits, no
sick days, and the workload is always unpredictable. If you're still interested
in becoming a freelancing pro then here are some tips for thriving as one:
1) Be Flexible- Being able to adapt
quickly will come in handy when things don't go according to plan. 2) Be
Organized- From invoices to meetings, it's important to keep track of all the
tasks at hand. 3) Set Aside Time for Your Friends and Family- Not only will
they appreciate it, but being accountable for how much time you spend with them
will keep you motivated. 4) Create A Budget- Even if you're not paid by the
hour, being mindful of how much money is coming in and going out will help
avoid financial issues down the road. 5) Learn To Say No- There are times when
taking a project simply doesn't make sense for your life situation so don't
feel bad about turning it down. 6) Keep Track Of Your Goals And Keep Moving
Towards Them
The
pros and cons of freelancing
Freelancing is great because it allows
you to work on what you want, when you want. You don't have to deal with the
politics of an office and instead can focus on your own work. However, being a
freelancer also has downsides: no one cares about you if you don't have
anything done, and clients can be demanding at times. It takes patience and
self-motivation to succeed as a freelancer, but it's worth it in the end. 1.
Figure out your rate per hour or day 2. Find clients who are willing to pay
that rate 3. Set deadlines for yourself 4. Find a system that works for you--
maybe it's pen and paper, or maybe it's Trello
The
importance of setting boundaries
As a freelancer, there's no one
telling you what to do and when. You have to set boundaries and find work that
suits you best. In this way, it can feel freeing because you're in control of
everything. However, the lack of structure can also make it difficult for some
people: they don't know how much time they should spend working each day or if
they're actually making any progress at all with their business. Sometimes,
freelancers get so wrapped up in doing tasks that they lose sight of their
goals.
There are various ways to organize
your time as a freelancer. Some use an egg timer app on their phone, others use
Google Calendar as a reminder and yet others may create an excel spreadsheet on
excel spreadsheets using Google Spreadsheets for estimating client deadlines
based on past experience. It really depends on how you want to run things.
Freelancers often fall into two categories: those who like rigid schedules and
those who like flexible ones.
Ways
to stay motivated as a freelancer
The key to success as a freelance
worker is maintaining balance. But how do you do that when you work from home
and have no one around to remind you? Here are some of my tips for staying
motivated:
1. Set goals and take breaks. With the
freedom of being self-employed, it's important not to lose sight of what you
want out of the workday. Sure, it might be tempting to just go with the flow
and see where the day takes you, but if you're feeling unproductive or
frustrated, give yourself an end goal (such as create three blog posts this
week) and allow yourself breaks in between (go for a walk or treat yo'self with
some Netflix).
How
to avoid burnout as a freelancer
Networking is crucial for freelance
writers because it helps them get their name out there, find new contacts and
new clients, and learn from other professionals in their field. Networking can
also help you land jobs because the more people know about you, the more likely
they are to hire you. But networking isn't just about telling everyone how
awesome you are; it's also about listening and learning from others. Ask
questions at networking events, talk with people on social media, and read
relevant blogs in your industry so that you're always up-to-date on what's
going on in the world of writing.
The
importance of networking as a freelancer
Networking will always be important.
Whether you are just starting out or have been in the industry for years, you
should make time for events, conferences and meetups. This is not only good for
finding work but also meeting other people who share similar interests and
challenges. It's also beneficial to talk with other freelancers about what they
do, how they manage their workloads, and what tools they use on a daily basis.
A simple Google search can't replace these conversations because it won't tell
you what others actually experience in the field.
Tips
for managing finances as a freelancer
1. Determine how much you will charge
for each hour of work, and also an estimate of how many hours you can work per
day.
2. Negotiate with clients about the
scope of the project, cost, timeline, and other important details before
starting work.
3. Save some money in order to cover
emergencies or slow periods between projects.
4. Establish a system for tracking
what you are doing so that you are not surprised when tax season comes around
at the end of the year or if there is an audit request from one of your
clients.
5. Collect all necessary information
when sending out invoices so that it's easier to reconcile them against
receipts at tax time or during an audit request from one of your clients.
The
freelance lifestyle – is it for you?
If you're not sure whether the freelance
lifestyle is for you, think about why you want to start freelancing in the
first place. Is it because you want more flexibility and control over your
schedule? Do you prefer working on individual projects rather than following
someone else's agenda? Are you tired of commuting, or working in an office
where others control your hours? If any of these are true, then becoming a
freelancer may be worth looking into. Freelancers have their own set of
struggles and concerns, but they also have many benefits that should be
considered before deciding if being self-employed is right for you. Freelancers
often need to find clients themselves – this can take up time (and money) that
could otherwise be spent doing work. Freelancers also need to keep track of expenses
related to their business such as travel costs, equipment purchases,
licenses/registrations etc., which means managing your finances becomes even
more important!
How to Earn money online in 2023: 10 Legit Ways to Make Money from Home
The internet has changed the way we live our lives—for the better. If you’re in search of an online job that doesn’t involve cold-calling people or dealing with lots of rejection, you’ll have many options to choose from in 2023. With the rising popularity of various remote work and independent contractor gigs, there are tons of ways to earn money online without ever having to deal with an office again!
1) Sell Products or Services Online
Many people are turning to the internet as a means of making an income and they're able to do so on their own schedule. In order to make money, you will need a product or service that people are willing and eager to purchase. You also need a way for them to purchase your product or service. The following list provides ten ways that you can sell products or services online.
#1 - Create Websites
Creating websites can be a great way of earning an income if you have knowledge in website development, but you don't have the time required for building websites yourself then there are plenty of services available that allow you create and maintain your website for an affordable monthly fee.
2) Start a Drop shipping Business
Drop shipping is a business model where retailers don’t keep any inventory, but instead pass the savings on by not carrying any costs of storage or fulfillment. When a customer orders a product, the retailer purchases it from their supplier who ships it directly to the customer’s doorstep. If you want to start a drop shipping business, all you need is a computer and an internet connection. And the best part about this type of business is that there are no upfront costs! You also don’t have to store anything. A great website for drop shipping inspiration would be Oberlo . Once you create your account, they give you access to over 100 million products from suppliers around the world at wholesale prices so that you can find what items sell well for your niche and start selling them quickly.
3) Create and Sell an Online Course
With so many legitimate ways to make money online, it can be hard to choose which one is best for you. To help you make a decision, we've compiled a list of the top ten ways that people have been making serious dough.
1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Freelancing
3. Drop shipping
4. Online Tutoring
5. Selling on Amazon
6. Become an Uber Driver
7. Sell on eBay
8. Sell Crafts on Etsy
9. Start a YouTube Channel
10) Monetize your Instagram Feed
11) Brand Yourself
12) Build Your Own App
13) Voiceover Work
14) Influencer Marketing
15). Create and Sell Digital Products
16. Try Forex Trading
17. Invest
18). Use Fiverr
19). Teach Lessons
Teaching lessons is another way to earn money from home! Teachers are always looking for tutors who know how to teach specific subjects or topics. You could tutor someone as young as preschool age all the way up through high schoolers! If teaching isn't your thing, there are other options too - like reading with kids or working with someone who has special needs. Just make sure you don't get paid less because of their condition!
4) Publish an eBook
10. Publish an ebook- The final and maybe most lucrative method of making a living online is publishing an eBook. There are lots of different ways you can go about this, but generally it involves creating a valuable product with information that people are willing to pay for, and then offering it for sale on one or more sites where it can be downloaded. You will have to invest some time into developing the product (often time researching or interviewing), but the potential income justifies the investment. For example, if your book was able to generate $10,000 per month in sales, your total earnings would be $120,000 per year. Not bad at all! In order to really make a good living off of writing, though, you'll need to publish a lot more than just one eBook. Still, there's plenty of opportunity out there for writers who know what they're doing. In fact, just last year I published my first novel. It's available as an e-book and I'm getting royalties each month from Amazon Kindle and other retailers.
5) Become a Freelance Writer
Freelance writing is one of the most popular forms of self-employment and many people start by publishing an ebook. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door as you become established and learn more about what it takes to make a living this way. Once you have written an ebook, there are two ways you can go about selling it. You can either sell it on Amazon Kindle or offer your ebook for free for the first chapter with links out for the rest of the book on your website. Both methods work well and each has its pros and cons. I recommend using both so that you reach the widest audience possible.
If you prefer to charge upfront then my suggestion is to use Gumroad which charges only 5% commission rather than Amazon's 70%. With both these methods, if your content isn't in demand then don't expect much success.
There are other freelance writing gigs available such as articles on blogs but they won't earn you as much because they're not exclusive rights. So while this can work if done correctly, it's better suited for someone who wants something smaller scale that doesn't take up too much time or require ongoing upkeep like blogging does.
6) Do Affiliate Marketing
Market research studies are a great way to make some extra cash. The best part is, you don't have to take surveys on your phone or buy products to get paid! You just give your opinion for about an hour, and the company pays you for your time. It's a win-win. They get helpful insight into their product or service, and you can earn $5-$50 per study. Plus, there's no obligation to purchase anything like many other survey sites require (cough cough... Swagbucks). Maintain a blog/website/social media account: If you're looking for something with more consistency but less upfront cost, this might be the option for you. Sites like Google Adsense and Amazon Associates pay up to 6% commission on sales made through affiliate links that point back to your site. All you need is enough content to cover all of the topics that people might search for when they want to find what you're writing about - popular searches include travel information, cooking tips, fashion ideas - anything really.
7) Invest in Bit coin and Other Crypto currencies
Crypto currencies have surged this year, and many experts believe that the market is still undervalued. Crypto currencies can be bought with a variety of different currencies, including US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds, and Japanese Yen. Popular crypto currencies include Bit coin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Lit coin (LTC), Ripple (XRP) and Monero (XMR). Bitcoin has been around for nine years now and it was created by an anonymous person or group of people under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It was released as open-source software in 2009.
8) Create a Website or Blog
What if you could work wherever you want, whenever you want? The internet has made it possible for all of us to work on our terms, and there are plenty of ways to make money from the comfort of your own home. All that's required is a computer, an internet connection and a few hours of your time. To learn more about how to earn money online in 2023, please read on!
1) Join Swag bucks - This website pays members with points called Swag bucks which can then be redeemed for gift cards or cash prizes. These points are earned by watching videos and completing surveys and other offers. The downside? It takes time before enough points are accumulated to redeem them for anything substantial.
9) Do Micro-Jobs Online
Micro-jobs are small tasks that people can do quickly and easily. They are usually done for a few dollars, but there are some opportunities for making more. The tasks range from the simple (like data entry) to the complex (like transcription). If you're looking for ways to make money at home, but don't want to deal with the hassle of setting up your own business or dealing with any potential conflicts of interest, then this is a good option. It doesn't take much time, it's easy to get started, and it's also easy to find available jobs on sites like Fiverr.
In general, micro-jobbers work on their task independently with minimal supervision. They may not always be able to complete their work during the timeframe set by the company requesting it—sometimes they need more than a day because they have another job or family obligations—but in general they will work as quickly as possible to finish it so that they can get paid and go back to doing whatever else they need/want to do.
Micro-jobs are often not easy money, but they're worth considering if you've been trying other options without success.
10) Participate in Market Research Studies
Market research studies are a great way to make some extra cash. They pay a flat rate for your time and allow you to work as much or as little as you want. If you have the time and energy, this is an easy way to earn some extra cash!
Signing up for market research studies is free, but they often require that you be 18 years of age or older. The typical duration of a study is around 30 minutes, but it can sometimes last up to 60 minutes depending on the study requirements. You will usually be given a pre-study questionnaire first which may include demographic questions (age, gender, income level) and general questions about your lifestyle. It's important to answer these questions honestly so that the company conducting the study can accurately represent the findings. For example, if you're 55 years old and retired with an annual household income of $250,000+, then you might not fit into the target market for a survey looking for participants aged between 16 and 34 who are currently employed full-time. In contrast, if you are 24 years old and unemployed, with an annual household income of less than $10,000 per year, then you would likely qualify for the survey. Once you complete a study and submit your feedback form at the end of the session, you'll be compensated accordingly by either PayPal or check within 2 weeks.
Tuesday 17 March 2020
Notes on AIDS and HIV
In 1981, scientists in the United States and France first
recognized the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which was later
discovered to be caused by a virus called the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV)
HIV breaks down the body's immunity to infections leading to
AIDS. The virus can lie hidden in the body for up to 10 years without producing
any obvious symptoms or before developing into the AIDS disease, and in the
meantime the person can unknowingly infect others. Currently, an estimated 40
million people worldwide are HIV carriers, and three million a year are dying
of AIDS. HIV lives in white blood cells and is present in the sexual fluids of
humans. It's difficult to catch and is spread mostly through sexual
intercourse, by needle or syringe sharing among intravenous drug users, in
blood transfusions, and during pregnancy and birth (if the mother is infected).
Using another person's razor blade or having your body pierced or tattooed are
also risky, but the HIV virus cannot be transmitted by shaking hands, kissing,
cuddling, fondling, sneezing, cooking food, or sharing eating or drinking
utensils. One cannot be infected by saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or feces;
toilet seats, telephones, swimming pools, or mosquito bites do not cause AIDS.
Ostracizing a known AIDS victim is not only immoral but also absurd.
Most blood banks now screen their products for HIV, and you
can protect yourself against dirty needles by only allowing an injection if you
see the syringe taken out of a fresh unopened pack. The simplest safeguard
during sex is the proper use of a latex condom. Unroll the condom onto the
erect penis; while withdrawing after ejaculation, hold onto the condom as you
come out. Never try to recycle a condom, and pack a supply with you, as it can
be a nuisance trying to buy them on short notice.
HIV is spread more often through anal than vaginal sex,
because the lining of the rectum is much weaker than that of the vagina, and
ordinary condoms sometimes tear when used in anal sex. If you have anal sex,
only use extra-strong condoms and special water-based lubricants, since oil,
Vaseline, and cream weaken the rubber. During oral sex you must make sure you
don't get any semen or menstrual blood in your mouth. A woman runs 10 times the
risk of contracting AIDS from a man than the other way around, and the threat
is always greater when another sexually transmitted disease (STD) is present.
The very existence of AIDS calls for a basic change in human
behavior. No vaccine or drug exists that can prevent or cure AIDS, and because
the virus mutates frequently, no remedy may ever be totally effective. Other
STDs such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, and herpes are far
more common than AIDS and can lead to serious complications such as
infertility, but at least they can usually be cured.
You should always practice safe sex to prevent AIDS and
other STDs. You never know who is infected or even if you yourself have become
infected. It's important to bring the subject up before you start to make love.
Make a joke out of it by pulling out a condom and asking your new partner,
"Say, do you know what this is?" Or perhaps, "Your condom or
mine?" Far from being unromantic or embarrassing, you'll both feel more
relaxed with the subject off your minds, and it's much better than worrying
afterwards if you might have been infected. The golden rule is safe sex or no
sex.
An HIV infection can be detected through a blood test,
because the antibodies created by the body to fight off the virus can be seen
under a microscope. It takes at least three weeks for the antibodies to be
produced and in some cases as long as six months before they can be picked up
during a screening test. If you think you may have run a risk, you should
discuss the appropriateness of a test with your doctor. It's always better to
know if you are infected so as to be able to avoid infecting others, to obtain
early treatment of symptoms, and to make realistic plans. If you know someone
with AIDS
,
you should give them all the support you can (there's no danger in such contact
unless blood is present).
,
you should give them all the support you can (there's no danger in such contact
unless blood is present).
Wednesday 28 November 2018
5 Top Ways Facebook Business Page can Grow Your Business
A Facebook business page has the potential for getting you leads if you manage it properly. There’s a huge scope for new customers on Facebook. Therefore, it’s worth using it as a marketing channel to grow your business. In the second quarter of 2016, Facebook had over 1.71 billion active monthly users. In addition, it’s the most popular social network across the world.
Let’s dive into this option and look at how you can use Facebook to make the most of your marketing tactics.
- Share engaging content on your Facebook business page
Start by building a community of fans eager to learn more about your business. Involve customers in your business journey by including them in the content you produce. Ask for their opinions, suggestions and feedback. And always thank them for their contribution.
Create engagement on your page with captivating content to please your community. Videos and photos stand out in News Feed and attract more attention. To create interest, share photos of your products and of your customers using your products.
Capture attention quickly
Research shows that 65% of people who watch the first three seconds of a video will watch for ten seconds. 45% of the people who watched up to ten seconds will watch 30 seconds. This is why it’s important to connect with your audience and get their attention straight away. Source
Your brand story or content should be diverse and interesting. Include a mixture of videos, images, industry-related quotes, case studies, blog posts and product reviews to keep your fans interested.
Link blog posts to your Facebook page and drive customers back to your website. Simply enter your URL in the sharing tool’s page on Facebook. It automatically pulls in the title, description and image from your URL.
- Create Facebook contests to grow your business
Everyone likes to win prizes. Hosting a Facebook contest is a great way to engage fans and loyal long-term customers.
Using a contest app such as Binkd to run your competition. After you sign up (for free) an app is displayed on your Facebook timeline, making it easy for fans to enter your contest.
On top of that, Binkd will easily grow your email list. The contestants have to fill out a capture form before they take part in the contest.
You could run a video contest to attract more customers. Encourage fans to submit videos using your product with a call to action that’s relevant to your brand. The prize could be based on their interaction and input.
Other ideas are:
- Facebook photo contest. Fans post photos of themselves using your product. Select the winner from the photo with the most votes.
- Share a photo for people to guess the area where it was taken.
- Ask fans to share tips and choose the winner from the one who gets the most likes.
Make your prizes unique and worthwhile to attract lots of fans. Some will turn into loyal customers.
- Give away freebies to entice new customers
Did you know that consumers get excited about free stuff and samples? If the product is something they were thinking of buying, a freebie might just persuade them.
Samples are great incentives to encourage customers to stick with your Facebook business page.
Some examples of freebies are an eBook, gift card to spend at your store, free consultation service, a makeover or anything else that will create a buzz and generate interest.
Your freebies and samples must relate to your brand, however.
- Offer exclusive discounts
Facebook fans love discounts. Use this popular method to grow your business page. In addition, add a call to action to link back to an appropriate page on your website.
Two approaches you can use is to ask customers to like your page to get a discount at the checkout after making a purchase. Or like a particular product for a discounted amount.
After they like the product you’re promoting and receive their discount, a link will also show up on their profile. This is a great way to get more exposure for your business.
When offering discounts or special deals, make them time sensitive to get people to act immediately. Include the promotion end dates and redemption information.
- Use Facebook promotions to market your brand
Many small businesses and marketers use this advertising method to grow their business.
Promoted posts are targeted at people who are interested in the products or services you are offering. Therefore, there is a better chance of them engaging with your brand.
Write or choose one of your posts and select your budget. Your post will reach a fixed number of Facebook members. Make it interesting by including videos, appealing images, memes or photo captions.
You could promote a contest, group discount or a new product.
Also, why not capitalize on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. A couple of weeks before the sales show a sneak peek of your products every day to tempt fans.
When promoting your brand using a Facebook business page, interact with your audience. Include them in your Facebook activities so they feel connected to your business. Give them a reason to want to become a fan of your page and remain one. Don’t be too focused on making sales. Build up genuine trust and in return, they will happily buy from you.
6 Ways You Can Use Your Skills to Make Money
Cultivate your skills and build a profitable side hustle. Many small business owners started out by making use of their passion, knowledge and skills to develop a successful business. On the other hand, maybe you need to make money to fund a big project such as deposit towards buying a house or a car. With careful thinking and planning, you can earn a substantial income from your skills.
Let’s look at the various ways you can make money from what you know or already have…
- Sell physical products online
A lot of people are making a good living from selling products on eBay, Amazon and other online sites.
Maybe you have old ornaments, good quality clothes, music, books, jewelry, paintings or something else to sell. Or, if you have spare cash, buy and sell new products and undercut your competitors.
Apart from eBay and Amazon, these online sites are good for selling, depending on the country you live in:
- Gumtree is a classified ads site in the UK. On Gumtree you can buy and sell items, cars and properties.
- Shpock is a boot sale app where you can easily buy and sell things in your neighborhood.
- Etsy is a place to buy and sell hand, made, vintage items, arts and supplies. This is the one or the world’s exciting marketplace.
- GoAntiques is an online retail and auction marketplace. You can buy and sell antiques and collectables on there. The headquarters is in Georgia, United States. This is a great place to start doing business. You can sell without paying commission or signing a contract.
- Work as a part-time freelancer
Have you got design skills in the area of graphic design? Many small businesses and startups need logos or brochures. Start by setting up your website and showcasing your design skills.
Let people know you’re looking for work. Create social media accounts, network and hand out business cards. Spread the word among friends and family.
Also, join design agencies and work as a freelancer. And check out your local area. Approach small businesses to find out if they need a new logo or something else.
Can you create WordPress websites? Brush up your skills by reading WordPress tutorials. Contact startups, local businesses, entrepreneurs and friends requiring a website for their businesses. Or, maybe wanting to start a blog.
Can you write? Get blogging jobs. You could even offer your services to entrepreneurs starting out or bloggers who are too busy to update their blogs.
However, you should build up your portfolio with some writing samples first. Gather testimonials from clients. Develop your writing skills as much as you can. And freelance in your spare time to make money. Writers in Charge have a lot of information on blogging and making money to get you started. Read and take action.
- Write an eBook
Do you have useful information to share? Is it good enough for people to want to buy? A good idea is to think about or find out what problem you could solve by sharing knowledge.
- Start by researching keywords search terms. Use Google Keyword Planner to find out how many people are searching for that particular keyword.
- Read tutorials on how to write an eBook. Research and write.
- Create a simple landing page, Facebook and Twitter accounts to promote your eBook.
- Self-publish your eBook on Amazon. It is cheap, easy and you get most of the percentage of book sales.
- Offer a 1-1 tuition class
Have you got teaching experience? Use it to teach English or maths to primary school children to help them develop and do well in school. Make sure you get a DBS check and certificate before starting. This is required if you’re in the UK. Many parents are looking for tutors to help their children brush up their skills before they transition to secondary or high school.
Are you a fitness fanatic who is always in the gym? Transfer the skills you learned to other people who need to get fit and stay healthy. Why not offer to go to people’s homes to set up a fitness plan with them. This could include diet, healthy eating and exercise.
Are you good at applying makeup? Teach other women how to use makeup on themselves. This skill is needed. Many women can’t afford to pay makeup artists. Teaching them, the basics of how to put on their makeup and look after their skin sill pay off. You will undercut the professionals and make money doing what you love.
Can you play a musical instrument such as the piano or guitar? Offer 1-1 tuition to aspiring music lovers. Apart from teaching adults, you could also teach schoolchildren. You can do this freelance job at home, as they can travel to you.
- Bake and sell cakes
Are you one of the many people who are fantastic at baking cakes? Perhaps you bake the most wonderful cakes for family and friends. If you have this skill, take it further. Ask family and friends to spread the word and make money from your cakes.
Also, you could start by testing out if there is a need for your cakes. So, sell to mothers at school or at people in your workplace. If that goes well, take the next step. Set up a market stall, and sell your cakes.
Many successful cake businesses started at home. They baked, perfected their skills, sold their cakes and became popular in their locality before branching out and setting up business in a shop.
- Start a mobile hairdressing service
Are you a talented hairdresser, but don’t use your skills to create styles for others? Consider starting a mobile hairdressing service.
Go to people’s homes and style, cut or weave their hair. Overheads will be kept to a minimum and you can choose the hours you want to work. You could offer this service in the evenings and weekends. In addition, fit it around your day job.
To conclude, using your skills to make money is simply a matter of identifying what you’re good at. However, if you’re charging money for your skills you must offer a professional service in whatever you do. Moreover, your side hustle could end up becoming a full-time business if that is your desire.
Is Your Business Ready for The Growth of Online Shoppers?
If you want to succeed in the race you have to keep up with the pace. Online shoppers, young and old, are the new generation of consumers. The new trend of using Mobile devices to buy products or services online is here to stay. The generation we live in is increasingly becoming controlled by technology. Therefore, many businesses are creating apps to make life more convenient for their customers. Are you ready to get up to speed with this latest trend?
Statistics showing the growth of online shoppers
The growth of online shoppers will have a big impact on traditional shops. There is nothing wrong with having a bricks and mortar shop. Many of them do quite well. However, if you want to reach a wider audience and possibly sell globally, you must be online.
It’s evident from research that information technology has influenced consumers.
“The recession has induced many shoppers to buy online rather from traditional stores. The fact that internet search is comparatively easy and predictable has made online retailing very attractive for a wide range of products. Retail focus on the growing use of mobile technology is an additional factor in making online retailing attractive and convenient.” Source
Online sales in the U.S. are forecast to grow from $349.20 bn [�215.38 bn] in 2015 by 14.4% to reach a total of $399.48 bn [�246.39 bn] in 2016. Canada’s online sector is comparatively small, but is forecast to grow from US$17.14 bn [�10.57 bn] in 2015 to reach $22.96 bn [�14.16 bn] in 2016, an increase of +34.0%. Source
Your business needs an online sales channel
First, your business must be online. Second, you need to be eCommerce ready. Your website is similar to your shop front. It’s what people see when searching online. As a result, it is the place where you should sell your products. Your existing or potential customers can browse and shop at their leisure wherever they are.
Consider this… internet access is widely available globally. And so, if you sell products or services you will lose money by not providing an online sales channel.
Take advantage of this new and growing trend to reach online shoppers, increase sales and reach more customers, globally.
Sell, even when you’re asleep
This is more than ideal. Your business can take orders while you’re asleep. Imagine not having to stay up late taking orders. They will come in without you having to answer the phone. In addition, using secure payment methods such as PayPal or widely used credit cards will also take away the stress. You know that customers who buy are paying without you having to chase for payment.
If you’re willing to ship abroad, customers from other countries can buy from your eCommerce store when it’s convenient for them. Your online store is your connection to people who can’t come to your physical store.
Low maintenance costs
Adding or setting up an eCommerce website won’t break the bank. There is various free website platforms and software to get you started.
Maintaining a virtual store is far cheaper than running a traditional store. For a start, there are no overheads such as electricity, rent, or other utility bills to worry about. But do think about the hosting and other related costs. Also, unless you’re tech savvy, you will have to pay a website developer to keep on top of things such as maintaining and managing your eCommerce site.
Track data
- Use analytics to track data on your website. You will be able to find out where your traffic comes from, search terms they use, bounce and conversion rates.
- There are free plugins are available for tracking data. Google has an Enhanced eCommerce Analytics plugin.
- This valuable information will help you plan and keep control of stock.
- This is also a useful insight for you to see which products are not selling well. Moreover, which are the most popular ones.
Stay in the race with your competitors
Don’t get left behind and drive your customers to buy from your competitors. Take a peek at what they’re doing by looking at their websites. Be one step ahead and do better. Got the extra mile.
Send out regular surveys to check if your customers are happy. Don’t take them for granted and presume you know what they like or dislike, or they may wander over to your competitors.
Conclusion
Embrace the internet, step out of your comfort zone and take your business to a new level. Put an eCommerce store on your website ready for online shoppers. Keep an eye on new and emerging market trends. Adapt when necessary. Always make sure your customers are catered for at all times, however. They are your bread and butter.
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