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Business – Page 173 – Reginald Chan

Category: Business

  • Why Web Marketing Is Important For Real Estate Investing

    Why Web Marketing Is Important For Real Estate Investing

    When it comes to business, especially in the current times which are turbulent at best, it’s important that we look for markets that are stable or have potential to grow over time. The real estate market has always been the one that has profited from an abundance of wealth or the number of people who own wealth. There have been phases where the market dipped low and then recovered again. These phases, however, are a part of any business, and right now, the trend is moving upward. The world is growing faster and more people are growing along with it, this brings in a lot of money to be spent on real estate as well.

    The millennials are moving out of their homes and the search for new homes is at an all-time high. A house needs to become a home, and it is also a status symbol, which is why so many people are looking to expand. The effect of the internet has made access to real estate easier, and exploiting it to your advantage could yield huge profits. If this opportunity isn’t utilized the right way, then it could be a huge mistake.

    In this article, we’re going to take a look at how you can utilize digital marketing strategies to boost your real estate business. We’ll discover how and why you should utilize it in order to earn more profits. 

    1. More Visibility on Search Engines

    The most common source of information for people today is the internet. A web marketing strategy will help you boost your visibility on search engines by implementing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques. When you use SEO for your product, it automatically ranks higher than all the other relevant searches. This higher ranking, preferably on the first page, means that you’ll be able to gather more attention and more people will end up clicking on your website. The more people who engage with your services, the higher are your chances of making a sale. This is one of the primary reasons you should consider web marketing to boost your real estate business.

    2. More Trust

    Any consumer who browses the web is continuously looking out for one thing in particular, which is trust. Everyone wants reviews from a trustworthy source, to be able to get good ratings, and definitely desire to find a business to deal with that they can rely on as well. There are reliable sources online that can teach you more about how to gain your customer’s trust. You’ll find that according to this guide, once you’ve established a prevalent presence online with a lot of traffic and good reviews,  people will feel like they can trust you more. Almost anyone interested in real estate investment will go online and look up your company. This is because having an online presence signals that you’re a legitimate business. If you could incorporate customer reviews, testimonials from previous satisfied customers, and if possible, video interviews of your previous clients, then anyone visiting your website or YouTube channel will automatically associate your brand with trust in their minds. This is one of the most important tactics that you can utilize to convert customers who would otherwise have been doubtful at first.

    3. Get More Clients

    The end goal of any form of marketing is to get more clients for your business- and real estate is no different. Marketing, when done right, will ensure that you can easily reach the target demographic who are more likely to be converted into your clients. It’s not necessary that you restrict yourself to your local area; with the help of web marketing you can even reach the people who live in faraway areas of the country, but might be thinking about moving to your area of operation. It’s also very difficult to cover your entire locality, so it’s smart to focus on a certain neighborhood or area so you can focus on the demographic that falls under certain specs and requirements. This is why the web marketing process is so much better than that which is done offline, as you have to spend less and leave the hard work to digital marketing professionals who will handle the job for you.

    4. Brand Image

    A brand image is something that huge corporations spend millions on every year. The brand image is an intangible asset that serves you in the long term by making you more identifiable, accessible, and trustworthy. A website does exactly this for you but in the online sphere. The website will contain your motto, your company’s vision, your success stories, your color scheme, and every other aspect that makes up a brand. Websites have become very cheap in today’s highly advanced age, and almost everyone is utilizing them to their advantage. If you miss out on this part which doesn’t cost a lot, then you’re giving your competitors a head start- which is never a good thing in business.

    These were some of the most important reasons why you should indulge in web marketing if you’re into the real estate investing business. The market is growing rapidly and so are the technologies to exploit it. If you don’t capitalize on these opportunities right now then it might be too late in the future after your competitors are done doing that. After going through this article, you must’ve realized the importance of web marketing for your business and grasped its importance for your business; right now is the opportune time to use digital marketing to grow your business. If you decide to opt for web marketing then you’ll not just be marketing your business to potential clients who are already interested, but you might also be able to convert more cold clients who didn’t think about real estate until they saw your offers. So try to exploit these benefits of the web marketing strategies as soon as you can if you want to make profits or else, it might be too late a few years down the line when the competition will already be far ahead of you.

  • Investing In The Fix And Flipping Real Estate Market 2021

    Investing In The Fix And Flipping Real Estate Market 2021

    Looking for a new business venture that you can turn into a lucrative business is something that many people want to achieve, with real estate being a big business if done correctly, this is the avenue many people go down when wanting to make a quick profit. The truth is that the market is booming with others trying to achieve the same. So what is going to make your fix and flipping more successful than the next person?

    With the investors market being a very competitive place at the moment, you need to do plenty of research to get your business up and off the ground. Investing in real estate is an expensive business, and although you can earn a good profit from doing so, it is not something to be rushed, when considering doing so. 

    If you are starting and undertaking your first project, how you may purchase your property can make or break your goals, even from the get-go! Not having the purchase price in savings may guide you into looking at mortgages or hard money lenders such as https://dfw-hardmoney.com. Doing one of these will guarantee that you have the full amount of money you may seek when investing. 

    Making your money work

    It may seem like an easy thing to do when you want to make your money work, but this is something that many people do not look into properly when trying to run their own business. To make your money work correctly it will take planning and research, from the beginning to the end. Not being tempted to waste money, the investment money you have is not for other things, keeping the business account separate from personal funds is essential in being able to take your business to the next level.

    There are many considerations to take on board as with any self-employed business and this will all start before you buy your first investment. Looking at what you will need to borrow to get started if you do not have enough equity, making sure the interest rates are affordable on the loan you have secured are all things that need to be priced in with your purchase. 

    Not pricing in interest rates, insurances, taxes with the renovation costs will not give you a true prediction of the profit margin you are likely to gain. This along with the time you spend fixing the real estate will all eat into the profit, so what you may be left with, is only the success of the sale with no profit! Therefore equalling a bad business decision. If your choices are not done objectively by thinking with your business mind, then it could mean you end up in debt, which is obviously, not what you want.

    Researching your market 

     Market research is always a good thing to do when starting a business, and with such a huge investment it should be a prime concern. The market you will be researching should be everything you will need to make your venture successful. Here are a few tips to start your research 

    • Look at your competitors 
    • What are they making a success from doing?
    • Real estate in the area you want to purchase 
    • What are the readily available properties selling for?
    • What are the run down properties selling for?
    • Loans, interest rates, final payback costs, and tax?
    • Works you can complete?
    • Works you can not complete?
    • Insurances 
    • Time spent working
    • Databases 
    • Online bloggers

    These are just a few, do not underestimate how much research needs to be done. This is the difference between those that know what they are doing to make a success and those that do not have a clue that ends up with them sinking underneath the pressure. 

    The beautiful thing is that with today’s technology, you can spend whatever spare time you have by investigating what you need to know and store it as you are on the move or from home. Creating folders to place your newfound knowledge will keep you organized, separating any legal matters or laws you need to be aware of, will make it easy for you to have access to in a prompt way.

    Making use of social media 

    Although some people can find social media annoying, it does have some very good uses. By having access to these you can find out all sorts of information quickly from other people.

    Word of mouth is put to good use when it comes to advertising, sales, foreclosures, loans, tax breaks, or new laws, if someone hears something they want to know the answer to they will ask online. 

    Look at blogs that real estate investors write, they will share tips, experiences, and even disasters that happen and how to fix them. They may share information about the latest sales for tiles, paint, or kitchen units. Looking into people that have made a profession out of this business, should positively encourage you. By sharing some of the negative things that may have happened, they will help and advise you into not making the same mistake.

    Look at financial advice that is being given by professionals, they will advise about bank rates, business rates, taxes. Helping with profit margin predictions, getting as much free information is never going to be a waste of time, especially if you’re accessing it in the spare 10 mins you have to wait for a cab.

    Reasons not to rush a new business

    As the old saying goes “Rome was not built in a day” the same should be said for your new business. Making it a success will not happen overnight, that is not to say if it is done in the right way it can not be a good profitable success quickly. The first purchase you make in real estate when trying to become an investor is going to be one of the most important decisions you can make. 

    So taking your time in finding the correct property will be the deciding factor in whether or not you can turn over a profit. It is only when you turn over that all important profit you can start to call yourself an upcoming business, company, or investor. The sole reason you are doing this is to be able to earn a good salary and have the benefits of being your own boss.

    The benefits of becoming your own boss will eventually work out for the better, choosing your own hours, having holidays when you want and of course making use of your hard earned money. This will all take time and patience but with hard work determination this can all pay off not just financially, eventually, your goal may be to retire quickly or spend more time with your family, being successful will help you in being able to get your goal.

    Conclusion

    Making use of all available tools is one of the best ways in making a new business a successful one. Taking time is equally as important as the money you will invest, together with the correct research and investment there is no reason why your business can not be a truly great one that all the family will reap rewards from in the long run.

    Use other people’s experiences and mistakes to grow your knowledge into a great book of information, being able to learn from other people’s mistakes can stop you from making the same ones, or at least help in rectifying them for the least amount of money. 

    By not rushing the first purchase of any business you will have some important time to think about; what you are doing? what you want to achieve? and the goals you have set for yourself?

  • Stripe and MemberPress: Integrating Payments with Apple Pay and Google Pay

    Stripe and MemberPress: Integrating Payments with Apple Pay and Google Pay

    Apple Pay and Google Pay are two of the most popular mobile payment providers. It’s not a surprise that so many people want to use these apps because they’re convenient, secure, and easy to use. Adding Apple Pay or Google Pay as an option on your website can be a good idea if you’re looking for more ways to make payments easier for your customers.

    With Stripe and MemberPress, it’s easy to integrate either app into your checkout process with just a few clicks (and boost your sales opportunity).

    What is MemberPress?

    MemberPress is a premium WordPress membership plugin that helps you build an online community and sell digital products. This is a popular plugin that is used by thousands of entrepreneurs and businesses around the world, especially when it comes to building community and a membership site using WordPress.

    What is Stripe?

    Stripe provides software for running your entire business, from accepting customer payments to managing inventory in the back office. They’re best known for their innovative payment processing, which quickly and securely takes card payments with no PCI compliance required from you.

    The integration of Stripe into MemberPress lets your customers pay using a credit or debit card through the website (like they would on any other e-commerce site). A single click will take them to your login page so that they can enter their credentials and make a purchase without ever leaving the MemberPress dashboard!

    Advantages integrating Google Pay and Apple Pay into Stripe and MemberPress

    Mobile Friendly 

    The biggest challenge faced by online marketers is low mobile conversion rates. According to Truelist, the average cart abandonment rate on mobile phones is 85.65 %. This could be because of a variety of factors such as accessibility, screen size, or customer caution.

    Apple Pay and Google Pay make it easier to buy things on your phone. They show you a clear page with the payment information for how much money to put in.

    Members with an Apple or Google Pay account can now easily purchase a product from their seat without leaving!

    Quicker Checkouts

    We’ve talked about the advanced security features of both Apple Pay and Google Pay. Security is even tighter because these digital wallets are supported through Stripe’s secure servers, so your members’ sensitive financial information is safe from those trying to steal it.

    Stripe is the most stringent level of certification in the payment industry. All transactions through Stripe are SSL/TLS protected, and credit card numbers are stored safely in an encrypted format.

    Stripe Checkout is the trusted choice for companies like Amazon, Pinterest, Slack and Zoom — and that’s the exact reasons why you using Google Pay and Apple Pay is an excellent move to grow your membership business.

    Growing your membership site with Apple Pay and Google Pay

    There are two great reasons why adding Apple Pay and Google Pay to your membership site is a smart move for any business: security and convenience. Stripe has created the most stringent level of certification in the payment industry, meaning that all transactions through Stripe are SSL/TLS protected, credit card numbers stored safely in an encrypted format. That way you can rest easy knowing not only that your members’ sensitive financial information is safe from those trying to steal it but also confident that you have taken every precaution necessary against unauthorized access by cybercriminals.

    Not yet using MemberPress? Click here to get started right now!

    *P.S. MemberPress is by far the best WordPress membership plugin for WordPress

  • How To Improve Your Skills As An SQL Server Specialist?

    How To Improve Your Skills As An SQL Server Specialist?

    If you work with SQL Server then your role will invariably require you to fall back on a plethora of different skills in order to fulfill your responsibilities effectively.

    Of course with such a variety of requirements on the table, knowing which areas to focus your attention on, and how to make improvements, is not always easy.

    To help you out, here are a few ways you can build upon your existing abilities and foster new strengths as you progress your career in SQL Server administration.

    Pay attention to server performance for troubleshooting & optimization insights

    Hiccups in SQL Server performance can leave many database admins scratching their heads, and yet your troubleshooting tasks will become much more manageable if you are attuned to the advantages of persistent monitoring.

    Tracking everything from storage usage and CPU load to TempDB status and the deployment of SQL integration services will give you a clearer idea of the moment to moment health of a server instance, as well as providing clues and evidence of issues that need addressing before they have had the opportunity to spiral out of control.

    Embrace interdepartmental communication & listen to feedback

    If your main job involves keeping SQL Server infrastructure up and running, then it is easy to be blinded to what is going on in the rest of the organization, when in fact you could actually benefit significantly from communicating with colleagues in other departments and being receptive to the input they provide.

    Communication skills are worth working on if you are a database administrator, not only because it will provide you with the means to make meaningful improvements that are appreciated elsewhere in a company, but also because it can turn what is potentially a very solitary job into one that involves much-needed human interactions. And of course if you are improving your communication skills, these are entirely transferable to other roles further down the line, in a way that SQL-specific experience is not.

    Use project management tools to your advantage

    Having a structure or framework to use as the underpinning of your daily workload is sensible in many professional contexts, and is definitely something from which an SQL Server specialist can benefit.

    In this case you do not need to rely on improving your timekeeping and deadline-hitting skills through sheer willpower alone, but can instead make ameliorations with the help of a wide range of tools designed to help you manage projects and track progress over time.

    Using the best platforms for project management is also beneficial in other areas, allowing you to collaborate and communicate with other colleagues who may be involved in whatever you are working on.

    Learn from the mistakes of others

    When a database admin makes a mistake, the ramifications can be immediate and significant, so even if you might be able to learn valuable lessons from your foibles, it is better to find out about potential pitfalls by speaking with those who have already fallen into them.

    Connecting with DBAs who have more experience than you, and can provide informative and instructive details about the snafus they have encountered in the past and how to overcome them, will keep you in the loop on common conundrums in the safest possible way.

    Wrapping up

    Clearly your own skills and experience will need to feed into any decisions you make about improving your abilities as an SQL Server professional, but the most important facet for individuals regardless of their abilities is to see this specialism as an ongoing journey of knowledge acquisition, rather than something with a fixed endpoint.

  • How to Choose the Right Pricing Model for your Agency

    How to Choose the Right Pricing Model for your Agency

    If you are in the process of establishing your new agency, you are most likely encountering difficulties every step of the way. This is totally normal, and every new agency has to make big decisions on everything from branding to client outreach to core services. One of the most important choices that every agency owner has to make very early on, is what kind of pricing model their agency will implement. Pricing has a huge impact on every aspect of a business, including your customer satisfaction and your agency’s profitability. Your pricing model has to align with your agency’s capacity, long-term goals, and the ability of your team to deliver quality service at a particular price. 

    To help all the new agency owners take a major step forward, here are some popular pricing models you may want to consider. 

    Freemium Pricing

    If you are just starting up, this strategy is great for attracting new clients and growing your agency. Freemium pricing means that you will offer your customers some part of your features or services for free, expecting that some of them will become return customers. For example, if you are establishing a digital marketing agency specializing in ads, you can offer some free copy and visuals, and run a trial ad to show your client how effective your marketing solutions can be for growing their business.

    Value-Based Pricing

    If you believe your agency’s services or products are a unique or extremely effective solution, you can apply value-based pricing. In this strategy, you will look at the actual value your service brings to the customers, and then calculate the pricing as a function of that value. This is a useful model and implementing a value based pricing strategy for digital agencies can help you to make some major profits. The normal starting point for value-based pricing is to set your price at around 10% of the value you expect to provide to the customer. For example, if you expect your SEO strategy to bring in $10,000 for your client, you can offer your service for $1,000.

    SaaS Pricing

    SaaS stands for “software as a service”, which is perfect if you have an online platform or a digital solution that the customer can use long-term as and when they need it. In this case, you can price periodically through a subscription or membership fee so that clients have the right to use your software. Unlike traditional software models where you charge one time for your license, this model offers you the opportunity to build your brand image and generate returning profit.

    Competitive Positioning

    Setting your prices based on your competitors’ is always a reasonable starting point. There are different strategies such as undercutting their price to offer a similar service or product or pitching at a higher price with the angle that your service or product is markedly superior. It is important that you do thorough competitor and customer research so that you can get this approach just right. 

    The Razor Blade Model

    As its name suggests, this pricing model was popularised by razor blade brands. Essentially, razor blade companies sell their handles for a low price and then sell their actual razor blades at a premium price. As an agency, you can apply this method by setting low prices for your ad copy or articles and then putting a premium on your extra services without which the copy or articles will not be effective. 

    Tiered or Goldilocks Pricing

    If you plan to target different demographics of potential customers, you may want to consider a tiered or goldilocks strategy, where you offer several pricing options, depending on the complexity of the work you are providing. This will start with a basic service package at a lower price all the way up to the most exclusive package which you charge a premium for.  This is also a great model for educating your customers so that they can increase their knowledge and use of the service, and upgrade their plan over time. 

    A One-Time Fee

    With a one-time fee, as you may have guessed, the customer pays one time for your service. This may be a lifetime contract, but more commonly, it is a yearly contract. This is a good pricing model if you are looking to increase a client’s online presence, where your team will take care of their social media and website, run their online customer service, and implement their internal communication plan.

    Per Use/Seat Pricing

    If you have a solution and aim to target big corporate groups, this is the option for you. Per-use pricing is similar to SaaS pricing, but instead of paying periodically for unlimited use of your platform, the client pays per seat. That means the customer has to pay for every company in their group that wants to use your service.

    Enterprise Pricing

    Not all of your clients will fit into your regular standard option plan, as some of them may be larger and come with a bigger budget. This is when you can apply enterprise pricing, where you calculate an ad-hoc price for that specific client for a predetermined period (usually a year). Once that year is up, both parties can then review the price based on the results.

    Cost-Based Pricing

    Many businesses implement a cost-based pricing strategy, where they analyze the actual internal workload, and then base the price on that work. For example, if the internal costs of a project are expected to be  $1,000, you can level that up by 100% and charge your client $2,000.

    There is a lot of work that goes into deciding the right pricing strategy. From analysis and customer insight research to tiered pricing levels, there is often no one size fits all approach. Even after you have chosen the pricing model for your agency, you will still need to execute it effectively. Your pricing strategy may need to change during the lifetime of your agency, so it is crucial that you are constantly reviewing it. When writing your pricing page, try to tell the story of how valuable your service is and why signing up for your agency is worth every penny.

  • Understanding The Purpose Of Anti-Money Laundering

    Understanding The Purpose Of Anti-Money Laundering

    Anti-Money Laundering is the set of rules, policies, and regulations devised to prevent financial corruption. AML has now become a universal term for the movement against financial fraud, especially money laundering. 

    In the past few decades, the menace of money laundering has become quite prevalent. That hits close to home for the corporate sector across the world. You must have heard stories of multi-million dollar companies involved in money laundering and corruption scandals. Therefore, many countries have made it obligatory for corporations to comply with AML regulations. To oversee this process, most companies have designated AML compliance departments. 

    To help our readers fully understand the concept of AML regulations, let us first break down what money laundering is. 

    What is Money Laundering? 

    Money laundering is a criminal offense based on the legalization of money acquired from illegal sources. In numerous cases, this laundered money is used for unlawful activities and to sponsor acts of terrorism. With the constant advancements in technology, money laundering methods are becoming more and more sophisticated. As per the statistics from IMF, the global money-laundering accounts for up to 5% of the world’s GDP. 

    To combat this menace, policymakers at the local and international levels are constantly devising new rules and regulations. These rules are known as Anti-Money Laundering (AML). Global authorities like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have come into existence to formulate AML policies and ensure their implementation. 

    The Anti-Money Laundering Process

    As per the AML procedure, there are various laws and regulations to prevent global money laundering. As per JD Supra on AML Consulting, these laws apply to a vast category of institutions and organizations, and compliance with them is mandatory. Failure to adhere to them can lead to penalties and legal action against businesses by federal agencies.

    Enforcing Criminal Laws 

    To combat financial crimes, both governmental and private organizations have implemented strict criminal laws against money laundering, in line with the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. In order to effectively prosecute money launderers, governments are advised to adhere to established protocols. If you’re in need of a reliable Fraud & Embezzlement attorney in Oakland, you don’t have to look further!

    Know Your Customers

    As per the AML regulations, companies must learn more about their customers by performing background checks. After analyzing this information, company executives can look out for suspicious activities and transactions of their customers. For example, if a customer with a track record of financial crimes successfully carries out a transaction through your firm. It will be recognized as a substantive crime on your company’s behalf, leading to severe legal repercussions. Therefore, companies and other financial institutions should strictly follow the global AML protocol to avoid their involvement in financial crime. 

    Transaction Tracking

    As we have discussed, knowing your customer is essential for ensuring your company’s compliance with local AML policies. However, you can not be entirely reliant on the information provided by your customers. Therefore, it is always helpful to keep track of customer transactions. That will help your organization identify any suspicious transactions and alert relevant authorities. Recently, companies have become more receptive to AMLTransaction Monitoring Software, helping them detect and stop any unlawful activities happening via company channels. 

    Compliance with anti-money laundering is essential to combat financial crimes, monitor potential fraudulent activities, and counter-terrorist financing. Remember, as law-abiding citizens, it is our responsibility to help authorities track down money launderers and their associated culprits to protect our country from corrupt practices and terror-related activities.